Can and other Krautrock Recommendations Please

[Mr. Shankly]

Hey everybody, Ive been curious about krautrock for a while, and I know a bunch of people here are fans.

I like psychedelia. I like drone, but I don't get into music that's overly experimental or techno-oriented. I need a little melody or pop sensibility as well. Sonic Youth is about as out there as I get in my taste. So that said, what would you recommend someone like me start with? I've heard a lot about Can and a friend put a song on a compilation tape a while back that I liked. It was called, "Mother Sky..."

[Elston]

I would say your best bet is Faust IV. The first track is an 11 min jam, but the rest are pop songs (pretty eccentric ones at that!). It's a good album.

In terms of Can - Ege Bamyasi is their most poppy and just a great album all around. But still, it's quite experimental/jammy. I've yet to hear a real poppy album from them (but then I've only heard 3). Have you heard the track Sing Swan Song?

You wouldn't like Klause Schultz I reckon or the first Faust album.

I'll ask a guy I know on another website, he loves Krautrock and he loves pop music.

Oh, and while we're on the topic of psychedlic off-kilter pop albums, how about Underwater Moonlight by the Soft Boys! Children of Syd Barrett they are, but less burnt out

[Mr. Shankly]

Thanks!

[purple]

Kraftwerk- Trans-Europe Express
Kraftwerk- The Man Machine
Kraftwerk- Autobahn
Can- Ege Bamyasi
Can-Tago Mago
Can- Future Days
Neu-Neu

those are the biggies that I've heard (still haven't heard Faust), but good luck getting into this genre and not having an experimental side

[Boogn1sh]

Krautrock is one of my favorite little "genres", I think movement would be more appropriate...I agree that Faust IV would be a great starting place, it was pretty much where I started. Can's Future Days is my personal favorite, it's jazzy and approachable and downright sexy, much more so than any kraftwerk or Amon Duul or Neu, which are all great bands but take a little more effort by the listener.

here are my fav Krautrock albums
1. Can- Future Days
2. Faust- Faust IV
3. Neu!- Neu!
4. Can- Ege Bamyasi
5. Can- Tago Mago
6. Amon Duul II- Yeti
7. Tangerine Dream- Phaedra
8. Kraftewerk- Trans-Europe Express
9. Popul Vah- Aguirre
10. Cluster- Cluster 71

If you like the more ambient side of Krautrock there's a great collection that could serve as a good intro. It's not all Krautrock, but if you're into spacey ambient early Pink Floyd type stuff it's all good.
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=am...fyxq8hldje

[Elston]

Some recs that have come:

Low & Heroes - David Bowie
Kraftwerk
La Düsseldorf

[maxperenchio]

If you don't like overly experimental, noodley, proto-techno-driven music, you probably wont like pure krautrock in general, especially not shit like Neu!

Just agreeing with Elston above, The Bowie Berlin era - Low, and Heroes especially (and I would include Iggy's the Idiot in there) - is a nice amalgamation of some krautrock ideals in a more disciplined, albeit wonderfully bizarre, pop setting.

The album Wolf City by Amon Dull II (1972) is pretty cool, theres some interesting moments in there, goodluck. I've always kind of seen the genre as a flimsy coked-out joyride- but hey, sometimes thats awesome.

[CellarDoor]

Try the "NEU! '75" album from NEU!. It's easier than the first NEU! issue.
Side 1 and 2 are very different. A definite krauty favourite !

[Elston]

Another rec that came:

Cluster's Zuckerzeit

[O.T.]

it's true, what we call "Krautrock" today was in some parts influenced by the Velvet Underground and to me it reads as if they may be your main band even if you don't mention them.

The influence Velvet Underground had was the noise effect and also the idea, that music could be regarded as something else than authentic self expression.

But the music that you might be looking for, connecting drone and songwriting, came with the German Post Punk scene. Maybe try out:
Kastrierte Philosophen
39 Clocks
Die Haut
_________________
"But really, the thing that propels me through music is the emotional reality of it."
Jerry Garcia