I recently read an interview with Chris Martin of Coldplay in which he stated that Kraftwerk were one of his favourite bands. Why? Because, and I quote "…one day it clicked and it was the best music I'd ever heard." Now, I have given his opinion, because I'm sure many of you will be doubtful of mine when I tell you that Kraftwerk are one of the best bands in the world.
Already owning such classics as Autobahn, The Man-Machine and Radioactivity, I was, of course, ecstatic when I heard about a new live album and accompanying DVD. One of the major criticisms levelled at Kraftwerk over the years is that they cannot perform exciting live shows because their music seems so static. (Which, might I add, it isn't.) However, the people making these rash judgements have clearly never experienced the magnitude of this album. The music is simply stunning, combining elements of their traditional, ground-breaking electro with techno and other genres their existence has paved the way for. More than any
other album I have heard, it sounds epic.
It all kicks off with The Man Machine, as performed in Warsaw. The opening clicking rhythm sounds fantastic, and the echoing around the auditorium gives a deep texture. Your first reaction upon hearing this brilliant opener is to realise that their live shows cannot be boring if they sound this good; plus, of course, you must remember that the accompanying light shows looked pretty damn good. Obviously, to experience this fully, you'd have to buy the DVD, which I may well do.
The level of quality doesn't drop. Track two is Planet Of Visions, which sounds so startlingly modern that its hard to believe its being performed by an act who formed in the 1970s. Tour de France Etape 1 is equally good, and makes you wish you were in Riga to see it first hand. After Chrono, which is short at one and a half minutes, they continue with Tour de France Etape 2, which, despite what you may think, isn't just an extension of Etape 1. Carried on by a rhythm of clapping hands, its thumping beat is magnificent, and gives it a misleading pace.
Vitamin, performed in Moscow, is a song I hadn't previously heard, but any Kraftwerk fan will appreciate its greatness. It has a kind of beeping rhythm that only Kraftwerk could get away with, and it is this rhythm that provides the backing for a listing of different vitamins. Strange, but it sounds incredible. Tour de France, which follows, has the most elegant melody you could ever imagine. It sounds like it is being performed by an orchestra, not four keyboards, and it recreates the pulsating pace of the race itself, even down to the heavy-breathing at the beginning.
The only disappointing feature of this album that I have noticed is that they couldn't find enough time to recreate one of my favourite songs (Autobahn) in all its majesty. Its cut down to only eight or so minutes compared to the original twenty-two. Oh well, can't complain. Next up is their most famous work, The Model, which is one of their only tunes that has regular vocals, showing their versatility (they aren't really a vocal act.)
One of the most impressive elements of this live performance is the updating of old classics like Neon Lights, Radioactivity and Trans-Europe Express, all of which follow The Model. They sound like they were released last week, when in fact Trans-Europe Express, for example, was released in 1977. Of the rest of the double album (I don't think I'm going to have room to analyse all of the tracks!) the songs that stand out are Pocket Calculator and Dentaku, but especially The Robots, made famous for its opening line: "We are the robots." Not according to this performance, you aren't.
I hope that by reviewing this live double album I can change some peoples perceptions of the much-maligned Kraftwerk. They deserve your adulation not just because the music still sounds astonishing today, but because in the 1970s, when they created their most pioneering work, they were the fore-runners of modern electronic music - anything from dance to hip-hop. Plus, of course, live they are clearly fantastic, as expressed by this terrific album. Even the CD itself is great - it comes in a cardboard sleeve, and the little booklet is full of pictures of the live performances across Eastern Europe, which look remarkable. All in all, great value for only about £20 rrp (I'm sure you can pick it up cheaper than that), and a piece of work that sounds better than I could have ever imagined.
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