By Douglas Wolk, eMusic ContributorThe German synth-pop group Propaganda was never the stablest group — their lineup mutated even during the course of making this debut album — but they had just about everything else going for them. They… more »
By Barry Walters, eMusic ContributorCombining Can's 1978 disc Out of Reach, with its 1979 album Can aka Inner Space, this twofer release captures the German band at its least Can-ish. Out of Reach (tracks 9 through 15) isn't even included… more »
By Barry Walters, eMusic ContributorIf you made a list of bands whose cultural influence and current stature outweigh its original popularity and sales, Can would show up somewhere near the top. But unlike most other cult acts that wowed… more »
By Barry Walters, eMusic ContributorIf you're new to Can, this is the best and easiest place to start. Containing an actual Top 10 single (in West Germany, of course) with peaks akin to Tago Mago's most pointed cuts, yet… more »
By Lenny Kaye, eMusic ContributorShe rests amidst the solace of Grunewald Forest outside Berlin, surrounded by woodland quietude. Even here, off the beaten path, there are floral tributes carefully placed around her grave; a bottle of unopened wine, candles… more »
By Barry Walters, eMusic ContributorLike many German bands of the early 1970s, Düsseldorf's Kraftwerk aimed to create a new music apart from American rock 'n' roll. Influenced by British psychedelic and progressive scenes but also by free jazz and… more »
By Barry Walters, eMusic ContributorWhen your biggest song on what was the biggest station in the world is nothing but beats, counting and sound effects, you probably think you can get away with anything. That was Kraftwerk on its… more »
By Barry Walters, eMusic ContributorReleased five years after 1986's Electric Café, The Mix answers criticisms that its predecessor didn't keep up with dance trends. Essentially a replayed greatest-hits collection released in conjunction with the group's return to live performance,… more »
By Barry Walters, eMusic ContributorWhereas 1981's Computer World coincided with a huge escalation in the new wave, R&B, post-disco and hip-hop worlds for synthesized grooves, late 1986's Electric Café arrived when much of popular music was already electronic. The… more »
By Barry Walters, eMusic ContributorMore than rock and its hard-to-budge sense of history, African-American popular music typically concentrates on the present — probably because the past wasn't such a great place to live in if your skin wasn't the… more »
By Barry Walters, eMusic ContributorEven more so than Kraftwerk's other albums, 1978's The Man-Machine is both of its time and several years ahead. It's not incidental that group leaders Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider here share their songwriting credits… more »
By Barry Walters, eMusic ContributorAutobahn is split between a milestone title track and a less memorable flipside. Radio-Activity pads a knockout single ("Radioactivity"/"Antenna") with conceptually savvy window dressing. 1977's Trans-Europe Express, however, marks the beginning of an artistic peak… more »
By Barry Walters, eMusic ContributorThe puns exist on so many levels. Kraftwerk's 1975 follow-up to its surprise international hit Autobahn is a concept album about both radioactivity and activity on the radio. After years in the German underground, these… more »
By Barry Walters, eMusic ContributorKraftwerk's fourth German album and groundbreaking first international release combines the prog-rock mindset of 1974 with synth-played pop and self-built electronic percussion. Lacking the chops of Pink Floyd and Yes, Kraftwerk compensate with tunes, beats… more »
By Rob Young, eMusic ContributorCologne, Germany, has enjoyed a remarkable musical renaissance since the early 1990s, and Pluramon's Marcus Schmickler is one of its most versatile sonic architects. An academically trained pioneer of digital production, Marcus has always run… more »
By John Schaefer, eMusic ContributorThe young German violinist Julia Fischer has virtuosity to spare, but what critics keep raving about is how intelligent and soulful her playing is. That's because at age 24, Fischer is a seasoned veteran. After… more »