Agitation Free, German Oak, Broselmaschine & Emtidi are on the shortlist--did Witthuser & Westrupp make Cope's top fifty? or how 'bout Kalacakra?
― ian, Sunday, 1 March 2009 18:57 (fifteen years ago) link
People seem to love the Holderlin album, but it doesn't compare with most of the other kosmische-folk on this thread.
― ian, Sunday, 1 March 2009 18:59 (fifteen years ago) link
Nearly voted for Eloy b/c they're awesome, but I went for Gila instead because "Bury my Heart at Wounded knee" even though it's a bit patchy because of its amazing proto-Popol Vuh vibe in places (it features Florian Fricke and IIRC Danny Fischelscher as well)
― Pashmina, Sunday, 1 March 2009 19:02 (fifteen years ago) link
I haven't heard Gila; sounds like I need to.
― ian, Sunday, 1 March 2009 19:10 (fifteen years ago) link
I really like the Frumpy I've heard, but it wasn't Krautrock - is there more than one Frumpy? Or is it just 'krautrock' because it's from Germany?
Eloy also got some good stuff (though if I remember correctly, they also have some shit), but I love Emtidi's Saat - again, it's not really Krautrock, but I can at least see why it's there, as a sort of psychedelic kraut-folk.
― emil.y, Sunday, 1 March 2009 19:47 (fifteen years ago) link
eloy definitely has some garbage. the only one i've been able to get into is inside. there's some pretty good stuff on gila's self-titled, except the 13 minute epic, unfortunately. that can kind of drag a little. but shorter acid folk jams like "kontakt" are probably worth your time
― kamerad, Sunday, 1 March 2009 19:51 (fifteen years ago) link
schickert. nobody does what he does.
― ☪, Sunday, 1 March 2009 20:01 (fifteen years ago) link
another vote for Shickert. Although I have heard hardly any of these.
― Bone Thugs-N-Harmony ft Phil Collins (jim), Sunday, 1 March 2009 20:06 (fifteen years ago) link
Frumpy just sounded hard rock to me. Dont like Jane but my mates hippy brother does. Agitation Free, Gila and German Oak are the best 3 here. I cant even remember what the Bröselmaschine or Grobschnitt sounded like.
― Pfunkboy in blood drenched rabbit suit jamming in the woods (Herman G. Neuname), Sunday, 1 March 2009 20:08 (fifteen years ago) link
the grobschnitt i've heard is pretty dire symphonic prog. broselmachine though kind of sounds like a german incredible string band
― kamerad, Sunday, 1 March 2009 20:18 (fifteen years ago) link
Ahh yes I remember them now. Was ok.
― Pfunkboy in blood drenched rabbit suit jamming in the woods (Herman G. Neuname), Sunday, 1 March 2009 20:22 (fifteen years ago) link
"Hard to choose for me."
ya how could one ever choose between all these no-name shitheads
― s1ocki kong country (cankles), Sunday, 1 March 2009 20:23 (fifteen years ago) link
Agitation Free dont deserve to be also rans or no-names
― Pfunkboy in blood drenched rabbit suit jamming in the woods (Herman G. Neuname), Sunday, 1 March 2009 20:25 (fifteen years ago) link
Soft spot I have for Necronomicon et al, DOM is the winner for me, although Emtidi are a close second.
I'll also chime in with wither Witthuser & Westrup? ;)
Someone should do a Swiss poll... Deaf versus Brainticket is a tough call for me.
― Rombald, Sunday, 1 March 2009 20:25 (fifteen years ago) link
you're totally right about agitation free. malesch and 2nd are both up there with anything in cope's krautrocksampler, and better than some of it, like say the cosmic jokers
― kamerad, Sunday, 1 March 2009 20:29 (fifteen years ago) link
Rombald, I think W & W did make Cope's list (unless someone has provided a definitive answer upthread that I missed), so are therefore ineligible for this one.
Also, Brainticket will always win.
― emil.y, Sunday, 1 March 2009 20:33 (fifteen years ago) link
yeah, w & w is the last on his list in the book
― kamerad, Sunday, 1 March 2009 20:37 (fifteen years ago) link
d'oh - missed the "not in Cope's list" part... damn, I can't believe I gave that book away in a moment of misplaced benevolence five years ago. Benevolence sucks.
― Rombald, Sunday, 1 March 2009 20:50 (fifteen years ago) link
oh yah, mythos isn't mentioned. they've got some cool stuff.
yatha sidra's meditation mass is pretty good. i forgot that one.
― (jaxon) ( .) ( .) (jaxon), Sunday, 1 March 2009 21:16 (fifteen years ago) link
I got W&W, thought it was OK but not great, didn't understand Copey raving about it at all.
I never noticed Grobschnitt on that list! I might have voted for them - a lot of filler/blandola in their catalog, but "Solar Music Live" at least is excellent & ludicrously overblown.
― Pashmina, Sunday, 1 March 2009 22:12 (fifteen years ago) link
Voted for Kraan, but would have voted for Kaputter Hamster if they'd been included.
― Dennis Croissanwich (Mexican Sleeping Pill), Sunday, 1 March 2009 22:34 (fifteen years ago) link
Günter Schickert
― Milton Parker, Sunday, 1 March 2009 23:29 (fifteen years ago) link
Gila is awesome, it's basically a Popol Vuh spinoff, right? I think I'll vote for them, but I do love Agitation Free's second album a LOT.
― Trip Maker, Monday, 2 March 2009 15:27 (fifteen years ago) link
Just saw this it features Florian Fricke and IIRC Danny Fischelscher as well). Fischelscher is DEFINITELY on there.
― Trip Maker, Monday, 2 March 2009 15:33 (fifteen years ago) link
Broselmavhine and Emtidi both have one good album, but Agitation Free has two! Since I haven't heard any others, I can't vote in good conscience.
― sleeve, Monday, 2 March 2009 15:49 (fifteen years ago) link
Did Eloy move through a bunch of different styles? I see a lot of their records around for reasonably cheap, but something about the artwork rings warning bells. Particularly 'Performance'. Even though I do kinda like the artwork.
― masonna ringtones (gnarly sceptre), Monday, 2 March 2009 16:25 (fifteen years ago) link
And Agitation Free should win this easy. Rucksturz is a killer track.
― masonna ringtones (gnarly sceptre), Monday, 2 March 2009 16:26 (fifteen years ago) link
http://assets.mog.com/pictures/wikipedia/2807995/800px-AgitationFreebandphoto.jpg
― Fox Force Five Punchline (sexyDancer), Monday, 2 March 2009 16:52 (fifteen years ago) link
Gila didn't bring in Fricke or Fischelscher until the "Bury My Heart" album--their first two, "Free Electric Sound" and "Nightworks" are quite different.
I see no reason why Agitation Free wouldn't walk away with this--Malesch is awesome.
― WARS OF ARMAGEDDON (Karaoke Version) (Sparkle Motion), Monday, 2 March 2009 16:59 (fifteen years ago) link
Not that it would change my vote, but no Xhol Caravan or Brainticket on here.
Bury my Heart... is the only Gila album I've heard. It sounds like a lot like Popul Vuh, and I like that. I'm curious about the first two you've mentioned, but I have a feeling I wouldn't like them as much as the Vuh-worship.
― Trip Maker, Monday, 2 March 2009 17:11 (fifteen years ago) link
I've heard one album by Embryo called Surfin'. It's quite good. Cool cover with a flying van. Some tracks are very funky with lots of sample-friendly drum breaks and vibraphone. I gather their other albums have more of an ethnic feel, which makes more sense when considering the NNCK collaboration.
― masonna ringtones (gnarly sceptre), Monday, 2 March 2009 17:44 (fifteen years ago) link
Agitation Free will probably will this easily, but the Kollectiv album "SWF Sessions" is pretty fantastic in an early Kraftwerk kind of way. From what I remember, it's similar to the "Kraftwerk 4" live album with Neu!
― bmus, Monday, 2 March 2009 18:35 (fifteen years ago) link
the guys who put together a crack in the cosmic egg claim that yatha sidra's meditation mass is one of the greatest all time krautock albums
... which is a ridiculous claim. Occasional flashes of brilliance from various bands on here but nothing startling. Haven't heard Günter Schickert though. Agitation Free best band on here, though I don't like their 2nd album much.
― Queueing For Latchstrings (Tom D.), Tuesday, 3 March 2009 09:54 (fifteen years ago) link
First couple of albums (Eloy, Inside, maybe Floating too) are pretty good krauty-hard-prog, after that they turned into an inept Floyd rip-off with REALLY bad vocals. Although there were some awesomely stupid spoken word sections by drummer Jurgen Rosenthal ("shpiwitsch...darken zer skyyyy") plus a load of rototom rolls all over the place. God I loved this band when I was about 14, but really they were terrible. They went more synthy into the 80s, a period notable only for them scoring possibly the worst film ever (Codename : Wildgeese).
― Matt #2, Tuesday, 3 March 2009 10:02 (fifteen years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― System, Friday, 13 March 2009 00:01 (fifteen years ago) link
saying there's nothing startling on that list is a lot more ridiculous than this: MEDITATION MASS is actually one of the most magical albums ever made, a single cosmic suite, with ethnic and jazzy touches, pure cosmic Krautrock which really trips-out. I've often quoted it as my favourite all-time album, due to its uniqueness, that it has never dated, and is so charged. Few albums hold that same quality.
― kamerad, Friday, 13 March 2009 00:49 (fifteen years ago) link
eloy have a track that made it to the Elaste - Slow Motion Disco comp
horizons
― (jaxon) ( .) ( .) (jaxon), Friday, 13 March 2009 01:21 (fifteen years ago) link
I went German Oak for the simple reason that it's the only thing on this list I actually own. Must do further research...
― Nate Carson, Friday, 13 March 2009 10:04 (fifteen years ago) link
Nice pic up there. Were they waiting for someone to come back from the Cafe with the ice creams?
― Mark G, Friday, 13 March 2009 10:07 (fifteen years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― System, Saturday, 14 March 2009 00:01 (fifteen years ago) link
people of ILX in right-about-something shockah
― ian, Saturday, 14 March 2009 00:05 (fifteen years ago) link
i am surprised dom did so well and german oak so poorly.
― WEREWOLF CONGRESS (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Saturday, 14 March 2009 04:26 (fifteen years ago) link
Gila deserved more votes
― Sacco, Vanzetti, Passantino... (Tom D.), Saturday, 14 March 2009 12:36 (fifteen years ago) link
Sperrmüll Satin Whale
― Kevin John Bozelka, Saturday, 14 March 2009 16:45 (fifteen years ago) link
You forgot Dzyan. So do most people.
― inhibitionist, Sunday, 15 March 2009 10:03 (fifteen years ago) link
maybe they were on the RYM list the OP mentioned. i don't know which on that'd be, but...
― WEREWOLF CONGRESS (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Sunday, 15 March 2009 10:44 (fifteen years ago) link
which ONE
(i like dzyan)
― WEREWOLF CONGRESS (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Sunday, 15 March 2009 10:45 (fifteen years ago) link
I might just have voted for Dzyan!
― Sacco, Vanzetti, Passantino... (Tom D.), Sunday, 15 March 2009 12:19 (fifteen years ago) link
A friend just slipped me the first Bröselmaschine album, and it's kind of hitting the spot. Kind of a mix of the quietest parts of "Stairway to Heaven" and Fairport Convention. I could probably have this on a loop in the background all day and never mind it playing once (afraid it might all crash to the ground in pieces if I paid it close attention, though).
― Johnny Fever, Sunday, 10 January 2010 09:13 (fourteen years ago) link
Didn't vote, but the only one I've heard of is Eloy. They would become rather OK from the mid 70s onwards.
― Tied Up In Geir (Geir Hongro), Sunday, 10 January 2010 22:47 (fourteen years ago) link
ok this is amazing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9sscVftmDU
― nostormo, Sunday, 13 October 2013 12:43 (ten years ago) link
Going through a heavy Hölderlin's Traum phase atm
― gotta lol geir (NickB), Sunday, 13 October 2013 15:23 (ten years ago) link
Anyone know much about Deuter? At what stage do his albums go bad? Maybe they're all good?
― gotta lol geir (NickB), Wednesday, 16 October 2013 22:07 (ten years ago) link
I don't know, I've got his 1st 2, but I don't think his 1st is very representative of his later work (I like the 2nd better anyway)
― Tommy McTommy (Tom D.), Thursday, 17 October 2013 10:02 (ten years ago) link
I have the first two too! Can't remember which is which though - is the second one the one with the birdsong and stuff on it?
― gotta lol geir (NickB), Thursday, 17 October 2013 10:28 (ten years ago) link
Good grief, there's some hideous artwork on the latter albums.
― gotta lol geir (NickB), Thursday, 17 October 2013 10:29 (ten years ago) link
First ("D") is more Krautrocky, I suppose, 2nd ("Aum") more acoustic/ ethnic. Later I think he went all New Age, but that's sort of hip now isn't?
― Tommy McTommy (Tom D.), Thursday, 17 October 2013 12:49 (ten years ago) link
Talking of which, and Also-Rans, there's always Between/Peter Michael Hamel.
― Tommy McTommy (Tom D.), Thursday, 17 October 2013 12:51 (ten years ago) link
I like what Hamel I've heard a lot - cool trance-inducing stuff. But very hard to find. Someone needs to be cool and reissue it.
"D" is pretty cool and definitely Krautrock, he gets more and more new age as time goes on. But if you don't mind that he's pretty good through the seventies. Even the 1981 release, Silence Is The Answer, is pretty cool. But it's not super plastic, clean 80s-style new age stuff, just peaceful jams from a Bhagwan-lovin' beard farmer.
― ΙΧΘΥΣ blindness (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Friday, 18 October 2013 05:42 (ten years ago) link
i only have Ecstasy from 1979 and in my head it nestles in amongst the Ashra stuff from the same period
― chimped the keeper (Noodle Vague), Friday, 18 October 2013 07:39 (ten years ago) link
I don't know why I keep Embryo albums. On paper, I should like them as much as the other krautrock stuff I love, but the only albums of theirs I ever liked were the ones that are now impossible to find: the jazzier ones with Charlie Mariano. I always return to the others hoping they will click but they never do. Opal is supposed to be the classic, right? Every time I try to listen to it, within ten minutes I forget that it's playing.
― Paul Ponzi, Tuesday, 9 May 2023 14:08 (one year ago) link
"Opal" is the most "rock" one, I suppose. Wouldn't call it a classic, personally.
― Maggot Bairn (Tom D.), Tuesday, 9 May 2023 14:10 (one year ago) link
Yeah, that sounds right. The others I've heard touch on that sort of "ethno-world-fusion" stuff I also can't really deal with in these contexts. I wish someone would reissue the ones with Charlie Mariano, because, as I said, I remember enjoying those. I wonder how the No Neck Blues Band collaboration sounds.
― Paul Ponzi, Tuesday, 9 May 2023 14:31 (one year ago) link
Night Sun not really Krautrock, but a fucking great heavy rock album. I'm not super big into that genre as a whole but damn if Conny Plank's production doesn't elevate it to a whole nother level.
― Kate (rushomancy), Tuesday, 9 May 2023 15:07 (one year ago) link
I bought the first two Agitation Free albums last year and they deserved to win this poll, great stuff.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Tuesday, 9 May 2023 18:44 (one year ago) link
Too scared to listen to their other stuff but "Solar Music Live" is indeed pretty cool, very very very Floydian. Eroc is a great drummer too... and his first solo album is pretty good into the bargain.
― Maggot Bairn (Tom D.), Tuesday, 9 May 2023 18:49 (one year ago) link
I don't love the first two Agitation Free records, but I agree that they belong (somewhere towards the bottom) on the "real Krautrock" list rather than at the top of the also-rans. They're sort of a hybrid of a lot of the jam-oriented German bands without a particularly strong identity.
Otherwise I've only heard Eloy from this list, and they're pretty ridiculous symphonic prog.
― Halfway there but for you, Tuesday, 9 May 2023 19:05 (one year ago) link
That Dom album is pretty good.
― Maggot Bairn (Tom D.), Tuesday, 9 May 2023 19:07 (one year ago) link