BRAINTICKET Celestial Ocean (Cleopatra) lp 16.98

BRAINTICKET Cottonwoodhill (Cleopatra) cd 15.98
A couple years ago, when an expensive import vinyl (+cd) version of this came out, we realized, good golly, we've never listed this before, really??? So we were glad to finally get to do so, 'cause Brainticket's Cottonwood Hill has been a trippy AQ fave for long, long time.
Now it's just been domestically reissued on cd, without the extraneous vinyl component, so anyone who missed out on it before can get it, and more cheaply too!
This album, originally released in 1971 (that's right!), the debut from Swiss krautrockers (we think you can call 'em that) Brainticket, is simply one of the freakiest, LSD-trip inspired slabs of groovy mu-sick ever. Up there with Funkadelic's Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow, even.
The first two tracks on side one, "Black Sand" and "Places Of Light", ease you into it, being laidback groovers laced with stabs of distortion... then the true "trip" begins, the utterly over the top, three-part "Brainticket", that starts on side one and spreads over all of side two, dense and propulsive and repetitive, with orgasmic female vocals and all kinds of intense psychedelic throb. It's the perfect soundtrack to goin' completely mad. In addition to wah-wah guitar, organ, flute, tabla, and sci-fi electronics, there's layers of musique concrete "samples", tapes of rainfall, clanging bells, clattering trains, cheering crowds, all sorts of chaotic noise panic...
Quite a overdose of LSD-enthusiasm, that even today still seems more likely to scare folks off from trying drugs than encourage 'em to do so. But then, who needs to actually drop acid when you can just listen to this? Fans of the likes of A.R. & Machines, Amon Duul II, Siloah, Tangerine Dream's Electronic Meditation, and other cosmic trips (as well as hippie kitsch) this is another one you need to get turned on to if you haven't already. Oh, and as a footnote, the drummer went on to play in proto-metallers Toad.
Packaged in gatefold digi-sleeve.
MPEG Stream: "Black Sand"
MPEG Stream: "Brainticket Part I"

BRAINTICKET Cottonwoodhill (Lilith) lp + cd 29.00
Good grief, we've never listed this??? Every once in a while we realize when such an oversight has occurred. Thankfully, we've got this new vinyl reissue to review. This album, originally released in 1971 (that's right!), the debut from Swiss krautrockers (I think you can call 'em that) Brainticket, is simpy one of the freakiest, LSD-trip inspired slabs of groovy mu-sick ever. Up there with Funkadelic's Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow, even.
The first two tracks on side one, "Black Sand" and "Places Of Light", ease you into it, being laidback groovers laced with stabs of distortion... then the true "trip" begins, the utterly over the top, three-part "Brainticket", that starts on side one and spreads over all of side two, dense and propulsive and repetitive, with orgasmic female vocals and all kinds of intense psychedelic throb. It's the perfect soundtrack to goin' completely mad. In addition to wah-wah guitar, organ, flute, tabla, and sci-fi electronics, there's layers of musique concrete "samples", tapes of rainfall, clanging bells, clattering trains, cheering crowds, all sorts of chaotic noise panic...
Quite a overdose of LSD-enthusiasm, that even today still seems more likely to scare folks off from trying drugs than encourage 'em to do so. But then, who needs to actually drop acid when you can just listen to this? Fans of the likes of A.R. & Machines, Amon Duul II, Siloah, Tangerine Dream's Electronic Meditation, and other cosmic trips (as well as hippie kitsch) this is another one you need to get turned on to if you haven't already. Oh, and as a footnote, the drummer went on to play in proto-metallers Toad.
An old fave, maybe a bit more expensive than it needs to be, though to be fair this package does come with a cd version of the album as well, which is a nice touch. 180 gram vinyl, gatefold sleeve, which is nice too.
MPEG Stream: "Black Sand"
MPEG Stream: "Brainticket Part I"

CAMERA Radiate! (Bureau B) cd 17.98
German band Camera definitely belong on the Bureau B label, who have brought us quite a few killer krautrock reissues over the years (including the recent Record Of The Week by Gunter Schickert). But - this isn't a reissue! Camera are a current krautrock outfit, apparently with predilection for performing impromptu shows in public locations, and this is their debut. A 3-piece based in Berlin, Camera are modern-day upholders of the krautrock aesthetic, heavily influenced by both Neu! and Harmonia especially. And in fact, they've earned the blessing of their heroes, having played live in collaboration with Michael Rother (Neu!, Harmonia, etc.) and Dieter Moebius (Cluster, Harmonia, etc.).
This debut recording features eight tracks of live-in-the-studio, semi-improvised, mostly instrumental jams that indeed "radiate" the classic krautrock vibe. The juggernaut of a first track, "E-Go", leaps out of the gate with an intense pulsating "motorik" beat and heavy waves of distortion, churning forth like something by aQ-faves Circle or Salvatore at their most krautrocky. Shifting moods, that's followed by "Villon", much softer and prettier, like one of Can's quieter moments. Then, on "Ausland", Camera whips up another energetic motorik groove. The next track, "Lynch", is the disc's longest, and finds Camera delving into some spaced-out, kosmiche synth serenity, laced with skittering beats and sinister, wind-swept electronics. But then, after eleven minutes, Camera are back to the amped-up throb with "Utopia Is", another juggernaut (after a bit of a slow-build, that is)...
And so it goes, the rest of the disc following suit, providing more quite authentic tick-tock motorik beats and shwooshing guitar/synth soundscapes like it's 1974 all over again. Krautrock fans will for sure hear echoes of a lot of the greats: Neu!, Can, Cluster, Tangerine Dream, Harmonia, Agitation Free, La Dusseldorf, etc. And anyone into other kraut-loving bands of today, like Circle, Cave, Wooden Shjips, and Hills among 'em, should check this out forthwith. Truly, for any fan of hypno-rock bliss new or old, it's hard to find fault with Camera's worshipful, enthusiastic emulation of their krautrock forebears; if anything, there's something almost a little too perfect about this, in that a krautrock band from back in the day would probably have colored outside the lines a bit more, whereas Camera kinda plays it safer, sticking close to the motorik formula. But, they do it REALLY well and we're definitely digging it!
MPEG Stream: "E-Go"
MPEG Stream: "Villon"
MPEG Stream: "Lynch"

CAMERA Radiate! (Bureau B) lp+cd 17.98
Now also in stock on vinyl, which comes with a cd of the album too!
German band Camera definitely belong on the Bureau B label, who have brought us quite a few killer krautrock reissues over the years (including the recent Record Of The Week by Gunter Schickert). But - this isn't a reissue! Camera are a current krautrock outfit, apparently with predilection for performing impromptu shows in public locations, and this is their debut. A 3-piece based in Berlin, Camera are modern-day upholders of the krautrock aesthetic, heavily influenced by both Neu! and Harmonia especially. And in fact, they've earned the blessing of their heroes, having played live in collaboration with Michael Rother (Neu!, Harmonia, etc.) and Dieter Moebius (Cluster, Harmonia, etc.).
This debut recording features eight tracks of live-in-the-studio, semi-improvised, mostly instrumental jams that indeed "radiate" the classic krautrock vibe. The juggernaut of a first track, "E-Go", leaps out of the gate with an intense pulsating "motorik" beat and heavy waves of distortion, churning forth like something by aQ-faves Circle or Salvatore at their most krautrocky. Shifting moods, that's followed by "Villon", much softer and prettier, like one of Can's quieter moments. Then, on "Ausland", Camera whips up another energetic motorik groove. The next track, "Lynch", is the disc's longest, and finds Camera delving into some spaced-out, kosmiche synth serenity, laced with skittering beats and sinister, wind-swept electronics. But then, after eleven minutes, Camera are back to the amped-up throb with "Utopia Is", another juggernaut (after a bit of a slow-build, that is)...
And so it goes, the rest of the disc following suit, providing more quite authentic tick-tock motorik beats and shwooshing guitar/synth soundscapes like it's 1974 all over again. Krautrock fans will for sure hear echoes of a lot of the greats: Neu!, Can, Cluster, Tangerine Dream, Harmonia, Agitation Free, La Dusseldorf, etc. And anyone into other kraut-loving bands of today, like Circle, Cave, Wooden Shjips, and Hills among 'em, should check this out forthwith. Truly, for any fan of hypno-rock bliss new or old, it's hard to find fault with Camera's worshipful, enthusiastic emulation of their krautrock forebears; if anything, there's something almost a little too perfect about this, in that a krautrock band from back in the day would probably have colored outside the lines a bit more, whereas Camera kinda plays it safer, sticking close to the motorik formula. But, they do it REALLY well and we're definitely digging it!
MPEG Stream: "E-Go"
MPEG Stream: "Villon"
MPEG Stream: "Lynch"

CAN Can Box (Mute) 2cd+video+book 59.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The Can box set actually managed to come out on its intended release date! 2 cds of live & unreleased performances from 1972 - 1977 (culled and remastered from audience tapes with recordings of "Dizzy Dizzy", "Vernal Equinox", "Yoo Doo Right", "Spoon", and "Cascade Waltz" as well as spontaneous improvisations given the titles "Jynx", "Fizz", "Colchester Finale", and "Kata Kong"), an opulent 500 page book of interviews, reviews, histories, and photos (with full text in English, German, and French!), and a two-hour video (including a rather artful documentary compiled by Rudi Dolezal & Hannes Rossacher and the concert footage of the Can-Free-Concert from 1972). Nits can be picked, but all in all this box is completely essential to any true Can fan(atic).

CAN CAN DVD (Spoon) 2dvd + 1cd 56.00
Fans of Krautrock listen up! The Can DVD is upon us. Now, if you already have the Can Box released a few years back, with the Can Video, you've got a portion of what's on here, but of course in a less high-tech, analog format. The Can DVD is actually two dvds, between them featuring the amazing 51 minute Can-Free-Concert film (circa Ege Bamyasi, 1972) and the 86 minute Can Documentary that were found on the Can Video. But it's also got a short Can tribute film (1 minute) by Brian Eno, biographies of Can members, a discography, and a brand new 81-minute Can documentary entitled Can Notes. There's also some stuff you can do with your PC which we haven't checked out, and MORE. A lot of it seems to focus on what the Can guys are up to these days, which is interesting but when you view the discography you'll be reminded that all their best albums were prior to 1974, so...
Plus, there's a third disc, a cd, compiling audio from Can solo projects: Michael Karoli & Sofortontakt!, Irmin Schmidt & Kumo, Jaki Liebezeit with Drums Off Chaos and Burnt Friedman, and Holger Czukay & U-She -- much of it live from a 1999 tour, with a few tracks taken from previously released albums. And there's more new music on dvd number 1, which includes five 5.1 surround sound remixes of old Can songs. You even get documentary footage about "The Making Of The 5.1 Remixes"! So, they certainly did stuff a lot into this package. Dedicated Can fans will eat it all up, casual Can fans might not care -- but either way, if you haven't seen the Can-Free-Concert, it's worth it for that alone! And not 'cause there's a juggler, but because of the freakin' music. Wow.

CAN Delay (Spoon / Mute) cd 16.98
By this point a history lesson on Can is probably not needed as their importance to the last 25 years of underground and not so underground music and their incredible musical legacy has been quite well documented. And we're pretty excited about the recent renewed interest in Can resulting in the remastering and re-releasing of much of their back catalog. The aptly titled Delay was recorded in the late '60s with Malcom Mooney on vocals. This is a way more stripped down, raw, proto-punk Can then maybe most folks are used to. Recorded around the same time as White Light/White Heat this shares the same blistering spirit that The Velvet Underground were exploring across the sea. We've no doubt mentioned Can as a huge influence on so many AQ favorites: Circle, No Neck Blues Band, Nurse With Wound, Throbbing Gristle, Radiohead, Tortoise, on and on and on.... but listening to Delay you begin to think that Can may just out-rock them all. A year or so before The Stooges would hit the scene, Can were already displaying such raw emotion and all out rock exuberance, that the world couldn't help but be awed (if they'd heard it). Delay once again demonstrates that no matter what kind of sounds Can were working with they always managed to find the emotional core, and let it seep into every bit of music they made.
MPEG Stream: "Uphill"
MPEG Stream: "Butterfly"

CAN Ege Bamyasi (Spoon/Mute) cd 12.98
These two essential krautrock classics from Can (Tago Mago and Ege Bamyasi) have been reissued yet again, nothin' different except they're a little cheaper, always a good thing. Though, whatever you'd pay for 'em (even if they were twice this price!) would be money well spent, these are so good.
Here's our review: Ege Bamyasi! Can's fourth album features their second and most fantastical vocalist, Damo Suzuki. Ege is one of our faves from Can, especially of Allan's, though we think he just envies Suzuki's amazing hair! Let us just say that if you don't own this already, what are you waiting for?? The reissues contain extra liner notes and candid photos that some earlier cd editions lacked. But unless you're totally obsessed with the band and are certain of your ability to appreciate the remastering note-for-note, there's not too much else about these reissues that would require buying 'em again. If you've happy with your older copies, you'd probably do well to just keep them and sleep soundly at night.
But if you don't have a copy of this record at all... well let's say once more, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?? Can's Ege Bamyasi is absolutely brilliant. Can of course were one of the most important 'krautrock' bands, along with Amon Duul II, Kraftwerk, Cluster, Faust and a few others. With Japanese singer Damo Suzuki at the mic on this he sings some of their best songs, like "Sing Swan Song" and "Vitamin C" and "I'm So Green". Actually EVERY song on here is wonderful. Languid and laidback, yet rhythmically insistent. Mellow and gorgeous and deep. Right on. Fans already know how good this is, everybody else should trust us and pick up one of these, you won't be sorry!
MPEG Stream: "Sing Swan Song"
MPEG Stream: "Vitamin C"

CAN Ege Bamyasi (Spoon) lp 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Oooh. Nice new vinyl reissues of several classic Can albums have just been released. Their fourth LP "Ege Bamyasi" was originally released in 1972 and is Allan's favorite Can album ever (although, it IS hard to choose). Can of course were one of the most important 'krautrock' bands, along with Amon Duul II, Kraftwerk, Cluster, Faust and a few others. "Ege Bamyasi" has Japanese singer Damo Suzuki at the mic, and on this he sings some of their best songs, like "Sing Swan Song" and "Vitamin C" and "I'm So Green". Actually EVERY song on here is wonderful. Languid and laidback, yet rhythmically insistent. Mellow and gorgeous and deep. Right on.
Enough. You know the score. Fans already know how good this is, everybody else should trust us and pick up one of these reissued LPs or the cd versions that we also have in stock, you won't be sorry!

CAN Future Days (Remastered) (Spoon) cd 12.98
This is Krautrock at its absolute dreamiest. Next to Ege Bamyasi, this is one of our most favorite Can albums. A regulation-size track, "Moonshake" is surrounded by three long ones to create a lush, lifting journey. Suzuki's vocals just merely whisper in and out of the scene as the percussion and organ work itself into a transfixed polyrhythmic atmosphere and becomes balanced again through use of some contant and pulsating bass. "Moonshake" is a Can-brand pop track, barely truly "pop-ish" but as much in that vein as they ever reached. Then the album ends in pure elegance and glory. We're still hard pressed to see a huge difference in these remasterings vs. their cd predecessors, but happy they're here and sooooo available, the classic Krautrock albums that they are.
MPEG Stream: "Future Days"
MPEG Stream: "Moonshake"

CAN Landed (Remastered) (Spoon) cd 16.98

CAN Live (1971 - 1977) (Mute / Spoon) 2cd 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
2 cds of live & unreleased performances from 1972 - 1977 (culled and remastered from audience tapes with recordings of "Dizzy Dizzy", "Vernal Equinox", "Yoo Doo Right", "Spoon", and "Cascade Waltz" as well as spontaneous improvisations given the titles "Jynx", "Fizz", "Colchester Finale", and "Kata Kong"). This double cd was the musical chapter of the Can Box (which also featured a video and book, currently out of print).

CAN Monster Movie (Spoon / Mute) cd 15.98
1969 debut from "The Can" (as it says on the cover) with Malcolm Mooney singing. Culminates in the 20 minute-plus "Yoo Doo Right".

CAN Monster Movie (Spoon) lp 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Oooh. Nice new vinyl reissues of several classic Can albums have just been released. "Monster Movie" was the 1969 debut LP from The Can, that band of kraut-rockin', Stockhausen-studyin', JB's-lovin, beat-poetry-recitin' hippy freaks. This album features the unique vocals of black American singer Malcolm Mooney, and establishes Can's signature style of relentless rhythmic psychedelia with songs such as the 20-minute"Yoo Doo Right". Along with the Velvets and the Stooges, Can were one of the most 'advanced' groups of the era, and certainly one of the best Krautrock bands. We needn't say more, 'cause most probably if you're at all interested in this new vinyl version, you already are familar with the album (which we also stock on cd, of course) anyway. But if you've yet to explore the world of Can, you could do a lot worse than starting here.

CAN Monster Movie (remastered) (Mute / Spoon) cd 16.98
Monster Movie! Can's first album and the first in a series of re-mastered re-issues features their original vocalist, Malcolm Mooney. Let us just say that if you don't own this already, here's a good chance to buy, not only this reissue, but a whole bunch of the best early Can on cd. The reissues contain extra liner notes and candid photos. But unless you're totally obsessed with the band and are certain of your ability to appreciate the remastering note-for-note, there's not too much else about these that's too terribly special. If you've happy with your older copies, you'd probably do well to just keep them and sleep soundly at night knowing that by not buying these reissues, you're not missing too much. If however, you'd like to spread some holiday cheer, here's what we said about this when the vinyl was reissued some time ago: Monster Movie was the 1969 debut LP from The Can, that band of kraut-rockin', Stockhausen-studyin', JB's-lovin, beat-poetry-recitin' hippy freaks. This album features the unique vocals of black American singer Malcolm Mooney, and establishes Can's signature style of relentless rhythmic psychedelia with songs such as the 20-minute"Yoo Doo Right". Along with the Velvets and the Stooges, Can were one of the most 'advanced' groups of the era, and certainly one of the best Krautrock bands. If you've yet to explore the world of Can, you could do a lot worse than starting here.
MPEG Stream: "Mary, Mary So Contrary"
MPEG Stream: "Outside My Door"

CAN Prehistoric Future (Tago Mago) lp 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Vinyl-only reissue of the "Prehistoric Future" cassette, documenting krautrock legends Can in their early days, June 1968 to be precise. Live ("spontaneously composed") stuff from their laboratory at Schloss Norvenich, taped edited and mastered by Holger Czukay. Mono. Sounds like a practice jam to us, very loose and stoned. But of course it's wonderful stuff for Can fans! It says something on the cover about it being "the very first session" but we don't know what that really means...

CAN Radio Waves (Sonic Platten) cd 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Not-to-be-missed rarities from these krautrock masters, beginning with 1972's 35-minute live jam "Up The Bakerloo" (Damo on vocals)--we once had a Can BBC Sessions cd that featured this (under the fuller title "Up The Bakerloo Line With Anne") but the rest of the disc consisted of later (circa '74) BBC recordings of lesser interest. Not so w/ this disc, which follows "Bakerloo" with a great version of "Paperhouse" from the 1971 German Beat Club TV broadcast, another live track from 1970, and an alternate version of "Little Star of Bethlehem" from the Delay 1968 album--PLUS the non-album B-sides of Tago Mago and Ege Bamyasi-era singles ("Turtles Have Short Legs" and "Shikaku Maru Ten", both of course great).

CAN Sacrilege (Mute) 2cd 15.98
Why mess with a good thing? Seminal krautrockers Can are downright inspiring, apparently, and short of adding four-on-floor-beats to make an insta-dance track, you be hardpressed to ruin a Can song. 15 classic tracks are remixed by the likes of Brian Eno, Sonic Youth, The Orb, A Guy Called Gerald, Pete Shelley, U.N.K.L.E., Bruce Gilbert and others. Some drum'n'bass, some weirdo techno noodling, and more than a few quite interesting interpretations. Double cd for the price of one.

CAN Soon Over Babaluma (Spoon) cd 16.98

CAN Soundtracks (remastered) (Mute / Spoon) cd 13.98
Soundtracks! Can's first album to feature Damo Suzuki on vocals. These are tracks from various indie films scored by them in 1970. Features the 14 minute, psych guitar-heavy "Mother Sky" and the beautiful Malcolm Mooney-sung jazz-lounge piece "She Brings The Rain", both all-time favorites of most Can fans. Let us just say that if you don't own this already, here's a good chance to buy, not only this reissue, but a whole bunch of the best early Can on cd. The reissues contain extra liner notes and candid photos. But unless you're totally obsessed with the band and are certain of your ability to appreciate the remastering note-for-note, there's not too much else about these that's too terribly special. If you've happy with your older copies, you'd probably do well to just keep them and sleep soundly at night knowing that by not buying these reissues, you're not missing too much. If however, you'd like to spread some holiday cheer, here's your chance to sprinkle the Can collection amongst those you love.
MPEG Stream: "Don't Turn The Light On, Leave Me Alone"
MPEG Stream: "Soul Desert"

CAN Tago Mago (Spoon/Mute) cd 12.98
These two essential krautrock classics from Can (Tago Mago and Ege Bamyasi) have been reissued yet again, nothin' different except they're a little cheaper, always a good thing. Though, whatever you'd pay for 'em (even if they were twice this price!) would be money well spent, these are so good.
Tago Mago! Let us just say that if you don't own this already, what are you waiting for?? The reissues contain extra liner notes and candid photos that some earlier cd editions lacked. But unless you're totally obsessed with the band and are certain of your ability to appreciate the remastering note-for-note, there's not too much else about these reissues that would require buying 'em again. If you've happy with your older copies, you'd probably do well to just keep them and sleep soundly at night.
Furthermore, for those that don't have and haven't heard Tago Mago, here's what we said last time it was reissued:
1971's Tago Mago double album was Can's third full-length release, and their first with expatriate Japanese singer Damo Suzuki (whom they discovered busking on the street outside a club). It's truly a sprawling masterpiece of krautrock. Witness the weird noise/drone stuff on the 17 minute "Aumgn", or the totally hypnotic rhythmic psych groove of the equally side-long "Halleluwah". Again, we probably don't have to say much more, you already have this, right? But if Can's new to you, we'd recommend this (as well as Monster Movie and Ege Bamyasi and Soundtracks) as among their best efforts. PS: If you like Circle and you don't have this record, get it!!
MPEG Stream: "Mushroom"
MPEG Stream: "Oh Yeah"

CAN Tago Mago (Spoon) 2lp 19.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Oooh. Nice new vinyl reissues of several classic Can albums have just been released. 1971's "Tago Mago" double album was their third full-length release, and their first with expatriate Japanese singer Damo Suzuki (who they discovered busking on the street outside a club). It's truly a sprawling masterpiece of krautrock. Witness the weird noise/drone stuff on the 17 minute "Aumgn", or the totally hypnotic rhythmic psych groove of the equally side-long "Halleluwah". Again, we probably don't have to say much more, you already have this, right? But if Can's new to you, we'd recommend this (as well as "Monster Movie" and "Ege Bamyasi") as among their best efforts. And we have it on cd, too, of course.
PS If you like Circle and you don't have this record, get it!!

CAN Tago Mago (40th Anniversary Edition) (Spoon ) 2cd 19.98
Nice!! One of our favorite Can, nay krautrock, nay any-kind-of albums ever (that is if you don't ask Andee, who for some insane reason doesn't like Can at all), given a fancy 40th Anniversary reissue! What's so fancy about it you ask? Well, first the packaging, it's in a nice gatefold miniature lp style sleeve, with the original art of the German lp edition that came out back in 1971 (yay, 1971!). That's nestled inside a cardboard wallet-like folder which bears the cover from Tago Mago's UK release in 1972, a movie still of singer Damo and drummer Jaki on stage, in action, dramatically lit. For some reason they made big deal about this alternate cover being used on this reissue, it's cool to have it but we're happy the original art is also present and accounted for on that gatefold sleeve. Also inside the folder, a thick booklet with vintage photos and plenty o' detailed liner notes, including some by the guy from Primal Scream.
More importantly though, what makes this so special is that it includes a whole extra disc, a previously unreleased, 48 minute live performance from 1972! They do "Mushroom" and "Halleluwah" from Tago Mago, as well as "Spoon" from that year's equally amazing Ege Bamyasi, that song here stretched out to almost a half hour in length! Any true Can fan will want this just for the live disc, even though you probably already have one or more remastered versions of Tago Mago proper. But yeah, with the live set and the nice packaging, this is definitely worth getting, it's an upgrade all right.
For those of you who aren't big Can fans already, this would be a fine place to begin your love affair with this amazing band (c'mon, Andee!). Here's what we wrote about Tago Mago when it was last reissued:
1971's Tago Mago double album was Can's third full-length release, and their first with expatriate Japanese singer Damo Suzuki (whom they discovered busking on the street outside a club). It's truly a sprawling masterpiece of krautrock. Witness the weird noise/drone stuff on the 17 minute "Aumgn", or the totally hypnotic rhythmic psych groove of the equally side-long "Halleluwah". Again, we probably don't have to say much more, you already have this, right? But if Can's new to you, we'd recommend this (as well as Monster Movie and Ege Bamyasi and Soundtracks) as among their best efforts. PS: If you like Circle and you don't have this record, get it!!
MPEG Stream: "Mushroom"
MPEG Stream: "Oh Yeah"
MPEG Stream: "Spoon (Live 1972)"

CAN The Lost Tapes (Spoon / Mute) 3cd Box Set + Book 32.00
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

CAN Unlimited Edition (Remastered) (Spoon) cd 16.98
Limited Edition (so-called 'cause originally they only made 15,000 of the LPs when it first came out in 1974) was an album of unreleased bits from Can's recording sessions up to just before Soon Over Babaluma. And now, these "sound polaroids" are remastered and rereleased for us to enjoy once again, in the expanded form of Unlimited Edition! Yay!
While other, maybe not-so-legit, Can out-take albums that have been released have sometimes bordered on the unlistenable in terms of recording/production quality, UE maintains the pristinely clear sound of their most notable releases like Ege Bamyasi and Future Days. We still don't know HOW engineers Holger Czukay (also Can's bassist) and Rene Tinner got their sound to be this good in the Can studio, but man, it is eternally impressive.
If you follow them as a band, UE seems much different than other albums. It does not lack direction in any way, though the songs seem to be an assemblage of either exercises in different styles of music making (i.e "Ethnic Forgery Series No. 36" -- a loose New Orleans-style jazz number, or "Cutaway" -- a tape-spliced collage piece) or intuitively crafted with more cerebral/artful emphasis in rhythm, synth layers, improv and space. There's much more of a stoney experimental intensity in many of these tracks, leaving those on our other favorite Can albums to sound like crazy catchy funk jams in comparison. The tracks compiled here are from '68 to '75.
We have to admit, that this album possibly above all others demonstrates their intuition and entropic ingenuity balanced by both an incredible sense of form in sound and impressive self-engineering.
Even Andee, who doesn't (gasp!) normally like Can, actually likes this one. But regardless, this is highly highly recommended.
MPEG Stream: "Doko E"
MPEG Stream: "Mother Upduff"

CANNABIS INDIA SWF Session 1973 (Long Hair) cd 27.00
Holy shit! Some of the heaviest, most bad ass organ driven kraut-prog you will ever hear. Seriously, the four tracks that make up the bulk of this release, totally destroy. They're complex and heavy, epic and melodic, and totally rocking. Anyone who digs ELP or the New Trolls or most of the Italian prog we're always raving about, will flip for these guys too.
It's hard to believe a record this amazing never got released, but these tracks are indeed culled from some radio sessions that remained unreleased, until now.
Bandleader / organist Oliver Petry started playing organ after hearing Keith Emerson and it shows, his group is total ELP worship, but somehow, they manage to push it even further, upping the speed and intensity, like a supercharged ELP in their prime. Hell, they even do a 12 minute progged out version of Beethoven's 9th symphony, which needless to say also rules. Just listen to the sound samples. If within a matter of seconds you're not flipping out and hammering the add to cart button, you might as well just consider your prog cred REVOKED.
This reissue tacks on two tracks by post Cannabis India outfit Universe, which definitely has the same vibe, but the organ takes more of a supporting role, with the buzzing bass driving the first track, and the second track adding vocals, resulting in some classic seventies pop prog. But fear not, even with the organ dialed back, it's still pretty prog-tastic.
MPEG Stream: "Hand Of The King"
MPEG Stream: "Revolver"

CARNACKI, THOMAS No Reserve (Petit Mal) 3"cd-r 5.98
No Reserve is a limited run release of a radio broadcast care of KALX in Berkeley from the eccentric Thomas Carnacki, whose ooze-riddled sound collages are buttressed by the likes of Gregory Hagan (Common Eider King Eider), Jim Kaiser (NFOrchest, etc.), and Jesse Burson (Big City Orchestra). Carnacki's live performances are notoriously last-minute affairs with the ringmaster collecting his resourceful motley crew of sullen noise makers a few days before any given performance, almost always resulting in spontaneous madness of illogical sounds and colliding electro-acoustics. Strangely, the gigs almost always work wonderfully, and such is the case for this KALX transmission.
At the onset, the quartet finds themselves in a claustrophobic space, with metallic exhalations and looping scrapes reflecting all of the optimism of a bombed-out bunker. Gritty pulsations of electronics build out of residual drones, oscillating two and fro, with a thick clatter of that bunker-powered reverb settling at the bottom of the layering of sounds. Hagan's violin, which adds to those sadder-than-sad moods to Common Eider King Eider, creeps to the foreground at various intervals, amidst the cooing electronics, the crumblings of sand, rock, and debris, and the funereal tolls from a resonant bell. Think early HNAS, Cranioclast, and Nurse With Wound, and you'll be close to the unsettled atmospherics of Mr. Carnacki and his so-called Anti-Memorial Orchestra and Choir.
MPEG Stream: "No Reserve (extract 1)"
MPEG Stream: "No Reserve (extract 2)"

CARPENBORG, STAFF AND THE ELECTRIC CORONA Fantastic Party (No Label) cd 21.00
All right, we'll admit that we were a bit doubtful about this at first, just from reading the hypesheet/liner notes, which claim, in part, that this is one of the "last great Kraut secrets" and because of its discovery, "the history of Krautrock has to be rewritten". And we're still not entirely sure if the person who wrote that was actually joking or not. But, while this is definitely not some undiscovered classic on the order of a Can, Faust or Neu! (or even the more obscure likes of Siloah, Kalacakra, Necronomicon, etc.) it IS pretty cool. And weird. Especially weird. Imagine Reynols or Yahowha 13 gone lounge, trying to entertain a bunch of jet-setters at some hip, swinging '60s party... It's called Fantastic Party after all and that's what it was meant as, a party record! Some cheesy German record label in 1970 put this together, presumably paying (with drugs?) a bunch of studio musicians to create a one-off psychedelic exploitation album by a nonexistent "band". A dime a dozen back then, maybe, but these guys really really went for it. It is pretty darn tripped out. Groovy but really off kilter and demented. Maybe we'd compare it to the children's songbook funk of Stark Reality, if you've heard the reissue of that. Or some totally dosed jazz combo doing porno music. Good times. Yup, it's got stinging fuzz guitar solos, flute warbling, hiccuping percussion, damaged "singing", bizarro titles... this has LSD written all over it. If you went to this "fantastic party" you'd know that Peter Fonda would be there for sure. And go-go dancers with dayglo body paint. And Timothy Leary, and midgets, and people who look like extras from a Terry Southern penned movie too.
A track from this appeared on the Kraut! Demons! Kraut compilation from a few years back, and if you have that, well rest assured, the entirety of this album is of the same high quality of fucked-upedness. So, true krautrock classic or not, we're glad it's been reissued, we're digging it! We only have to wonder, why did the reissuers hate the original cover so much that they felt the need to provide a new, totally ugly one?? Fortunately the LP's real (and actually quite rad, despite what they thought) cover is reproduced on the tray card, featuring a bevy of good-looking, polyester-clad partygoers truly having a FANTASTIC time.
MPEG Stream: "The Every Day's Way Down To The Suburbs"
MPEG Stream: "P.A.R.T.Y."
MPEG Stream: "Shummy Poor Clessford Idea In Troody Taprest Noodles"

CARPENBORG, STAFF AND THE ELECTRIC CORONA Fantastic Party (Wah Wah) lp 29.00
Now available on vinyl!
All right, we'll admit that we were a bit doubtful about this at first, just from reading the hypesheet/liner notes, which claim, in part, that this is one of the "last great Kraut secrets" and because of its discovery, "the history of Krautrock has to be rewritten". And we're still not entirely sure if the person who wrote that was actually joking or not. But, while this is definitely not some undiscovered classic on the order of a Can, Faust or Neu! (or even the more obscure likes of Siloah, Kalacakra, Necronomicon, etc.) it IS pretty cool. And weird. Especially weird. Imagine Reynols or Yahowha 13 gone lounge, trying to entertain a bunch of jet-setters at some hip, swinging '60s party... It's called Fantastic Party after all and that's what it was meant as, a party record! Some cheesy German record label in 1970 put this together, presumably paying (with drugs?) a bunch of studio musicians to create a one-off psychedelic exploitation album by a nonexistent "band". A dime a dozen back then, maybe, but these guys really really went for it. It is pretty darn tripped out. Groovy but really off kilter and demented. Maybe we'd compare it to the children's songbook funk of Stark Reality, if you've heard the reissue of that. Or some totally dosed jazz combo doing porno music. Good times. Yup, it's got stinging fuzz guitar solos, flute warbling, hiccuping percussion, damaged "singing", bizarro titles... this has LSD written all over it. If you went to this "fantastic party" you'd know that Peter Fonda would be there for sure. And go-go dancers with dayglo body paint. And Timothy Leary, and midgets, and people who look like extras from a Terry Southern penned movie too.
A track from this appeared on the Kraut! Demons! Kraut compilation from a few years back, and if you have that, well rest assured, the entirety of this album is of the same high quality of fucked-upedness. So, true krautrock classic or not, we're glad it's been reissued, we're digging it!
And, unlike the cd version, this retains the cool original cover art featuring a bevy of good-looking, polyester-clad partygoers truly having a FANTASTIC time.
MPEG Stream: "The Every Day's Way Down To The Suburbs"
MPEG Stream: "P.A.R.T.Y."
MPEG Stream: "Shummy Poor Clessford Idea In Troody Taprest Noodles"

CENTIPEDE September Energy (Klimt) 2lp 39.00
One our our most popular Records Of The Week of recent vintage was the double cd by ambitious UK ensemble the Orchestra Of The Upper Atmosphere, and in our review of that we mentioned this, an unjustly obscure classic from the early '70s, a joyous symphonic jazz prog outpouring from another HUGE ensemble, that the UOA reminded us of just a bit - it probably was one of their inspirations, in fact. Centipede was a robust 50-piece orchestra, lead by composer Keith Tippett, featuring a host of rock and jazz musicians from the Canterbury scene (Robert Wyatt wrote the original liner notes), including members of King Crimson, Soft Machine, and Nucleus. Heroically recorded & produced by King Crimson's Robert "Bob" Fripp, Septober Energy was originally released in 1971 (yep), and has now been reissued by Klimt in a gatefold sleeve on double vinyl, that barely contains this sprawling, vibrant masterpiece, which morphs continually through jazz and prog and 20th century avant classical idioms, incorporating droning wordless vocal choirs, violin and cello scrape and skitter, crazed crescendos of jabbering kecak-like chant, delicate piano passages, masses of trumpets, saxes, and trombones, and more... Imagine William Sheller's Lux Aeterna album with a whole bunch of Albert Aylers on board, maybe, especially with Centipede's dynamic shifts from driftingly pleasant melodic horn passages to total free jazz freakout to righteous, swinging "hairy funk" grooves. Moments might possibly get too "fusiony" for some folks, but not for us though.
Fripp was supposed to play guitar, but instead he was too busy with his recording duties, so the fat fuzz riffery that occasionally appears comes courtesy of Brian Godding of Blossom Toes (who, even more germane to this music, later on played with Magma!). There's also lyrics by (and singing from) Tippett's then-wife Julie, who now actually often collaborates with UOA's Martin Archer, see.
MPEG Stream: "Septober Energy Part 1"
MPEG Stream: "Septober Energy Part 2"
MPEG Stream: "Septober Energy Part 4"

CHA.CY. Minicd 3-99 (Spider Records) cd 10.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
3-song, 20 minute ep from a freaky avant-pop band featuring Jean-Herve Peron of Faust and Chris Karrer of Amon Duul II, two krautrock legends up to strange new tricks.

CIRCLE End Of Time / God Told Me To (Full Contact) 7" 12.98
There's probably not that much we need to say about this new Circle 7", other than to ask, are you familiar with the band JESTERS OF DESTINY?? 'Cause our Finnish friends Circle really really want you to know about that obscure '80s LA "alternative metal" band. They've already reissued the Jesters' 1986 album Fun At The Funeral on their own Ektro imprint some years ago, and former JoD vocalist/bassist Bruce Duff has appeared as a guest on several Circle-related releases (Circle's Earthworm ep and Hollywood full-length, and the Pharoah Overlord record Out Of Darkness). Plus another Circle side-project, Rakhim, put out a disc, Crimson Umbrella, named after a Jesters song. So yeah, the Circle guys really love Jesters Of Destiny.
Circle's fanboy obsession with Jesters Of Destiny continues with this limited 7" single, featuring cover versions of two Jesters Of Destiny tracks, "End Of Time" and "God Told Me To", both from the Fun At The Funeral album ("End Of Time" also being the Jesters' contribution to the Metal Massacre V comp alongside VoiVod, Overkill, Hellhammer, and Metal Church, among others!). They're great, uber-catchy songs, very representative of the "gleefully gloomy" blend of punk, psych, and metal that the Jesters made uniquely their own, and that helped inspire a certain Finnish band to come up with their own weird genre-hybridizing style (no, Circle don't actually sound much like JoD, but they share a lot of the same spirit, that's for sure).
So, if you've never heard JoD before, you'll get a good idea from this 7" of what they were all about - Circle do these songs pretty straight (no motorik krautrock detours or anything), hewing close to the original versions, and they also brought in ex-Jesters Bruce Duff and Ray Violet to sing and play on this recording. So it's almost more a Jesters 7" than a Circle one. While usually we like bands doing covers to reinterpret 'em in their OWN style (and we still would love to hear a 30+ minute Circle jam on the "Diggin' That Grave" riff, c'mon guys), the respectful way Circle did these songs here makes sense given their mission being to turn people on to the under appreciated greatness of the JESTERS OF DESTINY!
Limited to 500 copies only, we only have a handful.

CLUSTER Berlin 07 (Important) cd 14.98
Goin' a little Cluster crazy over here. This list we've got two archival Kluster releases, and this brand new Cluster disc. We've also got our memories of the Cluster duo Moebius and Roedelius playing here at Aquarius last month, which was amazing! If you don't know who or what we're talking about, please look to some of our other Cluster reviews elsewhere on our website for more information about this fantastic band of German electronic music innovators, who still kick ass (in their relatively calm, quiet, and well-crafted manner).
Cluster fans who missed their recent shows (in NYC, Chicago, LA, Big Sur, Santa Cruz, and SF) can get some kind of idea of what it was like from this live recording, documenting their historic "reunion" show in Berlin last year. Not only was it the concert that brought Cluster together again after about a decade-long hiatus, it was also the first time they'd performed live in Berlin since 1969! While this isn't exactly the set they were playing on tour in the States (it can't be, since they do different stuff every night, always creatively improvising), it'll give you an idea...
This disc is broken into two long tracks, textural soundscapes full of ambient shimmer, gently oscillating melody, mysterious noises, soothing drones, and occasional beats that sound sampled from a mad scientist's laboratory... or, it sounds like you're on some sort of twilight safari in an electronic jungle... definitely demonstrating the debt that the likes of Aphex Twin owe to electronica originals Cluster! And while this won't supplant their '70s classics like Zuckerzeit and Soweisoso in your collection, nor does it tarnish their legacy in any way.
Someone had told us that they now used laptop computers, which bummed us out just a bit... well turns out that's absolutely not true! Cluster had all kinds of gear, both digital and analog, but NO laptops, and Moebius jokingly told us that he'd probably be too dumb to figure out how to use one (doubtful). On this recording, both M & R are simply credited with playing synthesizers and "objects" though we bet there's techie nerds out there that would like to know more... And finally, in case you're worried we're just a bit too Cluster crazy, this disc also passed the "didn't have any idea what was playing in the front of the store and came out of the office just to find out 'cause it sounded so weird and interesting" test!
MPEG Stream: "1 "
MPEG Stream: "2"

CLUSTER Cluster '71 (Water) cd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Nobody did spaced out krauty ambiance better than Berlin's Cluster. Maybe best known for their collaboration with Brian Eno, it was their work leading up to those monumental records that helped usher in a new wave of sound that's been latched onto and updated by many over the years. It's hard not to hear their influence on folks like Mouse On Mars, Aphex Twin and the atmospheric moments of Kid-A era Radiohead. It's always so great to remember and be reminded that they did it all without synthesizers (really, they say so in the liner notes!). Instead Dieter Moebius, Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Conrad Plank were each armed with an organ, effect pedals, analog echo machines, alarm clocks, violin, etc. 3 songs and 40+ minutes long '71 is such a nice record to put the headphones on and begin to wander and fade away into their hypnotizing sounds. It was originally released by Philips, and of course never brought the commercial success a big label would hope for and since it went out of print there have been a few sparse reissues but luckily for us Water have flexed their wonderful reissue muscle and made it available once again with really nice informative packaging, finally giving due credit to one of the more influential groups of the last 35 years.
MPEG Stream: "Untitled (15:33)"
MPEG Stream: "Untitled (21:14)"

CLUSTER Cluster '71 (Bureau B) cd 15.98
Back in print, now in a nicer edition on Bureau-B!
Nobody did spaced out krauty ambiance better than Berlin's Cluster. Maybe best known for their collaboration with Brian Eno, it was their work leading up to those monumental records that helped usher in a new wave of sound that's been latched onto and updated by many over the years. It's hard not to hear their influence on folks like Mouse On Mars, Aphex Twin and the atmospheric moments of Kid-A era Radiohead. It's always so great to remember and be reminded that they did it all without synthesizers (really, they say so in the liner notes!). Instead Dieter Moebius, Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Conrad Plank were each armed with an organ, effect pedals, analog echo machines, alarm clocks, violin, etc. 3 songs and 40+ minutes long '71 is such a nice record to put the headphones on and begin to wander and fade away into their hypnotizing sounds.
MPEG Stream: "Untitled (15:33)"
MPEG Stream: "Untitled (21:14)"

CLUSTER Cluster '71 (4 Men With Beards) lp 16.98
Now on Vinyl! Here's our review of the cd reish from a little while back:
Nobody did spaced out krauty ambiance better than Berlin's Cluster. Maybe best known for their collaboration with Brian Eno, it was their work leading up to those monumental records that helped usher in a new wave of sound that's been latched onto and updated by many over the years. It's hard not to hear their influence on folks like Mouse On Mars, Aphex Twin and the atmospheric moments of Kid-A era Radiohead. It's always so great to remember and be reminded that they did it all without synthesizers (really, they say so in the liner notes!). Instead Dieter Moebius, Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Conrad Plank were each armed with an organ, effect pedals, analog echo machines, alarm clocks, violin, etc. 3 songs and 40+ minutes long '71 is such a nice record to put the headphones on and begin to wander and fade away into their hypnotizing sounds.
MPEG Stream: "Untitled (15:33)"
MPEG Stream: "Untitled (21:14)"

CLUSTER Curiosum (Bureau B) cd 17.98
We listed the vinyl reissue of this the other week, now it's also available again on cd!
It seems like the Bureau B label is bravely (and thankfully) treading all the murky Cluster corners that the Water label sadly deemed non-essential.
Curiosum from 1981 definitely is a curiosity being the last Cluster record before the duo took a 10 year hiatus, and if you're looking for classic Cluster, this isn't necessarily where you would want to start. The sound is more minimal, cold and less exploratory than their previous effort, Grosses Wasser. You might even call it difficult, not that it's noisy, grating or indulgent, but it tends not to over-elaborate the compositions with dynamic structures instead reducing the compositions into essential forms. Taking a less is more approach, seemingly inspired by the then current sound of post-punk and no wave, Cluster use plodding and lurching rhythmic motifs in shorter compositions with more subtle, purposely meandering, and oft-kilter melodic nuances: whirring sounds like a toy low on batteries, discombobulated waltzes, Radiophonic Workshop-like tape manipulations and loping loops. The last song "Ufer" (also one of the longest) plays up on Eno's Discreet Music, as an exercise in listening through near-silence. It almost seems like Curiosum was a missing link recording between Cluster II and Zuckerzeit as it sort of bridges those two sensibilities of formless composition and melodic structure with just enough form and just enough melody, but not too much that one would engage with it in mindless pleasure. Instead it dares you to feel it in the present but at a removed distance.
MPEG Stream: "Oh Odessa"
MPEG Stream: "Proantipro"
MPEG Stream: "Tristan In Der Bar"

CLUSTER Curiosum (Bureau B) lp 17.98
It seems like the Bureau B label is bravely (and thankfully) treading all the murky Cluster corners that the Water label sadly deemed non-essential.
Curiosum from 1981 definitely is a curiosity being the last Cluster record before the duo took a 10 year hiatus, and if you're looking for classic Cluster, this isn't necessarily where you would want to start. The sound is more minimal, cold and less exploratory than their previous effort, Grosses Wasser. You might even call it difficult, not that it's noisy, grating or indulgent, but it tends not to over-elaborate the compositions with dynamic structures instead reducing the compositions into essential forms. Taking a less is more approach, seemingly inspired by the then current sound of post-punk and no wave, Cluster use plodding and lurching rhythmic motifs in shorter compositions with more subtle, purposely meandering, and oft-kilter melodic nuances: whirring sounds like a toy low on batteries, discombobulated waltzes, Radiophonic Workshop-like tape manipulations and loping loops. The last song "Ufer" (also one of the longest) plays up on Eno's Discreet Music, as an exercise in listening through near-silence. It almost seems like Curiosum was a missing link recording between Cluster II and Zuckerzeit as it sort of bridges those two sensibilities of formless composition and melodic structure with just enough form and just enough melody, but not too much that one would engage with it in mindless pleasure. Instead it dares you to feel it in the present but at a removed distance.
MPEG Stream: "Oh Odessa"
MPEG Stream: "Proantipro"
MPEG Stream: "Tristan In Der Bar"

CLUSTER First Encounter Tour (Purple Pyramid) 2cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
German electronic music pioneers Moebius and Roedelius live on their first ever US tour.

CLUSTER Grosses Wasser (Water) cd 15.98
The later Cluster records, Grosses Wasser and Curiosum, recorded after the Cluster and Eno collaboration in 1977, often undeservedly get short shrift. Marked by a move back to Berlin to work with former Tangerine Dreamer, Peter Baumann, 1979's Grosses Wasser shows Cluster moving forward expansively in their "nature-man-machine" aesthetic while at the same time harkening back to the unformed melodies of their debut. This album is quite the grower, five short pieces with a nineteen minute closing track that is always a dramatically different listening experience each time we play it. Slippery and evasive, shifting subtlety from oceanic piano passages to lurching bell rhythms, trumpet call and responses, woozy funk, hints of klezmer, machine dub, even whale song, all soaking in an elementally warm haze that only Cluster could conjure. Soooo Nice!!!!!!!
Hopefully Water will consider reissuing Curiosum as well. AQ customer Wobbly, who is an avid Cluster fan, noticed that in the liner notes for this, that Water included the Cluster photo from the Curiosum album, sparking fears that a Curiosum reissue is not in the works. We can only hope this isn't so.
MPEG Stream: "Avanti"
MPEG Stream: "Prothese"
MPEG Stream: "Grosses Wasser"

CLUSTER Grosses Wasser (Bureau B) lp 17.98
Now available reissued on vinyl!
The later Cluster records, Grosses Wasser and Curiosum, recorded after the Cluster and Eno collaboration in 1977, often undeservedly get short shrift. Marked by a move back to Berlin to work with former Tangerine Dreamer, Peter Baumann, 1979's Grosses Wasser shows Cluster moving forward expansively in their "nature-man-machine" aesthetic while at the same time harkening back to the unformed melodies of their debut. This album is quite the grower, five short pieces with a nineteen minute closing track that is always a dramatically different listening experience each time we play it. Slippery and evasive, shifting subtlety from oceanic piano passages to lurching bell rhythms, trumpet call and responses, woozy funk, hints of klezmer, machine dub, even whale song, all soaking in an elementally warm haze that only Cluster could conjure. Soooo Nice!!!!!!!
MPEG Stream: "Avanti"
MPEG Stream: "Prothese"
MPEG Stream: "Grosses Wasser"

CLUSTER II (Lilith) cd 24.00
Cluster's second album continues where Cluster '71 left off. Produced and engineered by Conny Plank, who, as on Cluster's debut, acts as a third member. More pulsating and serpentine than '71 with broader hints at melody, Cluster II still retains the concrete textures and industrial tenacity of their debut yet predates the characteristically rhythmic propulsion and kosmiche pastoralism that has marked their subsequent output. Feels right in line with the kraut-y sonic forays of early Ash Ra Tempel, Zweistein and Cosmic Jokers.
MPEG Stream: "Fur Die Katz'"
MPEG Stream: "Im Suden"

CLUSTER II (Lilith) lp 23.00
Cluster's Second album continues where Cluster '71 left off. Produced and engineered by Conny Plank, who, as on Cluster's debut, acts as a third member. More pulsating and serpentine than before with broader hints at melody, Cluster II still retains the concrete textures and industrial tenacity of their debut yet lacks the characteristically rhythmic propulsion that has marked their subsequent output. Feels right in line with the kraut-y sonic forays of early Ash Ra Tempel and Cosmic Jokers.

CLUSTER Japan 1996 Live (Captain Trip) cd 16.98
Famed electronic krautrock duo of Moebius & Roedelius, like it says, live in Japan.

CLUSTER Qua (Nepenthe) cd 14.98
We are totally in love with this new Cluster album. Not just because they are living legends of krautrock who helped shape electronic music as we know it. Not just because they are in their '70s and still making amazing music. Not just because their instore performance here at AQ a couple years ago left everyone in awe... those are all reasons why we love Cluster in general so it would be easy to just talk about all their past attributes, but the new record doesn't rely on the past, at all!
While Cluster have released a few live records recently, this is their first full on studio album in fourteen years! On Qua they do revisit some of the classic Cluster sounds immortalized on records like Zuckerzeit and Sowiesoso, but what we really love about the album is how they aren't just rehashing the Cluster of old. They continue to explore different sound palettes and the musical options and directions those new sounds open up to them. Using their synths they carefully craft these seventeen tracks and while each seems to have a life of its own they are woven together in such a compelling way. Listening to Qua is hearing two masters at their craft weaving sounds together, creating such interesting patterns, shapes and colors. Still at the top of their game all these decades later, Qua ranks high in their mighty back catalog.
MPEG Stream: "Formalt"
MPEG Stream: "So Ney"
MPEG Stream: "Ymstrob"
MPEG Stream: "Putoil"

CLUSTER Sowiesoso (Water) cd 16.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
This long awaited reissue of Cluster's stellar 1976 recording, Sowiesoso (So Not So So) sees Roedelius and Moebius at their most collaborative and creative. Recorded after moving to the tiny village of Forst from West Berlin, the progressive evolution of Cluster's solely improvised sound from free-form cavernous synth-scapes to percolating motorik pop had already been documented on their Zuckerzeit album from 1975. On Sowiesoso, that sound gets even more refined, with Moebius's machinist currents of whirs and klangs jutting up against Roedelius's serene Eastern pastoralism, resulting in a haunting mix of pensive ambient beauty that matches the idyllic countryside pictured on the front cover.
So Recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Halwa"
MPEG Stream: "Es War Einmal"

CLUSTER Sowiesoso (4 Men With Beards) lp 16.98
Now on deluxe 180 gram vinyl!
This long awaited reissue of Cluster's stellar 1976 recording, Sowiesoso (So Not So So) sees Roedelius and Moebius at their most collaborative and creative. Recorded after moving to the tiny village of Forst from West Berlin, the progressive evolution of Cluster's solely improvised sound from free-form cavernous synth-scapes to percolating motorik pop structures had already been documented on their Zuckerzeit album from 1975. On Sowiesoso, that sound gets even more refined, with Moebius's machinist currents of whirs and klangs jutting up against Roedelius's serene Eastern pastoralism, resulting in a haunting mix of pensive ambient beauty that matches the darkly idyllic countryside pictured on the front cover.
So Recommended!
MPEG Stream: "Halwa"
MPEG Stream: "Es War Einmal"

CLUSTER Zuckerzeit (Revisited / Brain) cd 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Finally! We can't even begin to tell you how long we have been waiting to list this. Forever going in and out of print and when available it was always super expensive, Cluster's 1974 album Zuckerzeit has finally been given the proper and readily available reissue (Thanks Revisited!) it absolutely deserves. Probably our favorite Cluster album, it is most notably famous for helming their transition from concrete synth dronescapers to their more well known persona as crafters of pastorally cosmic electronica. Adding crisp and propulsive drum programming to their haunting synth melodies, Moebius and Roedelius split the composing duties with Moebius leaning to the more experimental while Roedelius provides the melodic sheen. Zuckerzeit hailed a new direction and focus in German music of the early seventies, with groups like Kraftwerk, and Neu moving through similar reshapes in sound. Obviously, Boards of Canada and Aphex Twin have spent some time absorbing this album. Timeless and classic, we cannot recommend this album enough!
MPEG Stream: "Hollywood"
MPEG Stream: "Caramel"
MPEG Stream: "Heibe Lippen"

CLUSTER & ENO s/t (Water) cd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
At last, this wonderful wonderful album is back in print on cd! Water gets a big AQ thank you for reissuing one of our favorite Krautrock, or heck, just plain ol' records ever, the first of two collaborations between art rock / "ambient" music pioneer n' generally acknowledged genius Brian Eno and Krautrock electronics legends Dieter Moebius and Hans-Joachim Roedelius aka Cluster! You know that's got to be good, and it is, paving the way for the likes of Aphex Twin so many years later. This self-titled disc (the one with the microphone stand silhouetted against a blue sky on the cover) dates originally from 1977. Water also just reissued the other Eno/Moebius/Roedelius album, 1978's After The Heat, which comes equally recommended (see our review elsewhere this list). On this one, they're joined by guests including Asmus Tietchens and Can's Holger Czukay, and construct warm, organic instrumentals utilizing both acoustic instruments and analog synths. This is soft and mellow and melodic but at the same time these songs are no push-overs, however gentle. To be honest, I (Allan) had never heard *anything* quite like Cluster before these got reissued on cd the last time that happened, on the Gyroscope label back in the mid '90s, but I very quickly fell in love with 'em (these Water reissues are much nicer, by the way, with liner notes and photos in the cd booklets -- the Gyroscope editions didn't even have booklets!). The discs with Eno are good starting places to get into the extensive Cluster and Cluster-related discography, and certainly they're Cluster's best-sellers... but anything with Moebius and/or Roedelius involved is worth hearing, we'd say. These new reissues haven't been accorded the fanfare of the Neu! discs on Astralwerks or the recent Can remasters, but we'd rate them just as highly.
MPEG Stream: "Ho Renomo"
MPEG Stream: "Schone Hande"