Can - The Lost Tapes

Did anyone else notice how "Streetcar" has the "Go go power rangers!" melody in it halfway through

lol, almost as great as Parappa the Rapper having a direct rip of "Turtles Have Short Legs" in it

I noticed that too!! But I thought it was kind of silly to assume that the creators of the game had heard some obscure Can B-side, so I figured the melody itself was pretty common. I didn't think anyone else would make the connection.

ilx has noticed it many times

I suppose so. I dunno what other message board would.

Anyway, I'm starting to really appreciate Malcolm now - I really wish they'd gotten more stuff like "Midnight Sky" on record

It's funny you say that because Midnight Sky sounds a whole lot like "Little Star of Bethlehem" imo.

I *like* "Little Star" on Radio Waves; the version on Delay kind of got on my nerves. I think it's actually Damo on the Radio Waves one though. Also "Midnight Sky" is a lot more intense. But I'll have to give Delay another listen; outside of "Uphill" I don't remember much of it.

Also read this sold 2k in Wk1 of release.

I'm so clueless I don't know if that's good or bad. I mean, in the mind of the sort of person for whom Can really are "bigger than the Beatles," it sound incredibly low. But maybe not?

I can't imagine how all the great reissues happening over the last decade are making a living for anyone, if Can sells 2k copies of their first unreleased music in 25 years. . .

outside of "Uphill" I don't remember much of it.

Struggling to understand how anyone could not remember "Butterfly" or "Thief" tbh

So this may be too nerdy even for ILM, but I got to thinking--as much as I like this as a box set, it seemed like the music might make more sense in the context of the albums of the same eras of creation. Basically, as "bonus tracks" to the albums proper. And I figured, why not do the same with 'Unlimited Edition' since I've always felt like there's good stuff there, but it never did it for me as an album.

So, these are the bonus tracks I added to the albums:

Delay 1968 (1968) [59:22]
08. Deadly Doris
09. Midnight Sky
10. Connection
11. True Story
12. Waiting for the Streetcar

This one is a no-brainer. Material is clearly on par, just makes it a double LP.

Monster Movie (1969) [71:34]
05. Blind Mirror Surf
06. E.F.S. #7
07. The Empress and the Ukraine King
08. E.F.S. #10
09. Your Friendly Neighbourhood Whore
10. Mother Upduff
11. E.F.S. #8
12. When Darkness Comes
13. Fall of Another Year

Less essential, but still adds nicely to the picture of Can, 1969. "Fall of Another Year" would be one of the best bonus tracks ever.

Soundtracks (1970) [69:02]
08. Desert
09. On the Way to Mother Sky
10. Millionspiel
11. Oscura Primavera
12. Graublau

Again, mostly context-providing, but high-quality listening, not just "interesting".

Tago Mago (1971) [88:10]
08. Musette
09. Blue Bag
10. Turtles Have Short Legs
11. E.F.S. #27
12. Shikaku Maru Ten
13. TV Spot

Nothing here from 'Lost Tapes,' and not the strongest material from 'Unlimited Edition,' but surely at least "Shikaku" and "Turtles" deserve a proper home. I think maybe "TV Spot" would be a hidden track, since "Shikaku" is a great bonus-track closer proper.

Ege Bamyasi (1972) [79:38]
08. Evening All Day
09. Bubble Rap
10. Messer, Scissors, Fork & Light
11. A Swan is Born
12. Dead Pigeon Suite

Maybe some of the strongest material from the 'Lost Tapes'. You could argue "Messer. . ." and "Dead Pigeon Suite" belong on 'Soundtracks,' since they were soundtracks, but they came after that album, plus it's just awesome to hear "Dead Pigeon Suite" in context with "Vitamin C".

Future Days (1973) [58:28]
05. Alice
06. LH 702
07. Doko E
08. I'm Too Leise
09. Gomorrha

This is the album I'd want a 30 second gap between the album proper and the bonus tracks. But the stuff is mostly strong, and very much of a piece stylistically (except maybe "Doko E"). "Gomorrha" is given a chance to shine in context.

Soon of Babulama (1975) [65:01]
06. The Loop
07. Ibis
08. Private Nocturnal
09. Midnight Men

This surprised me, but I think this album benefits most from expansion as an album, because the bonus material is of equal strength to the album and has the exact same DNA. "Midnight Men" is a stronger closer than "Quantum Physics".

Flow motion doesn't get anything added.

Saw Delight (1977) [45:43]
06. Barnacles

Perfect one-track addition, still works as an LP. I like late-era Can better than most, so I would've loved to see a 4th disc on 'Lost Tapes' of stuff from the Rosko Gee era, maybe some more Disco-Can. But that's just me.

What I could find online for Unlimited Edition listed "Cutaway" (from U.E.) as being from 1969, but it sounds much later to me--the opening sounds most like 'Flow Motion,' but that's 7 years later. What do you guys think? It's no "Aumgn," but I like it as one of their very abstract, shape-shifting long-form pieces.

On the whole, I think the "bonus track" approach helps me to appreciate the music from 'Lost Tapes' and 'Unlimited Edition' more than I do as box set/compilation. All of the music benefits from context--and while rarely improving the albums as albums, it made me realize that Can really did put out an album whenever they entered a new creative phase--every period distinct from the others, such that even without dates for the music, it would've been fairly clear how to redistribute the tracks.

of = over, of course.

Ha, and 'Babaluma'. I always do that, for some reason.

To be even more nerdy, "Delay 68" is actually from 1969, much of it recorded after "Monster Movie"

Yeah. Added the tracks that had the fully raw quality it has, and slightly less raw stuff to 'Monster Movie,' even though the dates are sometimes backwards.

"Cutaway" is obv. some sort of collage from various eras, I assume Czukay assembled it (and not very well in my opinion!) for "Unlimited Edition", Malcolm Mooney's voice is on there but then so's Damo (I think) and some of the music is obviously from 1973-75 (there's definitely a synth or two)

There's also 'Transcendental Express' from "Unlimited Edition"

Yeah, didn't think that one made the cut. Also all the live stuff from 'Lost Tapes' makes a nice 'Can Live' LP, maybe add "Bakerloo" from the BBC stuff.

I wonder who the sneery English guy is on "Cutaway"? The guy trying to explain how to use a ring modulator to (I assume) Malcolm Mooney...

Fine work, Soundslike!

The "recent" remasters came in those round-edge cd boxes that can take two cds easy.

So, might add these tracks as CD2 editions, along with "Sacrilege" tracks. Or would that be, um,..

Nah, never too nerdy. . . ; )

really nice work, Soundslike! thank you!

No work involved--just putting tracks with the right years, mostly. Fellow nerds should definitely try it, though--not like I needed a new incentive to listen to Can's albums, but it's been really fun hearing this unheard stuff (and underheard) with what I've loved so well.

I would like to second that, good work Soundslike. I only go on ILM for the nerdy stuff!

yeah that is excellent; not that I really want to hear all these albums this way, but now I can make a chronological 10 hour long Can playlist

"Dead Pigeon Suite" is fantastic; exactly the music I want to hear at the moment.

the part where Damo kind of comes out of nowhere is my favorite

^^^ Oh, and this.

Back in print again, after the first press sold out, but it won't last long, as far as I hear.

Also read this sold 2k in Wk1 of release.

I'm so clueless I don't know if that's good or bad. I mean, in the mind of the sort of person for whom Can really are "bigger than the Beatles," it sound incredibly low. But maybe not?

I can't imagine how all the great reissues happening over the last decade are making a living for anyone, if Can sells 2k copies of their first unreleased music in 25 years. . .

― Soundslike, Friday, June 29, 2012 6:01 PM (3 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I think 2k first week sales of a Can box set that retails for $35-40 is pretty decent for 2012.

It is very good sales. They were caught off-guard by how well it did.

I like you, soundslike.

Hey, I bought two! By mistake, forgot I'd pre-ordered it long ago. Found a good home for the second copy.

Soundslike idea is great, I'm definitely going to "playlist" them that way.

A bunch of The Lost Tapes are on YouTube. I like this short version of "Dead Pigeon Suite"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=THc1zz1EqSI There's also an 11-minute version, which looks like it'll have the same visuals as several other TLPs. Scared to use the YTD converter now.

nice one for "Messer, Scissors, Fork and Light" (a trailer for some shit before, be prepared to click "skip ad")
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUwBdGAbrMA

what's the deal with the new 2012 reissues? same shit different box? also wasn't there supposed to be a studio album box too?

speaking of unlimited edition: always loved doko-e and was equally impressed when i heard the 20 minute jam that this ever so small song was edited out of: impressed by the clarity of czukay to pick just the greatest bit.

i like this box set a fair bit but it's really congealed my dislike for karoli's soloing - it's the worst part of can for me: if only he kept to rhythm and hooks and effects.

Yeah--always wondered how much Karoli adds, because he definitely liked to noodle. His mid-80s album with Polly Eltes is surprisingly great, though--sounds like the Raincoats, Family Fodder, etc. with little noticeable guitar at all.

unless this is referring to weird peripheral can & solo works i haven't heard, this is baffling to me - even allowing for a distinction between his rhythmic playing & soloing i love karoli, he's one of the most distinct constitutive parts of their sound, what smooths it out, maybe

karoli - defn refers to the soloing on this box and a lot of the boots and live stuff i have. in the the major recordings he's usually pretty fine but not always.

the late great - I believe that the album box is scheduled for the end of the year.

I guess I'm thinking generally of post-'Future Days' Can, where he really favors a highly processed, very thin and needle-like sound for his solos, which strike me as very "rock" and against the general melding-of-all-parts that I associate with Can. That said, I still tend to like later Can more than most people (particularly the last, self-titled album).

That said, I still tend to like later Can more than most people (particularly the last, self-titled album).

Yeah, for all of the venom directed at the s/t album (a friend hated it so much that he gave me his copy), it's also my choice for the post-Babaluma studio material.

funny, i've really only heard/thought good things about s/t (All Gates Open, to name one, is absolutely classic Can. and i think there's a couple others).
but before that one saw delight was a serious drop off and out of reach was to me completely unremarkable and i haven't missed it since selling it many years ago

'Can' ends--the album, and the band--in the stupidest way possible. But it has some great tracks.

I love the ominous swarming synths on this one. Has that needly Karoli soloing, but doesn't bother me for some reason:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHn9faRcD48

love this song!

I wonder if you could make a whole mix of (ex)Krautrockers making sweet dark dance tunes in the late 70s. . . Kraftwerk, obviously, but then Can, and even Amon Duul II got in on the action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFYd1VG8hIM

Rite Time is like the s/t album but with Malcolm on vocals!

I was surprised to find out that people don't like Saw Delight. It's a pretty fun album with some real catchy instrumental stuff; has very little to do with classic Can but it's pretty good for what it is. The Inner Space album is pretty good too. "A Spectacle" is funky as hell and IMO one of their best post-Future Days tracks.

The one they did in between (Out of Reach?) was kind of garbage though...was that ever released on CD?

No, that's the one they all hate and disown.

It was released as a two-fer with Inner Space in the 90s but I think it's been missed out of all the more recent reissues/remasters:
http://www.discogs.com/Can-Inner-Space-Out-Of-Reach/release/173674

(I have that CD and assume it was a legit reissue but it does have a slightly cheap look to it so it may not be. There are a couple of OK tracks on Inner Space but really the whole twofer is a bit of a sad affair)