Best Can Album?
 

I was convinced that it was Ege Bamyasi, but now Soundtracks is really getting to me. "Tango Whiskeyman" sounds vaguely like the Kinks, but with that singular Can flavor. And "Mother Sky" is just a monster of a cut (note to Calla fans -- on an upcoming Troubleman 12" they have included one amazing new song and a very good cover of "Mother Sky" -- look for it!). Anyone care to nominate Tago Mago or Delay to the list of Can accomplishments?

I have also decided that they were a far better band than Kraftwerk or, obviously, Neu!. I can't think of another band that sounds like them -- at times Faust and, currently, Clinic, but that's about it.

I've only got 3 of their discs...Future Days, Tago Mago and Ege Bamyasi. To be honest, I'm not sure which one I like best. Future Days is the most accessible, I think. I've always thought of Tago Mago as their masterpiece...given the little that I know about them.

So, Clinic's pretty good? I've been thinking about checking them out but haven't got around to it yet.

Do you like what you have heard by Can?

Clinic are good. Buy their singles collection first. It's self titled. Then Internal Wrangler and then, if you really like both of those, maybe get Walking With Thee. But Walking With Thee is really dull. I don't like it at all. Definitely don't start with that one.

I really like what I've heard from Can, but I'm not too big a fan of Neu! or Kraftwerk (blasphemy, I know). Don't know a lot about Faust though. I love Can's sense of rhythm and groove and (to continue a discussion from another thread), I actually hear a huge Can influence when I listen to Phish.

I can see the Can - Phish connection. But Can just approach rhythm in a way that no one else I have ever heard has. It's really brainy, but it still has the bouyancy of, say, Parliament.

Completely unrelated, but I am really obsessed with a song right now by this Austin band called the Secret Machines. It sounds a lot like Pink Floyd (who I, for the most part, detest), but it's great. Here's a link to it:

http://www.acefu.com/sounds/Secret_Machines_it's_a_bad_wind--.mp3

That's it - I'm picking up a Can album or two this weekend. I've gone long enough without haven't any of their albums in my collection.

:up:

Yancey - I'll definitely give that Secret Machines tune a listen when I get home tonight (even though I've never been a huge Pink Floyd fan either). At first, I misread your post as the Suicide Machines and was wondering what the hell a second rate ska band had to do with anything we were talking about...

I've sent the link to some friends and none of them really liked it that much, so apparently it's just hitting me hard for some strange reason. It's worth checking out though.

It's always difficult for me to choose among their 1968-1974 albums, but Tago Mago has got to be one of the greatest pieces of music ever recorded, anywhere, by anyone--with Future Days a close second.

I had an 'out-of-body' experience listening to Tago Mago for the first time. And I had imbibed no chemical assistants of any kind. :)

This is a band I need investigate more. I've only heard a handful of songs and it's amazing to realize when this stuff was released.
I love Kraftwerk very much... I know Can is different, but I enjoy hearing precursors to what eventually became popular (um, except for Pearl Jam!!)

A toughie! I think my favorite Can record changes from listen to listen. Soon Over Babaluma, Future Days, Ege Bamyasi -- those are the top three for me. On the other hand, it's pretty difficult to ignore some of the more guitar-based records, though they're a bit more spotty. I tried to figure it out once and I came up with a figure of like 120 minutes of absolute, undeniable godhead that they recorded. (Pay no attention to the double-disc Anthology; it ignores some of their best material and does their catalog a huge disservice.) For every five minutes of "er, what the hell were they on?"/up-their-own-backsides wankery, there's about two minutes of mindblowing brilliance. They messed around a lot, but when they were on, they were on.

I think my favorite cover of a Can song is Loop's version of "Mother Sky," though th' Faith Healers' version of the same song is up there as well.

I cannot compare Can to Kraftwerk. Kraftwerk were too different and they are way too close to my heart. Can > Neu by a wide margin, however.

I replyed to my own post so I could correct my spelling mistake (accidentally using "haven't" instead of "having") and say that I'll be picking up Ege Bamyasi ASAP.

This is a belated thank you for this thread :>

Ege bamyasi is one of my favorite albums but i don't pull it off the shelf often enough. i've been listening to it for the last few days, though. i really should pick up another can album or two and the above sound like good suggestions.

Did you pick it up yet Mike? If so, any thoughts?

Due to the grad school group project from hell, I didn't have a chance to do any record shopping this weekend. I'll try to pick it up on Super Wilco Tuesday (aka "tomorrow").

(i'm sure most forum visitors won't even click on this thread, and those that do will think "what're these people blathering about? a german band from the early 70s? no thanks!" i had my first can cd for several years before i ever really paid all that much attention to it. next time you're looking for something different than the repetitive sound-alike rubbish on every radio station in the country... think of giving can a listen :>)

picked up Tago Mago and Future Days yesterday. I have listened to Tago Mago pretty much non-stop and will wait a while to open future days. The first four tracks are amazing at first listen--as others have said, it's hard to believe this stuff was recorded in 1971. The rhythm section is unbelievable and Suzuki's vocals are great too. At first, the second half of the album seemed weird, but it's really grown on me. I'm not sure how much direct influence can has on modern music, but i hear the precursors of so much of rock/electronica/dance music in tago mago. wow. if you had played it for me without letting me know what it was, i probably would've just assumed it was some great band recording in europe today.

plus... i love the cover art. i don't get it, but orange is my favorite color so it just looks neat to me :>

so far, my favorite track is "Oh Yeah". I can't place Suzuki's vocals... but he almost sounds like mick jagger or something on this track.