Kraftwerk - "Trans-Europe Express" Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, 1980/1977 (Capital)

If someone approached me and said: "Kraftwerk is the most important band in the world," I would not dispute that.  In fact, I may agree with that mysterious someone.   I discovered Kraftwerk when "Autobahn" came out, but it was "Trans-Europe Express" that changed everything.   For one, they were the first band to me that didn't come from America or England.  They were hardcore German.  They looked German, sounded German, and the traces I picked up were European classical music, with a touch of Musique Concrete.  No blues, or Beach Boys which I think was an influence on their previous album.

I remember showing this album cover to my German (Hamburg born) grandmother, and she said: "ah, they look like young men from my youth."    "Trans-Europe Express" was my first gateway to a European aesthetic.  I admired European films, but this was (sort of) my contemporary entrance to the European aesthetic.  When I went to Europe for a huge traveling trip, it was Kraftwerk's music on this album that served as a soundtrack to my adventures in Italy, Germany, France and the UK.  At times when I was in Munich, I wasn't sure if what I was seeing was truly my experience, or I was re-living the imagery from "Trans-Europe Express."

There are many brilliant artists in the pop music world, but Kraftwerk seemed to me another or unique version of genius at play.   The icy perfection of their image/music (the same thing for me) as well as the beautiful melodies, made a huge dent in how I saw the world.   I love other Kraftwerk albums, especially "Radio-Activity," but "Trans-Europe Express" is my sonic version of someone else's "On The Road," or another romantic literary title.   Once bitten, you've changed.  Kraftwerk was the bite that keeps on giving.

Kraftwerk - "Autobahn" Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, 1977/1974 (Mercury)

Not my favorite Kraftwerk album, but a very important piece of work from Germany's fab four.  Which at that time (1974) included, of course, Florian Schneider & Ralf Hütter, Wolfgang Flur, and the mysterious Klaus Roeder who played guitar (!) and violin on "Autobahn."   It's no large estimation on my part that Kraftwerk is one of the most important bands in the 20th century.   Their influence is just as large as Elvis or the British Fab Four.   Not only in image, which to this day, is full of wonder and mystery, but their musical concepts are equally fascinating.  

"Autobahn" is a narrative without a story.  It takes place on the famous German highway that is Federally controlled by that country.  It is also famous for not having a 'speed limit,' as such, but if you're in an accident going that speed, it can count against you in a court of law.   So, in a sense, it's a very libertarian landscape, and it takes you to point A to Point B.  Kraftwerk's "Autobahn" is a documentary at the very least, and at its most important level, an impressionistic aural painting of experiencing such a journey on the famed highway.  This is a band that doesn't deal with sexual matter or fantasy, but look at everyday life as an inspiration for their art.  

With an ironic and funny (total respectful) take on The Beach Boys' "Fun Fun" this is a band that does not hide from its Germanistic characteristics.  The album is also very Musique Concrete than an electro-pop album.   "Autobahn" as an album is a bridge between the old Experimentation of Kraftwerk into their more polished mode of music making.  Side one is "Autobahn" and side two is more of the impressionistic view of a 24-hour day, perhaps in nature.  There is something very 'being in the country' about Kraftwerk.  This is a band that loves nature, and life between the major cities.  For instance, they make an album about going to Berlin, but rarely it's about Berlin itself, it's more about the travel to a major city than anything else. Their music is about movement, and it has a touch of the Situationists need to travel without a map.