Discussion of individual Kraftwerk albums

[Sepulchral Voice]

I love discussing this band, as their catolog is so diverse. The Man-Machine has it's own ANUS review, but I'd like to here some opinions on the rest of their career, specifically Trans-Europe Express, Electric Cafe/Techno Pop, all of the albums between Tone Float and Autobahn, and Autobahn itself. This topic may seem a little banal, but this may interest many others.

[Devamitra]

It's one of the rare bands that along with metallers such as Darkthrone and Beherit have exhibited sovereignty over multiple styles.

"Tone Float" is a pure krautrock album with definite Pink Floyd influences. Its joy saves it from being a non-structural mess. Somehow the I and II albums struck me as more nondescript and for the culmination of their progressive rock I choose "Ralf & Florian". "Autobahn" is a landmark (even though the title track is by far the best thing on it) as are the slightly weaker "Radio-Aktivität" and "Trans Europa Express" which is the first to display the elegant Europop tendencies (or is maybe the first Europop album ever?). Tracks such as "Hall of Mirrors" are simply massive in their pathos and darkness; it gives me the same kind of chills as Burzum does. "The Man Machine" is maybe objectively speaking the best of their electro pop albums but the absurdity and clairvoyance of "Computer Love", "Computer World" et cetera makes me occasionally opt for the latter album. "Tour de France" is underrated too, but admittedly doesn't add new ideas to their stylistic repertoire.

[esoteric]

All their early releases are conceptual albums. I like the idea of Trans-Europe Express (which was indeed the first disco album) and how the whole album can be listened to as a long train ride, with the beats sound like a train trip. Man-Machine and Computer World have a definite concept as well, although these albums aren't as important as Trans-Europe Express was. I think Autobahn may be my favorite.

[bjorn]

Trans-Europe Express is probably my favourite. I love the blending of music and lyrics on "Europe Endless"; it's wonderfully bright and optimistic. The darker tracks are mesmerizing as well. I don't see why it would be the first disco album, though. Technically The Man-Machine is more complete, but Trans-Europe Express has got a wonderful spirit that was never equaled.

[Sepulchral Voice]

Trans-Europe Express is probably my favourite. I love the blending of music and lyrics on "Europe Endless"; it's wonderfully bright and optimistic. The darker tracks are mesmerizing as well. I don't see why it would be the first disco album, though. Technically The Man-Machine is more complete, but Trans-Europe Express has got a wonderful spirit that was never equaled.

I definitely agree.

I just listened to it all the way through again (very loudly), it was a powerful experience. Unfortunately, I think the mainstream has misinterpreted this album as a strictly dance oriented album. The album has so much more to it than catchy drum beats.

[heather]

I really like Kraftwerk alot, ever since I first listened to them I could see that this was clearly a founding band in the genre of electronic and how numerous other electronic bands had been influenced by their music.

Of all their work, "Das Modell"("The Model") from The Man-Machine(Die Mensch-Maschine) I tend to favor quite a bit because everytime I hear it, always gets stuck in my head due to being catchy as hell, the most unforgettable song off that entire album. Autobahn I liked a good deal also, (first track especially) certainly seized the feeling of traveling by car on a prolonged journey and I liked how the other tracks were instrumental, created a hypnotic closure for the album.

[pearsonjps]

I think that the live album 'Minimum- Maximum', although a compilation of live tracks, is one of the best live releases in modern music. It updates their sound and style in a manner not unlike that rather poor 'The Mix' re-mixes album, but has the same sense of continuity that defined their 'Tour De France Soundtracks',

[Conservationist]

The Man-Machine has it's own ANUS review, but I'd like to here some opinions on the rest of their career

Me too. ANUS seriously needs to get its shit together and get more reviews out there. Not just of Kraftwerk and other non-metal, but the great and classic metal.