The Brothers Freeman grace us with a recent edition of the premier progressive rock magazine, full of in-depth reviews of new albums in the genre as well as trips down memory lane in terms of the Italian prog scene. Also included, of course, are sound samples of the of the material reviewed herein.
Kudos to George Grella at Bandcamp Daily for delivering a synopsis of Can’s remarkable career. It looks like almost all titles are on the platform now, so if you prefer digital copies of Kraut’s finest, check here.
No review today thanks to preparing for the new semester, but in honor of Damo Suzuki’s passing, we wanted to share an EP he did with former Mars Volta guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López. Please enjoy your Saturday!
Kraut Sounds are a band from one of the homes of Krautrock, Munich. The music sounds less Kraut and more ambient dub, but it still makes for a gorgeous, somewhat aquatic, listen.
Sad news to report today, as former Amon Düül II guitarist, oudist and multi-instrumentalist Chris Karrer passed away on January 2, 2024. We honor him by sharing a North Africa-influenced work of his from 2018 called The Mask. The back story is rather interesting, and that story can be read by clicking the link here.
Although the bands themselves on this comp from our dear friends at the Lollipoppe Shoppe might play Kraut-influenced music, this comp is definitely NOT Krautrock. I can’t say that the music is perfectly straight-ahead covers of some of the Grateful Dead’s finest work, but to hear these songs in a more modern setting is rather refreshing. The tunes maintain their psychedelic heart, even if there is a touch of Kraut (a welcome addition, mind you) imbued into these tunes.
Though the birthday was absolutely dour, I managed to cheer myself up with a release of experiments done by Hans-Joachim Roedelius, the beloved magus of ambient music. These were sketches, apparently, that he would record, analyze, and then turn into new ideas. Comfortable listening.
Our friends at Compost Records are about to release a compilation of what one can legitimately call modern Krautrock. Some of the bands on this album include Kosmischer Läufer, Fred und Luna (who put this gem together) and Pyrolator (whose track is available for listening) and thirteen other projects. It’s due out on September 1, 2023.
Fred und Luna have just dropped one of the most enjoyable albums of the year so far. If you are a fan of Krautrock or motorik beat (think Neu!), you’re going to absolutely love this disc. These two mannequins are no dummies!
Bureau B has released so many incredible reissues that it has been hard to document all of them. Artists released this year include Martin Rev (of Suicide), Cluster, Dieter Moebius, Jimi Tenor and Faust among so many others. The label is incredibly prolific, and 2022 was another banner year for the label, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for next year!