Krautrock Appreciation Thread

[gratefulshrink]

I had to start this thread, since so many people were chiming in on the "genre originality" thread about Krautrock.

I initially got into Krautrock by listening to Can, and I thought most of the music was more in that kind of industrial/techo vein (like Neu!, Faust, Kraftwerk, and Cluster).

Then I began to discover all the sub-genres within Krautrock.

Here's my categorization and representative band list:

Can --> Kraftwerk (see above)

Hippie/Tribal/Acid rock: Amon Duul, Amon Duul II, Agitation Free, Brainticket

Acid Soul Funk: Xhol Caravan

Hippie/Tribal Folk: Siloah

Jazz Rock Fusion: Dzyan

World Fusion: Embryo

Basic Rock: Guru Guru, Gila

Ambient: Popol Vuh

Miscellaneous: Ash Ra Temple


Let's hear some other suggestions....

 

[Masonjar]

Faust are pretty classic Krautrock. Their album IV definately belongs on any Krautrock shortlist.

How about Magma? They're very difficult to define, but I think of them as being in the Krautrock vein, even though they were French. They even invented a language (Kobian) for their sci-fi story-line music that was later used by Japanese prog band called the Ruins (whose BURNING STONE has some classic neo-kraut/prog on it).

as for Can, you can't go wrong with either EGE BAMYASI or TAGO MAGO.

as for Amon Duul II, my choice is PHALLUS DEI.

 

[gratefulshrink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masonjar Faust are pretty classic Krautrock. Their album IV definately belongs on any Krautrock shortlist. How about Magma? They're very difficult to define, but I think of them as being in the Krautrock vein, even though they were French. They even invented a language (Kobian) for their sci-fi story-line music that was later used by Japanese prog band called the Ruins (whose BURNING STONE has some classic neo-kraut/prog on it). as for Can, you can't go wrong with either EGE BAMYASI or TAGO MAGO. as for Amon Duul II, my choice is PHALLUS DEI.

I'm hit or miss with Faust.

Did you ever hear "Monster Movie" by Can? It came out a year or two before Tago mago, and it's an awesome album.

I like all of the early amon duul (e.g., Collapsing, Disaster) stuff, and the amon duul II stuff up until about 1972 or so. There's a short DVD set to Pallus Dei -- a little artsy, but an interesting hippie artifact, IMO.

I also like Ruins, BTW. Next to Krautrock, I think Japanese undergound hippie/acid rock/noise is the way to go......IMO, of course......

 

[Monkey Bones]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gratefulshrink Let's see some other suggestions....

How's about that whole Afrika Bambaataa wing of early hip hop that was an offshoot of Kraftwerk and James Brown funk at the turn of the 80s? Have you heard "World Destruction" under the name Time Zone (with John Lydon)? Man, that's some great stuff. All that early PIL music was great too. Leftfield revisited some of that sound on their excellent "Leftism" album in the mid 90s that still stands as one of the best of the decade. Legions of Bambaataa followers, some good and some bad. I don't think that Devo often gets the recognition they deserve today for some of their early contributions as well. Have you ever seen the Kraftwerk (as center of the musical universe) map that was published in Nova Magazine a few years ago? Great reference!

Click here for map (400K)

 

[gratefulshrink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monkey Bones How's about that whole Afrika Bambaataa wing of early hip hop that was an offshoot of Kraftwerk and James Brown funk at the turn of the 80s? Have you heard "World Destruction" under the name Time Zone (with John Lydon)? Man, that's some great stuff. All that early PIL music was great too. Leftfield revisited some of that sound on their excellent "Leftism" album in the mid 90s that still stands as one of the best of the decade. Legions of Bambaataa followers, some good and some bad. I don't think that Devo often gets the recognition they deserve today for some of their early contributions as well. Have you ever seen the Kraftwerk (as center of the musical universe) map that was published in Nova Magazine a few years ago? Great reference! Click here for map (400K)

Thanks for the suggestions!

That map is hysterical, ROFLMAO.

 

[Averse]

Hahah, nice chart.

I'm all about the Kraut rock.

Got my start from Can & Amon Duul II. Then Faust, Kraftwerk, Neu! and the list goes on. Still a few of the more well known bands I haven't heard yet.

Can: Monster Movie is must have. "Mary, Mary So Contrary" & "Yoo Doo Right" are among thier best IMO. Soundstracks has "Mother Sky" and "Tango Whiskeyman" and some other great Can stuff.

Some not mentioned with some albums I like:
Novalis (similar to pink floyd with some folk flavor, becoming one of my faves but I need to hear more, the two albums I have are very well recorded

)
Eloy (basic progrock)
Klaus Schulze (electronic, ambient)
Ashra, Manuel Göttsching's solo stuff (from ash ra tempel - elec,ambient)
Roedelius (from cluster, experimental, ambient stuff)

Still a bunch of Kraut rock I want to check out.

I like the Japanese underground craziness too Ghost, Acid Mothers, and Bordoms being the only big ones I've really heard. Ghost being my favorite. Going to check out those bands you said in the other thread gratefulshrink.

I like some American bands too; Oneida, Dead Meadow, Bardo Pond.

 

[gratefulshrink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Averse Hahah, nice chart. I'm all about the Kraut rock. Got my start from Can & Amon Duul II. Then Faust, Kraftwerk, Neu! and the list goes on. Still a few of the more well known bands I haven't heard yet. Can: Monster Movie is must have. "Mary, Mary So Contrary" & "Yoo Doo Right" are among thier best IMO. Soundstracks has "Mother Sky" and "Tango Whiskeyman" and some other great Can stuff. Some not mentioned with some albums I like: Novalis (similar to pink floyd with some folk flavor, becoming one of my faves but I need to hear more, the two albums I have are very well recorded ) Eloy (basic progrock) Klaus Schulze (electronic, ambient) Ashra, Manuel Göttsching's solo stuff (from ash ra tempel - elec,ambient) Roedelius (from cluster, experimental, ambient stuff) Still a bunch of Kraut rock I want to check out. I like the Japanese underground craziness too Ghost, Acid Mothers, and Bordoms being the only big ones I've really heard. Ghost being my favorite. Going to check out those bands you said in the other thread gratefulshrink. I like some American bands too; Oneida, Dead Meadow, Bardo Pond.

averse, have you checked out other European hippie music from the late 60's/early 70's? There was some cool stuff from Sweden.....

I used to listen to Bardo Pond alot, but I kind of burned out on them. Two bands in a similar style, but better IMHO were Abunai! and Jessamine,

 

[ogewo]

I guess Rammstein would be light metal extremist krautrock? Whatever you label it, I enjoy at least their latest album.

 

[s m @]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ogewo I guess Rammstein would be light metal extremist krautrock? .

Not really. Krautrock refers to a style of music, not just rock made by Germans. From what I know of that band (admittedly very little so it's possible I could be wrong here), they don't fit in with the above mentioned bands at all. All are very good, though, so you may want to check some out, esp Can IMO.

 

[EdipisReks]

krautrock really only refers to the experimental groups that started appearing in the early 70's. Rammstein is an industrial/metal group, in my opinion.