****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
**Intro**The peak of Kraftwerk was probably between 1974 and 1981, this album was released in 1978, and was among their best. Kraftwerk, along with Tangerine Dream, was part of the Krautrock movement, and constituted some of the *first ever* electronic music. This was way before the whole notion that electronic was mostly appropriate for disco dancing or synth pop. One gets the impression that back in the 70s, people weren't even sure if this music was going to be performed in night clubs or concert halls. Because of this, typical Kraftwerk material is disciplined, quiet, and symphonic, which makes it really neat, and suitable for even people who aren't necessarily fans of most electronic music.**The Songs**This album is in the format of a relatively few number of long songs. Here is a summary of them:1.) The Robots - The chorus contains the repetitive chant "We are the Robots" with voice distortion, and it sounds very sinister, as if the robots are planning to take over the word. In the verses, they say that they will do anything you want them to do, and then there are also Russian lyrics about the robots being your slave and your worker. The electronic accompaniment has a very wet and fluid sound to it, especially considering it was made with 1970's equipment. The song is 6:12 long.2.) Spacelab - A serene, spacey song that reminds me of the "sound-scaping" of Jean Michel-Jarre or Tangerine Dream. The beat accompaniment has similar vigor and timbre to that of The Robots, but it is more gentle and sophisticated. At times, the beat is more symphonic than it is dance-y. The melody is sad and lonely at time, as if the astronauts on Spacelab might be lonely in their space station. The lyrics in this song are very sparing, and just say "Space...Lab..." occasionally with very thick vocal distortion.3.) Metropolis - This song might be referring to the German movie "Metropolis," though I'm not sure. As with Spacelab is just has sparse lyrics that occasionally say "Me...tro..polis," and that's it. The melodies kind of morph from one thing to another, rather like some of the most abstract experimental electronica does today. The sounds have very rich timbre in this song, making them seem symphonic, and like the Kraftwerk musicians spent a lot of time designing the exact timbre of every little sound.4.) The Model - Far less abstract than Spacelab and Metropolis, this sound contains lots of lyrics, and is about a professional model, but the attitude about the professional model is pessimistic, and seems to suggest the objectification, commercialization and shallow attitude that society had back then (and still does today) about models. The beat is kind of happy and perky like the model would appear to be, but is also accompanied by long heavier tones that bring about the pessimistic attitude and real consequences that Kraftwerk wants to communicate.5.) Neon Lights - This is a happier song that to me seems to reflect like a happy, relaxing night out on the town with friends. A night in a paradise city that is lit up with cheerful lights at night, and full of friendly people. The tones, beats, and lyrics suggest this.6.) The Man Machine - This song is again more abstract like Spacelab and Metropolis are. The lyrics are minimal, and say "....Man....Machine" with thick distortion of the voice, and some other lyrics that I have difficulty understanding because they are so heavily distorted. The tones of the voice start low pitched a rise up, giving them a gigantic and ominous attitude. The beat in the background is somewhat similar to The Robots. In some ways this song is like a reprise to The Robots.Compared together, there really aren't weak songs on this album. I think most people would prefer The Robots and The Model the best, but there really aren't any throwaway songs on here. I'm sure Kraftwerk meant for people to enjoy the album as a whole, so try to buy the whole album, so that you can enjoy it as a complete work. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this with all bands' music, but with this album, I do.**Summary**If you are interested in Kraftwerk, you should definitely buy this album. It is some of their best work, together with Autobahn, Trans-Europe Express, Radio-Activity, and Computer World. If you listen to this album, and then go back out into the world and listen to modern electronic, pop, and hip-hop, you will see the influence that this music has had, to the point that you will hear frequent samples of it being put into new music today!!! Be sure to check out the Kraftwerk music videos online of this album too. They are odd and interesting.
