| # | Artist | Song (click to play) | Album | Year | CD label | My Gnosis Rating |
| 1 | Hoelderlin | Soft Landing | Traumstadt | 1977 | WMMS/Music is Intelligence | 13 |
| This is my favorite of all Hoelderlin albums and the best place to start, IMO. The songs are mostly taken from _Clowns and Clouds_ and _Rare Birds_. What a beautiful, warm and melodious sound. The music is replete with Ponty-esque electric viola. | ||||||
| 2 | Kraftwerk | The Robots | The Man-Machine | 1978 | Capital Records/Cleopatra | 11 (Alan's) |
|
"Kraftwerk, hailing from Dusseldorf, came from the
same underground scene as Tangerine Dream and Ash Ra
Temple, but evolved into a very different sound.
Whereas Tdream and Schulze produced a very open and
spacy sound, Kraftwerk aimed to be very mechanical
souding. Fans seem to be split on which period of
Kraftwerk is better, the earlier, more experimental
period, or the albums Autobahn and later which they
became famous for. While some of their stuff sorta
sounds dated by today's standards, they were a big
influence and a precursor to today's ambient/techno
scene. You can do the 'robot dance' while playing
this tune ;-)." - Alan Mallery
Kraftwerk | ||||||
| 3 | Kraan | Yaqui Yagua | Wiederhoren | 1977 | Intercord | 10 |
|
This is number six in the Kraanology. Much of the early Kraan characteristics
are still evident, but, the songs are a little less ambitious and
adventurous. Still very good, though. The album is almost entirely
instrumental.
Official Kraan Website Kraan | ||||||
| 4 | Fuhrs and Frohling | Ammerland | Ammerland | 1978 | Metronome Music | 10 (Alan's) |
| "Between the 2nd and 3rd SFF albums, Fuhrs and Frohling recorded this album. It is a very nice reflective album, mostly based on Frohling's classical guitar with Mellotron and Moog by Fuhrs. Most tracks are short, with the exception of the longer track 'Every Land Tells A Story'. After the breakup of SFF Fuhrs and Frohling recorded two more albums together. A very nice laidback instrumental disc." - Alan Mallery | ||||||
| 5 | Sagmeister Trio | Februar | Sagmeister Trio | 1978 | Mood Records | 10 |
| Sagmeister Trio is a fairly straight-forward guitar-led jazz-rock/fusion. Jaco Pastorius seems to be the major influence of the bass player. The guitar tone and musical approach reminds me of Scott Lindemuth. | ||||||
| 6 | Can | Geheim (half past one) | The Peel Sessions | 1974 | Strange Fruit | 12 |
|
This is a collection of live (improv?) material dating around 1972-1974
(I believe). This now rare CD demonstrates how well the musicians in the
band play off each other and create a easy to listen to, yet, quirky and
freaky krautrock. Great spaced out jams. Some of the extended guitar
improvs remind me of the first couple of Ash Ra Tempel albums. Recommended,
if you can find it.
The Can Page Spoon Records -> Can | ||||||