Can - Tago Mago (1971)

The second album post for today is another amazing album from the Krautrock band Can. Tago Mago was Can's third album, and when first released it was a double LP. Ege Bamyasi, another Can album on this blog, was released the next year.This album is considered the bands best album and one of the best krautrock albums overall.
When you first listen to this album the first thing you will notice is the emphasis of the drums just a few minutes into the first song "Paperhouse". This intense drumming is a staple of this album. Every rhythm instrument is very defined and seemingly brought towards the front which just really adds to the overall intensity of this album. The guitars are also very distinct and really just add to the very heavy psych feel of this album. Once "Halleluhwah" and the following two songs hit though you get to hear Can at their absolute peak of music. These three songs take all of 47-some minutes and there is not a wasted note in that entire 47 minute run. Those three songs take you from easy-going to very intense groves that just seem to go on endlessly. There is an amazing amount of instrumentation on this album and none of it sounds cluttered like there is too much going on. Compliment that with Suzuki's senseless babbling and you have the elements to an amazing pysch-prog album.
When looking for something bad to say about this album i really don't think that anyone could find one if they were truly a fan of the Krautrock genre. This album is pure genius and has sprouted so much like it. If you listen to the song "Mushroom" it sounds as if it should be somewhere on Radioheads Kid A or Amnesiac albums. The thing about that is that Can did that same stuff 20 years before Radiohead even thought of anything like that. It just goes to show how far ahead of their time Can was, and it is very obvious with albums like Tago Mago.

Enjoy.

Download