Computer World - Kraftwerk > Reviews > Kraut Rock with Knobs On

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it rate alongside the competition	Outstanding
Value for Money

Advantages:	Hugely influential, years ahead of their time, wonderful melodys
Disadvantages:	none

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Kraftwerk is one of these bands that although hugely influential - how many bands ( from Africa Bambataa to Ultravox to Depeche Mode ) and musical movements of the 80s, 90s and even 00s owe their existence to the complicated rhthyms and arrangements here and the other albums - never made it huge. Although it is probable that the band and especially its core Florian Schneider, Ralf Hutter were glad of that fact.

Computer World is an exultation of the new computer technology in all its forms from the opening track to the closing. Although a measly 34 minutes long, Kraftwerk have never been ones to push quantity at the public and again followed the trend here.

The opening track brings back so many memories, can anyone else remember it being used as the opening theme to a BBC computer TV show? But the music, ah the music. I have had this album for almost 20 years now in various formats having worn through 1 LP and I still find it as fresh and invigorating as ever. It is exact and precise yet still brings out emotion and human frailty. One of the most common arguments about not liking them is that they are too cold, too precise, not emotional.

To which I reply, nonsense. Some of the phrases - as disembodied and seemingly random as Thom Yorke will recreate many years later - will have you repeating them without realising. “FBI and Scotland Yard/Interpol and Deutsche Bank” anyone? No? Then try the pocket calculator that plays a little melody every time you press a special key! Who says they don’t have a sense of humour? How about a song where the vocals are just repeating number counts anything from 1 up to 8 in different languages – inspired. Listen to the tracks time and time again and you pick out new nuances and subtle differences in the background rhythms every time, it is simply mesmerising listening. Still not convinced, ok, try the keyboards chords in Computer Love and tell me they are not as shimmeringly beautiful as anything you have heard elsewhere. The closing tracks again use the hypnotic rhythms and treated vocals to move the tracks on leaving you wondering where the 34 minute had gone and wanting more.