Reviews (page 3 of 8)
I do enjoy at bit of Kraftwerk. Generally prefer the non vocal tracks as the vocals are a little tired and cliched now. Strong 4 but not a 5 as do not feel any of the tracks really connect with me.
It's nearly 50 year old and influenced many. Still a decent listen, does not sound dated.
In 1977, miraculously using twinkling synths to create a place of pastoral calm from a future we still haven't reached. I could ride this train forever. The only hitch is 8 minutes of Hall of Mirrors. They could have nailed it in 2.
🤩🤩🤩
This is like if the talking heads were better 3.5
first two tracks are absolutely the highlights for me. abzug feels kinda pointless
barrett's gonna be really annoying™️. baller pick though. they'll be playing this once they get the trans people coventry-witz trains up and running. that said. thank you guys for walking so i could run to put OTT on the master. even along with the progenitor "primitivism" thing the songs are peak. gary numan and you lot share melodic sensibilities. and i like having electric friends. hall of mirrors is an all timer. i never realized kraftwerk could get so no wave-y. big fan of the lead filter/pitch knob getting turned all ways about when they get to the "distorted" line. i love how every song has a point where i realize the lyrics are satirical/symbolic. hi planet rock sample + that one missy elliot song (not really it just reminded me of it). in the same way the human league's atari to the rest of the 80s' super nintendo (to paraphrase/bungle another todd in the shadows quote) this would be the pdp-11. i like how the second half is all variations on melodies from the album track. all in all. coo. 4.2-4.5.
Interesting.
3+1 for meeting notability guidelines.
It's another solid Kraftwerk album. 4/5
Full Album Thoughts: Album Rating: 3.9 (A) The System. Is Down. The System. Is Down. Look, do we fault foundational works for being a little structurally bare? Yes absolutely. But I also happen to enjoy this exact minimalist style. We have come a long way from here to Ninajirachi, but both can be enjoyable. Track Thoughts "Europe Endless" ("Europa Endlos") A Refined and Elegant, Elegance and Decadence. You know how I complain about long songs that are too repetitive? The difference is this is designed to be trance like. It builds. Its evokes a sense of precise, articulate, exact, purposefulness. "The Hall of Mirrors" ("Spiegelsaal") A+ Metroid and or Zelda Dungeon music. The pacing footsteps as percussion are touch. The actual singing is perfunctory, but not actively grating. I really like the composition of the various parts, they weave in and out hypnotically. I prefer the minor key, foreboding sound. "Showroom Dummies" ("Schaufensterpuppen") B Something about this feels like a Keyboard Demosong in the way the previous ones did not? I think it may be that the different parts are repeating the same sort of melody/percussion without much variation? Or maybe I just associate that Vocal Synth with "look at this weird instrument we have on here" shorthand. "Trans-Europe Express" ("Trans Europa Express") B Okay calm down there FF6 title screen (which is unfair because this album predates that by like 30 years). This somehow makes me more comfortable with my terrible drum track programming skills and also envious that I am 50 years too late for this to be considered acceptable. "Metal on Metal" ("Metall auf Metall") B- I thought this was still part of the Trans Europe Express, but I guess the metal clanking was Metal on Metal, go figure XD. I mean, say what you will, this suite of songs are coherent if not jump out of your seat worthy. "Abzug[a]" B+ OH THAT IS WHERE HYDROGEN BY M.O.O.N. ON THE HOTLINE MIAMI SOUNDTRACK GETS IT FROM! This is the big climax and you can feel it. Well, if you can call this somewhat moody laid-back trance a Climax. "Franz Schubert" A+ The variety is nice again, we are back into something more jubilant like the opener of the album. There is like, an actual melody that gets developed. "Endless Endless" ("Endlos Endlos") D- This is a Coda. it is not a song.
A better ferroequinologistic love letter has likely not been made.
найс, вайбово, сохранил.
My eleven year old son said while listening to this "It would be good video game music. Also I think I like all of Kraftwerk." I totally agree young man. I've been fortunate enough to see Kraftwerk and they are living legends.
I've listened to this in German, and I've been on so many European trains in my life, and I really can't imagine how Americans can understand deeply this music
So good. I miss the times of MS Dos.
Bleep boop boop. Bleep boop boop. Bleep boop boop. Bleep boop boop. The 4-synth phenom Kraftwerk still retain their krauty komische origins while fine tuning the melodic hooks.
beeps and boops. i enjoyed!
Autobahn and The Man Machine were both pretty darn great, but still imperfect. Trans Europe Express is much the same. Facing perhaps the stiffest competition possible (given the year it was released), it can still hold its own. Even for 1977, this stuff is kind of mind-blowing. (And 1977 was the best year of modern Western music, no question about it.) The music gleams with a sort of shiny, sterilised series of electronic sounds – from the beginning of the opening track (Europe Endless). The vocals fail to stand out – much like with their other efforts – instead sort of blending into the beautiful goopy mess of synthesisers and electronic drums. Is it fair to say that Kraftwerk were more ahead of their time than any other band? The nearly 10 minutes of Europe Endless do eventually come to an end, suggesting a poor choice of title. In general the songs here drag on a little bit, but work pretty well as background music. I could see The Hall of Mirrors working as the underground theme of a video game soundtrack (if the vocals were removed). Most of the tracks go much the same way as the first two. A great series of synth riffs that use varied textures and cute little funky drums (none are from actual real drums). Franz Schubert makes for a late-album standout, largely because the mediocre vocals are completely absent. Admittedly there isn't much futurism to boast of in this song – the synths can sound extremely old-fashioned, and the melody is more Beatlesque than anything else – but I'm still impressed. Making a convincing soundscape out of three melodic lines from the same instrument cannot be easy. Excellent transition to Endless Endless, too, which earns the record some serious bonus points. We need more transitions in modern-day music. (Not interludes, though.) As a side note: why are these guys' album titles all synonyms of each other? 4/5 Key tracks: Europe Endless, Franz Schubert
A little samey, but well-produced and certainly influential. 3.5/5.0: Very Good
It really is a treat hearing such a pioneering album. I think it’s biggest problem is it’s VERY German so it’s sort of funny and strange in an unappealing way
Vamos con semana de dos días, que mañana hay paro y jueves y viernes son feriados, con esta banda, punto de inflexión en la música. Kraftwerk es de esas bandas que son pioneras. Inventoras de un género sin saberlo (electrónica) y derivadoras de otras (krautrock y en definitiva, las bases rítmicas del post-punk y del indie). Muchas gracias y nos vemos el miércoles
Another album I surprised myself by really enjoying!
feels wrong d’être autiste et de pas donner cinq étoiles à un album sur un train…….who am i je pensais que Hall of Mirrors était une chanson originale de Siouxsie so I was a bit gobsmacked d’entendre la version originale (which is so different but equally great) en tant que fan de Daft Punk qui ironiquement connaît rien à la musique électronique this was a fun and great Discovery (pun not intended) 🖤 — Abzug, Showroom Dummies
I was first introduced to Kraftwerk by my dad, maybe 10 years ago. Up until this point, I had only really listened to Autobahn and Tour de France, the latter album being my favourite of the two. After listening to Trans Europa Express today, I would say that it is somewhere between the two. Better than Autobahn, but not quite as enjoyable as Tour de France for me. All of the analog synth stuff is really cool, but sometimes I wish artists would either make a track fully instrumental or commit to singing instead of half-singing half-speaking the lyrics or making a robot voice say the words. Realistically, if I understood German I'd probably mind less.
Out of Kraftwerk's seminal three albums, trans europa express has always taken last place for me. I find some of the tracks in it's first half a bit too martial and cold. Even with that being said, it's still one of the best records of it's time. There's so much warmth and charm to be found in the music, that it's hard to ever really dislike it. I've never listened to a Kraftwerk record and had a worse day because of it, nor do I think I ever will.
I can't imagine what it could've been like to live in the 70s and get the news that there's a new Kraftwerk album. It must have been extremely exciting to listen to the future everytime. As experimental as it may seem, feels like their first real pop album. Europe Enless might be my favorite on the album, even on top of TEE, which is a classic amongst classics because of it's impact in proppeling rapping onto the world. It cover's all the basics of how they develope albums, the soundtrack music, the effects song, the trips, the singles, at least the first time it's really cohesive.
Excited to finally get some kraftwerk, I’ve heard nothing but positives. This is electronic that I like, weird, experimental, self referencing, just a beautiful album. Definitely not throwing this one on every day but what a cool concept seen all the way through.
This was a fun ride. Very good, especially for a bunch of Germans in 1977. I listened to it twice for the nice ambience and driving, pumping flavor. Four stars.
very cool
A ground-breaking, super influential classic that is still a great listen. Years ahead of their time with electronics and synths, Kraftwerk still garner hooks and emotions out of the stark and artificial soundscapes. Vital listening.
I respect what Kraftwerk did but they’re a band I kind of have to force myself to listen to. It’s pleasant music and interesting but not something I’m drawn to or need to relisten to much.
I was annoyed at first but it quickly put me into a flow state that ended up being exactly what I needed this morning. I get it.
I generally don't care for electronic music, and I'm not going to go out and buy this, but for what it is it was pretty dang cool!
9/10
Weird, but I felt like I enjoyed it. A bit existential. As if I was trapped overthinking my life on a train.
This is the second Kraftwerk album I've gotten during this. I've always listened to Kraftwerk from time to time, but they aren't on my regular playlist. After listening to this album, I think it's probably some of my favorite music from them. It's definitely more melodic than some of their other albums and had kind of a soothing beat to it for background music. Utilizing the sound of a train in the title track was really cool. As always, just a solid album again from Kraftwerk.
You can't listen to Kraftwerk without realising that they took new technology and created a genre all of their own. It's a staggering feat of creativity and foresight. That said, the first of anything is rarely the best, but this is still an enjoyable album, though some of that is on more of an intellectual footing, appreciating the history and relevance rather than just enjoying the music itself. Only 'Hall of Mirrors' makes it into my regular playlists, which I will be muttering to myself for days.
So I kinda got delayed listening to this. I started it, then when to the football and had to pick it up the next day. Initially it was going to be 3 stars off my first impressions with an acknowledgement of how influential Kraftwerk have been to electronic music and other artists. Anyway, I listened to it in full the next day and it just grew on me. Then I hear all the parts sampled by other artists, and I'm like, if this band didn't exist, we would have missed out on so much good music. Definitely a great album, not quite a 5, but a strong 4.
My 3rd Kraftwerk album! I gave both The Man-Machine and Autobahn 3 stars. They were both within my first 150 albums of the project and only 40 albums apart. Listening to those albums gave me great respect for their work as well as an ear for the massive influence they've had on many artists I love, but I didn't think I would go back to them again any time soon. But I have, Autobahn especially. I would easily rate that a 4 now and I was happy to see Trans Europe Express pop up as the album of the day. These guys are awesome and I will never understand how they managed this kind of production value as early as the mid-to-late 70's . Of course my favorite track is the most haunted and unsettling, The Hall of Mirrors. ( The Siouxsie and the Banshees cover is cool too). Easy 4 stars for the album overall :)
Kraftwerk doesn't miss! Siger en del om kvaliteten at det her er den mindst gode af dem, vi har haft
Alle Kraftwerk-plader på listen har været pissefede. Fremtiden lød federe i 1977 end den er i dag. :-(
An enjoyable journey.
C'est un peu idiot et c'est très bon. 3.75 étoiles
I've never loved Kraftwerk even though I like the cold feel to their music. Admitted them for their early synthesiser work. Maybe too easy to make fun of? Anyway it was really good to be forced to listen to this. I really enjoyed it, listened three times. Hall of mirrors was a bit indulgentbut Europe endless is a fantastic opener and then they're are several hits. I might never do a whole album again, but I'm glad I did it today and they have my admiration
Up until this album the only Kraftwerk track I have listened to before was Autobahn. Now that I have heard this album I am now hooked. It may be that repetitive sound.
so weird but good
come stay at the spotted ox hostel and eat four or five sausages
Trans-Europe Express Trans-Europe Express Trans-Europe Express Trans-Europe Express Trans-Europe Express Trans-Europe Express Trans-Europe Express Trans-Europe Express Trans-Europe Express Trans-Europe Express Trans-Europe Express Trans-Europe Express Trans-Europe Express Trans-Europe Express Trans-Europe Express Trans-Europe Express Trans-Europe Express Trans-Europe Express Trans-Europe Express Trans-Europe Express Trans-Europe Express Trans-Europe Express Trans-Europe Express Trans-Europe Express
I like it for listening while working or something like that
Played this today on a long car journey - it worked. It's on my shelves. Heard before ✅️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ✅️ ★★★★☆ (7/10) Total reviewed : 225 Already owned : 52 Purchased : 12 To buy list : 2 Nope : 159
It's ridiculous how ahead of their time these guys were.
trains mentioned 🚂🚂🚂
4- Stars (10/15)
i want to like this more than i do, the repitition of phrases, both lyrical and musical just kind of wears on me. but it is still enjoyable and of course very significant
Haven't listened to much Kraftwerk before, but I enjoyed this.
3-4 pretty cool, would not normally listen but sounds good
I really liked it.
This is what I wanted from this challenge. I know how important Kraftwerk and this album is, but I never think “I should listen to this” so it’s just unlistened to me Holy shit. Just fantastic electronic music that you can let soundtrack your life in what you’re doing.
Med tanke på hur viktigt elektronisk musik har varit i mitt liv så tror jag inte att jag får sätta lägre betyg än såhär. Banbrytande, men kanske inte åldrats fantastiskt men det är väl det enda negativa. Toppenbra stämning!
Trans-Europe Express.
This sounds like the OST to a point and click adventure game about trains. And I mean that in the best way possible. Really cool proto electronic album, insanely far ahead of its time. Can definitely hear a ton of influence it must have had on modern EDM artists, and I think to video game composers as well.
So fun. Did not realize what an impact this album had on so many of their contemporaries. Franz Schubert is the highlight here
kei speciaal en vernieuwend dus vond dit wel echt interessant om actief naar te luisteren
Not much to say about this, but after a second listen I felt I appreciated it more.
well, it's more art than music. is it something i would listen to every day? no. is it something i respect and enjoy? yes, definitely!
I like these German electro fucks. Afrika Bambaataa, what's good buddy, you still a pedo?
Great. I love listening to it and drifting away.
It took more than four decades of my life to finally sit down and listen to Kraftwerk—and to see them perform live—which feels like a shame in one sense. But I also don't know that I would've appreciated it as much in my younger days. There's something transfixing about Trans Europe Express' elegant minimalism—there's a supreme confidence in it, as if to say they don't need to throw in a bunch of bells and whistles to flex their greatness. I need to be listening to them a lot more.
muito bom
I wasn't excited about an electronic album, but this felt foundational to much of the music of the 80s and beyond. Planet Rock obviously sampled from it, and it laid the groundwork for lots of Euro bands. The mostly spoken-word lyrics had me thinking of the Sprockets from SNL, so German!
Beep book beep. Good old school EDM/trance sounds
Very ambient background vibes - but so recognisable as Kraftwerk. I know some of their other albums more but it was a great listen.
Cool album. Was hoping to like it more than I did the first time I heard but I think it's about the same for me. There are better Kraftwerk albums in my opinion. Favorite track: Abzug 3.5/5
If you listen to some of Kraftwerk’s earlier stuff, like Radio-Activity or even their early krautrock albums, this is where things started to shift. This feels more focused and structured, and you can really hear them moving toward the kind of pop leaning, song based approach they would explore on later albums. This record was also a huge influence on early 80s minimal electro and the hip hop scene that branched off from it. Afrika Bambaataa even sampled the title track on “Planet Rock,” which helped connect Kraftwerk’s sound to a totally different world of music. You can also hear this album’s influence in early techno and industrial, such as artists like Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and groups like Cabaret Voltaire definitely pulled from this. It’s not necessarily my favorite Kraftwerk album, but it’s one of their most important, and its impact on electronic music is hard to overstate.
Such an innovative album for the timeframe. I feel like “Abzug” is a straight up 90z hip hop beat. Cool stuff.
Гипнотические ритмы, древние тембры.
Kraftwerk always has a hypnotic quality to their music which I enjoy. If you're in the right mood this is an incredible album. Excellent background music. Excellent album.
seminal
First time I heard this album I was probably high. That's true for almost any Kraftwerk album. What is amazing about Trans Europe Express is how it presages EDM by 20 years.
Always good
Enjoyed it a lot! ★★★★
Really nice vibe and good listen. There's an optimism in the sound which is great. I wish I could think of better things to say but it's great and especially cool for the time.
Overall: 8/10 Honestly this was such a vibe. Very hypnotic electronic music that was obviously a precursor for the 90s electronic explosion. I can see how Kraftwerk are considered so influential. I don't know why I enjoy this more than other electronic music, cause it's just as repetitive, but I thought it was great. Fav Song: Showroom Dummies
Amos
Much better in the German version than the English one, English just can't replicate beautiful words like Schaufensterpuppen. I really like Kraftwerk, but this is probably my least listened album of their golden era. Still a great album, but it doesn't have the refined songcraft of Mensch Maschine or the overarching theme of Radio-Aktivitat or Autobahn. The songs are all typical Kraftwerk, sparse, electronic beats sung over by a robotic voice. There's some nice and interesting sounds used throughout. Still fun to listen to.
This was good old trance/dance, good album! By a classic band
A-sidan är ok. Lite för mycket syntiga melodier för min smak. Men B-sidan är mästerlig. Tågrytmen som maler på. De spöklika syntarna. Det är industriellt för att sedan övergå i det vackra avslutande Frans Schubert och Endlos endlos.
fun!! really enjoyed
7/10 Favourite: Trans Europa Express Least Favourite: Metall auf Metall
I had the pleasure of actually listening to this album on a train. It certainly adds to the experience
'Parks, hotels, and palaces / (Europe endless).' About as bourgeois Euro-centric as it gets, but also frank and reflective in a Wildean sense: 'Even the greatest stars / Fix their face in the looking glass'; 'We look around / And change our pose / We are showroom dummies'; 'In Vienna we sit in a late-night café / Straight connection, TEE.' Kraftwerk's masterstroke is an irrefragable annotation to this ongoing moment of globalized capitalism, a stretch of time witness to mere simulacrums and postures. In other words, as I came to the end of the record, I was filled w/ a deep sense of sadness, especially as the album gradually grew into a kind of meta-medley: tracks that blent into one another and sadly, tho beautifully, recited its beginning.
Some old school techno. It's really interesting to listen to this considering the limitations they had on drum machines and samplers. Really innovative stuff, not done by others at this time, or at least not done to this level. It's good stuff and I'm a fan of their work, it's brilliant. Kind of strange but still I think brilliant.
Not the best Kraftwerk album but on a first listen i really enjoyed this. Wasn't sure by the first few tracks but it got better as it went along.
This does all the things I've been wanting the other synth albums we've had recently to do. It gives room for all the sounds, it has dynamic and the songs build nicely. The balance is then skewed because so many of the songs are soooo long and don't really have much in terms of vocals to carry you through them. Plus I'm not a fan of the vocoder effect they utilise a bit. I enjoyed it more than I expected.
After track one I expected to hate this but The Hall of Mirrors and Showroom Dummies are both killer tracks. The rest was interesting especially for the time but a noticeable step down. All around very happy to finally have a Kraftwerk album under my belt.
Gostei. 70s space vibes. 3,5/5
It’s good, especially for 70’s electronic
Clearly, Trans Europe Express and Kraftwerk have massive influence. I had to laugh when I heard a Trans Europe Express sample on Africa Bambaataa's Planet Rock: The Album. Then there are the stylistic influenced bands like Depeche Mode, whose early stuff sounds like it could have been a Kraftwerk tribute band. But I also could not help thinking of Sprockets: the SNL parody of 1980s German art culture. Dieter--Mike Myers detached, black-clad, monkey-obsessed host--seemed like exactly the the type of person that listened to Kraftwerk. Incidentally, Sprockets did use a sped-up Kraftwerk song for its introduction. My review now bores me and I have shame. It is time to dance.
They're so iconic. Loved the first song, and the atmosphere created throughout was so well done
awesomeness
Like a classic wine
4.5
Ein stilprägendes Album, das mit minimalistischen Synths und futuristischer Ästhetik die elektronische Musik revolutionierte. Kühl, hypnotisch und seiner Zeit voraus – ein Klassiker mit bleibendem Einfluss. Irgendwie wie „Music For the Masses“ nur 10 Jahre früher und aus Düsseldorf.
I enjoy it more than Man Machine. An important album, but not my absolute favorite.
I really wanted to like this album more especially because of it's obvious ties to New Wave. But I was also noting early ideas that we're influences on house, techno, and trans which I thought was a very cool springboard even though those three particular genres are not very high on my list. I did find it a bit slow and repetitive especially when you get to the "TEE/Auzbug" suite which felt like it went on forever. All in all I actually enjoyed it as a whole but not something I probably return to often. But it is interesting enough to keep it in a solid four-star range 8.4★★★★
Very cool synth sounds. Groundbreaking for the 1970s. 4 stars
One day on the Island of Sodor, Thomas the Little Blue Engine was given an album to listen to for his 1001 Albums project. It was Trans Europa Express by a mysterious group called Kraftwerk. The Fat Controller was working on the same 1001 Album project and said to young Thomas “You better hurry up and listen to this as soon as you can. I know you are a cheeky young steam engine but this is an incredible train-themed album that will educate you about 70s electronica and do you a lot of good”. So Thomas listened to the album on his little blue train headphones and was mesmerised by the sounds. “Bleepity bloop”, said the album. “Bleepity bloop”. “Clackety clack. Clackety clack” it said later on. “It’s so beautiful” said Thomas. “This is like being in train heaven”. Some German voices appeared and Thomas said to himself “Hmm Das Ist Gut, Ja!” Then the next track happened and lots of spacey sounds occurred. Thomas got overexcited and started losing himself in the music and let out a great big whistle. “Look at me! Look at me! I’m a space engine flying through space, yippee!” he said and then he carelessly went off-track and flew off a 200ft cliff where he crashed onto some sharp rocks and exploded into a massive tower of flames. Engulfed with him in the flames was his driver, his fireman, his coaches Annie and Clarabel and a hundred screaming passengers. Oh, what a silly engine! Devastated by the loss of Thomas and a very large count of manslaughter under his watch, the Fat Controller was forced to close down the Isle Of Sodor Railway and fell into a spiral of drink and drugs and even more hamburgers after his lengthy prison sentence. If Thomas had survived the massive cliff top fall he would have revelled in the seedy German nightclubbing sounds of the title track, done a little bit of breakdancing and I think he would have given the album 4 stars, don’t you?
great early pioneering electronic music. too simple for my tastes
Great album with an original sound for its time. Still relevant today so timeless
Loved this
This was already my favorite Kraftwerk album, love it. Songs that stood out on this listen were Trans-Europe Express (as usual) and Franz Schubert. Hard to overstate how important this album was for the evolution of electronic music, and I’m so thankful I got to see parts of it performed live a while back. 9/10, 4 stars
Now that was really good. Need to listen to more kraftwerk!
Never properly listened to kraftwerk before as didn’t think it would be my bag. Strangely enough loved this, would go back
Surprisingly good. Reminds me of jean michelle jarre who I'm sure was directly influenced
Really good! I can hear where New Order and OMD got their start. Absolutely would buy in a thrift shop or resale, probably not a new copy though.
In the beginning, there was Kraftwerk…
what if the Blue Man Group had something to say? i liked this.
This is much darker than I expected. Moody might be a better word for it. I like the driving, yet somehow close to ambient vibe. Standout Track(s): Europe Endless, Trans-Europe Express, Franz Schubert
Дуже люблю краутрок (і косміче) у будь-яких його проявах, в тому числі і крафтверк. І хоча я, мабуть, скоріше оберу ближчий до сучасної музики тур де франс, TEE це теж клас, слухаю з задоволенням.
I'm a huge fan of this band, I have the vinyl in the garage from high school. I personally think that a couple of the tracks on this record are very very influential for the creation of industrial music. In particular, the title track, "Metal on Metal" and the portion labeled as "Abzug" are all really quite transformative. The concept of finding rhythms in everyday modern life that can be used as the base for music is also essentially the beginning of the idea of sampling. Now, there are other albums I'd rather listen to, so I'm not giving this a five star rating, but it's certainly important.
own
Kraftwerk is definitely going on my blunt rotation.
The Godfathers of Electro take their place in musical history after dumping improvised Krautrock.
I love synths, and this is iconic stuff.
Solid album, didnt know oakenfold sampled this for swordfish
A stone cold classic. So beautiful and revolutionary. Reminds me of when we studied it in berlin
Trans. Europe. Express. Trans. Europe. Express. Too lit… perfect late night drive music
Psychodelic Electronica!!! I liked it I didnt know much kraftwork beforehand but they were well ahead of their time. The odd track was too advengarde for me but it was overall very good. Will check out more
It’s weird that I like this, but I do. Kraftwerk manages to create weird, almost pretentious, music, that is so catchy and fun to listen to
How tastes can change. When I was young, Kraftwerk was an easy target to poke fun at. Their music was cold, precise, and European. For a kid of a certain age, Showroom Dummies is basically SNL Dieter announcing, "Now is the time on Sprockets when we dance." Maybe it's because I hadn't yet developed my own sense of irony to understand the wit of the lyrics on tracks like that and others. Because in the now of, like, right now, I keep loving these Kraftwerk records. There's a clarity of purpose to Trans-Europe Express and Autobahn that's refreshing to me — that cold precision? It's now a space that can somehow be filled with feeling. Especially, the long tracks. They are sleek, unhurried, and hypnotic. The repetition isn’t dull, it’s scenic. All the synthetic blips and vocodered phrases are markers on an endless route through a self both real and imagined.
Day555 - now’s the time on sprockets when we dance
I dig it. It's a bit repetitive, but I love how experimental it feels.
The synths are fire! Such an interesting meandering listen and cool to witness the birth of electronic music. The Hall of Mirrors is so distant and melancholic, I like it.
Didn't listen as it's one from my teenage years that I already have
better than I expected, thought kraftwerk were mostly overrated although I always liked Trans Europe Express
Fun. Silly. Important. Risible.
3.75
The Man-Machine from a few days ago was great, but this was delightful! Exactly what I want out of my 70s electronic music - a great precursor to all the forms of electronic to come.
Previously I've had trouble enjoying a Kraftwerk album in one sitting, but this was a real treat. I can definitely hear signs of the bands they inspired in this. It's also just groovy as hell. I do think some of the songs are a little long to the point of getting annoying, but it wouldn't be Kraftwerk without repeating the same sounds for several minutes, would it?
Idk the lore and it’s impressive for the 70s but Imagine if it were named pan Europe express. That’s it.
Io e i Kraftwerk ci capiamo
Apparently I own every pre-82 Kraftwerk album. Not sure how that happened :)
Solid early electronica! A bit boring to modern stuff but can’t really fault it for that. I enjoyed “Man-Machine” album better but this was ok. Easy to loop for background music, 3.5/5
It's really cool to see how Kraftwerk's industrial and electronic sounds have helped shape the so much of today's music - the synthy pop, atmospheric rock, industrial metal, and probably way more. I love their haunting sounds. Are they human or are they machine? Either way, very European.
I went in not knowing anything about Kraftwerk and what there sound would be like. I was not at all surprised by this. In honesty, this is a 3.5 stars album, but I'm going to round up.
Not a big electronica fan but I really like Kraftwerk and they way they put together each song and build the soundstage. The music is in 3D.
Strangely hypnotic
Great album.Look forward to hearing more
The electronics work is really incredible, honestly. Especially knowing that a lot of the electronic sounds of this era had to be handcrafted in homemade synthesizers. While the electronics continue to be impressive, after Europe Endless, I start getting left behind by the songs. This album is not impressing me as much as Autobahn did. AND THEN I'M REELED BACK IN AT THE ENDING. Franz Schubert into Endless Endless is chef's kiss perfect. If this album was a sandwich, the bread would be artisanal, and the rest of the sandwich would be whatever isn't moldy in the fridge. It's not bad, but it's not where near as good as the first and last (two) songs. Favorite Song(s): Europe Endless, Franz Schubert, Endless Endless
this is a solid 3.5 for me but I'll round up for nostalgia's sake
Still pretty rad for its era, though now it can come across as just being repetitive Comfortable
So classic and fun very mellow
“Ve beliefe in nosthing, Lewbowski.” 4/5 Highlights: Europe Endless Franz Schubert Endless Endless
Interesting, listened to this a few times. Low 4.
This is early electronic so maybe I should be more forgiving, but it's so repetitive in a way that could put me to sleep. After a couple of tracks, I could get into the groove though, 4* TRANS -- EUROPE -- EXPRESS To me Jean-Michel Jarre is king in this era. Highlights: franz schubert
A classic in the Electronica genre. Favorite Track: "Europa Endlos".
have never listened to Kraftwerk this album was so good. This is how techno came techno, which is what we called techno before someone called it EDM. Would also be great music for class.
Really enjoyed this - recognised a sample from "Abzug" used in Joey Beltram's "Energy Flash"!
Very listenable.
Some of my favourite Kraftwerk tracks along some I wouldn't seek put, but the second half of the album reminds me of why I really like Kraftwerk - their ability to take you to a distance place while still being unmistakabley human.
Yeah, what's not to love about Kraftwerk? Unless, of course, it's not your thing. In which case you probably hated it. The earliest echoes of electronic music in this album. The inspiration for Planet Rock, which was very influential in the earliest years of Hip-Hop and Electro.
Rating: 7.5/10 So cutting-edge and ahead of its time it is almost unfathomable. A bit repetitive though and melodies are not as strong as The Man-Machine.
Not sure if the LA Times calling it "the most important pop album of the last 40 years" in 2014 was justified, but it is a good album. The two best tracks on the album are the title track (which is reminiscent of 1974's "Autobahn"), and "Showroom Dummies".
Absolute banger
Kreftwerk just doesn’t give a shit do they? Europe Endless is way too long of a song to start off with if you don’t know what you’re getting into by hitting play on this album. This is another decent album by them. I can’t really describe what I felt listening to it but I can tell you that I look forward to crossing paths with Kraftwerk soon Choice cut: Europe Endless
Really cool early electronic music.
I dug this one more than The Man-Machine, despite possibly being a little less melodic. Nice mix of hypnotic beats, texture and timbre.
I was aware of Kraftwerk and how influential they were. I never listened to them before. This was a perfect album to listen to on headphones while cleaning and doing chores. I will be listening to it again.
Driving to dinner, car stereo starts playing "Trans-Europe Express": Partner: "Oooooh, is this 1001?" Me: "Yep." Partner: "So you're going to give it a 5, obviously." Me: "Well...." Partner: *laughs* "No that's fine, I get it." Me: "They just have to hold everything for 8 measures, you know? 8 measures for each new thing." 3.5
you're telling me this whole Europe Express is Trans?!? anyway obviously i love this nonsense
Mainio levy tämäkin, joskaan ei oma suosikki Kraftwerkin tuotannossa. Hieman liian minimalistinen. 4/5 silti
I'm not that familiar with electronic music, yes I like some very specific things of it I have heard in the past. But I didn't expect this album to be this amazing. About an 8-9/10.
Love it. A key great-album-to-put-on-while-writing entrant to put back into the rotation.
I do enjoy at bit of Kraftwerk. Generally prefer the non vocal tracks as the vocals are a little tired and cliched now. Strong 4 but not a 5 as do not feel any of the tracks really connect with me.
4/55
would have been better if it was purely instrumental but definitely an enjoyable ride
i dunno but for me it holds up super well and is sick as hell. i share most of the enthusiasm about trains and i can see how and why it's as influential as it is (also who was doing this shit in 1977 lmfao)
Rating: 4/5 Trans-Europe Express [5/5] The Hall of Mirrors [5/5] Showroom Dummies [4/5] Europe Endless [4/5] Abzug [4/5] Endless Endless [4/5] Metal on Metal [4/5] Franz Schubert [4/5]
An exceptional electronic record
I liked this album better than I'd anticipated. It was clearly ahead of its time, and has aged well. A couple of songs feel like they're repeating themselves for longer than seems necessary, but for the most part it keeps things moving nicely. "Showroom Dummies" is a highlight, easily my favorite of the bunch.
Groundbreaking and influential. One of the coolest things I love about this album is how it helped shaped early hip hop and rap. Kraftwerk helped pave the way for many artists and for that, I am grateful.
So many artists from so many musical styles have been influenced by Kraftwerk. Such a great listen.
acho que é o mais fraco da """trilogia""" (Radioaktivität - Trans-europa express - Die mensch-maschine), mas isso é longe de ser um demérito. Acho que a sonoridade clássica do Kraftwerk é expressa nesses três álbuns e é aqui que toma forma como algo coeso. Talvez não tenha tantos momentos memoráveis como os outros dois discos, mas ainda assim, um excelente disco.
This makes far more sense being played in a room with thousands of people in front of an giant multimedia presentation shrooms than it does on Spotify. Mushrooms, makes is superfantastik. ... well, I'm assuminng.
I had a really weird history teacher that liked kraftwerk, and he said there was a whole one about a train The hall of mirrors is amazing though that’s just a fact The song trans euroupe express is pretty cool too Honestly later on I find it drops a tad but I still like it a ton. Also the fact they translated the entire album to English! It makes me wish that English musicians translated their music to other languages, I know lyrics aren’t really Kraftwerk’s strong suit so it would be easier than for some others however the translation is still massively appreciated for me as an English speaker. 4/5
Yeah this goes… it goes choo freaking choo!!!! I mean seriously!
nice
Enjoyed this. Never really listened to Kraftwerk before, but after hearing this I went on a binge and listened to three other Kraftwerk albums in one day. It's neat to hear the early electronic sounds.
I definitely had a preconcieved notion of Kraftwerk as dark, confusing, artsy music that I would have to work to enjoy. Not so! Europe Endless was light and fun and catchy. I end up swaying along whenever I listen to it. The album definitely went in that darker, artsier direction a few times, but never to a place of being difficult. I really enjoyed this and am surprised to find that I quite like Kraftwerk. Album Cover: (A+) Good, clean design.
"Europe Endless" was an amazing song. It sounds like a lot of my favorite songs in Stardew Valley, which is an unexpected connection. "The Hall of Mirrors" is hypnotic. The synth part has strong "going through a damp cave in a videogame energy". It definitely got weirder and more experimental after that. I don't love the industrial sounds. "Franz Schubert" and "Endless Endless" were really nice. These guys came so far before Daft Punk and were clearly inspirations. I enjoyed a four of the songs a lot, and the rest were OK. Some were boring. 7/10
Sehr gut
Another classic
I first encountered Kraftwerk when they were introduced to me by a friend in the early 80s. This is the second album by them on this list and I enjoyed both. I spent hours listening to Kraftwerk on my friend's reel-to-reel while reading comic books in his room.
idk honestly...i dont usually listen to electronic, techno music, and this album didnt get me, but it has something i cant rate it low
Is it wrong that i kept thinking about Senor Coconut when Showroom Dummies came on?
Very nice album! I can hear that a lot of music was inspired by it. I do think it might be a bit samey, but I think that is also part of the charm.
Yeah great like Who am I question something as good as this Its a high 4.
Just an incredible record. The masters of synth and electronica.
Love me some Kraftwerk! This is getting 4 stars, mainly because Hall of Mirrors and Show Room Dummies I think kind of drag on a bit too long and are just a tad repetitive. But overall, love it!
Pretty great. Is this our first Kraftwerk? I remember the first time I heard them. I was a pre-teen and in the backseat of the car. We were on a mountain road and could only get an AM station. Autobahn came on and I had never heard anything like it. It was so weird and exciting and I couldn’t believe I was the only one in the car paying attention. Then the DJ came on and declared: “That was Autobahn by Kraftwerk.” I’ve had a soft spot in my heart for them ever since. Of course, Autobahn isn’t on this (I bet we hear it later), but this is so good too.
Love Kraftwerk. The music is totally hypnotic 4/5
I get that its an early album and kind of aimless in ways but I really, truly enjoyed it. Maybe I was just in the mood for weirdo German ambling this morning? The beeps and boops make for good company while choosing a suitable work outfit and slugging back coffee.
Me encanta que esto sea del 77, muy experimental y moderno. Tema favorito: The Hall of Mirrors. Nota: 3.9 (pero pongo 4)
Flitting between the brooding, foreboding depths of European industrial/electronic music in the opening minutes and the zip-zap highs of pioneering pop by the last ten, Trans Europa Express perhaps isn’t the most relistenable of albums, but it’s certainly one of the most defining. A lukewarm mix of being thrown into the near-ten minute deep end with Europa endlos, propelled into the repetitive yet effective Schaufensterpuppen and title track, before ending on a polarising optimistic tone via Franz Schubert - it’s varied yet surprisingly straightforward. Not unlike an express train.
Godfathers of Electronic. Gotta love it
sembra la colonna sonora di un gioco da Mame32
Great video game soundtrack
Thoroughly enjoyed this. Sparse, melodic, great music.
I had no idea Kraftwerk were from the 70s! That means I shouldn't like them. But of course I do. Unlike that Haunted Dancehall business, these songs are your (to me, prototypical) electro. The weirdest noises here are just, like, oboey synths. It's giving "early 2000s Sega Dreamcast soundtrack" and I mean that positively. What I'm getting from this album, thematically, is that these guys are really into trains. I now have learned all about the Trans Europ(e) Express (cool train) and that it now longer exists (sad). Highlights: 'Europe Endless' (makes me feel like Girl Who is Going to Be Okay), 'Franz Schubert' Lowlights: 'Metal on Metal' (can't argue with the name, but I don't like the vibe)
Timeless classic.
Good record. Electronic pioneer and godfathers.
Love the electronic, different sound of this
Trans Europe Express is a wonderful song the album is the best Kraftwerk one so far but I still would not listen to it much beyond this time… maybe Trans Europe express again.
Isn’t it funny how some albums grow on you just on a second listen? This one did. I can see how influential this was. Also like the sense of humour
This isn't nearly as sophisticated as electronic music is today, but as an early, and therefore relatively simple, electronic work, it's quite nice! At first I was going to call it ambient, but there's more engaging me here. Der Konzept carries through, the album flows nicely, and each song has something to offer. Great stuff.
Nice long drawn out electronic grooves.
Too good for a 3, but it's one of the lower 4s. Still, another classic. Can't argue.
Definitely influential. Without this, the Berlin trilogy from Bowie doesn't exist nor does Iggy Pop's late 70s output and any other electronica album that has come out since. For influence alone and yes, influence is important, this gets a solid thumbs up from me.
It's a weird one for sure, because it kind of loses the Trans Europa Express theme about halfway sure, so I feel it's an album that cheats me a bit. And while I've got Schaufensteruppen as an earworm a day later, I'm not that fond of that song. So all in all, from their classic period, it's not my favourite album, but still a very good one.
A great synth and proto-electronic album by a band who shaped the future of a lot of electronic and experimental music. Standouts: Europe Endless, Hall Of Mirrors and Trans-Europe Express.
Synths and trains. On repeat. Very cool.
Always makes me think of trailer park boys
God, it's been a minute since I properly listened to this, what an album. Like, not perfect and a little unfocused sometimes, but still.
THAT'S MORE LIKE IT. For me the archetypal Kraftwerk album is Autobahn, but this is a very close second. Your can’t beat zoning out to this.
7.5/10 Kraftwerk dosta volim i uvijek ih mogu cuti, a nedavno me bas uhvatila faza da ih cesce pustim doma. Da uopce ne ulazim koliko su pridonijeli elektronskoj glazbi opcenito, ovdje mi se svidja njihov minimalni, ali melodicni pristup kojeg su valjda jedini oni imali tih godina. Ovaj album se maknuo od krautrock utjecaja sa pocetka karijere i malo im jasnije definirao zvuk koji ce ih kasnije pratiti. Repetativan u svakom slucaju, ali meni osobno nimalo naporan. Nakon vise od 10 slusanja mogu zamisliti da mi cak malo i dosadi ali srecom imaju jos albuma, koji su mi cak i bolji. Tocnije Autobahn i Compuer World mi prvi padaju na pamet, valjda jer sam ih najvise slusao. Najdraza stvar - Franz Schubert+ Endless Endless, odlican zavrsetak. Ocekujem jos Kraftwerka ovdje!
annyi bajom van csak, hogy nem berlinbe megy a vonat, amin ülök hallgatás közben 😁❤️
Wow! I didn't expect to me so mesmerized by this but something about it just really hit the mark for me.
Fuck yeah! Awesome album. Fav tracks: - Europe Endless - The Hall of Mirrors - Trans-Europe Express. The Beatles of Electronic music
Whats not to love about German men making music about how much they love trains!
Kraftwork is a band I've been meaning to listen to forever, so I am glad I am finally doing it. I really like all of the sounds they are making, it is super impressive for 1977. I just wish each song was like 50% shorter. I like every song I just think they go on for far too long without introducing many new ideas. High 4.
Wow. This is exactly what I needed after Limp Bizkit. It's almost comforting in a way. I am familiar with Kraftwerk, with my most notable Kraftwerk experience being the time I listened to Autobahn for this very project back in April. I liked Autobahn, so I figured I would like Trans-Europe Express too, and something that I knew I would like all throughout was just what I wanted. And you know what? I got exactly what I wanted and then some. Some people might disagree with me on this, but Trans-Europe Express is a much stronger album than Autobahn. Well, I don't know if I can objectively say that. I'm sure there are people who prefer Autobahn's sound. I'm not one of them. I liked Autobahn, but I love Trans-Europe Express. The sound is just better in my opinion. It appeals more to me. This album feels a lot more cohesive in my opinion. The concept of this one, that being the titular Trans-Europe Express, is explored a bit more than the concept of the Autobahn was in Autobahn. It's not explored much, but it's something. The sound itself just feels more fun to me this time. I especially like the album's opener "Europe Endless." It's nice. This album is nice. It's just more interesting to me. Maybe I'm just not a fan of albums with 22-minute songs in them. I should stop comparing this to Autobahn. Trans-Europe Express stands out as a strong electronic album that makes me feel good. The sound is pleasant and also somewhat complex. It has a fun concept that's executed well. I love it. 4/5.
Mid
Way ahead of its time
Obviously very good and impressive and influential for the time, but just a bit too sparse and repetitive to fully get into sometimes. Many great tracks tho
4/5
A electronic album that I actually liked
amaze
Innovative and weird and interesting
Nonsensical, weird as fuck and proper German. Zer gut.
Kraftwerk’s contribution to electronic music is unmistakable and this album is a fantastic reminder that many of the groups I love would not exist were it not for them!
time is not real
Hoe vaak ik niet ben doodgegooid met Kraftwerk. Omdat ik van digitale muziek houd, wilden velen mij overtuigen van de basis. Je leuk, sluit maar achteraan in de rij. Je bent nummer 41 met die boodschap. (Een vriend van) een vriend van mij draaide het in elke set. Er bestaat geen goede set zonder Kraftwerk, aldus hem. Er ik moet hem nageven. Het werkte vaak bijzonder goed voor muziek van 30 jaar oud (toen). Maar goed; de aanhouder wint; en zeker als die aanhouder uit een grote groep mensen bestaat. Na vaak luisteren ben ik het toch wel gaan waarderen. Het is ook wel knap hoe ze het minimale groot maken.
I dig it
Really loved this. Reminded me a lot of the soundtracks to my favourite video games of the 80s and 90s. I think I’m just genetically engineered to love this kind of stuff. 4.5/5
ok ich bin mega in märseille und ha ultra kei ziit zum lose aber bi etz mol am erst so g draa. finds seeehr geil. alles mega robotisch aber het trotzdem charme. lieb de vocoder und d akzent. hall of mirrors sehr funny. showroom dummies chli monoton title track meeeega zug pilled. quoted sie bowie oder er sie? niemer weiss. hahaha es isch etz afoch sitega öangem s glich lied eigentli? keeeeei ah ig was das mit schubert ztue het. het vlt demit ztue dasis s marseille am strand los aber finds gad recht geil alles endless isch huuere schön irgendwie?
This is an interesting case where I don’t find this particular set of tracks super exciting (except for a couple genuinely great ones), but I have a huge appreciation for this album’s aesthetics, innovation, and place in music history. So in a vacuum it’s merely decent, particularly by today’s standards, but all the surrounding context is enough to elevate the score for me. Best song: Europe Endless
This is really good and I can’t believe it’s from 1977. It sounds current. This was a really good and rwally mellow album.
Kuin euroopanhalki menis junalla.. Vaivatonta.. Heh.. raideleveysten vaihtoakaan meikäpoika huomannut.. Chilling and wibing sääntö pudottaa.. Se on helppoa chillaa.. hankala todella hankala ahertaa..
Pretty cool album. I've never listened to Kraftwerk before but have heard of them. I immediately could tell they were a huge inspiration for Daft Punk's sound and it was cool to hear that throughout the album. At minimum 4 starts for me just because of the masterpiece that is Spiegelsaal.
Ah another Kraftwerk album. I gave the others both 4's so I'm excited for this. I've heard the title track already and love it. Great background music while working - gets a bit repetitive but it's fun.
Really cool early electronic album
4.1/5. listened 2x. catchup on 6/3/24.
Might need to chop this one up. Very European.
This review is basically the same as my previous review for the Kraftwerk album The Man Machine. It is important historically and had a huge impact on future music. I'm glad I listened to it for those reasons, but I wouldn't listen again. I find it too repetitive.
These germans could really pack an atmosphere. Some songs feel like they expand and move in waves, others are tight and oppressive. They embrace the qualities and constraints of electronic instruments to create something dramatic and that actually does not feel repetitive. The songs bring in different themes and textures, and tell different stories than what the world of pop / rock music was interested in. It is all robotic and industrial, obviously. But also surprisingly soulful and poetic. And definitely unsettling. Not quite my cup of tea, I'll admit. But I can recognize and appreciate its merits as an artistic achievement.
Pretty amazing stuff, really
Super sparse early electronic music. I love it.
Very interesting music
A little dated but still a good time. The influence this album has had on the likes of Gary Numan, New Order, and others is clear and so just for that it's getting a decent score. Someone called it the Sgt Pepper's of electronic music, which could be a reach, but still somewhat accurate. It's somehow monotonous but motivational and entertaining, like a long train ride at night through Europe appropriately. 19/04/24
4.5. Very enjoyable, very fun!
Great album!
4.5/5
Great
I dig Kraftwerk's stuff. It's really chill. Definately influenced electronica and industrial bands that came later. Also of note: I reviewed an album by Afrika Bambaataa a while back that had a song on it called Planet Rock. That song features samples of Kraftwerk's song Trans-Europe Express. These aren't traditional samples, however, as DJ and producer Arthur Baker met with Afrika Bambaataa and decided that instead of just playing a recording of the Kraftwerk tune, they would recreate it. This was done without Kraftwerk's permission, so the band approached the record label, and got royalties awarded to them for sales of the single. Favourite songs: Showroom Dummies, Trans-Europe Express, Metal on Metal, Abzug, Europe Endless Least favourite songs: Endless Endless 4/5
Very NICE!!!
Synth heavy German new wave ish electronics. Pretty artsy. Really cool sound. A bit slow, but I look forward to checking out the rest of the catalog.
The amount of disrespect this album is getting is astounding.
Can't say I hated this. I should have hated it given my reaction to almost all the "electronica" that's come my way on this list .. but no. I dig this album. There was something both relaxing and enjoyably disturbing about it at the same time. I think it was the way Kraftwerk really took the monotone inhuman automaton vibe as far as the current technology would allow. Good job, Kraftwerk. And thanks for influencing the old Mike Myers "Sprockets" sketch. I see you, Kraftwerk. I see you. Lastly, silently pronouncing the german version of the W in KraftVerk in my head is amusing me more than it should. That gets this an extra star.
So close to being a perfect album. In my opinion, Hall of Mirrors and Showroom Dummies throw off the flow of this album. Also I just think they’re stinkers, just not good songs, especially Hall of Mirrors. Otherwise this album is amazing. I love the opener, skip the next two, and then it’s basically one long suite of songs that all flow together.
Favorite Tracks: Trans-Europe Express Europe Endless The Hall of Mirrors
Strong 4
Good, not in love with every song, but I liked it overall.
Poor man’s CHVRCHES. I love this album, this is maybe the most essential to the list so far for me, this is what it’s all about. The value here is in more than the music. The concept is executed like a classical music suite, it’s so unique and unlike other electronic music despite being a massive influence on basically all electronic music that followed. Would there be LCD Soundsystem or Daft Punk without Kraftwerk? It’s so disciplined and German, it’s about a train and it sounds exactly like a train. I don’t much like the second and third tracks. If this went straight from Europe Endless to the TEE suite then this would be a near perfect album for me. 4.4/5 Fave Tracks: Europe Endless, Trans-Europe Express, Franz Schubert, Endless Endless
A cold and clinical but simultaneously bright and hopeful early synthpop record. Always smooth to listen to with not a harsh note for the ears, almost to a fault. Attentive listening is advised, but may prove difficult to those with short attention spans. Famously one of Ian Curtis's favorite records - sets an excellent mood. Its primary flaw is that it may not be a mood one is actively seeking out.
Kraftwerk - what else!
Minimalistic and very European!
I know how important people think this album is and at time I can get lost in the sound. Its a little slow and repetitive and some of the songs could be shorter or would benefit from changes in tempo.
"It’s just coming up to 5:35am. Kommen Sie bitte, und listen to Kraftwerk." Super cool electronic futurescapes of the past. Evocative of a clean, cold, calculated, industrial dystopia dressed up as a utopia. Innovative, atmospheric and excellent. Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: Trans Europe Express Date listened: 14/01/24
A pioneering classic in the burgeoning electronic genre
This album makes me feel like I've moved to ROBOLANDIA.
Really enjoyed this one, especially the last half The building up on the first tracks leading to the crescendo at the end of metal on metal is where I think the album really clicked for me Strikes many nostalgia cords for me, which is why I like it so much. Some tracks sound like they are coming straight out my game boy or the Minecraft jukebox funnily enough.
A lot of albums on this list manage to be this weird. I wish more managed to be this good.
Big fan, felt a little samey at points but I think that's the intention
It's a 4.5, but I'm rounding down instead of rounding up because it's an album I used to put on in college to write papers to. Half a point seems fair for evoking that particular sense memory.
if there's one thing Kraftwerk fucking loves it's a leitmotif
Ťŕäŋṣ. Ėŭřøpə. Ëxpŕéşš.
I think both hating and loving this album are perfectly valid opinions. It's monotone and kind of simple with a basic loops running throughout each track. I however really enjoyed it. The Hall of Mirrors was the only track i disliked due to it's weird lyrics and annoying loop. "Abzug" was my clear favourite, it's such a menacing loop running throughout the song. While it might not go down as my favourite album it is experimental, weird, groundbreaking and surprisingly good. A 4 star from me.
TRANS-EUROPE EXPRESS. Always nice to hear the humble beginnings of electronic music. Yeah, it is a little samey, but who care? What's there is solid.
Good stuff
Des bas comme des hauts mais je ne vais noter que les hauts
161223 15:43 4
It's like a fun album, much like playing Yars Revenge on the old Atari 2600. The segue of Trans Europe Express -> Metal on Metal -> Abzug is just awesome.
I liked this. Sounds like the soundtrack to anything slightly futuristic from the late 70s or early 80s. Early electronica.
While not their best work this album is still amazing. Its sound reminds me most of the the train in its album cover. With the soundscapes the the European countryside passing by
Great rhythms, probably their best album
1, 2, 7
Perfect soundtrack for glazing over while making spreadsheets
Should be required listening for electronic music and hip hop fans, pioneers for both genre's
Lots of really cool synthesizers! The songwriting itself wasn’t that great in my opinion but the sound design was really ahead of their time.