Abhayamudra - Cul De Sac & Damo Suzuki

Advantages: None really
Disadvantages: Too laid back

...The simmering rhythms that had made the Beat’s first album such a delight had settled into a reggae pulse by the time of 1981’s Wha’appen, at the expense of the original excitement. Reggae singer Cedric Myton of the Congos lent vocal support. The most successful tracks were the loping lovers’ rock of Doors To Your Heart and the anti war song I Am Your Flag. The recognition that Wha’appen was a musical cul de sac was followed in April 1982 by Saxa’s retirement from live work for health reasons. It was a shame to see the anti climax of this album after the glorious run of hit singles and extremely exciting debut album, but the Beat were clearly now on the way down from the exciting standards that they had set themselves and were soon to split into several pieces. Wha’appen is a dull, lifeless and bland album that does nothing... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Groundbreaking, influential, awe-inspiring
Disadvantages: None

...Can are one of those bands who get name-dropped by all sorts of trendy bands but who remain generally unknown to the public at large. They have a sizeable cult following, however, and most devotees rate this (or its successor, Ege Bamyasi) as their best. Can were: Michael Karoli (RIP) - guitar; Holger Czukay - bass; Irmin Schmidt - keyboards and Jaki Liebzeit - drums. Their most important collaborators were two singers: Malcolm Mooney on their earliest recordings and later Damo Suzuki. Tago-Mago is the first Can album to feature Suzuki only on vocals (Soundtracks features contributions from both Mooney and Suzuki) and he immediately makes his presence felt. The band's sound is here moving away from its earlier dabblings in Velvet Underground territory into something stranger and wilder. Paperhouse starts off gently, allowing you... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Superb Chilled Out Krautrock
Disadvantages: Ever so slightly self indulgent

...on this album was Michael Karoli : Guitar, Damo Suzuki : Vocal, Jaki Liebezeit : Drums, Irmin Schmit : Keyboards and Holger Czukay: Bass. Can began the recording of Future Days in 1972 in Cologne (Köln to those of you who are rather pedantic about this), and by all accounts this was a rather balmy summer. The band had just returned from a holiday and the musical differences within the group had been examined and made workable, what ever that meant. Can were one of those bands that seemed to thrive when the creative differences within the group were at their highest, besides bands should never be mutual admiration societies, when that happens the result is U2 or worse still Genesis from the late 70's onwards. Upon listening to the album you get a definite feel that the inclement weather of the Köln summer of 1972 had a major effect... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful