Reviews (page 3 of 8)
Muy alucinante.
Faust
What a find! A German prog/post/psych rock band that sounds like a King Gizzy jam session? Awesome!
Otro grupo tan desconocido como fundamental, tanto Neu! como Faust son dos de las bandas de las que tienes que escuchar algo (también de Can, Tangerine Dream y Kaftwerk). La portada nos indica que estamos ante algo diferente, artístico, con mucho nivel. Tanto este cuarto como sus precedentes merecen ser escuchados. Faust se asocia a vanguardia, expresionismo, electrónica, ambient, industrial, dadaísmo, música concreta... Motorik. Ya solo por el tema inicial, Krautrock, merece la pena. The Sad Skinhead es juguetona como Giggy Smile que tiene encaje entre King Crimson, Pink Floyd y todo el progresive, pero queda mejor en el universo de Frank Zappa. Just a Second / Picnic on a Frozen River, Deuxieme Tableau es más interesante. Jennifer es un viaje alucinante. Läuft...Heißt Das Es Läuft Oder Es Kommt Bald…Läuft ("Psalter" section) (Está corriendo...¿Eso significa que está corriendo o que llegará pronto...? Está corriendo (sección "Salterio")) es mucho más reposada. Läuft... Heißt das es läuft oder es kommt bald... Läuft (Está funcionando... ¿Eso significa que está funcionando o que llegará pronto...? Está funcionando) lo es aún más. It's a Bit of a Pain, otro relajado tema (que podría haber firmado Robert Wyatt o un Kevin Ayers pasado de rosca) cierra este genial álbum. Spacemen 3 les deben mucho, pero también OMD o cualquier banda que use sintes, y por supuesto Radiohead.
I have developed a soft spot for kraut rock Will I listen to again: 80%
Didn’t hate it, but wouldn’t say it was actively enjoyed. It was nice to listen to while working.
Actually enjoyable-totally psychedelic, a bit beta band, a bit Hendrix, a bit country Joe and the fish, loads of chaotic 60s/70s realness It’s a 4 because some bits did get a bit to full on
1.25 - I listened to this in the car and a few times, I thought I was breaking down. It turns out the song just had some unnatural and unnecessary elements. I can dig some of the experimental elements, but there wasn’t a lot here that I would want to hear again.
Damn I guess I love Krautrock even more than I thought I did! They've got drone down. And repetitive. That this was 1973 makes it even more remarkable. It explores many avenues, taking many turns, sometimes just sitting and idling, windows down, radio up.
Strange but compelling- started off as Velvet Underground Lite and ended as the progenitors of sad rock à la Joy Division. Pleasantly surprised by this one.
I liked this more than a 3, but not quite ready to get to a 4. Strange and deadpan, it would take a few listens to determine where this really sits with me. I doubt we'll ever form that relationship, though, so we may be stuck as casual acquaintances.
There's so much great stuff on here, but pretty much every time they started singing I found myself losing interest. but the music was incredible. i can see their influence on groups like Spacemen 3 and others. Glad I got to check this out.
This hit just right. The dreamy electronic elements feel contemporary yet knowing that it's 1970s West Germany...it all felt echt geil. Bravo
Very experimental sounds a bit like Can but I enjoyed it on a sunny day walking
pass
sure ok
I hadn’t listened to this before. And, well, yeah! I wish it had been a little more experimental, tbh. Synth-y and weird.
Bleh
The term Krautrock was a snooty and dismissive expression coined by the British music press who didn’t like the idea of German bands coming over here and playing rock, instead of proper British bands playing pop - if only there was a term for that, eh? Anyhoo, Faust hit back with the first track on this album, an 11 minute epic called Krautrock that does exactly what it says on the tin. Metronomic motorik beats, temperamental analogue synths, weird electronic glitches and fuzzed out guitars all turned up to 11. Wunderbar! The other tracks on this album are of slightly more variable quality, ranging from bizarre songs to short, experimental pieces, but generally all worth a listen even if only to say “what the heck was that supposed to be?”. I’d still choose krautrock over yet another boring yacht rock album any day though. Kraut-tastic!
Forgettable. Nothing stands out.
This album just didn't come up on the right day for me. I'm not upset by any of the music, but I'm also not really hearing it. Trying to describe it a friend I played a few minutes from different songs and appreciated them more than when I was listening straight through. And I can't tell if that's a reflection on me at this moment or on how the entire album is. For the time being, it's not right for me. I believe it will grow on me. I'll come back to it on another day and see what's changed.
I was surprised by this one. In a good way.
Ok album, kinda boring. 2/5
I’m all for experimental, psychedelic, or whatever this was trying to be. I can respect what they were trying to do at the time, but nothing about this was pleasant to my ears.
I listened to Faust IV {Deluxe Edition on Spotify (the only version available there), and I have to say, the extra tracks really boosted my overall enjoyment of the album. When I think of 1970s German bands, Kraftwerk usually comes to mind first. But Faust sounds completely different, far more experimental and raw. In fact, certain moments and quirky elements in some songs reminded me strongly of The Residents, and it wouldn't surprise me if The Residents were fans of Faust. Their influence seems to echo in places, especially in that weird, avant-garde vibe. The deluxe edition added some nice depth that made the whole experience even more rewarding.
Pues muy raro, no digo que este malo el disco, solo muy raro. No es para mi la verdad, al menos no por ahora.
How do I find it? I deliberately didn't look into the reviews to not taint my own judgement. But man this one is hard. There are beautiful moments, e.g. "Es läuft" or "Piano Piece" (when the drums kick in). I like the jokes they put in (blowing nose in Sad Skinhead). But then I hate that they tear down the song whenever it gained momentum (Giggy Smile). I see how that Radioheads Kid A and following wouldn't have happened if it was not down to Krautrock and Faust. But would I listen to it again? Just because it's artsy doesn't mean it's enjoyable.
This is a somewhat interesting riff. I know lets repeat it for 10 minutes and drill it into their head. Not my cup of tea
Suuuuper interesting album!! Really enjoyed listening to it. Quite different but I liked all the beats + compositions. Saved a few songs too!!
Enjoyed the sound of this album but it didn’t move me.
Interesting style
Nah. Appreciate their social commentary…but not enough to listen for long
I think i liked the first song. Then nothing after
its not music, its just sound
Nebavilo ma to
More my husband's thing than mine
Meh
Ambient Music Simply isn't for me
70s German krautrock. Meandering experimental rock.
Not for me
1. rock - 1 2. zad - 1 3. jennifer - 1 4. zecond - 1 5. zmile -0 6. lauft - 1.5 7. pain - 1.5
230/1001 Faust - Faust IV Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❎ I enjoyed this on the whole, but obe of those that I don't think I'll revisit. Whereas some of the industrial music on here has been inaccessible to me, this at least was doable. The addition of the psych added interest to the record.
I dont like just how weird they went, like it barely felt like it had direction. This is like if zeppelin never kicked syd barrett.
Very much my kind of bullshit.
Faust is a krautrock band I haven’t dug into as much as Can or Neu! This is fantastic though, so I will have to dig further.
Just a little too much noise to get a 5.
hace piuiiuuu piuuuii y luego glomb glomb cronk y luego otra vez piuiiuuu piuuuii y media hora más tarde una canción de folk, no sé
Dududududu
Por norma xeral, nunca lle poño a máxima puntuación en webs deste tipo a nada que non teña trilladísimo e escoitado mil e unha veces. Malia que me presta o que demos en chamar krautrock, nunca lle metera o dente a Faust e, por ende, a este disco. Pobre de min. É fantástico. Tan atractivo e diverso que asusta pensar que ten xa máis de medio século e aínda así segue a soar máis vangardista que moitos que chegaron despois del. A cantos e que diferentes regatos alimenta a auga desta fonte. Hai o sempiterno motorik, hai ska, hai jazz, hai experimentación, hai momentos que xogan a ser pop. É unha obra mestra, referencial e única. E isto con escoita e media. Necesariamente van ter que ser moitas máis de hoxe en diante. Viva! (#19 dos 1.001 discos que escoitar antes de morrer: 5/5)
No sé si es el mejor disco de Faust, pero es mi favorito. Un disco sacado casi para trolear a la discográfica, puro punk en su concepción, se convirtió en una maravilla que ha influenciado a un sinfín de grupos. Recordemos que es de 1973. The sad skinhead podría ser perfectamente una canción del Pink Flag de Wire, que se metieron este disco en vena. Los que ponéis solo cuatro estrellas sois unos tibios, joder, que esto es una obra maestra.
Best Song: Picnic On A Frozen River, Deuxieme Tableux. A tremendously okay prog song. Worst Song: Jennifer. The back half of this song is just straight up fuzz, that suddenly drops away to some nonsequitor harpsichord. Why. Overall: Some of the short tracks are fun(ish), but even they suffer from some impulse where the good bit gets abruptly abandoned in favour of some amusical junk.
Must admit that I wasn't looking forward to this when it came up but I was pleasantly surprised, particularly by the more experimental parts, including the opener which really grabbed my attention as I could hear the influence on some of the more psychedelic indie bands are the late 80s and early 90s. I was less keen when they went more straight-ahead psychedelic rock but not enough to detract from the album as a whole and they did act as a bit of a palette cleanser between the 3 longer songs.
Ok, this was interesting. Krautrock hooked me in, this was an unexpectedly engaging drony introduction to an altogether decent prog rock album. I wasn't the hugest fan of the vocal delivery, but the use of electronic instruments and clear studio experimentation more than made up for it. Good stuff; will check out more Faust.
I legitimately put this album on and didn't even notice it was playing. That's how much it just blended into the background.
Overall: 4.3/10 The songs are beautifully composed, and that appreciate. However, this isn’t something that I’m gonna be bumpin down the street in my car. I would definitely study to some of these songs especially “piano piece” This was a nice album but I won’t be revisiting it again.
This was a weird one. Did not like it.
This is a very high 3 for me. It was just weird enough to not be boring, but it also didn't hold my interest all the way through.
I enjoyed every other song on this lol
I had a good time.
No
Stuff like this is so bad but I guess I'm impressed they managed to sound like an entirely different (also boring) band every song
Definitely in the top 3 of German atrocities
Not sure I've ever heard this band. Kind of surprised since they seem right up my alley. Strong start with some great psychedelic textures, reminds me of early Pink Floyd. It's like one part Floyd and one part Zappa. I really enjoy this album and am completely blown away I'd never heard it before. This is exactly the type of weirdo music I love, glad to have finally found this album.
Blind album and artist. This album was hit and miss all over the place. Great nuggets of sound and then snooze in other places. I also thought it was cool how the songs themselves have such a variety within itself, quiet parts and cool rhythmic parts.
I was excited and then disappointed
ehh 2
Meh
This was a big surprise. Really enjoyed it
Didn’t give this a very close listen but it was fine. Some cool instrumental stuff.
Very strange album. Begins as one thing before turning into something very different. Don't know why you would hide the better material behind an 11 minute terrible opening song. Some of the rest is actually not bad.
Wow that was a brutal introduction. Just absolute noise. “Giggy Smile” did sounds like 60s Dead towards the end and that was unsurprisingly my favorite part of listening to tho album. No thanks.
Crazy vibes but I kinda love it?
First krautrock experience. Very interesting. I really liked it. It's nice to learn and discover different things.
Strong 4, want to give 5, listened twice and keep droning out… then forgetting whether it’s great or just good. Will listen again.
Wow, amazing album, great call. One to explore further.
just a second sounds too like an mri i didn’t like it
"Art Rock, Experimental, Industrial, Krautrock, Prog Rock" typically means dumpster fire to me, but Krautrock - which I'd never heard of before - gave me pause. And we have an hour+ double-album that starts with an 11:48 song. Not great, guys. That first song, an instrumental, was not offensive, and I thought we had a real shot at 3* for a change. And then, nope. End of day, a pioneer of krautrock is the only reason this isn't a 1*. This 2* should be replaced by Metallica's S&M, which is an easy 4* and somewhat experimental.
Got better as it progressed but sadly I struggle with krautrock
Now That's What I Call Krautrock! The last song on this was pretty good. The rest was definitely Krautrock.
Good
first listen awesome
4/10
нормалек, вайбово, напомнило animal collective.
Interesting and all over the place
Less insane than can but I feel pretty similar about the two. Some moments I really do like but too much repetitive weirdness for me to really get into it
Interesting
I kinda wanted this to be a 4 but I think it’s a 3. Some cool tracks and some just odd. I can hear king Gizzard taking a bit of inspiration. Interesting and worth a listen but not really going back for.
This is really different. Not at all what I was expecting given song titles like “Krautrock” and “The Sad Skinhead”. There’s no coherency with the songs on this album - some of it sounds like the Doors, and some of it sounds like someone messing around with the sound effect buttons on their keyboard. And even within the same song it doesn’t seem coherent. Weird, experimental, artsy stuff. A lot of it dragged on for way too long. Torn between a 2 & 3 rating - not my cup of tea, but I can kind of appreciate it for what it is. (3)
Eh, not feeling it. I may give it another go some other time. Just wasn't quite what I wanted to listen to.
Didn't finish it, but I didn't love what I heard.
Like a dark, silly circus. I can't take it seriously. "Krautrock," OK. Like a piece of art in a museum that is absolutely not there to please its audience, I guess albums like this exist.
Never heard of them and no idea what this is going to be. Let’s jump in. First track is….noise? Funny, it sounds way more recent than 1973, like a sound that would’ve came way later. Didn’t think I was enjoying the long opening track but by the end thought it was okay and at least interesting. My main thoughts while listening to this album in general are huh this is interesting followed immediately by I don’t think I like this. Jennifer is kind of amazing. If you told me this song was from an indie band from Brooklyn in 2013, I wouldn’t have questioned it. What a vibe this song has until that crazy instrumental two minute outro. It’s kinda crazy that every song is like hey this is a fun jam and then two minutes later it’s like just kidding let’s hit you with some crazy noise. Hey what if half way through we just hit you with a sax solo. It all feels jazz and jam band influenced. You never know where a track is going to go. I don’t know if this is all good or not, but it’s certainly interesting. Would feel mean to give something so original a low rating, but not sure it all works for me. I think I’ll settle on a 2, because I agree this is an album you should experience, but not sure I will ever choose to experience it as a whole again. But I would absolutely put Jennifer on. Really enjoyed that song.
Didn't love it. Found it more grating and annoying than anything else.
Gizzard sounding
Ändå bra, en låt hamnade på gillade låtar men generellt hade de rätt stressanda musik, framförallt andra halvan hade de mycket instrument som gjorde mig stressig, så det hade dem kunnat chilla med.
Zu krass
so many things are going on I dont get the point. Trying to be weird just to be weird. 3.19
104/1001 First listen. Not at all what I thought krautrock was. This was alright. Experimental is always interesting to me. Definitely not something you can fully appreciate in a couple of listens. It does make me want to explore further into this krautrock thing now that I know it’s not Scorpions and Rammstein. 5/10
Surprisingly interesting. Will defo listen more
3/5 + I wish there would be more vocals, i really liked them + Great tone of the instrumentals - My attention span is unfortunatly not ready for this Fav: Giggy Smile, The Sad Skinhead Least Fav: Krautrock
loved all the drone instrumental parts
Very different from what I usually hear but it was exciting to try something new
not enough good songs to qualify as a good album
Mitä tääkin täällä tekee
Pinnistelyä vaati että jaksoi kuunnella koko levyllisen. ⭐
An interesting an quirky experimental/Krautrock album
I did not like this at all. Don’t know if it was my mood or the music or both, but blech, no thank you.
Enjoyable but jumbled. That’s probably intentional
No but almost maybe. But No......for now
Added nothing new to the psychedelic genre and got samey
Just not for me.
Surprised at how much I enjoyed this
The universe heard me grumble about Pink Floyd and laughed in my face. Changed how I felt about Germans. 3/10
I’ve heard Jennifer before and it’s still such a great dark groove so this gets 3 stars just for it, but the rest of the album is all over the place with sound experiments and sing songy verses, I couldn’t really get into it.
Ok, that was a journey! Yes, it's weird. It's interesting, though. It starts out kind of proto-ambient/proto-industrial, lulling you into a sense of comfort, and then it gets really weird. Never boring. The lyrics are very sparse and repetitive. "The Sad Skinhead" is kind of silly. "It's a Bit of a Pain" is more than a bit of a pain. If you listen on Spotify, you can stop at Disc 1, because Disc 2 is just remixes and other additions from the Deluxe set. My Rating: 3/5
This is an experimental almost to a fault, I really enjoyed it, but I could see why it is so divisive. It really sounds to me like it was just a bunch of people having a bloody good time making weird music.
Plenty of good tracks, but also some really annoying ones.
Not really for me. Almost like a demo tape. Can get that experimental sound, not terrible
I had never heard of this band before and I’m so pleasantly surprised. I hear a lot of cage the elephant and king gizzard & the lizard wizard. I really loved this album & im absolutely going to be listening to their other music.
Disforia, loucura e confusão: são as primeiras emoçãos que o album consegue transmitir para mim. Qualquer album de rock sugerido por aqui é uma imersão sonora muito distinta das que estou acostumado a ouvir. As faixas parecme transitar entre a ordem e o caos, dando a entender ser totalmente proposital. A canção que mais me chamou atenção foi Jeniffer. Os sons iniciais parecem espaciais, viagem sideral, mas encerra com uma melodia mais terrestre com um piano. (Just a second me deu vontade de beber água depois -- e de assistir Star Wars)
Seus excessos são, ao mesmo tempo, seu maior pecado e triunfo Faixas favoritas: * 1 Krautrock * 5 Picnic on a Frozen River, Deuxieme Tableux * 6 Giggy Smile * 7 Läuft... Heisst das es lauft oder es kommt bald... Läuft * 8 It's a Bit of a Pain Menos favoritas: 2 The Sad Skinhead 4 Just a Second (Starts Like That!)
So this is where the term Krautrock comes from . Trying to think of other band/songs that define a genre As the review aptly puts it “not-always-related experiments” sums this up . If you’re still actually listening after the 11 minute opening song, or should that be song opening ( it never actually goes anywhere) , then this album is for you .
Did not like it. Its too instrumentsl and the rhythm i do not like it.
Krautrock? It's a vibe for sure. Putting "The Sad Skinhead" on the playlist because it's quirky.
Not terrible, but certainly a bit odd, and kind of all over the place. I can see how it could have been influential to many a style.
1 Track feels like a fever dream 2 Track better but not good
Entrancing in a way that I find hard to describe. You can try and start with the obvious. "Krautrock" gives the genre its namesake (even if it wasn't where it was born), but that wouldn't be special on its own if I didn't love every pounding moment of the 11 minute track that somehow gets more intense the more repetitive it gets. But there's about as big of a shift as you can get into "The Sad Skinhead", a short reggae song with actual lyrics! I think maybe that's what I like so much about this album: it's not being inventive in one way (though that's not bad on its own either), it's about trying and largely succeeding at being inventive in a lot of different ways! Fuck it, it's a 5.
Experimental and weird. 2.5/5. Raising to a 3.
Really like the experimental sound of this one. Although with Krautrock in general, I often feel like I respect it rather than actively enjoy it. I can see why it was so influential, but it's not super engaging, a bit like Neu! Last time I listened to this one I crashed my car into a discarded xmas tree that had been left in the middle of a very dark road. Only saw it at the last minute. So I'll probably associate this album with that fun memory from now on. Jennifer is probably my favourite track, love the space travel vibes!
the German take on prog rock became known in the English-language music press, somewhat derisively, as krautrock. Faust said, "you want krautrock? we'll give it to ya," and released a song literally called "Krautrock". it's kind of a power move! I'm a pretty big fan of the albums Can was releasing around the same time as this, but this was my first proper full-album Faust experience. as compared to their colleagues in the British Isles or on the American continent, German bands like Faust placed a lot more emphasis on timbre and avant-garde sound experiments; it certainly sets them apart, but their albums can often feel a bit piecemeal as a result. apart from the stunning 12-minute drone piece "Krautrock" I mentioned before, you've got shorter, pop-adjacent pieces like "The Sad Skinhead" or "It's a Bit of a Pain" and longer, improvisational works like "Jennifer" and "Giggy Smile". I enjoy quite a few of these songs, but they don't often feel like they have very much to do with one another. I can definitely appreciate the fact that the band runs through such a wide gamut of sounds, though! I could easily see this smorgasbord approach to structuring an album panning out better, so I'll have to go digging through the rest of Faust's albums to see if they can nail it! this was the final album they released in their original incarnation before literally disappearing for several years, so I guess it'd be best to go backwards. decent 8/10.
Interesting. Kind of Psychedelic rock
This album features some of Faust’s more avant-garde, experimental tracks, leaning into unconventional instrumentation and freeform structures, as well as meditative pieces driven by hypnotic rhythms. On the other hand, tracks like “The Sad Skinhead” and “Giggy Smile” have a more melodic, playful, and quirky tone to the mix. It’s definitely a must-hear for anyone interested in experimental music.
Those Germans are weirdos 100% haven’t heard anything like it, was definitely not expecting it to be as experimental as it was. I do like the sound though I feel like Krautrock overstayed its welcome by about 8 minutes and I thought my audio was completely broken on the last song but the other songs were palatable enough According to Wikipedia the band vanished for like 15 years after the release of this album and then resumed touring like nothing happened lol
man what happened to the germans sorry if im a normie but this is too weird for me. some snippets of good music surrounded by dissonant noise and ear-grating sounds. i don't want to listen to it again
Never listened to it before. Want to consider it prog, maybe avant-garde, maybe techno with American influence? Don't know why I have to label it or pigeonhole it, bit we all do it to help us process something new I guess. Listenable, but not terribly memorable. Will I go back to it? Maybe as background music but not as in "Hey you've GOT to listen to THESE guys!" Not great, not bad. 3 stars.
Weird intro song, no idea what this album is supposed to sound like from it. I don’t get this intro, it’s almost twelve minutes long and it’s filler? What kind of intro is that? The second song is good, much better than the intro, but is then followed yo by another song that is just filler again. I like the second song, but these stupidly long songs are going to be the end of me. I like some of the songs, it’s just everything else that lowers the album for me. I’d give it a one, but, unfortunately, I really liked one song.
After listening to the first song, I was discomforted by the thought this was Faust 4, implying there were at least three more. Subsequently, giving a fair listen to the other songs, I appreciated the atmosphere but I can't ever imagine me saying this is what I want to listen to today Although I like a lot of stuff similar to it, krautrock is something I couldn’t fully get into. I don’t mind repetitive music as long as it goes somewhere, but the problem with krautrock for me is that it usually doesn’t build up to anything while also not layering or progressing the repetitions as much as I like. Look at something like Herbie Hancock. His songs have a lot of repetition, but the reason why they feel so good for me is because there is a lot of subtle detail and progressions that keep them exciting. Their repetitions also either build up to something big or slowly grow in intensity on their own. I feel that post rock is a logical evolution of krautrock and it feels a lot more exciting because of that. I just think it’s a genre that I should like, and I’m kind of annoyed I don’t enjoy it that much. I did like this album, though. It is repetitive but not really monotonous, and it had a lot of cool experimental stuff. Not something particularly exciting for me, because it’s krautrock, but still enjoyable. I might change this rating as I’m a little sleep deprived writing this, but overall a 1/5.
I will not include the bonus tracks from the deluxe edition in this review. I hadn't heard of Faust before, but as soon as I saw that they were another krautrock band, certain expectations came to my mind. I already listened to the likes of Kraftwerk, Can, and NEU! on my album journey thus far, so naturally, I imagined these gentlemen would have performed in a similar vein. Though a little more reading revealed that Faust's work revolved around controlled dissonance, improvisation, and experimental electronic approaches. As such, they are often cited as influential on the ambient and industrial genres. This fourth album of theirs would prove to be the last of the original lineup, as their label dropped them shortly afterwards, leading to the initial disbandment. With all that said, what did we get on Faust IV? Well, it's certainly German experimental rock without much in the way of cohesion to tie these tracks together. There's the persistent feeling of being pushed from one sonic palette to the next. Starting with the hypnotic guitar-drone of the opener "Krautrock", disrupted by the holler over the borderline-ska thumping rollick of "The Sad Skinhead", giving way to the mellow haze with supple bass on "Jennifer". Just as things felt safe and serene, the listener comes crashing back down to Earth with the blaring, dissonant guitar wails over a stomping groove on "Just a Second" that quickly evaporates into field recordings and chopped-up synthesizers on "Picnic on a Frozen River", before the ensuing chaos is swallowed in a cavalcade of guitar and organ noise on "Deuxieme Tableaux", all in one 3-minute medley mind you. Then, just as you start getting into a pocket with the maniacal sax-led jazz rock groove of "Giggy Smile", the whole rhythm abruptly stops with the in-studio banter that opens "Läuft...Heisst Das Es Läuft Oder Es Kommt Bald....Läuft" which offers a different cadence with its repeating acoustic guitar line over sharp organ key swipes. But even that pleasant cadence doesn't last, as the mechanical winding of gears wipes the slate clean, and then the music rebuilds itself over a lowly synth and organ harmonic melody. The end is finally signaled with the occasional blaring noise over the simple acoustic tune of "It's a Bit of a Pain", leaving me in awe at the controlled madness I just listened to. There's no rhyme or reason why this album is structured this way, and maybe that's the point. As for whatever spare lyrics there were, they could be largely chalked up to provocative imagery that's played up for laughs, such as the burning red hair in "Jennifer", the ironic lifestyle of "The Sad Skinhead", and the observations on body hair at the end of "It's a Bit of a Pain". There's no deeper meaning to any of this, and that's probably for the best. They're an experimental band that's down for having a good laugh, and not trying to go up their own ass, which I can respect. For what it's worth, Faust IV is an intriguing slice of German experimental rock that felt fresh and engaging. Perhaps not every attempt made on this record was successful, but there's a beauty in being daring enough to try.
i'm such a sucker for krautrock as a german major while this album is pretty bare, this and other songs in the genre were monumental for the alt scene during the postwar era. that's it. favorite(s): krautrock
There were highs and then there were lows
3/10, boring?
I've never heard this before and was blown away -- how did I miss it. This is what I came here for!
It was fun but maybe a little bit too much weird for the sake of being weird for me to rate higher.
without interesting textures, krautrock is just ostinato run amok. meh.
I just don’t really
The first notes on the first track petrified me. I listened to Spaceman 3 two days ago, will I have to do it again? I skipped to the second track and was pleased to know that it was not the case (and the first song changed its tune when I gave it a fair listen). I didn't care much for the sounds, but it sounded like they wanted to do something fun and it was not too insulting to the ears.
Couldn’t finish both discs.
this is kinda boring fr
I got to the title of the last song while listening and thought "man, this is a bit of a pain." Then I turned it off. 1-1.5
While listening I remember enjoying this album, but removed from it I can’t remember a single thing about it, good or bad.
Krautrock is a top tier genre name though
I like the idea of Krautrock but I pretty much only explore it via approximations by other artists I like more. Like, I want to tell people I like Neu! and Can and Faust and Tangerine Dream and Kraftwerk but instead I just listen to David Bowie doing his imitation of them on Low and Heroes and Lodger and feel oh so very cultured. My favorite parts of this album are various scattered individual instrumental parts rather than full songs but I did really like "Giggy Smile" and "It's a Bit of a Pain."
Years of economic hardship and fascism, and this is some of the best music it created? Damn, the U.S. charts are going to be weird in 2045. Maybe after more listens I'll change my tune to "Years of economic hardship and fascism produced some incredible counter-cultural music" but I'm not there right now. Really liked the hectic build of "Krautrock", but the rest had flashes of stuff that I enjoyed between longer spells of sound that I didn't like.
< the Beatles Apparently "krautrock" sucks?
Krautrock is a really interesting genre, and one that is a really strange experience for me for some reason. I've never outright hated a krautrock album, but I've never really loved one either. And this album is only continuing that streak, I like this and I appreciate it for what it is, but for some reason even though it has all the elements I would normally look for in a textbook good album, I just can't quite bring myself to that that I love it.
I know this is a trailblazing record. I can hear how it was ahead of its time and influenced many bands. Yet I felt like that Waka Flocka Flame gif where he says, "...okay..." while listening to it. I'm glad I listened to this once, but it's not something I plan to revisit.
I had to listen to this record on the same day as an instrumental Brian Eno record, so my patience for soundscape style music is wearing thin. This record is experimental background music. It’s fine. It’s cool at times, but very boring for an entire record. I don’t think it belongs on this list. Way more deserving records out there.
I enjoyed this album. Psychedelic but not overwrought or abrasive, experimental but not demanding.
Wikipedia tells us that 'Faust IV' is the fourth studio album by the German krautrock group Faust, released in 1973'. Nobody knows what krautrock sounds like, giving the sense that some dork made the name up to sound smart. Lets figure this out by listening rather than dropping into the Wikipedia entry for krautrock. Listening to the opening tracks of any album gives the listener a sense of the musical style. In the case of Faust IV, the first song titled 'krautrock' feels like a sort of easy going, electronic back beat with some jazzy, synth ramblings in multiple directions then 7 minutes in you get a drumbeat. This song is 11+ minutes long. Great. But this is one song, an instrumental, serving as prologue rather than a complete picture. Prepare yourself listener for entry into the unknown and confusing. Digging into the tracks of the complete album teaches the listener that krautrock is a melding of psychedelic industrial rock. I don't think I learned anything else. No great lyrical philosophy....Maynard spoiled us all. Checking the timeline, this album landed in the music scene in the early 70s when psychedelic and hard rock raged into its screaming toddler years. Faust IV fits in there, but electronic mostly. Trent Reznor was eight when it came out so its not his, though the first tune could be. The remastered version presents clean, psychedelic songs the likes of which you might find on a Henry Rollins radio show or maybe something played on KXLU. The songs all present a clean, driving baseline with a variety of instruments pursuing their interrelated musical lines. No doubt music theorists gush over the mixodyxolidophonic scales....whatever. Lyrically, and vocally, you wont find much. Its sparse. As something called krautrock, I expect something more of a call to arms, a socialist or well ordered, tight and clean lyrics. Instead, the listener doesn't get much. The songs have minimal lyrics, mostly repeated lines. Walt Whitman doesn't play krautrock. As I end my first listen, it occurs to me that all of the songs on the album could be one long tune. Though song to song the 'melodies' and temperaments change, including 'Giggly Smile' which could fit on a Zappa album, especially due to its lyrical homage to blowjobs. This album drops a lot of elements on the listener...maybe this is jazz structure with rock instruments? This unique sound clearly lives in its own world. Its flaw maybe its strength: its uncategorizable. Its provides a base of music for some of the greatest artists to come: Reznor, Zappa and their ilk. If you like weird music, off the mainstream, you may like this. If you like to know what you are getting, you will hate this. 3 of 5 stars
Been a very long time since I last heard this, so I was due for a revisit. Turns out it’s still great!
Krautrock. Dificil. No me agarra en los mejores días ni con tanta paciencia para entenderlo. Quizás a futuro cambie. Por ahora, 4/10
Music should be enjoyable.
ive read some reviews on this site that posture that if you dont like a certain album its because youre a simple minded pencil pusher and if you arent out there living life the album will fall flat. this album is for boring people. i was doing some mind numbingly menial work listening to this and the album paired perfectly. i felt like i was in a shitty david fincher film smacking away at the keyboard
Surprising. It's more experimental than rock. 3,6
some parts of this were okay….. but others were excruciating
Good background music. Don't like disc one and two are the same other than remaster.
Drugs needed
This was an interesting sort of post-punk, hard metallic electronic kind of industrial mix. I would say I liked it. I did. I think it did not ... well, one must know I like the genre. So there are lots of bands in there that I am way into so it is not a fault of this band, it is more a saturation of genre that makes me completely LIKE this stuff while at the same time placing it in the pack. It is not a fault of the band or the sound or the music, just my own edges.
8.5 / 10
Yeah, not for me. It’s not bad like edm is bad, it’s bad like a go-nowhere soundscape. 2.5/5
2 “krautrock” albums in a row on a random list is crazy. Never heard of album or band. I like the intro song and how it continues to build up. Relatively basic but not in a bad way. Spoke a little too soon. It never really reaches a crescendo which is a let down. 12 minutes of GTA loading screen music. It’s not bad but also not necessarily good. Wasn’t expecting English lyrics. Sad skinhead is goofy in the worst way. Bullshit song. Over produced. Guitar is good tho. Jennifer has a lot of interesting sounds going on. Actually work pretty well all together. Really good/unique bass. Not a fan of the vocals. Last 2 mins are interesting. I like the piano to close it. Guitar on just a second is really good. Wish they stuck with it. The bug part in the middle sucks. Not really a fan of the end either. Again, first two mins of giggy smile are fun. Middle is a lot better than second. Really good bass line. Sax is fine. Would’ve liked more of everything else. Another switch up at 4 mins, I like this one too. Back half was kind of whack. This album just isn’t my style. Laugh is fine but more of the same. A lot going on through out. After 4:30 it’s simply a new song. Pretty cool, I liked it more than the first half. I like it’s a bit of pain, I think if the rest of the album was closer to this one(aside from the weird guitar in the middle) I would’ve had a better feeling about it. Mid to bad album. 2 stars.
didn't really vibe with it, not my style
didn't listen all the way thru - I made it past 2 songs and that was it. mhhh.
Pretty unique for 1973 but after so much has been built on this it’s not very interesting to listen to today
This makes me imagine the aquatic life in the Gulf Stream, with different fish, turtles, plankton, sharks, and more, journeying northward. Each creating its own personal clicks, creaks, and croaks in varying patterns along its hectic, swirling path...maybe a lone, maybe in a school, or with a mate. All I know is they are in it now and traveling under the waves.
Listening to Krautrock (the song not the genre) at the right volume (loud and room filling) can be a near religious experience. It's so physical. You feel the beat and analog textures more than any melody. Notes rise and fall. Beats persist. Beats change. It's like feeling an evolving heartbeats. It all becomes overwhelming. And then entrancing. And then you are just lost. Until you catch yourself. Or is that even you? You look familiar but ...buh buhmp...I can't see the resemblance...buh buhmp...buh buhmp buh...buh buhmp buh...buh buhmp...and then when you snap back to what seems like reality...buh buhmp buh...buh buhmp...unless things have flipped and that being lost and falling is reality and this is just...buh buhmp buh...buh buhmp...over.
"Faust IV" is undoubtedly a bold and ambitious album, yet it ultimately sits on the cusp of a "one-off" curiosity rather than a record built for repetitive listening. The experience begins with "Krautrock," an 11-minute, 47-second exercise in avant-garde patience. While its steady build is ambitious, it only just manages to retain interest until the drums finally kick in at the seven-minute mark. It is a striking piece of music, but one I doubt I will ever consciously select to hear again. The rest of the first side is defined by jarring contrasts. "The Sad Skinhead" is a complete pivot, jaunty, brief, and almost childlike in its delivery. This is followed by "Jennifer," which begins with a melancholic beauty before morphing into an experimental soundscape and concluding with plaintive piano. The sheer lack of sonic connectivity between these three tracks is both the album's greatest strength, and its most exhausting trait. The second half of the album continues the band's habit of "bait-and-switch" song-writing. "Just a Second" starts as a conventional rock track with a chugging riff, only to dissolve into electronic bird tweets, interference, and ambient noise. Similarly, "Picnic on a Frozen River" and "Giggy Smile" flirt with jaunty nonsense and conventional structures before resolving into a repetitive, jazzy motif and ending on a plaintive acoustic guitar. The album winds down with "Läuft...Heißt Das Es Läuft," a largely ambient and plaintive soundscape, followed by the closer, "It's a Bit of a Pain." The final track is underpinned by lovely, delicate guitar work and a soft vocal delivery, but even here, the melody is rudely interrupted by harsh electronic noise and a loud, fuzzy guitar solo, a final reminder of the band's refusal to be "pleasant." "Faust IV" is a challenging listen that occupies a strange space between two and three stars. There's a "push-and-pull" that I'm assuming Faust intended, they want the listener to feel both charmed and slightly perturbed at the same time. While I respect the boldness of their approach and the flashes of pretty melody, it fails to justify a return visit. It works well as a one-off experimental experience, but it lacks the cohesion required for repeat listens. Bold, but not for me. Two stars. Side one 1 "Krautrock" (3/5) 2 "The Sad Skinhead" (2/5) 3 "Jennifer" (3/5) Side two 1 "Just a Second" (3/5) 2 "Picnic on a Frozen River, Deuxieme Tableau" (2/5) 3 "Giggy Smile" (2/5) 4 "Läuft...Heißt Das Es Läuft Oder Es Kommt Bald...Läuft" (2/5) 6 "It's a Bit of a Pain" (3/5) Total - 20 Average - 2.50 201/1001 113/201 albums reviewed were new to me.
Some interesting sounds for sure
Solid. I don't think I'll ever listen to it again, but I enjoyed it.
two parts artsy jam band rock n roll and one part quirky playful eurojank. the album really *hangs out* sometimes, really stays its welcome. favorite song is maybe Giggy Smile. 3 glizzards out of 5 wizards
Rating: 9/10 Another day, another 70's experimental German rock album on 1001albumsgenerator.com. Faust was absolutely cooking here. As a fan of droning and vibey metal and rock these guys are some of the pioneers. Krautrock is absolutely massive, Jennifer must have defied all classification when it was first released. They also get a little silly with it, like on Giggy Smile (great track). Also these Krautrock albums never overstay their welcome, they always just deliver 45 minutes of great psych jams.
Vibey and kinda cool, Jennifer was so sick for no reason but otherwise Experimental Rock to Chill and Space Out To 5/10
Pre-Giz Giz-Mizzard. 6 Giz Miz Oiz 10 Liz Wiz
That was weird. Giggy Smile is quite cheerful though. Sometimes the volume dynamics are a bit much.
Never heard of them but actually liked the album a lot. Hard to define but very psychedelic.
Not really my favorite, as far as Krautrock goes. A lot of it is noisy and abrasive, but I don't really hear much more than that. Doesn't have the groovy jams of Can or the vibes of Ash Ra. The Wiki states it's more experimental than actual music, but I don't really see it's experimental nature as being that much more ahead of the curve compared to other early 70's experimental work. Picnic On A Frozen river makes a great song for the Garfield Kart soundtrack though.
Krautrock. En sjanger jeg ikke har stort kjennskap til. Når jeg lytter til dette, kan jeg forstå hvorfor. Selv om enkelte av sangene har sin appell, fremstår albumet som helhet rimelig sært. Top 3: Picnic On A Frozen River (…), The Sad Skinhead, It’s A Bit Of A Pain
Wow. I hate it, but what a fascinating history......with a special guest appearance of Richard Branson.....so weird. Actually it's not so bad. Faust is included as a representative of Krautrock, which was Germany's post-WWII (1960's) counter culture attempt to create a unique "German" music identity while separating themselves from both their Nazi history as well as the soft power of the UK and US. With the US and UK dominating the music industry, Germany wanted their own German culture and sound. The result being Krautrock. Makes total sense. I feel like Kraftwerk is probably the most famous Krautrock band, but maybe Faust was chosen because they had a brief moment outside of Germany thanks to......Richard Branson of Virgin Records. Briefly listen to Kraftwerk - The Model and it is 100% what I think of with German music outside of Rammstein. You really hear the electronic, synth weird style that Krautrock is going for and it's totally unique in the 70's....before Synthpop popped up in the 80's in the US/UK. Really cool. Back to Faust, there is less synth reliance in this album, and it's a lot more "rock" but there are still those weird elements in there like the xylophone and laser sounds in The Sad Skinhead. There are also psychedelic, droning elements that identify the genre like in Jennifer or Krautrock, the first track. The first track for me......is just horrible. It's like a 12 minute intro to something that never happens. Jennifer and some of the other tracks are more tolerable though. I know this is kind of a characteristic of the genre, but holy moly some of the tracks drone on and on for way too long. Krautrock and Giggy Smile could just cut off by 75%. It's A Bit Of Pain.........includes a bit of pain, which is incredibly obvious when listening to it, so I guess it's aptly titled. What a troll song. It's a weird album, but I love being able to learn about some of these sub-genres and the history behind them. Again, Faust probably isn't the best representative of this genre, but probably one that is most agreeable to "the West" (meaning the Cold War West). Glad this is included rather than another Elvis Costello album.
Musikk fra et kjipt, eksperimentelt sirkus. Men godt driv, det har de.
Weird but cool 3.5 but I'll round up
What occurred to me when searching through Apple Music to find this album is that all these ‘Krautrock’ bands have a massive discography requiring lot of scrolling to find what you want. Which is a wasted effort because when you select one album you could have selected any of the many others because they all sound the bloody same. Which leads me to believe that the reason their discography rivals War and Peace is down to thinking about one simple idea played on a synth and then putting that on a loop for as long as the ‘composer’ deems necessary to fill an album. The only addition needed then to relieve the boredom is to sample some random industrial sounds and insert them at a point where the listener is about to fall asleep. Simples! Wish I had thought of it back in the 70’s and I’d have been celebrating the release of my 1000’th album instead of writing inane stuff like this. 1/5 22/12/25
It’s not so terrible it makes you cringe, but it’s weird enough to make you wonder exactly who needs to hear this before they die? Certainly not me.
weird as shit
Sort of an odd one. It was... fine. Didn't hate it, but unlikely to listen to again.
I like the first album, but this is pretty bleh. 2/5
The Good: We have a fist! The Bad: 4 fists might be a little difficult to handle… The Ugly: The one german actually taking the 4 fists… Okay, the above is a little sick… and I should apologize. However, I am trying to play catch up on ranking albums which I needed to listen to for an additional time or two, and this one’s been hanging out for a month now… I’ve never understood what krautrock is all about, nor what it actually entails, as most of the krautrock albums I’ve listened to during this journey are all different. During the first spin I did not like it. During the second spin I really like it. During the third spin I had no idea what I was listening to… Maybe that is the trick to krautrock? Anyway, though the songs last too long, I know that I really enjoyed this album as background music while working on some excel… so 4* so that I don’t forget about it.
This album drags on for way too long. 11 minutes for a song that starts with a looped track then just keeeeeeps goiiiiiinnnngggggggg. This album might have been good if you grew up in the 60s and 70s and were on LSD when this album released. The Deluxe album has extended versions, and I promise it is not worth the extra time to listen to the same loop for an extra 3 minutes per song. It is quiet and repetitive, so maybe as background noise but it also feels too abrasive to not pay attention to. There is no flow between tracks. this album is just 20 different ideas mashed into over an hour of music. Dieses Album ist wirklich schlecht Stand out tracks: The Sad Skin Head - Started out strong then was kind of just meh. Jennifer - The first one minute was okay.... the middle 5 minutes was too many minutes... the last minute was unexpected and a nice change of pace. Giggy Smile - is the first time on this album that I felt like I was listening to a song that had thought put into it and not just a few guys in a studio for the first time playing with all the equipment.... oh no, one of them found a saxophone laying around. and they all forgot they were playing a song together. it just ends abruptly after 4 minutes of the same loop.... It's a bit of a pain - soothing..... and then its not. they discovered more knobs on the tape recorder that makes it make weird noises that don't belong in the song.
I don't really have much to say about this. it was...fine? in a historical way? I don't know.
A masterpiece of disciplined restraint; and boring af with it
Went into this with very low expectations, and was pleasantly surprised. Still didn’t love it, but it was listenable.
Ну не понимаю я такую музыку
Great to properly listen to some Krautrock, having been generally aware of the genre vand a bit familiar with Kraftwerk. Very interesting how this switches, often within the same song, between electronic noises that feel decades ahead of their time and much more conventional seventies psychedelic rock.
I’d listen again, but pretty random, psychedelic rock is fun to listen to
deu me dores de cabeça
Never heard of these guys and wasn't sure what to expect after that nearly 12 minute opener of straight up noise, almost like controlled chaos. What followed was actually a delightful collection of songs with mix of sharp angular guitars, flowing instrumentals, weird experimental sounds, simple but driving beats. Actually really enjoyed the album by the end of it!
Ok, so not my vibe, but certainly interesting to hear. I won't seek this out, though I respect the independent nature of the recording.
This album features some of Faust’s more avant-garde, experimental tracks, leaning into unconventional instrumentation and freeform structures, as well as meditative pieces driven by hypnotic rhythms. On the other hand, tracks like “The Sad Skinhead” and “Giggy Smile” have a more melodic, playful, and quirky tone to the mix. It’s definitely a must-hear for anyone interested in experimental music.
To pull off long one-chord jams like the ones that appear on *Faust IV*, it's essential to keep the elements within moving and shifting throughout, and on tracks like the opening number "Krautrock", the band successfully pulls that off. Droning and pulsing guitars set the direction in the foreground, but behind that synthesizers, bass and drums weave hypnotic melodies and rhythms. The album also has a few songs (like "Jennifer") that successfully merge pop/rock elements with the avant-garde leanings while still maintaining a coherent whole. It's not all successful though - closing track "It's A Bit Of A Pain" is an uneasy mix of the two, especially with its at-times abrasive sonics. Also, the jokey pop songs on this record like "The Sad Skinhead" (!) try to inject some humor into the proceedings but instead break up the mood of the album.
One thing I'm learning from this project is that I have unexpectedly high tolerance levels for 1970s experimental electronic music. I've already discovered I like Brian Eno and Suicide, and it turns out I like Faust too. I'm now intrigued for what other krautrock may be coming my way, as it's a genre I'd always been a bit daunted by.
I liked parts.. but then they ruined it with their techno stuff.
This is huge sh*t. You can always make it pass by the way of intellectualism to make it sound good, say it’s a precursor of better music bla-bla-bla But there is nothing to take of the 11 mins of the first track. 2 stars because one or two songs are interesting, nothing more. The album as a whole is sh*t.
Hmmm
Surprised at this one, I really quite liked it -
Absolute crud
Not bad! I think I was expecting something more experimental, but it hit the spot of weird and familiar. Favourite Track(s): Jennifer, Giggly Smile Least Favourite Track(s): Just A Second (Starts Like That)
I can hear how this influenced later work and indeed, continuing to listen to the algorithmic radio station generated for this album I heard a lot that came from this work. Not my favourite work of theirs but formative.
What the fresh hell
Excellent stuff, some of krautrocks finest left field offerings, a big tick.
Gear: SIMGOT EA1000 Fermat Artwork: 🏢📁🔶 Production: 👂🧈🔎 Music: 🔄🍄🟫🌀 Rating: 🐩🐩🐩🐩(🐩)5
Although I like a lot of stuff similar to it, krautrock is something I couldn’t fully get into. I don’t mind repetitive music, but the problem with krautrock for me is that it usually doesn’t build up to anything while also not layering or progressing the repetitions as much as I like. Look at something like Swans. Their songs have a lot of repetition, but the reason why they feel so good for me is because there is a lot of subtle detail and progressions that keep them exciting. Their repetitions also either build up to something big or slowly grow in intensity on their own. I feel that post-rock is a logical evolution of krautrock and it feels a lot more exciting because of that. I just think it’s a genre that I should like, and I’m kind of annoyed I don’t enjoy it that much. I did like this album, though. It is repetitive but not really monotonous, and it had a lot of cool experimental stuff. Not something particularly exciting for me, because it’s krautrock, but still enjoyable. 7/10
Heavy krautrock? Oh yeah! Not my favorite krautrock album, love the noise and repetitiveness, enjoy when they get in a grove.
Always know I’m in for a time™ when an album is described as a bands “most approachable” or “straightforward”
I expected the interminable (if influential) beep-boops of Kraftwerk and was relieved when I heard a real hi-hat in the background. Don't get me wrong, there are beeps and boops and some weirdness. The end of 'Just A Second' devolves into semi-coherent noise. It's kind of fun, though -- it asks us when the song ceases to be melodically and rhythmically organized. Overall, I get why this is included in The List. It's neither haughty prog nor straightforward blues rock. It's very German. It's also quite lovely at times. All together, it's a nice album and an interesting snapshot of a scene (70's West German krautrock) that I knew nothing about. I think it's likely that an avid pilgrim on the journey through The List will enjoy this and hear its echoes in other work. Reminds me of Sigur Ros and Godspeed You! Black Emperor in a very pleasant way. 4/5
So very yes
Who dis? Beat expectations
Turned it off after the sheer dizziness of Giggy Smile
High highs; low lows
My really intense roommate in Prague was obsessed with this album and got me hooked on it too. Oddly nostalgic. Krautrock is great.
Very fun to listen to! And all over there place with genres.
Horrible.
Very artistic.
Lucky 4
Very early 1970s sound. Had never heard of them before. German prog rock.
Germans are weird
This was a really interesting listen and great for work time. I will definitely listen again.
I don’t know what I was expecting krautrock to mean but it wasn’t this. I enjoyed it but doubt I’ll be back.
It's such a weird mix of britpop and long jazzy instrumentals. Every time I enjoyed something it would either end too soon or outstay its welcome by several minutes. I think a creative editing pass to fix the pacing would go a long way but then they'd have to write more than 20 minutes of music (padded out to 45 or whatever with the long jammy tracks) Ultimately I did like listening to it enough to give it a decent score but it could have been a lot better.
It's weird but not in an interesting or experimental way. A lot of repetition, elements that never quite come together, and a lot of repetition. was leaning toward a generous 2 before I heard giggy smile
Pretty, catchy, and disturbing. A real mix of styles here - flashes of brilliance and absurdity in equal measure. Songs shift right where you're standing and everytime you think you have an idea of where a song is going it changes. However, they never forget the hooks. Best Tracks: Krautrock; Jennifer; Giggy Smile
Woof, this was an interesting one. Not my kind of music, I listen to Zappa sometimes and some Iron Butterfly, but outside of that, this was just experimental noise. Won’t revisit.
Meh. Too long, and I didn't care for it.
Melkoista pilipali musiikkia. Vaikea kuvailla, ei kuitenkaan mitään kauheen miellyttävää. Aika junnaavaa. Parhaat: Lauft....Heisst Das Es Lauft Oder Es Kommt Bald..Lauft
After the first song I thought this was a 1 star fpr sure, but it grew on me a little bit. Still nothing I’m likely to revisit but I’ll say 2 stars, even though I skipped through most of the latter half.
So 2.5 but I'd really need to dig into this album more for a better sense of it. Don't hate it, but let's call it, "incomplete" for now.
Um, no.
I could not finish this album Faust enough! Thank you, I’ll see myself out
OK.
Not feeling this one. Not sure what they are trying to achieve here other than being ‘experimental’. Which is all well and good but it’s all over the place. It’s like they’re trying on a few different styles bur they’re not particularly good at any of them
Faust aren't even among my favourite bands in the krautrock-sphere, but I'd say this is their best album and still better than 95% of the music on this list, so I can't help but give it a solid 5/5.
Bloopy - definitely one I think will grow on me if I revisit
Not great, but not good and not terrible. Ryan did describe it as noise.
what the FUCK is krautrock?
Lost interest quickly.
4/5
It was better than some of the others in this genre. Decent background music.
I don’t have any thoughts
Fine. I mean they were at least kinda interesting unlike most of the other krautrock we've had (looking at you Kraftwerk). Didn't really love but could appreciate the innovation.
such a weird album-kind of all over the place style & sound wise. case in point-Piano Piece. really enjoyed it & will bump it up from 2.5 to a 3
interesting...
A Krautrock classic, this album is as pure as can be. There's elements of Avant-Garde, Psychedelic, Drone and it all mesh perfectly. An experience one needs to have. Closing track It's a Bit of a Pain blends it's all together in a nice little package that's only 3:06 Best tracks: Krautrock, Jennifer, The Sad Skinhead, It's a Bit of a Pain 5/5 stars would return
This grew on me as I listened. It’s like a German Pink Floyd (early Floyd rather than DSOTM onwards Floyd). I liked it, instruments were cool and though I couldn’t understand them, I liked the vocals when they were there.
I liked the first instrumental song on the album, but found the rest of the album disappointing. I couldn't stand the vocals, and found even the other instrumental tracks grating. Not a great introduction to Kraut Rock.
For its age it's a pretty interesting and intriguing album, but I'm personally not a fan.
I'd have to listen to it a bit more, but I'm feeling like a risky 4 for Faust IV. Not that I feel like it was anything great, but it was experimentative and pleasant
The more I listen to Kraut Rock, the more I dig it. Very influential. A bit weird at times but a good weird.
Experimental; has some nice grooves, but is overall not fully to my taste
Couldn't make it until the end 🙉🤮
++: Krautrock, The Sad Skinhead, Giggy Smile / Picnic on a Frozen River, Deuxieme Tableau, Läuft...Heisst Das Es Läuft Oder Es Kommt Bald...Läuft, Run, It's a Bit of a Pain +: Jennifer, Just a Second 8,8/10
It was not as bad as the first song. Kann man mal mit Sauerkraut verzehren.
i understand how this album has a cult following and it could be a vibe but the cutting of the sounds doesn’t agree with me but i respect it.
A whole lot of nothingness, and the parts with actual music were pretty joyless
This was straight up fucking noise to me. I feel like I would be more interested in this genre but I dunno man....
Очередной альбом какофонии
Yeah, I’m weird but not this weird. I prefer the CAN kind of Krautrock
Album No. 0062 on my list. For whatever reason, I’ve never listened to much Krautrock so far. Faust IV was a completely new listen for me. I actually find it quite okay! I don’t think it’ll ever be something that really gets to me, really touches me. But I can a) appreciate the experimental nature of this and see its influence in the music that came after it. And b) some parts of this are kinda groovy, kinda nice. “The Sad Skinhead”, and “Jennifer” were my favorites. Some songs consisted of very long instrumental droning parts. Didn’t like that too much, even though I - again - appreciate the influence these pieces of music had. In total, it’s a narrow 2 stars, even though I could have comfortably given 3 as well. Looking forward to listening to some more Krautrock. 2/5 stars.
Enjoyably quirky, krautrock has been a neat genre so far
Ugh listened to this in the car and I forgot the album was playing at parts
What a treat. A krautrock experimental ambiant album. Never gets boring. A hidden gem
Not for me
I suspect this is an album which will do different things to different people’s brains. For me, it’s more of a sample tape showing off the textures, arrangements, production and transitions this group are capable of with Faust rarely organising themselves into “a song.” This is obviously completely missing the point of what the band are trying to do. They want a feel of organised chaos though I’d prefer it if it sounded a little more improvised and organic. Due to these personal tastes Jennifer and Lauft… are the obvious highlights to me.
Yeah that was a solid to high 4 for me, will be returning to this one a lot - missed out on a 5 because I didn’t like the more silly elements - I like my psych strange but not quite silly!
Overall, a bit meh because this whole thing was just sounds, but not in a bad way, for sure.
Well these guys came out of the gate strong on Faust IV and told us this is Kraut from the get go . Spacey and fantastic stuff here that will surely go under appreciated by the 1001 crowd who yearn for more basic bullshit. 4 stars
Bonus point for Sad Skinhead but great album overall
Thoughts before listening: This one will be new to me. Being from 1973 I'm going to guess this is some sort of European prog rock. Based on the minimalist album cover I will also guess that it leans toward a krautrock or maybe early electronic style....but I really have no idea. Review: Well, the first song is called "Krautrock" so it seems my guess was correct 😂. This is album is actually all over the place with some definite krautrock influences, but this is more eclectic than just being Kratwerk wannabes. They definitely feel more lighthearted and less mechanical than their krautrock contemporaries, almost reminding me of a jamband who just gets into the studio and throws a bunch of ideas out to see what sticks. "Giggy Smile" and its sax/keys jam is probably my favorite part of this album. Overall I'd give this 3-stars.
Liking this makes me a certified RYM user. Right?
It always amazes just how influential and ahead of their time these early 70s krautrock albums are. I love the atmospherics on this album, but it also uses progressive song structures and does nothing but take chance after chance - which I love. 4.0/5.0: Great
what a weird album. kinda reminded me of talking heads at some points. im not sure how much id listen to it again but there was so much variation it kept me engaged the entire time which is more than i can say for the majority of albums on here.
Interesting album, hypnotic though not as frenetic as other krautrock records I had listened to before.
As much as I love Krautrock, I never quite got into Faust. CAN seemed to set the template for a new kind of rock music, Neu! worked with drones, Tangerine Dream championed ambient electronics, and Kraftwerk fully embraced synthesizers at the willing expense of their humanness. But I just never knew what to make of Faust. It's perhaps more avant-garde than some of their contemporaries, embracing bits and pieces of other Krautrock styles and a lot of musique concrete. It feels less focused and maybe a bit less memorable overall. But giving it a real chance here, there are some gems. "Jennifer" in particular is an amazing song and a clear highlight. It sounds like it may have inspired a lot of the early shoegaze bands. The layer sampling and tape loops may have been too much for all but the most dedicated Krautrock fans, as Faust aren't remembered quite as fondly as the others and they broke up after this album. All despite counting Richard Branson as a fan. Having said all of this, it makes for a great deep dive into the genre.
going places, smashing faces
(5) amazing
Interesting?
This is the kind of record that makes you question your life choices. This thing tested my patience. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions Jennifer Piano Piece
Wer es mag. Ich nicht!
Can someone enlighten me on what the hell this was and why I needed to hear it before I die!!
yea that sucked....moments where you think, hey this part is actually pretty good, which they immediately subvert by playing random out of tune notes or irritating sounds like a digital frog....
it's giving nirvana
I enjoyed this album much more than I expected. So layered and unique. Felt the mix of both the 60's and the 70's with this album.
Would be ok as a some background music