Kraftwerk - Computer World turns 30 this month

Tour De France was released as a single and then they made an album separate about it in the later years. not sure when Tour De France Soundtracks was released.

I must explain now though, the album is a 10/10. it's everything good about Kraftwerk. 'Vitamin' is a hit for my brain.

When I was twelve, I was still largely in the throes of a classic rock phase. One day, in Design & Technology class (also known as "shop" class to people of older generations) we were talking during a lull in class with our teacher. He ended up recommending Kraftwerk to a group of us who were geekier than the rest of our classmates. Later on, I bought Computer World and it forever changed me. While most of my peers were listening to Sublime... DERP. I had my mind blown by Kraftwerk, and it was the first album I ever bought along with Black Sabbath's self-titled album. In many ways it marked the start of the departure from my embarrassing days of frequently listening to the classic rock station.

When I was fourteen, one of the most insanely great moments of my life took place.

Me and some friends, from high school, who knew the band different ways than I, saw Kraftwerk live in a massive arena. We danced around the place like spastics. It was fucking incredible. Just about all the Kraftwerk classics you could have wanted to hear were played. Pocket Calculator, Man Machine, We Are the Robots, Autobahn, Radioactivity, Trans Europe Express, and so on. While this was happening, they had great hi-tech projections behind them of little animations to go with each song. We even saw a couple bumping and grinding to some of Kraftwerk's songs. We laughed.

To this day, Kraftwerk still kick major arse with an awesome back catalogue and anyone who says otherwise... is just plain wrong

  On 8/15/2011 at 4:04 PM, vamos scorcho said:

electric cafe is fantastic!

  On 8/17/2011 at 8:50 PM, vamos scorcho said:

Tour De France was released as a single and then they made an album separate about it in the later years. not sure when Tour De France Soundtracks was released.

 

 

I must explain now though, the album is a 10/10. it's everything good about Kraftwerk. 'Vitamin' is a hit for my brain.

yes and yes. and yes. they are both very good. telephone call is just killer

I like Boing Boom Tschak but Electric Cafe is probably their one studio album I don't remember as fondly as the others.

And can I get a motherfucking Amen for how sweet Tone Float is too?

  On 8/17/2011 at 8:50 PM, vamos scorcho said:

Tour De France was released as a single and then they made an album separate about it in the later years. not sure when Tour De France Soundtracks was released.

 

 

I must explain now though, the album is a 10/10. it's everything good about Kraftwerk. 'Vitamin' is a hit for my brain.

i love the album...tour de france soundtracks is just the album isn't it?

Whilst we're talking about Soundtracks I thought I'd just say the (first) vinyl pressing of this album is superb, really clean and the tracks are divided across the four sides really well - Vitamin gets side 2 all to itself!

dam i bought my friend the vinyl for a graduation present. shoulda kept that shit

that's so nice of you analogue wings...hope he/she appreciates it and i hope he/she treasures your friendship dearly...and i hope i get some kraftwerk albums bought for me on vinyl as a goodwill present...

how do you guys interpret their lyrics and theme?

I think they do have optimism but at the same time I think people may overestimate that when in reality Kraftwerk is often being ironic and ridiculous.

I see computer world as not so much optimistic, but more of an unsure curiosity mixed with a helping of paranoia. I don't know how any of the organizations listed in Computer world can be seen as reverential. Interpol, FBI, Scotland Yard seem in fact even scarier when imagined in a world of computers. Similarly, they fucking nailed online dating and its ironic somber loneliness in Computer Love. Numbers to me is seen as both excitement at increasing globalization, but the only way to communicate is a series of repeated digits. This "naive" irony is present in all their work I think, but unfortunately most criticism of their work never seems to pick up on this, it's always "teutonic beats" "weird germans" "germanic efficiency." how sad!

I could probably write 50 pages on how fucking brilliant computer world is. but I won't

Tour De France Soundtracks 2003 really took me by surprise... it influenced me to start racing competitively & got me into whole the pro cycling thing. It's an album that is not to be overlooked & I'm glad to see it getting some mention here.

Would love to own it on vinyl.. which by the way, I've found their vinyls to sound so loud & fantastic.

I remember finding my first copy of Computerworld at a Goodwill - it looked terrible, like someone used it as a chopping block for their dinner. But, it just sounded amazing.

kraftwerk's production sound quality are pretty much the business. hell, even the mix sounds fucking tight, balanced, and fresh when compared to other 91 releases.

  On 3/15/2012 at 5:04 PM, igloos unlmtd said:

Would love to own it on vinyl.. which by the way, I've found their vinyls to sound so loud & fantastic.

I have the recent remaster on 180 gram vinyl, but it's the one cut at 33rpm. I heard that some privileged people were given a 2x12" version cut at 45rpm. I would kill for this.

i year ya, 45rpm would be killer. Is your's 2x12"? does it still bump?

i don't really understand when people say that TDF wasn't original enough - i really think it's a classic kraftwerk album. a great theme, awesome sleeve, tightly produced sound that really thumps & has a mood from the opening Prologue.

remember reading they commissioned Hot Chip for remixes but i never got 'round to hearing those.

  On 3/19/2012 at 7:00 PM, igloos unlmtd said:

i year ya, 45rpm would be killer. Is your's 2x12"? does it still bump?

Nope, mine is just the 1xLP 180 gram version

but yeah, it's nice and loud.

must. have. 2x12 45!!!!!!!!!