KRAUTROCK | Ten Best Albums 

No Tangerine Dream? Brave call! Your 10 bands are the same as on my take on Krautrock, except I left Kluster off for the Tangies. So, here's 10 in no especial order I've picked the bones out of - 10. Agitation Free. I've dumped Lucifer's Friend because while they were significant, they weren't that good, where as Agitiation Free, who rocked hard between passage sof spacey spacerock and Grateful dead style jams didn't leva eas big a legacy but they are more fun to listen to. They also liked to get naked. There are heaps of great bands that probably deserve their place more - Ash Ra Temple, Rufus Zuphall, Novalis (the proggier side of KR, you may find these guys very much to your taste), Nine Days Wonder (and you thought Damo Suzuki was a demented vocalist). A lot of these marginal bands, including Lucifer's Friend and Agitation Free tended to have strong debuts and then fade. 9. Grobschnitt - Ballerman is the album to have. It's a double album which is, frankly, exhausting and thrilling for me to listen. Especially the second disc. It says a lot that Grobschnitt could evolve almost to the point of being a pop act (or a pop parody act) and still fall under the Krautrock banner 8 Guru Guru - UFO is out there - in fact, I just listened to it last week, but don't discount the quite accessible Kanguru and the brain searing, mind melting self titled album. 7. Faust - Faust IV is about it - the debut is very good, too, but IV is a mix between what we haven't heard before, dont understand and are intimidated by on the debut and some slim semblance of Western Song format. 6. Neu - I've changed my mind a bit about Neu - I wasnt very kind to the Neu 2 album in my video, but I have done a 180 and I quite enjoy it. I freely admit, though "Hallogallo" from the debut is something no one deserves to go through life without hearing 5. Can - I took a lot of flack for saying that between 1969 and 1974 Can were the greatest band in the world. Largely from fans of the "Hairy Oick" variety of band. Tago Mago is a masterpiece but toe in the water dippers may find Future Days more enticing. Fun Fact - I own about 3 band T-Shirts and Can/Future Days is one of them. 4. Tangerine Dream - Here's another controversial statement - I can't think of another band that has released so many consecutive great albums as Tangerine Dream. Stevie Wonder did 6, but Tangerine dream did 8 - Electronic Meditation, Alpha Centauri, Zeit , Atem , Phaedra , Ricochet , Rubycon and Stratosfear - in 6 years!I can't pick a favourite - the space rock of Alpha Centuari, the ambient tones of Phaedra, the wholly improvised live album Ricochet and the last two (especially the long under rated Stratosfear). If you buy it and it is from before 1977, it's bound to be great. 3. Amon Duul 2. Yeti is full on assault in the Euterpian senses, but I prefer the spacerockier side of Krautrock, so I just give the edge to the previous album Phallus Dei. That said, I haven't heard Yeti in a while and I've just recently listened to PD, so I might be biased 2. Kraftwerk. of course, Kraftwerk's destiny changed when two members split off to join Neu and Ralph & Florian decided to quit avant garde and make funky records like Neu. You're absolutely right to pick Autobahn - its not just a prime example of Krautrock, it's one of the greatest albums ever made inthe history of ever. But Radio-Aktivität, the follow up brings back some artsy textures to the format and is great fun, Trans Europa Express is spacier, colder yet more given to reflection than Autobahn and Die Mensch·Maschine and Computerwelt are concise definitions of what most window shoppers would believe is Jraftwerk It all comes crashing down, though, with Electric Cafe 1. Popol Vuh - Aguirre. If you only go off the Krautrock deep end once, this is the album you need. Part soundtrack to Klaus Kinsky 1972 dry run for Apocalypse Now, Aguirre Wrath of God (or maybe, Maybe he just got a camera and followed Klaus Kinsky around doing the mad kind of shit KK do), part studio odds and ends record, it all flows seamlessly from dark jazz, ambient to far out space rock. One of my favourite albums ever. As always, an assiduous overview both of the music and of the social situation. We're lucky to have such a refined view to help get the love for Krautrock out there.

I became enthralled with Autobahn as a child after listening to my older brother's copy of it circa 1975. It's been on my extended playlist ever since. As far as the rest of these albums......well.....looks like I've got a lot of homework to do. Thanks, Barry.

Great selections and in my personal list I’d add the first, eponymous, Ash Ra Tempel album.

I’m so glad that Faust got a spot on this list, they’re so underrated and just a brilliant band

1. Can-Future Days 2. Faust IV 3. Amon Duul II-Yeti 4. Neu! 75 5. Harmonia- Deluxe 6. Kraftwerk-Autobahn 7. Manuel Göttsching- E2-E4 8. Ash Ra Tempel 9. Michael Rother- Flammende Herzen 10. Cluster-Zuckerzeit

Outstandingly original work. The research that went into this must have been phenomenal.

Lucifer’s friend is more hard rock feeling. It is extremely rare to find! Your description of grobschnitt is very inspiring and thank you as always. A rare krautrock group “mammut”, thanks to youtube, resurface and brings great impact to me. Mammut is playing crazy ethno music .

In no particular order. I also forced myself to not pick more than one per band 1. Kraftwerk - Trans Europe Express 2. CAN - Tago Mago 3. Neu! - Neu! 4. Cluster - Cluster 2 5. Popol Vuh - In Den Garten Pharoahs 6. Amon Duul II - Tanz Der Lemminge 7. Tangerine Dream - Zeit 8. Faust - The Faust Tapes 9. Harmonia - Musik Von Harmonia 10. Ashra - New Age Of Earth

Excellent video Barry, educational as ever. It's a genre I know only a little about so lots of enjoyable homework to look forward to.

Excellent video and choices of LPs ! I was sure Can would be number 1 ^^ I agree with your choice of Tago Mago - but "Future Days" and "Soon Over Babaluma" are also fantastic. In fact, all Can music is fantastic... Solo albums by Holger Czukay (the bassist) are also quite interesting.

Wonderful presentation - as always. We have been spoiled by your high quality standards.

There are so many good bands from Germany, Harmonia and La Dûsseldorf for example.

This post made me go straight away to listen to (meet, experience for the first time) Halleluhwah and ... yes! Loved it, nice trip 🙌

Great show, excellently presented. Thank you!

Another top form video. Your quips never cease to make me laugh

I'd like to elect Einstursende Neubauten's 'Silence is Sexy' as perfect later day krautrock. The rhythms, the experimental instumentation. They are still using slabs of industrial waste and sampled jet engines to construct sound, but now their songs flows like lullibies instead of ripping your ears out. Check it out if you love the mentioned music.

What about the first Tangerine Dream album called "Electronic Meditation" or the first 3 albums from Ash Ra Tempel as well the first 2 albums from Agitation Free (all from Berlin)? Not to forget Gila, Kalacakra, Dom, Eulenspygel, Vita Nova, Dzyan, Cornucopia, Yatha Sidra and Embryo among others !!

I made my list before watching and it was remarkably similar to yours. I picked Harmonia's "Deluxe" instead of Guru Guru (I always forget about this record) and I picked "Radioactivity" instead of "Autobahn" just out of personal preference. I didn't put mine in any order, but "Tago Mago" is #1 for sure. Thanks for the video!!

What a great video! I have to admit that I am completely unfamiliar with this music. When this music was released, I was more interested in my own exploration of psychedelia than the exploration of Krautrock. The only disc with which I was familiar was Autobahn by Kraftwerk which I owned and very much enjoyed. I'm now going to explore the others and enjoy some new/old music. Thank you very much for the introduction! This, alone, was worth my monthly donation! Great work!

Always found it amusing that Phaedra was mixed backwards and nobody could tell except Edgar Froese😂 Have you heard the Quad version of Autobahn? A must.

Interesting and informative,thanks.

Fantastic selections and synopsis (as usual). As for glaring omissions, The Hairy Chapter album 'Can't Get Through' might fit the bill on that score. Cheers Barry

Wonderful reviews of some wonderful albums. Proudly Kraut. :) Subscribed.

Neu! Such a masterpiece. And yet again an awesome t-shirt.

It:s amazing how many people think Autobahn was Ktaftwerk's 1st lp 3 prior 4 if you count Tone Float when they were known as The Organisation.

yeah i absolutely agree with Tago Mago being nr. 1, that's actually probably my favorite album of all time. though for the Faust pick I would've gone for the self titled debut, it sounds unlike any other albums until I'd say the lofi bands of the 90s

Enjoyed your critique of the GROBSCHNITT "masterpiece". Here's my (10). CAN / Monster Movie Amon Duul II / Carnival in Babylon Brainticket / Cottonwoodhill Grobschnitt (1st Album) Neu! Faust / So Far Kraan (1st Album) Kraftwerk / Autobahn Guru Guru / Dance of the Flames Cluster & ENO

A wonderful list. I love all those albums intensely. For some non-german bands/musicians that have a "kraut-rock" vibe to their music, I recommend you look up Besombes-Rizet, Heldon or the early (slightly dated) psychedelic masterpiece Tonto's Expanding Head Band.

Great video, very informative & descriptive of Kosmische Musik. Perfect artist choices (I am especially thankful for mentioning Lucifer's Friend). Perhaps Frumpy could have made the list. All in all, an amazing video.

Interesting and needed subject to present. Obviously well researched and insightful. Thank you

This was interesting, thanks for info.

Very nice selection, pleasantly surprised to see Lucifer's Friend! My taste personally leans more to the Berlin part of the scene, so there'd be a lot more Schulze, TD and Ash Ra (Tempel), though some more obscure pics I think are equally as deserving of such high positions, especially Dom's Edge of Time!

Outside of Kraftwerk, I had no idea this genre existed until recently. Where has this been all my life? I am now thoroughly hooked.

For those who,d like to tip their toes into the waters of German Jazz / Rock / Ethnic? Fusion give Embryo , Brainstorm ,Kraan , Kollectiv , Aera , Between , Etcetera , Munju , Dyzan ,From , Missus Beastly , Ibliss ,Opposum , Erna Schnitt , Os Mundi , Xhol . Annexus Quam a listen . Most released on C.D. too for those who can,t afford the mega bucks for vinyl originals . Well worth checking out .l love 'em all .

Great list. Other proposals of Krautrock: Eloy, Jane, Birthcontrol, Madison Dyke Zeitmaschine, Klaus Schulze (electronic), additional Ton Steine Scherben (protest, rock, ballads with unforgettable voice of Rio Reiser)

Good choices there. A good introduction

Hooray! My user name is relevant!

I realise you've already given away their best album, but a video ranking Can's albums from worst to best would be great.

Great list, and it includes a couple I haven’t heard. How do you spell Grobschnitt? Is that it? Never heard of it. Lucifer’s Friend? How did I miss them in my previous exploration of this genre?

Great list! There are a few bands here that I still need to check out. FYI, you can pick up a reissue copy of Grobschnitt’s debut on Discogs for about £20 (CD copies for as little as £11).

Tangerine Dream should be on that list. Electronic Meditation is Prog

Agree on #1, one of my favorite albums. It's also an album that has been sampled a lot by rap artists.

great, great primer- it be wonderful to hear you talk more about more experimental/ psych-rock?!. As you have such passion for it- and make some great observations/ points about your chosen selections :-)

Have the first Faust album, it's very interesting to say the least. But it's always intrigued me enough in wanting to explore further. I'll give that 4th one a listen. And 👍 on Autobahn !! I've loved that amazing epic tune ever since I 1st heard it 48 years ago.

Tago Mago is my no 1 favorite album of all time. Fuckin excellent list, man. All these albums are top tier.

Wow i'm a big Faust fan and had the fortune to see and meet them in Schenectady NY. I bought a book about them 2/3 ds of it political history WW2. Very little about Faust I don't need a history lesson been Kraut Rock fan since the early 70 's

Lucifer's Friend and Leafhound are both of my favorites from this era and location.

Interesting picks. Would be great to see a top ten albums by Hawkwind on your channel.

Bravo! Both Lucifer's Friend and Banquet are in my favorite albums of all time. Uriah Heep's Firefly with John Lawton on vocals is also brilliant.

10. Ash Ra Tempel - Join Inn 9. Amon Duul 2 - Yeti 8. Kraftwerk - Autobahn 7. Neu! - Neu! '75 6. Kraftwerk - Trans-Europe Express 5. Can - Future Days 4. Neu! - Neu! 3. Faust - Faust IV 2. Can - Ege Bamyasi 1. Can - Tago Mago

Faust IV - one of my top choices too Cluster 2 - never really got into that one, but Sowiesoso was one of the most influential albums for me personally, got me to really value making full-on electronic pastoral music Guru Guru UFO - yep they rule, probably peak heavy psych rock, they were doing stuff on par with like, japanese psych Lucifer's Friend - they are in my collection but not something I can remember listening to, definitely gonna give this a solid look Neu! - love it, so much, it's perfect. they did what kraftwerk later went global with, but without the pretenses brought along with those aspirations for commercial success Popol Vuh Hosianna Mantra - another band I love, so influential, perfect examples of ambient and cinematic composition (also huge fan of Conny Veit and his separate band Gila) Krafterk's Autobahn - I got into krautrock through a different entryway than via Kraftwerk, never really got into them, they always felt too derivative to me.. and after seeing all the other innovators in the krautrock/kosmische scene seemed to reinforce that impression. Neu's first album for example really makes it seem like Autobahn is the second album of its type. Grobschnit - not in my collection, but their name is familiar enough to me. I should check out their catalogue. Amon Duul II Yeti - another of my absolute favorites, was one of the first few krautrock albums a friend told me about, instantly became something I could listen to any time. Can Tago Mago - yep, the perfect album. definitely top of the list. Jaki's drumming is insane, Holger's composition and editing is too. It indeed drips with the fine art vibes Stockhausen. And yeah the way it returns the listener to the world of sanity is one of the parts missing from a lot of psychedelia. Great picks, makes me want to give a closer look to Lucifer's Friend and Grobschnitt if they were good enough in your mind to sit among Guru Guru and Amon Duul 2 and such.

This video popped up as a suggestion so thought I would check it out. Good vid, thanks for the list. Completely subjective but a few of my thoughts: - Seems almost undisputed that top 2 in the genre are tago mago and yeti. For me, I would switch them and have Yeti first. Probably my all time favourite record. - Haven't listened to too much Grobschnit so will need to check them out more. - Not sure I would call Lucifer's Friend Krautrock - Probably unpopular but Neu has never done much for me personally - Ash ra temple s/t should be in the list, I'd have it at 3. - While I love Yeti, i think dance of the lemmings is only a whisker behind it. Possibly would include that also. My top 5 would look like this. Could probably argue between 20 other bands/albums for the remaining 5 spots: Amon Duul 2 - Yeti Can - Tago Mago Ash Ra Temple - st Guru Guru - UFO Faust - IV Cheers!

Great video, and it aptly included Hosianna Mantra, indeed one of the most beautiful albums ever made. It's hinduism it merges with christianity though, not buddhism. Fricke was simultaneously a christian and hindu convert. Keep up the good work, love your videos!

I like your list Have you heard of Sand? There album Golem is out there.

excellent

My krautrock list , tangerine dream alpha centuri, klaus schulze irrlicht, guru guru ufo, can eve bamyasi, ash ra temple schwingungen , brainticket cotton wool hill, popol vuh In den Gärten Pharaos, Gila -gila, broselmachine first album, and DOM the edge of time. Sergio golowin, cosmic jokers tarot, and agitation free are great choice also,

Actually it was Kluster that formed in 1969. Cluster formed in 1971, after the departure of Conrad Schnitzler, by the remaining two members of Kluster, Dieter Moebius and Hans-Joachim Rodellius. Nice list, but I disagree with the inclusion of Lucifer's Friend and Autobahn. As for Kraftwerk I believe the most obvious choice would be either one of their two first albums or (pre-Kraftwerk) Organisation's Tone Float. As for Lucifer's Friend I wouldn't include any of their albums. Still if I had to pick one of their albums this would be "How the groupies killed the blues". My personal top ten, in no particular order, is the following: Amon Duul 2 - Phallus Dei, Message - From Books and Dreams, Birth Control - Hoodo Man, Brave New World - Impressions on Reading Aldus Huxley, Can - Tago Mago, Neu! - s/t, Walter Wegmuller - Tarot, Sergius Golowin, Lord Krishna von Goloka, Tangeriine Dream - Zeit and Grobschnitt - s/t.

I'm not sure it's entirely 'Right up your bubble gum tree' to quote your good self, but a part 2 covering Neue Deutsche Härte might be worth your considerable talents.

If you are interested in making a video about East German Rock/Blues/Jazz, just let me know. I can be helpful.

Thanks for giving me an entry into Krautrock. I’ve had Guru Guru on repeat all morning

Hi Barry, nice work! Even more so, for a non-Tschoerman (don't mention the war....), otherwise known as Kraut. Funny as well, at least guessing by the names, it's mainly Brits who react to this wonderful episode. My only critiscism being the no mention of a single Tangerine Dream album. Funnily, they were (even before Kraftwerk) the first KR band to make 'our music' socially/musically acceptable in your country. Albums like 'Phaedra', 'Ricochet' & 'Alpha Centauri' can't be ranked high enough But then again, confined to a number of (only) ten albums, and confined to the realms of personal taste (no offense), obviously quite a lot of 'acoustic loopholes' had to be left open. I hope, you won't mind, if I'll try to close at least a few of these holes, as all of them deserve their mention, and their place in 'The Krautrock Hall of Fame'. I wonder, why no one has come up with the idea for that. So many la di da Halls of Fame, one more certainly wouldn't mind You see, in 1969, I was this 16-year-old German boy, mainly fascinated by what found its way across The Channel, and/or The Atlantic, and always slightly embarrassed by most national releases. Only at hindsight, some of us would realise how wrong we were about some stuff that came years before The Krautrock Mania. Bands like The Monks (the German Godfathers of Punk), The Rattles, later to become Wonderland, Geronimo a.o. Anyway, at the end of The Sixties (67-69) the first bands began to emerge, quite often loosely linked to what is/was known as 'Studentenrevolte - macht kaputt, was euch kaputt macht' (destroy what's destroying you). Bands like Floh de Cologne' (The Flea from Cologne) were so-called 'Polit Bands' on a (left wing/communist) mission. Obviously, as they were singing in German, they never found any ears outside the country. Nonetheless, they belong to the vanguard of Krautrock. Anyway, I'm on the verge of getting carried away. You see, I lived (very consciously) through this whole period, saw most of them live, and had most of their albums. I remember one concert in 1971 with 'Ihre Kinder' (their children) opening for Ginger Baker's Airforce. Odd!!, to say the least. Beside the 'Brain' label, which was considered being rather commercial, most of these influential KR bands released their albums on the OHR (ear)label (early Tangerine Dream/Ashra Tempel/Xhol), whose motto was, 'Macht das Ohr auf' (open your ears), and PILZ (meaning mushroom, THE synonym for Psychedelia as such) with bands like Popol Vuh, Emtidi & Rufus Zuphall. Both were founded by Rolf Ulrich Kaiser, back then the undisputed 'Godfather' of Krautrock. I mean, there were countless minor & often rather short lived KR labels - too many to be mentioned here. But enough for now! Here's my list of KR albums from the early to the mid Seventies (some beyond) which are well worth to be listened to: Ashra Tempel: dito & Schwingungen (both on OHR label). Together with TD the best Germany had to offer in terms of electronic music & ambient. Long before Brian Eno. Sorry, mate. Tangerine Dream: Alpha Centauri, Zeit, Atem, Phaedra, Ricochet & Rubycon (OHR). If Ashra were heads, TD had to be tails - or, vice versa, of course. Embryo (OHR): (Ohr, 1970) (UA, 1971) (UA, 1972) (Brain) (BASF, 1973) (Brain 1973) (Buk, 1975). They were basically the first German band to include jazz/fusion & ethno elements & jazz musicians like Charlie Mariano (saxes & flutes) in their music/band. Xhol (former Soul/Xhol Caravan): Get in High (as Soul Caravan) (1971 on CBS), Electrip (1969 Hansa), (Hau-Ruk Live 1971 (OHR) & Motherfuckers GmbH & Co (1972 )HR) - the German pendant to early/mid Soft Machine. Gorgeous. One of my alltime favourite stoner bands. Out of Focus: (1971), (1971) (1972) (all on Kuckuck Rec.) Having taken their name from a Blue Cheer track, but had also been influenced by Soft Machine and Xhol Caravan, they rapidly established a distinctive style blending rock, jazz & psychedelic overtones. The band's music was known for the socio-political commentary present in Moran Neumüller's songs. Although typically Munich styled (with Embryo & Sahara connections) they are often compared to Canterbury Rock a& Scandinavian jazz-rock acts. Finally, a Swiss band named 'Krokodil', my favourite album being 'An Invisible World revealed' (1971, UA). They soundlikea an odd mix between Hawkwind, Soft Machine & early Porcupine tree. Another one of my definite favourites. OK, that's it. Obviously, I could (and would like to) mention dozens of others, well worth checking out, bur I've just noticed, both my index fingers bleeding, so, I'll leave it with that. It's been more than great fun writing these lines, as it took me right back to when it all began. Or, as Skylab/ Howie B. would have said: 'I put a seashell on my ear, and it all comes back!' See ya, and take care. Cheers!

Krautrock.....sounds neat and kraftwerk is a good band I found some of their works via Spotify and Pandora and it's neat

What's the album that has the cover in the thumbnail? That cover is super cool

There’s this album recorded in 1971 by Conny Plank, released by Brain in early 1972, and its soooo mind-blowing. 🤔 Yes, my friends, Scorpions made the best krautrock album.

I am very lucky for naming of the still extraordinary Popol Vuh album "Hosiannah Mantra"! I only miss Tangerine Dream, and I think that "Känguru", the third album of Guru Guru was very better than their first album. But there are so many great bands and more than ten - Ash Ra Tempel, Xhol Caravan, Kraan, Embryo, La Düsseldorf ...

Oh and ' Great Coice ' on Can's Tago Mago. That's a far out one to really to really get lost to.

Great video. If anyone wants to do a deep dive into Krautrock, I recommend Kraftwerk and the Electronic Revolution. It’s on RU-vid.

"Ralf & Florian" would be on my list..

Have you done Top Krautrock bands?

did I miss Tangerine Dream ....... ! arguably the most well known / influential krautrock band tho......

The mighty Tago Mago - great choice for the no.1 pick. Barry have you heard anything by Sergius Golowin? Thanks for the video.

Thanks

I'd have taken a couple out and replaced them with Agitation Free 2nd, which is Floyd like without the earnest lyrical content and Ash Ra Tempel's debut. Honourable mention to the Cosmic Jokers as well, Dieter Dirks before he went metal. The infamous "lost weekend in Germany", ala Fleetwood Mac, Peter Green spent his time jamming with Amon Duul and called it "The most spiritual experience playing music I have ever had". Mick and John can carp all they like about Green leaving, the truth is they were never going to go the "Krautrock" route with Peter, so pretending the band was still viable in its then form, is wishful thinking on their behalf.

I feel very stupid in hindsight because I thought Autobahn by Kraftwerk was just a joke in The Big Lebowski and not an actual album.

very well all...............................

Fantastic music of the time but u missed The masters Tangerine Dream ... Re birth of Germany is a great documentary

Amon Düül II. Very underrated but not by you.

listen to Oh Yeah by Can. Masterpiece. if anyone finds a similar song please share!!! and let me know how you like it!!!!!!

You’ve given me a long homework list here Barry. I’ve listened to Kraftwerk many times and I blame Kraut rock with the blowing of Peter Greens mind (not all their fault as you know). Maybe it took acid to forget Hitler, or was nazism a bad trip? 😎🥸

If you included Kraftwerk's Autobahn, I think you should have also included Tangerine Dream's Phaedra on the list.

No early Tangerine Dream? Ash Ra Tempel? Eloy? Every album on the list is great but there were some great ones overlooked

I'll be amiss lf didn't mention Faust and Nurse with me Wound collaboration.

Wish I had a degree in English. My physics degree seems wasted now.

Nothing by tangerine dream Electronic meditation is a masterpiece

Not sure that Germany was "in denial" - Japan perhaps but not Germany which of course was then West Germany, the East still under the CCCP jackboot.

Banana smoking nudists! brilliant.

I can’t imagine there is a single German musician of the past or present who doesn’t find ‘krautrock’ offensive. It’s an ignorant generalisation used by stupid people. No one but the English use this term to describe a group of musicians. The same people who inflicted brexthick on themselves. Lol 😂 shows their intelligence 😂

Actually they wanted to distance themselves from the hypocritical imperialist western anglocentric globalization that made fun of them just for the sins of their fathers. That's why they incorporated authentic german influences from Stockhausen's elektronishe musik.

OMG where is Triumvirat Spartacus !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll be amiss lf didn't mention Faust and Nurse with me Wound collaboration.