Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Europe Endless should be the EU's anthem, not Ode to Joy. It captures our great continent's energy perfectly. The first set of songs are totemic and epic. The final section doesn't bring that same atmosphere but this is still a great album
Europe's answer to YMO. First electronic music a lot of people will have heard, no? Giving quite the northern European grim feeling. Influenced so many. 4/5
7/10 Is there an album from the 70s that sounded more 80s than this one? Which only shows how influential this album and their aesthetic was to prevail in the coming decade. This, however, has none of the pop pithiness that would go along to define the eighties. Not afraid to hang around with fairly redundant, hypnotic synth pads and melodies for long stretches of time, with occasional unemotional singing over it, this really is one of those albums born out of theory and the brain rather than the heart. Which is cool. Devo would play to these same experimental, thematic figures, but with tighter songs.
interesting album, truly deep
Definitely one that has grown on my based on exposure.
New discovery for me!
It just doesn't feel like Kraftwerks best work, but I'm probably wrong. Still great though
Incredibly original, great album (to be fair, they have better ones but this was great)
Realizing now that this wasn't a joke: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SAFC4_KbW0. Me and my sample brain, I caught that "Hall of Mirrors" was sampled by The Molemen on their classic "Put Your Quarter Up." And had to look it up to confirm, but Afrika Bambaata also sampled this album on "Planet Rock," that's a big hallmark. Really love this one, these guys are weird and fun. Favorite tracks: Trans-Europe Express, Hall of Mirrors, Showroom Dummies, Abzug, Endless Endless. Album art: Very simple, black and white with a warped, artsy silhouette of the train. What's the deal with Kraftwerk and public transportation? An album about the Autobahn, now an album about a train? It's time for them to travel to Japan and make an album about the Shinkansen. 4.5/5
This was 1977 - Nobody was doing music quite like this. To listen to it now, it loses a bit of the novelty it once had - but it is still interesting and a good listen. Standouts: Trans Europe Express, The Hall of Mirrors, Others: Showroom Dummies 4/5
Legendär
Bändi ei luo tunnelmaa vaan etäisyyttä, minkä vuoksi sen musiikki kuulostaa vanhentuneessa korniudessaankin tuoreen humoristiselta. Lisäksi levyn minimalismi on perusteltua, koska sen melodiat on pähkäilty loppuun saakka. Olen liikuttunut.
There's a constantly nagging part of my brain that can only be satisfied by listening to German people repeat the same three words for half an hour. Probably Kraftwerk's best album. As always, listen to the German version over the English version.
Such a classic
Unlike anything that came before The repetition is the point. Like being on a train journey into the future
Kraftwerk. Cool! Ungewohnt. Deutsch.
Þetta er frikkin brilliant plata.
An ode to the glory of modern machinery, of place and identity, and of electronic possibilities ever-explored thanks to Kraftwerk's industrial innovation.
Title track was my favorite.
I’m excited for today’s album! I hadn’t heard any Kraftwerk before starting this music review project, but I loved The Man-Machine. I still play that a lot now. Here’s hoping for more of the same with today’s album! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Europe Endless, Showroom Dummies I’ve said this before, but it blows my mind that this music was made in the 70’s! It sounds extremely modern, showing Kraftwerk were very much ahead of their time. The songs are interesting (a a little long at times) and full of the synth that I loved from The Man-Machine. Overall, I did prefer The Man-Machine over this, but Trans-Europe Express is still an excellent album.
I mean it's definitely repetative, and other electronic albums have come along since then and done so much more with the genre. Still a mostly enjoyable listen, just gets a little tiring in the second half.
Early techo's early techno. Very industrial and sparse which I liked, with quite a unique sound. It is let down by how repetitive it is though
Fun electronic, classic kraftwerk
Good album
foram os precursores da eletrônica e pa sei oque la, sonzinho agradável
A good album, but it is more influential than it is excellent. Synthy, and at times even industrial, but with one foot still in Kraftwerk’s kosmische roots.
Minimalist, repetitive, and catchy. I can see how this was inventive for its time, although it can feel a bit dated amongst electronic music now. Overall, a cohesive album and enjoyable listen. Favorite tracks: Showroom Dummies, The Hall of Mirrors. 4/5.
Excellent
Own on Vinyl
Surprisingly good. Reminded me of Final Fantasy, especially the title song and Metall auf Metall. + Spiegelsaal + Schaufensterpuppen + Trans Europa Express + Metall auf Metall
TEE is less about occupying the engine of a locomotive and much more Kraftwerk's journey. A side the slow exploration of a space, B side the working-out of the found theme. It's all too stereotypical Kraftwerk, but the band adds another layer just as the earworm crosses over into the negative. Or, on that second side, don't add, just let it ride on out.
Slowly grew on me as I listened, really great album, ahead of it's time.
I agree with another comment that said early electronic music is super repetitive and doesn't explore. That's the problem with pioneers, they were limited by the tools of their time and they were the innovators that opened the doors for others. You can hear in this the evolution of the genre that others would come along and perfect. A product of its time.
Is this how I become a Kraftwerk head? Some amazing sounds
To be honest, I didn't know anyone even made music like this back then. The songs could all stand to be shorter, but I did enjoy the beats/style, especially Europe Endless and Abzug. Some songs were a bit boring, but nothing I specifically dislike. I did enjoy the fact that they reuse samples/loops throughout different songs - reminds me more of a live show format. Will probably listen to this again soon, as well as check out more of their stuff. 7/10
I like this band, specially when working
This was really cool! Funky! Fun to listen to. Might play it again!
What if I got really into Lraftwerk. Their fans seem really cool
Surprisingly better than I expected, really reminds me of one of my favorite albums by Mort Garson.
Really quite something - arch, detached, ironic and groundbreaking, these future sounds deliver the goods even today.
Очень специфичная и глубокая электронная музыка
Classic Kraftwerk. Didn't grab me as much as Autobahn, though; it felt a bit too repetitive.
Super cool. 4/5
Great sound! Few beautiful songs but an entire album gets a bit on your nerve.
4.5
Nice Work. Kraftwerk keeps what they promise.
Not their finest but v g
- really liked Europe Endless. Felt familiar? Office-theme vibes? - less fond of hall of mirrors - a little creepy - unexpectedly enjoyable
3.5 if I could JUST WEIRD.But in a good way it feels like one long song.The album really represents it well because it feels so sparse and dark.They keep repeating “trans-Europe express” no idea what that’s about.I can’t see myself listening to one of these songs for fun but I’ll still give it 4 stars because I had a good experience.
Goddamnit, I just love Kraftwerk so much. This certainly isn't my favorite Kraftwerk album, as I like both Autobahn and Man-Machine better, but plenty of songs on this album are great early electronica songs. I will say that I find The Hall of Mirrors to be an absolutely crucifying song to listen to. The title track has the feel of the electro dance genre that would come about a few years later. 4/5
4-
В целом, альбом понравился. Конечно, как все отмечали, слишком короткий, но от этого не менее цельный. Концепт выдержан на отлично, и электронный звук очень уместен здесь по смыслу. Кроме того, стилистически альбом цельный, звучит монолитно. Очень годная заглавная песня, действительно передает настроение и заряжает какой-то внутренней, пульсирующей энергией. Вторая The hall of mirrors погружает нас в какой-то внутренний медитативный мир и на контрасте с позитивом первого трека слушается отлично. В целом, мне понравились +- все треки альбома, хотя некоторые и наскучивают к концу. Почему 4, а не 5? Всё-таки музыка эта не для всех, да и довольно монотонная. P.s. Очень круто зашёл для тренировок
early techno is really something, man. this is a pioneering album from a pioneering group. there's so much to kraftwerk that's still heard today, because they fucking rule. thank u kraftwerk
LP
I dont care if people think its repetitive and boring, this music is awesome and it came out in friggin 1977! 4/5
Good
These crazy cool kraut cats do it again! Anthropomorphising inanimate objects and giving them emotional depth backed with deep hooks on a bed of synth baths. This record strides between hopefulness, glamour, intense geekiness and brilliance. Loved it.
Amazing the way this album manages to be both futuristic and nostalgiciac at the same time.
Early German synth? Yeah, I like it. Kraftwerk are obviously the leaders of the genre, but this album was a fun listen. Easy rhythm, simple lyrics. Good album. 4/5.
Fun
Liked it quite a lot, been meaning to listen to kraftwerk, Abzug is pretty good, ambient techno noise for dramatic winter scenes, stealth scenes, etc
Trans rights
Trailblazers. I can hear so much of groups to come on this album - Yaz, Dépêche Mode, Erasure…….so many. I really enjoyed this album and have recommended it to others.
Trains, what's not to love. 4.5 stars
First time hearing this and it’s wide reaching influence is clear to see, I can hear shades of everything from modern dance and electronic music to 80s pop, post punk and bands like Radiohead and LCD Soundsystem, as a result it doesn’t sound dated at all. Great uplifting opener followed by a couple excellent and well written songs, the TEE section is dark and hypnotic, very reminiscent of a modern techno set, and the final two tracks are soothing and melodic with a nice callback to the opener. Sounds fantastic on headphones and flows beautifully as an album, nothing outstays it’s welcome and could easily be listened to on repeat (and will be). Great stuff all round, I imagine this will get even better with time.
Kraftwerk goats heerlijk album om te concentreren op men werk.
Was pretty stoked for this one after having The Man Machine a few months back. I wouldn’t say it disappointed because I still enjoyed most of it, but one or two of the tracks on the back half didn’t quite have much punch for me. 7/10
Love. It. Makes. Me. Boop. And. Beep.
Semi chill
I don’t have much to say about this that I didn’t say about their other albums. Their music aged gracefully because they played to the strengths of the technology rather than using it to try and replace traditional instruments
Ebic
I really enjoyed this. Not something I would go to on a daily basis, but I liked it!
4 The dudes at Green Light are huge Kraftwerk fans so I’d heard a few albums in the background working or whatever but I never ended up listening to them on my own. I know how influential Kraftwerk was to house and techno music because of how many artists credit them, hell you can absolutely hear Daft Punk in a lot of this. However when this album first started I was worried again. Worried about an experimental boop boop album with little variety. What I got was a lot more entertaining. The songs definitely ran long but a lot of times I didn’t notice and was surprised that it’d been 7+ minutes. My only complaint is that it could benefit from a low end rework. It’s a little sharp on the ears. Maybe also that I keep thinking the cover is a golf club. The worlds this album took my imagination to were fun, vibrant and a little spooky. Def going to look into these guys more. Turns out the dudes at Green Light know what they’re talking about sometimes. Favorites: Europe Endless, Hall of Mirrors, Showroom Dummies, Trans-Europe Express, Endless Endless
Como siempre pasa, viendolo a la distancia suena como un disco muy experimental, de todos modos es un gran disco.
One of the building blocks of electronic music as it exists today. Through repetition and careful choice of effects and arrangements, there arises an interesting texture that really does replicate traveling through Europe via train.
Pretty good
I like trains
Nesten på høyde med Die Mensch-Machine og Radioaktivität
Kraftwerk proves how to make good train station music. Favorites: "Europe Endless", "The Hall of Mirrors", "Trans-Europe Express"
Inspirational. It’s incredible a couple of people created these sounds almost out of nowhere. I respect what Kraftwerk was able to do, but not my style
Loved this techno.... Very clean! Would listen to again
I love it! I can't believe they were doing this in 77.
Haven’t heard for ages. Was good in its time.
Kraftwerk is the shit. I don’t really have more to add besides side 2>side 1 B
Another album my brother turned up with in the 80s, no clue how he got onto them. I listened to it quite a bit, over 30 years ago, and not at all since. Surprised to find I remembered it very well, and I think that lasting impression says something about it. It really is iconic, and was a big part of so many foundations of electronica that were set down around those times. I have to dun it slightly for the lyrics being so mundane, even though I think this is an intentional choice.
absolutely delightful.
I really loved this and can’t believe this was 1977. Hearing the sounds that influenced so many of my favorite 80s bands was a real treat.
Such a classic, influential album. Not something I listen to regularly, but when I do I am impressed every time. Any fan of electronic music should listen to this!
The motifs are super catchy on this album, and the songs are quite hypnotic. It's of course very repetitive but feels more carefully structured musically and conceptually than Autobahn for example, which veered off after the title track for me. There's also much more of an emotional range than you get with most Kraftwerk, even though it's still veiled by this robotic coldness
Okay yeah this album is pretty amazing. I would do a 4.5 if I could, but since I can't, I rounded down in order to preserve the integrity of 5/5. Considering individual tracks (which is maybe not a great thing to do for an album like this, but nevertheless): -Spiegelsaal is my favourite track. Very cool. -Schaufensterpuppen is great, but it is an obvious ripoff of t.A.T.u's song "They're Not Gonna Get us". Very disappointing that Kraftwerk would stoop to thievery. -Abzug is maybe the only track that didn't do it for me.
Solid. I do enjoy Euro electronic. You can clearly hear the influence they’ve had on the genre
Un dels pics de la protoelectrònica. 'Europe Endless' i el tema títol són dos dels grans temes que donarien força al génere als seus albors. Però és 'Hall of Mirrors' on excel.leixen; tema hipnòtic amb una melodia brillant que tal com la vesteixen t'acaba absorbint per complet. Molt a prop de les 5 estrelles
Listened to the German version. I liked it a lot, it pulled me in and felt shorter than it is.
Beautifully krafted werk! Have never listened to Kraftwerk album before.This felt like a symphony for celebration of Europe constructed on a synth. Really innovative and enjoyable record. Strong 4 to Light 5. Most Favourite tracks: Europe Endless The Hall of Mirrors Trans-Europe Express Franz Schubert
These guys were so damn cool!
Muito bom.
Smá legacy bónus hér á ferðinni, er betri í sögulegu samhengi en úr því. En samt ánægjuleg hlustun heilt á litið, og titillagið er frábært.
I had to listen several times before I could decide what to make of it. It’s not immediately engaging but after a while it becomes quite mesmerising/almost hypnotic.
Sometimes when I listen to Kraftwerk they sound to silly for me, and the album started that way, but they really had me in a trance by the end. The friendliest most seductive robots.
Pioneering
Very listenable electronic music from some early German innovators.
I liked it
..
Muy bueno
Not bad listening in the background.
Kraftwerk are the great pioneers of electronic music, weaving their synthesizers, vocoders, and electric drums to make the sounds of the future, and this album demonstrates that in spades. Intrinsically unique is the group's background, growing up in a unique musical vacuum post-WWII. This pushed Kraftwerk to innovate and developed the gran new genre of Electronic music, embracing the cold, calculated sounds of synthesizers. I love the little ambient arpeggiated synth line in "Spiegelsaal" especially, so cool. There's also Iggy Pop and David Bowie influence on this album, but it's a lot more subtle than other contemporaries of the 70's.
un viaggio, minimale, con uno zaino, in giro per l'Europa, con quei due amici inseparabili. così vedo nella mia mente questo disco
Fun background music. Not my favorite thing but good beat and enjoyable to listen to.
Kraftwerk are pioneers of the electronic music scene and any of their albums merits a spot on this list, without a doubt! The core of the album is the openning track (Europe Endless), and then tracks 4 through 8 ('Trans-Europe Express' through 'Endless Endless'). If you consider those 6 tracks alone and played in order, it's really two musical movements. When I listen to those 6 songs together, I hear it like a musical interpretation of a trans-european train ride. The themes slowly ebb and flow, much like the scenary would out the window of the train. Where you end is much like where you started, but there is just enough variation to make it feel all its own. The other two tracks ('The Hall of Mirrors' and 'Showroom Dummies') are more like single b-sides that were tossed into the album. The seriousness of 'The Hall of Mirrors' stands in sharp contrast to the nearly humourous 'Showroom Dummies'. Both are enjoyable tracks, but they seem a bit out of place. This album provides a great trip through the state of the art for early days electronic music.
Really love the early synthesizer sound. Europe Endless is my fav. Great background music (which I guess is what ambient type music tries to be). Rating gets docked for lacked of diversity...too much of the album is just a riff on the TEE staple. 4/5
Put Your Quarter Up! Planet Rock! It's a beautiful thing.
The music was curious and amusing for me. It works as an album to work by.
There's nobody that quite sounds like Kraftwerk. This is another of those bands that I appreciate and respect more than like. They're good. They're unique. They're interesting. And yet... Their music doesn't make me FEEL anything. I never have the thought, "Oh, I should listen to some Kraftwerk." This album is good. I have a hard time distinguishing between songs but I can tell that things change now and then. I find the affectless German thing quite charming and some lines stick in my head (We look around and change our pose.) I wasn't wishing for it to end but I wasn't all that disappointed when it was over, ya know? Normally, this kind of review would mean a 3-star rating from me but I'm bumping it up to 4 stars because, although I don't love them, my husband does and he doesn't love many things and so the fact that he loves Kraftwerk DOES make me feel something...happy.
a very pleasant surprise. I enjoyed it!
Fan of their work, not the best album
Always always love Kraftwerk. This album is not their best one, but I love a lot of the melodies. I think I like the German language one better (fyi: every single Kraftwerk song has a German language version). The main "Trans Europe Express" melody gets over-used a lot by the end. Still a damn good time and my ears are happy.
Awesome.
A total classic! Really enjoyable listen despite some of the tracks being quite repetitive.
When I first got into music I was really into synth sounds. Early computer music (Commodore 64) and synthy TV themes from shows like Doctor Who and The Tomorrow People really appealed to young me and started me on a path of musical discovery that still continues today. You can imagine then how excited I was when I first heard Kraftwerk. I think it was even one of their stronger albums that I first heard but it hooked me right away. This album is one of their greats and really pushed the boundaries of synth music at the time. I like side 2 a little more than side one, especially the Trans Europe song cycle.
I could see why this wouldn't be for everyone, but i loved it. The second half was particularly good. The vocals were hit or miss for me, but i loved these sparse, iterative electronic arrangements throughout
That's why we had synth-pop in the 80s, techno in the 90s and glitch in the 00s. And today Nintendocore. One of the first albums that charmed me with robotic rhythms and mechanical melodies. (8/10) Favourite Songs: Europa Endlos, Franz Schubert
4.0 + It's impossible to hear those first synth strains on "Europa Endlos" and not feel a swell in my chest! It makes me nostalgic for that optimistic vision of a united Europe that was going to advance humanity towards greater prosperity, peace and peace. Having listened to the English and German versions, I prefer the latter. “Schaufensterpuppen” sounds cooler than “Showroom Puppets.” Kraftwerk’s efficient and minimal production is on display, though sometimes the repetition of song elements feels “endless endless.”
There were a few moments on here that really shone- the instrumental intro really stands out. At its best it sounded like the soundtrack for an indie. Still, the vocals and lyrics were both really weak and uninspired, and I feel that it got repetitive in the middle section so I didnt really enjoy listening to it that much. I can see how it was really influential in the development electronic music, so I’ll be generous and give it a 7/10
Sehr gut
I remember watching a hip-hop documentary a few years back and they highlighted Afrika Bambaataa’s “Planet Rock” which samples “Trans-Europe Express” quite liberally. (IMO it’s the only part of the song worth listening to). They went on to claim that this song, especially that sample, launched electro-boogie in the 90s. I remember saying to my co- judge that without Kraftwerk, no one would have heard of Afrika Bambaataa. Maybe an overstatement, but he was one of so many artists were influenced by the Kraftwerk sound. When I listen to “Hall of Mirrors” and “Showroom Dummies”, I can hear a lot of new wave/post punk bands like OMD and Simple Minds. That said, the title track runs on a bit. If you count all 3 parts, it's something like 13 minutes.
I grew up listening to Kraftwerk and it shaped my musical taste profoundly. They were so innovative in the 70s that this sound must have blown everyone’s mind. However the irony is that because they were so influential that you hear this style almost everywhere now so the their unique groundbreaking sound is lost on most new listeners. This album is great but I think Man Machine and Computer World are better so it only gets a 4 from me.
Electronic German music. Synthesizers rock. I dig it.
8/10, spacey, repetitive in the best way possible, very forward thinking, very good. v good.
Light on vocals, heavy on synthesizers. I can get behind this. I hope I listen to more Kraftwerk. Maybe I will. I probably won't. But it would definitely make me cooler. Great music for chugging away at work. Highlights: The feeling of listening to the same drum beat and synth sounds for 6+ minutes, and how that lures you into a trance.
Banger and mash
This felt "milder" than The Man-Machine album that came up from Kraftwerk already. Maybe more song/melody oriented? Fairly laid back.
Another really great album from Kraftwerk. I think I like this one a bit better than The Man Machine actually, especially in the vocal department.
Een gezelliger album dan ik van Kraftwerk herinner. De moeite waard om nog eens te luisteren.
The grandfathers of electronic rock music. Lots of very familiar beats with moody Eurocentric lyrics. Album has a great flow but some of the tracks are very long and repetitive, even if the motifs never really get boring.
Liked it. respect for the technical challenges early electronic music faced
interesting to 1. realize more songs than I know are covers of albums i didn't know. 2. listen to early electronica and see how that comes through in more recent music 3. realize I love the the mild german-accent in english. 4. realize that my only impression of kraftwerk was based on the name, and that conjured a very different sound that reality.
great album
Beeps and books to move your hips to.
Parts of this album really blew me away. Some of it was repetitive to be sure, but there was a level of energy that was constant throughout that kept me hooked. I really enjoyed this.
I would play this album again. The last 4 tracks, from "Metal on Metal" through "Endless Endless", was may favorite portion of the album. The first track, "Europe Endless", felt like the typical sound from Kraftwork to me (in a good way). Track 2, "The Hall of Mirrors", was the weakest spot for me on the album. Perhaps this was because of the almost spoken word portions. "The Hall of Mirrors" wouldn't prevent me from putting this album on again. Between 3.75 and 4.25
Lovely stuff for a summers day. True pioneers. Cant believe this was made in 76!
Otra banda que nunca había escuchado pero esta vez sí fue algo a conciencia jajaja Kraftwerk para mí siempre fue música de gente cool y a ese mundo yo no pertenezco. Ahora que tuve la ocasión de escucharlos, sigo con la misma idea (?). Es un disco muy conceptual que, en ese sentido, lo siento lejano a mí, pero de todas formas sí me gustó, aunque no sabría poner en palabras por qué.
Production: 17/20 Songwriting: 12/20 Innovation: 19/20 Bangers: 10/20 Emotional response: 16/20 =64 Awesome sauce.
No me queda sino imaginar solamente cómo sonó esto en su momento. Aun hoy, me gusta prácticamente todo. El minimalismo y la repetición de las vocales le dan un aire todavía más artificial, ese sonido "robótico" con el que se ubica a Kraftwerk. Un pensamiento random, me gusta mucho, pero siento que si estuviera atrapado en algún lugar con solamente esta música, sentiría miedo rápido (?). Creo que mis beats favoritos están en "Trans-Europe Express", "Metal on Metal" y pues qué linda "Franz Schubert". 9/10
Surprenant, j.aime bien la musique electro. C’est tres en avance sur son temps. 4.25*
Was initially thinking 3 stars during a background listen, but put it on again and paid slightly more attention and definitely bumping it up to 4. It's been so massively influential on a bunch of genres I like. To quote from a Drowned in Sound review quoted on Wikipedia, it's "all at once antique, timeless, retro and contemporary". Fave track - the whole of side 2! 🚅
sample this
Not something I'd choose to listen to but probably good to have on the background while working.
Just a great electronic record.
Fucking funky and weird. Definitely 80s electronica?
4.5
I can see how this has influenced so many things I love but it does get quite repetitive.
I don’t have any particular opinion about this album.
Europe Endless 3.3 The Hall of Mirrors 3 Showroom Dummies 3.2 Trans-Europe Express 2.7 Metal on Metal 2.4 Abzug 2.6 Franz Schubert 2.4 Endless Endless 2.6 Score: 2.775
The repeated phrases got on my nerves, but there was also something hypnotic and relaxing about the music. Mixed feelings on this one.
Influence for bands i love. Better than the other Kraftwerk album I've had on the list
I can absolutely respect these guys for being pioneers of electronic music and laying the groundwork for countless artists who followed. Their influence is impossible to deny. That said, this album feels like it's missing depth. The ideas are interesting from a historical perspective, but as a listening experience there's just not much here for me. The vocals sound dated, and both the singing and the beats are so repetitive that the album starts to feel one-dimensional after a while. I understand why Trans-Europe Express is considered important, and I can hear its DNA in everything from synth-pop to techno and hip-hop. But influence and enjoyment aren't always the same thing. For me, this is one of those albums that's easier to appreciate than it is to actually sit down and listen to.
Good
Doesn't hold up as well as The Man Machine. 3/5.
6.5/10
Likely an influence for some bands I like (thinking LCD Soundsystem) but I am not sure I really get this band.
Computers. Music. Now they are intertwined like lines of code. Back when this album came out, this was cutting edge and futuristic. This is NOT EDM, there is no "Dancing" here. It's electronic music with the focus on electronic.
3.14
It was interesting and I can see where it is hugely influential on modern music but at the same time it wasn't all that great of a listen.
I didn't love it, but I appreciate it for what it is. Probably won't listen again.
Very difficult to review. I understand how important and influential this album is, but it's not something that I'd ever want to sit down and listen to.
Beep boop
I will never be able to rate these guys lower than a 3 based on influence alone. While I prefer some of their other albums, this one had an interesting effect. I appreciate the repetitive feel and use of minimalism here that interestingly never got boring while sending the listener on their own journey. Which I guess is the point. In the end we are all just showroom dummies on our own endless train ride.
I listened to this album when it showed up on Apple Music's top 100 albums of all time... gave it 3* and sticking with that rating. A little boring buy hard to deny the impact on electronic and hip hop. 2.5/5
Ich weiß um die Bedeutung von Kraftwerk für die Elektronische Musik. Aber heute kann man das irgendwie nicht mehr hören.
Weirdly alluring.
🤖
Atari, of music.
I may have been a bit too harsh on Trans Europa Express the last time I heard it over 3 years ago now. Now that my musical tastebuds seem to have settled I think it is time to give this a proper re-review to see if I was missing out on anything the first time around. Trans Europa Express may be one of Kraftwerk's more repetitive pieces as this whole album feels like 1 big song broken up into 8 individual pieces. I don't mind how this album is split up but it does make breaking this album down into the individual tracks to enjoy a lot harder than I would have liked it to be. Don't get me wrong I thought this was good, but not much else. Autobahn does the repetitive style much more effectively and doesn't split up the track into unnecessary pieces. I did enjoy Trans Europa Express more than my first go around, but I am not overly into it even still...
Oddly enjoyed this, incredibly repetitive though it was, much like a real train journey
Ik heb veel geleerd over de trans europe express
I’m by no means the biggest fan of electronic music, in fact it’s my lowest rated genre, but I quite liked this one. In saying that it’s highly unlikely I will ever listen to it again. Top Track - Franz Schubert
Definitely liked this more than the first listen. I think it is reluctantly groovy, and not nearly as droning as I remember it being. I still just have no relevant vibe to place this in. Like sure if I was on a train going across Germany this would be the first album I play. But anything short of that? I’ve got no reason to turn to this
Pretty good. Some tracks I had not heard before, but all unmistakably Kraftwerk.
Loved some parts, bored to tears at others.
Played it a couple of times. Rhythmic and cool
Repetitive. Probably relaxing if I listen to it more. Opening track is gorgeous
It was different, I enjoyed it. Faves were Endless and Franz.
I really enjoy electronic, but I've only heard a handful of Kraftwerk and this was pretty good. Very innovative for the time with some really catchy synth lines.
Just because an album is influential does not mean it is an enjoyable listen
A very important album. Not something I’d listen to often, but I don’t mind when I do.
This is the way I like my 70's German techno. Not a bad listen. Musically, a lot of it still holds up.
Good.
Some interesting moments, but Franz Schubert is especially a shimmering song to me. A nicer, much dreamier place to be than most of the songs
Trans Europe Express was sampled/interpolated for the song Plant Rock which became an electro- hiphop masterpiece. That alone means that Kraftwerk were cool. This album is interesting but not amazingly groundbreaking. I enjoyed it overall.
Pretty nice early synthpop, however it is very repetitive.
a nice retro look into the infancy of electronic music. But overall pretty bland and no memorable tunes to me. Some depeche mode vibes here. I expected more maudlin.
Album #76: Trans Europe Express - Kraftwerk Genre (W): Electronic, synth-pop, experimental pop, avant-garde Singles: Trans-Europe Express, Showroom Dummies I have listened to this album once before. Thoughts?: The songs have great melodies, but they drag on for a bit too long for me. Very repetitive. Favorite songs: Europe Endless, Showroom Dummies, Trans-Europe Express, Abzug,
this album settled the electronic sound for ppl that’d come after like daft punk. it’s literally a train atmosphere late at night, sounds repetitive on the best way possible. it was a fun listen, but it’s not my cup of tea
Weird to have kraftwerk on back to back days. I prefer their 1978 offering to this one, but this is still good.
Feels very sparse now, but impressive for the time.
Crazy to think that we probably don't have hip hop as we know it without these guys.
I liked most of these songs. Want to listen again.
I like their unique sound, haven't really listened to german music before, but the music i have listened, i feel like they have a lot of instrumental aspects in their music. First non english album so far. I liked them, but i dont think id add them to my playlist, the songs are abit too long to my liking, but i think i could enjoy them as a cd or vinyl more
Can you play the one that goes "bee boo boo bop, boo boo bop boo bop"?
Trans-Europe Express is a perfectly enjoyable listen. It's cool, precise, and atmospheric in a way that rewards patience. But "one of the greatest albums ever made"? That's a stretch. There's no track here that I'd call a genuinely great song. It's enjoyable enough, but nothing that makes you want to hit repeat. That said, a list of albums every music fan should hear isn't purely about melody and emotional impact. Innovation and influence matter too, and albums like Velvet Underground & Nico managed to be innovative, influential, and genuinely *great* listens. Trans-Europe Express only delivers on two out of three. So let's talk about the influence and innovation. Critics love to credit this album as a foundation of modern hip-hop, but that's a stretch really. The real influence was on the early 80s electro and breakdancing scene, which was significant, but short-lived. (Afrika Bambaataa's "Planet Rock" is the clearest example, and modern hip-hop sounds nothing like this.) The innovation case is stronger, though Kraftwerk were refining a sound they'd already established rather than inventing one from scratch. Still, I can't think of much before 1977 that sounds like this, and that counts for something. So 4 stars? Not quite: without a single track that truly grabs me, I'll call it 3.
You always know what you will get with Kraftwerk. 7/10
Liked this a fair bit less than Man Machine - comes out of the gate strong with Europe Endless and Hall of Mirrors, loses a lot of steam in the middle and gets a bit too repetitive in places (I realize that is a lot of what Kraftwerk is about). Franz Schubert is quite pretty. Still appreciate the foundation these guys laid basically for all electronic music to follow but just didn't latch onto this one as much.
Could've been worse
This was interesting and surprisingly catchy
I always start out enjoying Kraftwerk and then eventually just want it to be over. Some of the songs are so cool and unique. This one even felt less cheesy ….until it did start feeling cheesy… But overall, I enjoyed this. I certainly don’t hate it. And definitely liked the uniqueness and creativity of this one.
I’ve never listened to a Kraftwerk album before. Just not my thing. But having listened to this I have a level of respect. Definitely groundbreaking. Enjoyed some of the repetitive and clever rhythms.
Watching them live bored me to tears, studio, a very different experience. With a pair of headphones on, moving about doing the housework (in a robotic style of course) is the only way to appreciate such a band. Its amazing to think this is the mid 1970's compared to other electronically of the time. Groundbreaking stuff.
Influential, but pretty mundane.
Sunken if it was good.
i enjoyed it, although the titular song was way too long for me considering there wasn't that much variation. i think it's not my favorite kraftwerk i've heard so far but it was still fun.
Not something I will play over and over, but interesting. Ahead of it's time for 1977? Influential.
good background music. The audio level fluctuations got obnoxious at times
Was familiar with a coupleKraftwerks albums already. Not this one. Not sure why this one was chosen over some of the others that they’ve done. Wasn’t their first. Wasn’t their best. However, that being said, a prime example of their work and why they are on the list as leaders in the electronic dance music genre.
This album grew on me the 2nd or 3rd time I listened to it. It was never bad, I thought it was boring. What I realized is that its a very subtle album. Its good for the background, but not their most inspiring album.
A cool album, but I don't think I would ever enjoy this kind of music enough to give it more than 3 stars.
All I can hear is early Depeche Mode. I can understand the importance of, and the influence, but not my cup of tea.
6/10
6.5 / 10
The German beep boop guys are back.
Video game music
It was weird, but about what I expect.
Standard pioneer euro synth. Don't these guys write about non European nations too?!?!
A highly rated album, this feels like the precursor to Radiohead. It has a lot of interesting things going on, but the songs seem to labor on longer than they should. Very repetitive in both the lyrics, which are minimal, and the melodies from the synths. I can see why, back in 1977, this was a ground breaking album but listening to it today isn't the easiest thing to do.
Legalll! Meio Bowie meio Talking Heads. Não tem muita alma mas gostei mesmo assim. :)
If Zoolander and Autobahn had a baby they would make it listen to this album
I've heard better Kraftwerk albums but they're simply nice with it
Weirdly enjoyable
Knien geborgen, Arme gestrecht, Ra ra ra.
3.75
This is a fine Kraftwerk album, but I didn't find it nearly as compelling as The Man-Machine. It's still a fun ride and it is very easy listening, and it honestly does give the feel of sitting on a train and just endlessly staring out of a window and just vibing out. Not my favorite by them, I'd rather return to some of the other albums by them instead. trans-Europe Express, Metal on Metal, and Europe Endless were probably my favorites.
i didn‘t dislike this as much as i‘d have expected
I appreciate Kraftwerk's sound and their influence on so much of modern music, from electronica to techno. But their sound is so chilly and emotionally distant that it doesn't resonate for me. I like the sonically and lyrically detours like "The Hall of Mirrors" and "Showroom Dummies" but, like all of their music, it gets monotonous and dull. "Trans Europe Express" is a great song that could have been 3 or 4 minutes long. Instead it morphs into a suite of songs that just go on...and on. The dream of a new, streamlined, sleek and beautiful Europe is cool and all...but it doesn't make for an album's worth of good or interesting songs.
This is another album where, i get why it was important to music. IT reflects the beginnings of synths in music. It's not amazing, but it lead to amazing things. Literally after this album, my music app played an 80's new wave song and it was the "Kraftwerk had to walk so others could run" moment.
Non è malaccio, però un po' noioso. Penso che sia perchè è uno dei primi album di musica elettronica.
Album 1065 of 1089 Trans Europe Express - Kraftwerk (1977) Rating : 3 / 5 Now this is a bit of electronica I can get behind. Instead of feeling like noise for noise’s sake, this one settles into a groove and stays there. It’s laid back. It’s controlled. It moves forward steadily without trying to overwhelm you. The tracks just kind of glide along - mechanical in concept, but oddly smooth in execution. Nothing here is begging for attention. Nothing is screaming for approval. It simply exists in its own space and lets you ride with it. And honestly, that’s something more albums could strive for. Not every record needs to hit you over the head. Sometimes it’s enough to create a mood and maintain it. It didn’t provoke a deep emotional reaction from me one way or the other, but I never once felt the urge to turn it off. In this genre especially, that’s saying something. A cool, steady listen that does exactly what it sets out to do — and does it well.
3,5
I get it as needing to be on the list, but way to repetitive.
Electronic Avant garde not really my bag
Pretty good, not easy listening but oddly addictive
I love the opening track and the final two, but the rest meanders a bit. Some songs, like Hall of Mirrors, are a particular slog. One thing the midsection has going for it is the influence on dungeon synth. 5/10
Maybe the weakest of Kraftwerk? Still very good.
Different, appreciate their talent and creativity
I understand the importance of Kraftwerk to music. I'm happy many others took it from them and massively improve electric music and its many subgenres, and many, many others. That said, Krafwerk is not for me.
Not a fan but not abrasive. Mid/high 2
I love how retrofuturistic this album feels. When this album came out people were definitely saying that this is the kind of music that people will dance to in clubs in the future. They weren’t exactly wrong either.
Pretty fun - i think I prefer a couple of the others, and i definitely prefer Neu! and Can when it comes to their peers from the time...this feels a little bit novelty value to me, as much as I get their importance.
I like the simple clean sound of Kraftwerk. Not an everyday listen but I find it quite soothing and relaxing
Legenden. 2-3, würde jetzt nicht alles andauernd hören
Grown on me since my first listen. 9 minute long electro music isn’t my thing in general but I was able to hear more of what people love.
"Europe Endless" is itself seemingly endless, but bonus points for being well ahead of their time. Maybe 3 Kraftwerk albums in the top 1001 is a little much?
Was that the extended theme song for “Knight Rider”?
Well it is a classic Kraftwerk album, of course. But you really have to want to listen to Kraftwerk. Really want to.
Quality work here, a worthy addition. 3.5 stars
Although repetitive electronic music isn’t usually my thing, I understand how ground breaking this was for the time and can hear the influence of so many artists within this album.
Trans-Europe Express (the song) was very repetitive. Really most of the main songs were. But there was enough here to keep it interesting. I was surprised to see this came out in the 70s because it really feels newer than that. It's original, simple, and creative.
This generator is stalking me as I got this one as I was traveling to Europe for the first time and after listening on a plane is a fair three stars.
Kraftwerk- trans Europe express- some cool synths. repetition and minimalism is cool but I wish there was more variation and development. I could do without the vocals too.
I don’t know. The songs are just so long and repetitive
Very interesting, just not my thing
Express, Trans Europe
Trans Europe Express
Favourites 1. Europe Endless 2. The Hall of Mirrors 3. Franz Schubert Least Favourite Showroom Dummies
Klinkt een beetje als een moeilijk level van mario bros
Honestly dees heeft mij echt verast. Der is altijd een goeie vibe en tis minder hard dan ik had gedacht. Nog steeds een beetje te repetitief wel ma wel gwn enjoyable.
Great electronic album. Little bit repetitive with simple lyrics but great production
As much as these German lads gave birth and pioneered my favourite musical genre and in this decade it was (hate the expression) “groundbreaking” it’s not something I go to as it sounds a little naff these days….but a 3 because they inspired so many!
Just got their 1978 album two days ago. I liked this one better.
I thought it was okay. A little repetitive, but I liked how the songs segued together. In retrospect, I enjoyed “Autobahn” more than I realized. 3/5 Might listen again
Trans europe express me podseca na twerkulator od city girls jedino zato 3 zvezdice al realno 2.5
Pretty good
Though still a fun experience, it sounds incredibly dated by today's standards to me. Good to experience once, but I don't see myself returning to it.
An acquired taste, but Spiegelsaal is a terrific song
I thought I’d like this a lot more than I actually did. It was alright, but I can only really remember one of the tracks and all the rest just seemed to zip on past me like cars on the autobahn with no speed limit. Shame, had hopes for this one.
Not quite a four. Pioneers of a kind of music I really like but not something I'm going to play very often. I know it's pretty sparse already but I like the bits without the melody or singing best.
Early on in the opening "Europe Endless" heard the same synth stab and despondent vocal delivery that can be heard in "Your Silent Face" by New Order and I couldn't help but be lulled into a blissful, relaxing listening state. I know this whole album can easily be seen as rigid and repetitive, but not to my ears. What I hear is hopeful, futuristic-for-its-time, and thoughtful. I love the eerie chiptune-quality arpeggio on "The Hall Of Mirrors" so much. It gives the whole song a jagged, uneasy atmosphere. "Abzug" was pretty cool in the ways it continued the "Trans-Europe-Express" motif and built on it all. "Franz Shubert" brought back that romantic arpeggiated New Order synth/key sound which I just genuinely could never get enough of. I think Kraftwerks genius here isn't just in their use of electronics, but the way they shaped this album. Personally it's a firm 3/5 but I respect this record immensely, anyone who rates it higher is all good in my book
I respect Kraftwerk’s innovations so much that they earn a 3 by default. If I’m going just by whether I enjoy listening, it’s a low 3, sometimes a 2. The title track, “Trans-Europe Express,” is a classic.
Timeless.
"Endless Europe" is amazing, the rest of the album is variations on it.
8 songs 43 minutes futuristic sounds and ideas Nice but maybe not the whole album after each other Metal in metal flows nicely into the next song
Interesting at times, but a large part of the appeal to me is the historical significance of Kraftwerk to electronic music.most of the songs don’t grab me at all.
I didn’t expect to actually like this Kraftwerk album, but I did. Listening to it I heard a lot of influence into later bands like Oakenfold and Depeche Mode, and even at one point during the Trans European Express, I felt like I was listening to the Never-Ending Story soundtrack. I was familiar with the song, the Hall of Mirrors, because of the later Sousxie and the Banshees cover of it, but it was fun to listen to the original, which was also good. There is definitely a lot of redundancy on this album leading the listener to kind of melt into a world of their own consciousness. I would actually like to listen to this at home with headphones some night when I can just lean back and enjoy the music. Again, surprising, I’m coming back here.
Think it’s my second Kraftwerk album on the list and found them pretty good last time. Maybe similar to last time, find it a bit of a steady gait that doesn’t grab me too much. Yeh, pretty flat and basic. Nothing too exciting or inspiring for me. I imagine more significant in the 70s? But just not my bag.
I really liked the vibes, but the songs were too long and repetitive.
Kudos for being innovators and basically inventing a genre, but these songs just too damn long.
Not bad. Kind of boring though. Some of the songs are too similar to each other. Probably would of thought differently about it in the 70's though.
3 1/2.
Innovative and the blueprint for most electronic music to follow. More of a reference point than an album though.
It's OK. A bit experimental, but rather boring to me.
A trippy semi dancy album.
Timeless.
I have officially received all the Kraftwerk albums available on this list, and I honestly don’t know how I feel about this band. Sometimes I’m like, “wow this is great!” and then other times after the 800th mention of the words “Trans Europe Express” across multiple songs, I start to wonder if I’m even going to finish the album. I think I preferred Autobahn to this, but I greatly preferred this to The Man Machine. Less words in the songs the better, I think.
This makes the old SNL Sprockets skits make WAY more sense. 2.5* rounded. . . up? I guess? Yeah, let's go with up. It can be playing in the background and I can happily ignore it. Mostly.
Interesting but too repetitive. Mostly the songs went no where. James Murphy probably loves this. Me, not so much..,
Anyone can see how influential this album is, however, it's not one that I want to go back to and listen all the time. 7/10
Delightful until it got boring
I appreciated how unique and weird this is, but that didn't translate to massive enjoyment.
While Autobahn primed me to appreciate this more, it appears to me a little self-indulgent with the vocals. Just when I start getting into it, the vocal intrudes, and then in the other songs seems to not belong at all. Title track works; wish the others had followed suit.
Undeniably the Werk of Kraft.
I mean, it’s more Kraftwerk, which I don’t love, but it’s relatively short. It was the exact amount of Kraftwerk that I can handle.