Krautrock

I still love “It’s a Rainy Day, Sunshine Girl,” for taking minimalism to such a ridiculous degree.

YES. Also, the sax and keyboard solos on that one are legendary.

I've already posted about these guys in the Prog Rock thread, but let's repeat it here...

Holy crap, I love Birth Control. That is, I love their second album, Operation; I haven't gotten round to listening to any of their other stuff yet.

This band really puts the "rock" in Krautrock. Tight compositions, soulful vocals and lots of exciting guitar and Hammond work. Their music has a raw rock & roll energy you rarely find in prog rock - I'd say they sound more like the Allman Brothers Band than Pink Floyd.

Progressive rock bands have to walk a fine line: the music should not only be musically interesting and innovative, but also actually enjoyable. (The latter is often overlooked; see post #2 about Krautrock being 'incredibly tedious to listen to'). With Operation, Birth Control really nailed the balance; if their other albums are anything like it, they're sure to become one of my favourite bands.

(Sorry for all the gushing - it's just that good).

edited 3rd Nov '12 3:11:15 PM by MidnightRambler

Most of Birth Control’s stuff tends to be in the Deep Purple vein, with some prog and psychedelic leanings. I have to say that Bernd Noske is a really excellent vocalist. I really dig Birth Control’s forays into complex, Gentle Giant-style prog with Plastic People and Backdoor Possibilities but they kind of went off the rails after that, with uninspired stabs at jazz-funk, reggae and even disco.

Big time comeback with Deal Done at Night and Bäng!, though. DDAN is probably their most enraged album, I’m frankly surprised such a hard-rocking album came so late in their career.

edited 3rd Nov '12 3:37:41 PM by Bananaquit

I think that best track on Faust's So far is the title track.

The deliver of SUUNDDAAYAAY is perfect.

The track that totally sold me on Faust was “Mamie Is Blue.” I don’t know what they were using to make those scraping/growling sounds but it was like nothing I ever heard, and led me to say, “All right, this album rules.”

That is, best that I can tell, someone strumming a muted electric bass, or perhaps bowing an electrified double bass in the same fashion. It's definitely a stringed instrument.

Regardless, awesome.

edited 11th Nov '12 12:29:40 AM by JHM

Has anyone here checked out Can's Lost Tapes that were released recently? Pretty amazing archival krautrock from one of its legends in their prime.

I am more of the Popul Vuh and Ash Rah Tempel variety. I like the sound of those big wooden boxes called synths.

Yeah, I liked it. Really dig Waiting for the Streetcar.