Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Wasn't expecting this kind of sound, really nice ambient chill record. Very fitting for this list.
Hard to know what to think about his album on one listen. It for sure needs multiple listenings to grasp it. Seems pretty great on the surface and I think it would only improve on multiple listenings.
As I proved couple times on this list already, I'm not a big fan of krautrock, or the German alternative scene from 70s and 80s. It usually feels like experimental use of synthesisers without much content behind it, all form or structure without plot. It feels different on this album, NEU! '75. I have a feeling this record is a missing link between traditional rock and electronic music and krautrock itself. Although there is still plenty of room for experimental passages of ambient electronics, especially on Side A of the album, the other side has thematically ventured into a completely new territory - krautrock with a big ROCK part. I was very positively surprised by the song "Hero", opening the second part of NEU!'75. The use of double drums playing the same beat, plus a slightly aggressive vocal by Klaus Dinger, together with his electric guitar and electronic sounds in the background, give a totally unique, but authentic feel. The track somehow takes the punk, or even hard rock into the future (at the time). I have read that this song has inspired many bands and singers to experiment with their sound more, and I am not surprised, this really feels like a small stepping stone in those genres. Overall, the album is very interesting, although the difference between both sides seem a little bit off - in the end its just two completely different half-albums, with not much in common. But the innovative approach of the second part deserves a higher grade and more recognition than it has now.
Das ist gut. Had spotify recommend Neu! to me before but this album was better than what was suggested then. Few reviews saying Leb Wohl is the best track but i thought it was the weakest. Other reviews giving it a 1 due to the first few tracks conning them into thinking it's a chill out album then Hero rocks up and fucks it hahaha. I thought Hero was decent, fuck the press - you're god damn right. That's punk right there Deerhunter you stupid bastards.
Merci d'être passés
very good, close to 5
Interesting. very very interesting
Old electronic music has such a cozy feel.
Yet another illustration of why I absolutely adore this whole 1001 Albums project. I'd never heard of this band nor heard any of their music, and without this project, it's a near certainty I never would have. I am glad I did. This album is fantastic! Incredible that it was made in '75. If you played it for me and told me it was just recently recorded and released, I'd have believed it. Their compositional and arranging skills are excellent, and I love the way they performed and recorded their tracks. Some beautiful piano work on some of the pieces. Lovely and understated. For a rock/pop group to show that kind of intelligent restraint, especially in the mid-70s when so much music was rockin' so hard (which I also love, but that was the common trend), this is refreshing. And when they kick into the rock high gear mode for the second side of the album, they cut some real solid tracks in that style, too. I can hear how they influenced quite a lot of bands that followed. I will come back to this album and I must explore the rest of their catalog. Thank you, 1001 Albums Project!
Cool and pleasant. Alternatively meditative and (lightly) energizing. Best songs: “ISI,” “Seeland” “Leb Wohl” and “E-Musik." More satisfying than Kraftwerk, but not without clunkers, such as "Hero," the grating vocals of which breaks the proto spa-chill effect.
This krautrock stuff is not too bad. Hadn't heard of this genre before I got the Faust album earlier, and I definitely enjoy it. Kinda chill and spacey. Feels pretty advanced for 1975. 4 stars.
Thoroughly enjoyed this! Many different sounds, similar vibe, had nice flow start to finish. Gonna check em out a lil more.
Really interesting album and was perfect to grade papers to.
Très bonne vide! Je connais rien du band, ça m'a donné le goût d'en écouter plus!
Surprisingly nice, I am very diffident toward german music, but it was enjoyable, nothing amazing but a good background
I enjoyed NEU! 75, it's well balanced, short and sweet, and varied enough to be interesting. Leb Wohl is outstanding and lifts this to a low 4/5, impressive.
I... really liked this... After the Can album (which was a bit too much for me) and Kraftwerk (bit too repetitive and creepy), I thought that Krautrock probably wasn't for me, but this was great. Lovely transition over the course of the album from some really mellow electronica to something approaching heavy metal at the end - I liked it all, but definitely enjoyed the second half more. Sounds incredibly modern for something made in 1975, certainly feels fresher than the Kraftwerk album which came out a couple of years after it. 4/5, really strong.
Great stuff 👍🏼 Really interesting.
Neu that’s what I call music 👍🏾
Chill
A lot better than I thought it was gonna be. A really interesting experience which makes me want to listen to the rest of Neu's discography. The punky second half was alright but the ambient first half was fantastic. Was also cool to read their backstory of making this and their affiliations with Kraftwerk.
Very chill, unique sound
The first track is ambient but the drumming is quite strong and gives it pace. The next two songs are a little snoozy. Then we flip it over to side 2 and holy %#*! Hero is excellent as is the final track. This is hot. I recall that most of my favourite bands - Bowie, The Stones and The Who - were underperforming in the mid 70s. Side 2 of Neu! '75 has some great tunes that I could have been listening to in 1975. My loss.
Zitten leuke tracks bij.
Ratio: 0% Pretty cool album, can appreciate why it's popular. Not really my style and wouldn't listen again though. Favs: N/A Dislikes: N/A
"Isi" the opening track has that feel as if we were watching a collage of sincere moments of a Doctor Who just prior to the Doctor's regeneration. Space sounds as we have come to musically interpret are prevalent, but what is also there is a method to the seeming madness. Piano chords, mild beats, and a comprehensible melody give this album from 1975 a certain sense of mystery. Obviously, this pre-dates post-rock quite a bit but the listener can note that NEU! very much layers their tracks in that progressive way reminiscent of Ravel's "Boléro" with a repeated cadence and melody that is slowly added to with different sounds/instruments as it goes along. At a meager six tracks totaling 42 minutes, this review can afford to be a bit more comprehensive. The more surprising aspect of this album is how beautiful the piano is played on this album. Pianos have the ability for their players to impart a more diverse selection of mood, whether it be the high energy of a rock band piano, or in this case the foundational yet gentle almost-an-afterthought the listener can get here. While these are not always negatives, experimental music like this tends to get diminished when vocals get included. Starting with the third track, we get a heavy on the reverb recitation of verses, however NEU! managed to avoid a critical mistake of letting that be the song, instead using vocals as an accompaniment. The second half of the album increases in energy rather substantially, as if we entered into a punk rock phase back to Earth. Believe it or not, this is a sort of shock that after three beautifully subdued tracks, that a listener may actually find to be rather welcoming. "Hero" is very much a punk rock song, and a good one as it balances the pointless chaotic with the melodic prowess NEU! clearly exhibited in the three tracks prior... because "your only friend is music till your dying day." The final two tracks are a little more of the same, higher energy punk-rock with more comprehensive melodies, mixed with a little bit of experimental-isms, that for the most part yield an incredibly satisfying six track experience.
Great interesting krautrock, will listen to again
A band that is new to me. The sound is pretty fresh and current and this album is a must listen, if you like the synth/drum undie sound.
Vaguely remembering the first albums by NEU, this initially felt quite underwhelming. It felt quite repetitive and I could not get into a nice groove. However, as the songs passed by, things started to settle, and I found the second listen much more enjoyable. As I am still struggling with some of the songs, I have ended up with 4 stars.
Loved the instrumentals, didn't like the vocals on the other songs that much.
Swag
Älskar det här, härlig produktion, älskar alla grooves. Shoutout till denna! Stark 4
Fyrsta lagið, ISI, er algjör banger. Svo fylgja flott lög í kjölfarið, en þegar Klaus Dinger fer að pönksyngja í laginu Hero minnkar sjarminn smá. Samt... helvíti fínt.
A quiet and gentle album that downplays the rhythmic element and incorporates a stronger melodic element. It builds up like a Wagnerian climax . (7/10) FT: ISI
Relaxing instrumental, I enjoyed it
Quite interesting and likable, but the contrast (or clash) of styles presented by “Hero” undercuts the overall effect. The influence sound of that song is clear – John Lydon would steal this vocal style. and Bowie pay respects – but it belongs on a different album and maybe to a different band. Sign me up for the chiller, subtler and more evocative tracks (“ISI,” “Seeland” “Leb Wohl” and “E-Musik”), all of which have wonderful meditative hooks (like spa or chill music before it was cool). I think I prefer Neu! to the much better known Kraftwerk. Glad to know it and will listen again. However, I am dubious about the “invented the remix” claim and can’t / don’t love unconditionally, at least not initially. 3.6 for 4 (but just barely).
two halves to this album, chilled beats vibe and more guitar second half. Enjoyed both
This album really took me by surprise. I wasn’t expecting such a wonderfully layered and atmospheric album. I like when albums take their time to build and allow each layer to be savored. The sounds of wind and the ocean really added to the effect. The use of the driving Motorik beat, typical of Krautrock, kept the songs moving. The more contemplative tracks are punctuated by high energy tracks which read more like proto-punk while still featuring the droning synth in the background and the Motorik beat.
Yeah very cool. Would have appreciated more vocals on this one. Favorite tracks: Leb' Wohl, E-musik
This was an unexpected but fun ride. Not sure if I knew much of krautrock but it seems in my wheelhouse. Wish the production was just a little less sterile.
I'd never heard of this band before, and found this album pretty appealing. Definitely identifiable as a precursor for a lot of other artists I like. A good discovery
Has some good Kraftwerk Autobahn vibes. I prefer all the instrumentals to the lyrics. Still a good time for all!
Interesting music, fun to listen to, lacking vocals but enjoyed it
7/10 some lame songs, but it was pretty relaxing for most of it
7/10. Maybe even an 8 out of 10, because parts where it was just pretty sounding instrumentals were really nice, but then there'd be weird and somewhat offputting vocals from time to time.
Quite catchy for some reason. Songs were pretty long. 7/10
Dont really know what it is, but do sounds pretty good
Spacey, psychedelic. I dislike using the word "hypnotic", but "Leb' Wohl" has beach sounds, a man speaking softly, and what sounds like a steady metronome... so... A bit repetitive, but that definitely feels like it's by design. It's pleasant background music that I feel like I could dig into a bit more, or just enjoy it passively. Favorite tracks: "Seeland", "E-Musik"
beautifully repetitive, insistent, and driving
20 minutes of atmospheric soundscapes and another 20 minutes of post-punk noise psychedelic rock, years before punk rock even became a staple of mainstream music. Brilliant record.
Как очень ранний эмбиент
Ótimo álbum para concentrar nos estudos, leituras, meditação e fazer nada.
When I read psychedelic rock on Wikipedia, I was ready to give up on this. More fool me! With the exception of Heroes when they actually sing (bad decision), this is a great listen. Uplifting at times, peaceful at others.
Stilig konsept, kommer tilbake til denne
Interessante rustige muziek. Zou makkelijk als achtergrondmuziek kunnen weggezet worden maar heeft toch iets complex.
never heard of krautrock! Loved this, need to do a deeper dive into the genre. very interesting.
Cool! Been wanting to listen to them, perfect time to start. You could probably play Leb’Wohl at a yoga studio. Hero is what I’m talking about. There is a definite difference between sides 1 and 2. I really liked side 2 and especially the drumming. I don’t know if it has a name - not the motorik beat. I’ll have to listen to the other albums now :-)
Het eerste deel is heel zweverig en rustgevend, het 2e deel is wat steviger, en chaotisch. Er is dus een groot contrast binnen dit album. Was het contrast wat kleiner, ging deze volle punten krijgen
Sehr schräges Album
Leb' Wohl is perhaps the most relaxing song I've heard. Album is an enjoyable listen but not really a MUST listen 7/10
And now for something completely different and unexpected! This was like listening to two different and short albums - one almost modern electronic and softly melodic, and one with some really great unconventional psychedelic jam rock. I really enjoyed both sides, especially ‘Seeland’ and the opening track to the second half, ‘Hero’. I can definitely see the influence on Sex Pistols and Bowie.
Interesting.
Loved it Just in so many things … hard to imagine punk without it
Though there are few sections that give a hint of the era, this seems pretty timeless. Sparse in places, and more driving with a good groove in others. I couldn't tell if the vocalizations were english, german or just noises... but after getting past that, it was quite enjoyable and cool.
I enjoyed this more than I was expecting. Mostly slower, jazzy instrumental stuff, but After Eight kinda rocks.
Funky and fun, brooding
This is a very enjoyable listen. New to me but sounds fresh and interesting. Melodic and rhythmic. I will definitely return to this album 4 🌟
Great
Initially didn’t like but the more I listened the more I got it.. an intense listen but very good
This album I fully love. It’s not a particular track I like a lot or anything, it’s just the thing as a whole and the feel that permeates it. The cool german progressive cosmic energy. I also have a deep-seated allergy to unnecessary vocals, especially bad vocals over an excellent instrumental. I’m a strong believer that if the vocals don’t add something substantial and central to the experience, you're probably better off without them. /Neu! 75/ mostly had excellent judgement on this front. Overall, every track was unique and brought something new yet there was still a connection between them all. ”Isi” is like a sequel (prequel?) to ”A new career in a new town”. ”Seeland” is equally depressed and hopeful. Leb wohl has an enthralling ticking noise. Hero - annoying punk rock with nice synth arrangement. E-musik: sounds like a bouncing basketball.
This is a very enjoyable listen. New to me but sounds fresh and interesting. Melodic and rhythmic. I will definitely return to this album 4 🌟
Favourite album so far. I can't say I've explored Krautrock beyond a surface level, but it's a genre I adore. NEU! 75 was a nice step forward in my journey through this sound. // Favs: Seeland / Leb' Wohl / E-Musik / After Eight Score: Decent 4
Sounds so fresh - if you told me this was released last week I’d believe you. Fascinating, pioneering sound and points the way for so much electronica to come.
A pleasant surprise. Super boring cover doesn't really do justice to the music that's on here. You can clearly hear the influence it's had on countless bands and ambient artists, and especially on David Bowie.
Good to work to!
Jedan od najbolji Krautrock albuma. Odličan od početka do kraja, kad imam fazu Krautrocka, ovo je među prvim albumima koji si pustim.
What a little gem! Coming across albums like this that I’d never heard before is what makes rating this list so exciting for me. Most of the time I’m either broadening my listening vocabulary by way of expanding on bands I already know or landing on albums I’d never heard of from artists as equally unknown to myself. I mean who the hell is ‘Neu!’?? Well I can tell you they made at least one terrific album...this one. Track 3, Leb’ wohl, is a beautiful piece of music that transports you away to another place and time. The piano playing reminding you to take everything in and enjoy it in that moment. There are only 7 tracks but each one has a story and that story is up to you to decide. Give it a listen and allow your mind to roam free.... 4 Stars!
I do enjoy a bit of kraut in both its guises - sauer and rock.
Quite fun
Never heard this before but really liked! The two "sides" of this record are so different but both were good.
Every time I listen to Krautrock, I think I need to listen to more of it. It's amazing how such an obscure sub genre had the influence it did on the future of rock.
I really enjoy this kind of krautrock. I preferred the instrumental songs much more to the ones with vocals though.
I like it. 4/5
Really great easy listening! Would listen again!
Somewhat relaxing ambient first side that mixes electronic sounds with sounds of nature in some songs. Side two starts with a more rock type sound with drum/guitar sounds. Almost a more punk sounds with 'Hero'.
Long chill jam vibes
Very ethereal. Very minimal lyrics. Good for concentration/focus.
The exclamation point threw me off -- I was expecting some euro-centric electro-pop. But this is super chill and really surprisingly good.
honestly really good to do work to. each song is so different from each other/has a different vibe but is really consistent in its energy so you can still focus but vibe with the change of pace
Enjoyed it! Nice surprise!
Surprisingly good
Cool instruments, different sounds. Great change from a norm. Can see how this album influenced others in the 70s
Like this one alot
This is the best old album I’ve never heard of that I’ve discovered in years. First half is total John Carpenter and second half is just cool late 70s style punk.
Pretty nice little techy, almost electronica, vibes. Fun listen!
I liked this one a lot. It was some chilled-out ambient rock if that's a thing. Will look to it if I just want some quiet goodness in the background. favorite song, probably Isi because it really set the tone, 6/8 my kind of music.
Great album, love the first side especially
Soothing, atmospheric, fun!
Förvånad över att krautrock kan låta såhär !
Never heard this before - excellent!
fajne brzmienie, ale bez wiekszego pierdolniecia
I love all the NEU! albums (well, the first there anyway).
Brilliant example of early mainstream electronic music
makes for good chill background music !
Sorta lost between 2 directions. Very high peaks though
Tanvi: Liked it Rajiv: I listened to half and it was fine. Will listen later
Decent.
This was my first encounter with an entirely unfamiliar genre: krautrock, which appears to be psychedelia from West Germany in the ‘70s. True to the band's name, this was definitely a new kind of sound in 1975. Today it doesn't sound particularly exciting, but is still a rewarding listen that doesn't overstay its welcome. I’d describe the album opener “ISI” as sci-fi lounge music. “Leb’ wohl” is entirely transporting with its ambient ocean waves, though it could also put the listener to sleep. I like the use of ambient sound in general. The howling wind overtop a vaguely demonic moaning towards the end of "E-Musik" definitely intrigues and makes me lean in to hear better.
01) Isi - 7,5 02) Seeland - 8,0 03) Leb' Wohl - 6,5 04) Hero - 7,0 05) E. Musik - 7,5 06) After Eight - 6,5 TOTAL: 7,17 (72/100) Current ranking: 489/960
I remember having a heated discussion about this band’s pronunciation, its pronounced NOY I’ve been told; but that as far as I ever got with them. I love German music, electronic/thrash metal, its all-good stuff. I expected this to be really hard so was surprised about its melodic ambience. However, ultimately it didn’t emotionally reach me.
Cool but also annoying, one of those where you are interested but at the same time I was always ready to be done listening
An okay album, no real stand out songs.
I was honestly very into the ambient section in the beginning before it went punk. Then i settled into the punk and didn't hate it either. To be real, this album would be way better if there weren't any voices at all on it. It had potential but just kinda fell into being mid. Highlight: ISI
The reviews prepared me for something miserable. Shockingly I liked this well enough, not like some of the questionable choices we are presented daily (Sinatra 🤮) solid 2, maybe 3 stars
I guess it's cool to see the ways that the two main members were diverging by this point, but I don't really care for Neu as a proto-punk band. Those vocals are honestly pretty bad? But the half that's more akin to their debut is pretty fun, at least
This has a nice sound and good energy - vocals aren't much.
This was good. Never heard of them before, and enjoyed most of it. In fact, made me look and see what else they have done.
Very calm and soothing. Perfect for the right moment when you want music but not be distracted by it.
I had no idea what to expect from this group and album I've never heard of but I enjoyed it. It was interesting to consider how different krautrock from 1975 sounds from American rock from the same year. There were several songs that were exclusively instrumental and lots of use of nature sounds like waves and rain. It was only the last long that I think I could have placed as rock from the 70s. Leb'wohl and after 8 were my favorites.
Verry interesting, A lot going on. 3 stars
Instrumental parts were interesting, did not enjoy the vocals Standout songs: Seeland E-Musik
This album surprised me. There is one track with vocals that was a bit grating but I loved the ambience and quite enjoyed it the most of it. 3/5
Mostly instrumental rock so far, not bad but lack of lyrics making it hard to connect with fully. It would probably be in German, anyway. After Eight has lyrics and even through I can't understand them, it definitely grabs my attention more. Hard to realize that in 1975, this was right on the edge, it all sounds pretty commonplace now. We stand on the shoulders of giants.
I don't listen to experimental music, this is nice! just not my jam.
3.75
Heard a different album from them before and I think I liked the other one better. This is still a solid album tho 3/5
Need to relisten at some point.
Ich finde es etwas langweilig, primär weil manche Songs echt langgestreckt sind und ein trauriger Songs (Leb wohl) vor energetischeren Songs (Hero oder E-Musik) kommt, was einen etwas aus dem Vibe des Albums bringt. Ich denke, es wäre besser wenn das Album etwas anders strukturiert wäre. Zudem finde ich der Sänger klingt fett betrunken und nicht gut
I'm not sure what to make of this album, some of it is good, some of it is bad. It's all over the place.
Interesting experimental rock. The first side is very chilled with the repetition almost mesmerising the listener. The second is a little more up tempo in places and gets kinda weird with the growling in E-Musik. I can hear how this was influential.. I notice some of Neu / Can in Radiohead's more experimental work for example.
it started off so promising. 3.5 rounds down to 3.
The first half was interestingly melodic and serene, but the second half was much less my speed.
Album 202. NEU! 75 — NEU! It's like two different albums. The first three tracks are ambient and calm music, I liked it. The other three tracks are screaming rock. It's the complete opposite of the first part of the album. 3/5 No liked songs
Not my favourite Neu! Album
C'est peut-être meilleur que Kraftwerk. Je sais pus. 3.33 étoiles
Not a particularly exciting or engaging listen, but made for decent background music.
first listen it's alright
Weird, not in a bad way, but also not in a good way
So I'm just a couple minutes in to this album and all I can think is something I am reminded of very strongly - did you ever go to Disney World in like the early 90s? This sounds exactly like the ambient music playing when you first get into EPCOT Center. Like I am pretty sure that I heard this walking under Spaceship Earth at least a time or two. The second half of the album picks up a little and is closer to what I expected from this. It has some highs and lows but is mostly just kind of something to play in the background. 3/5
I liked the first 3 tracks more than the last 3. The first three were ambient and relaxing.
This started out as some really nice, instrumental music. And then it got loud and punk-adjacent, and that's a hard no from me.
It's fine. I suppose this would've been more exciting in 1975, In 2026 it's quite boring. This album isn't something I would mind having on in the background, but I don't see myself seeking it out in the future. 'Leb' whol' unnerved me for some reason, I was not a fan. Three Stars. (Favorite Track: Seeland.)
Two halves of a synth / rock album before the band splits apart which is fascinating. Begins in meditative slow atmospheric music, stuff to sit on a beach and reflect on life. The next half is more upbeat with a driving energy to push you forward on long cross country drives. The songs can feel like they drag when they get to 7-9 minutes long but what's going on isnt bad even if its not great.
Good start to the album, drifted second half
Wel geinig
De eerste plaatkant leek het alsof we weer in de filmmuziek van de Virgin Suicides waren beland. Prettige door de lucht zwevende sfeermuziek. En op kant B moet er ineens geragd worden, een 7 minuten lang zeiknummer met zeikzang. Daarna wordt het niet beter. En dat duurt het ineens allemaal... heel... erg... langggggg.
Dit album bestaat uit twee delen. We starten met Kraftwerk-achtig geluid dat ik bovengemiddeld waardeer en stappen halverwege over naar punk-geluid wat ik ondergemiddeld waardeer.
Ik heb wel eens gehoord van krautrock en meestal bevalt me dat maar zozo, dus ik heb hier niet heel hoge verwachtingen van. Al waardeert mijn Brabantse luistermaat dit met de maximale score, dus ik ga er wel even extra goed voor zitten. Het begint wel aardig moet ik zeggen, met vrij sfeervolle nummers. Op het eerste nummer vind ik wel dat de drums een standje te snel gaan. Op Seeland staat het wat beter op elkaar afgesteld, het klopt meer met elkaar. Het doet me ook wat denken aan de sfeervolle postrock zoals ik die ken, wat lange opgesponnen tracks die rustig beginnen en proberen toe te werken naar een apotheose, alleen dan zonder de apotheose. En daardoor mis je soms niet eens dat er geen zang is. Die zang komt er wel, of nou ja, zang, meer voor wat er voor door moet gaan. Net als je bijna in slaap gesust bent door de derde track, komt er van die typische 70s punk voorbij, waarbij de zanger als een ongeinteresseerde Johnny Rotten of Iggy Pop in de microfoon loopt te bleren. Het is ook een gek contrast met die muziek hiervoor die je bijna in slaap sust. Ook het laatste nummer is punky, met tussendoor Kraftwerk-achtige klanken gecombineerd met de rustigere muziek van het begin van de plaat. Het klinkt een beetje vaag en onsamenhangend allemaal, en dat is het ook. Er zitten echt toffe stukken tussen, dat op zich wel, maar ik kom er niet helemaal in. Het is hoe dan ook wel weer een beleving en veel interessanter om naar te luisteren dan het zoveelste album van Morrissey, om maar iemand te noemen. Maar ik betwijfel of ik dit uit mezelf zomaar nog eens op zou zetten. Een degelijke 3 sterren als geheel.
This was good but really disjointed it felt like two different albums
Actually the instrumental tracks are kinda good. Don’t love the punk stuff as much
I was excited to check this out as an early offshoot of Kraftwerk. Really cool album that's doing a lot for electronic music at the time, though does lean more into soft rock. Wish I liked it slightly more, one that's influential but has been surpassed. Felt like 2 separate albums and the second half whilst interesting wasn't quite as good.
not too shabby,I was going to give 4 stars but the last 2 songs kinda ruined it for me
Very surprised by this album, enjoyed it / similar vibe to the ambient airport music album
It's fine, I don't really understand why this is a must listen. Music is unoffensive and vibey I guess but really isn't a standout. Even if you like this, this is not your fav album in this genre. Fav Track: After Eight
Meditative Rock for the Aspiring Spiritualist Headbanger
Manages to sound post punk for an album that came out before punk . Kraut rock classic.
It was half good, but only half. The other tracks were basically the white noise you'd hear in a Pier One Imports.
This is good leisurely bike riding music
I mean, it's important in its own genre but i can't appreciate it fully, it lacks something
Solid if not super exciting record. I’ve heard more interesting experimental stuff over the years
I guess I always thought that Krautrock was just Kraftwerk. But this was much less austere and more cinematic. Really cool and I’d be curious to hear more.
Wasn't sure what to expect with this one but ending up kind of liking it.
More electronically inclined than their contompraries. Neu has a more electronic sound then something like Ash Ra or Can, although they aren't quite as mechanical as Kraftwerk. I feel parts of the music sound kind of dated because of it. A lot of the parts of this album also felt like waiting music for the more enjoyable parts to come back on. The ending ends off strong and with a lot more energy though. Lands somewhere in the middle for me.
It had its moments, but that was mostly short-lived
I enjoyed these songs. They’re weird but also, not. I’m not sure I get this band.
Instrumentals were great but god the vocals were so annoying
I was so bored by tracks 1-3, but loved the flying hell out of tracks 4-6. I have no idea how to rate this.
I like it. solid 3 maybe 3.5
Haven't really listened to krautrock before, and this reminds me of proto-shoegaze with its atmospheric sound and consistent rhythms. Side B tracks like "Hero", "E-Musik", and "After Eight" sound like formative punk songs. This album is best listened to with headphones on, fully paying attention to it (3.5).
Decent krautrock album, but I did not enjoy it as much as Kraftwerk’s stuff. It has some cool ideas and a few stretches where it really locks in, but overall it did not stick with me the same way. Good for what it is, just not something I got that excited about. Ironically, right after I finished it, I found out the group had two former Kraftwerk members in it.
First song was contemplative, second (maybe 2nd and 3rd, it ran on for a while) was dull. There may well be beauty, and skill in each, but that's typically not I look for in music. Then a punk vocal song came up, sorta. Punk voice at least. Sid V-like. I'm not likely to look for this band again.
I really liked the instrumentals of this album, but as soon as the singing hit it was fucking awful. Wanted to give it a 4 but the brief moment where singing was present does not deserve it.
This album started of disappointingly flat but during and after Leb' whol it got the texture and layering I'd expect from an experimental psych rock album. Enjoyable and short, probably ground breaking at the time but doesn't hold up to a modern standard. 3
Very ambient, indie sounding for the 70's
7/10 Ningún apuro tienen los Neu. Canción rescatable: Hero
makes me feel nostalgic in a way I can’t quite describe.
it sounds nice but its a lot of nothing. i think you might have to be in a certain mode in order to fully appreciate this and i am too happy rn. the vocals in Leb' wohl are scary thou fav song: Hero
I thought it would be some German metal, turns out it is way ahead of its time electronic experimental rock with some krautrock
zapravo mnogo bolji album nego što sam očekivala! prva pesma je malo spora, imaš utisak kao da će sve pesme biti instrumentali, i dok to jeste slučaj za mnoge, i fokus jeste na instrumentima, ima sporadično ubačenih nonsensical (ili ih ja barem ne razumem) vokala koji dodaju taj neki ekstra spajs celoj atmosferi albuma koja je veoma pažljivo izgrađena. kao veseliji B-side dejvid bouijevog albuma low. mislim da su ovi nemci? možda i nisu, izguglaću. after eight je stand out pesma ja bih rekla. I e-musik je zanimljiva definitivno.
Rating: 6/10
Enjoyed this.
= the Beatles
NEU! 75 is basically two different albums. There are the first three songs which sounds like lush instrumentals which seem to want to lull the listener more than challenge them with any sort of abrasive proto-punk. Then there are the second three songs which sound at times like The Rolling Stones, other times like a German version of the Clash. This is a different version of Krautrock that isn't reflected by the bleeps and bloops that punctuate other songs from Germany. The album was a compromise between two different types of sounds the band wanted to play but never sounds entirely like the band was compromising their sound. Enjoyed this one even if I am not sure I would listen to it again. My favorite tracks: Isi Seeland Hero
no clue what the hell is going on, but i'm having fun? 3.5
Krautrock is krazy, but nice background music
would have liked it better as an instrumental record. 2.75
What a weird little album! Half of it is background music the other half was really quite good! _Isi_ was slightly more energetic lift music. _Seeland_ sounded like the soundtrack in the future of _Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure_ ... and then comes _Leb Wohl_ which was brilliant, it really grabbed me as I was writing off the album... it reminded me of some of **Soulsavers** more sombre moments. Then we have two very good proto-post-punk songs in _Hero_ and _After Eight_, sandwiching more energetic muzak in _E-Musik. I'm really not sure what this album is or what it's trying to be and I can't make my mind up on it.
A band making music in 1975.
Kraft Elevator Music, but not bad.
Like this a lot more than expected. Thought it would be more industrial, but its (for the most part) melodic and trance-y. Will listen again.
Isi - 4 Seeland - 3 Leb' wohl - 3 Hero - 3 E-musik - 4 After eight - 3
I really liked this. I wish the entire album stuck with the instrumentals. Song was is great
it was fine! I liked some of the sounds, the first song made me feel like I was in a cheesy movie while I was walking to class. my fav was Leb' Wohl
I liked it, nice ambient-like rock sounds. I also like that the artist uses the same cover (with little variation) for all their albums.
I was down with the first track but the vocal stuff on Leb threw me off. It picked back up though
This came up and I was fully prepared to just copy/paste my Faust review where I mention Neu! by name as a thing that I like the idea of liking, but then it turns out actually I thought this was super great. I even did that thing where I accidentally had it on shuffle (see also, my Pentangle review) and then I wasn't even upset that I had to start ever. Shit bangs.
The charm of the first track Isi kicked off an evening dog walk as the sun peeked through and the temp finally reached the 60s. I thought this might be a 5 if it kept that energy up, but as it got more experimental it lost steam. Lots of cool sounds here though, especially for 1975.
Really original — so much that I'm not sure it would fit in my playlist — but a nice experience, especially while reading. One track was literally 10 minutes long, which was a bit annoying to be honest.
Sounds like the soundtrack to an 80s movie about temptation and regret.
Achei normal, neutro. Não me prendeu esse álbum.
A tale of two halves. The first half of this sounds impressive given that it's 50+ years old. Second half gets ruined a bit by the vocals, although it wasn't the worst voice I've heard on this list. Overall, I wish the whole thing was just instrumentals. 2.5/5.
Really keeps you guessing! I liked the first two tracks as kind of background music electronica but the 8 min Leb Wohl was a bit of a slog and I was getting disinterested and trending toward a 2, but then the album took a power pop/punk turn in the second half that I thought was really well done and totally unexpected. “E-Musik” has a bit of a proto-LCD sound system which was cool. Interesting listen overall.
Ok.
Really nice and chill, yet still memorable and
Interesting but long with little variation.
First half: whale music Second half: teenager whale music
okay inatrumental vibes were getting
Neu! is an album of half punk rock, half ambient instrumentals. The punk rock side features warbled vocals, in contrast to the silent and reflective former half. Clearly an experimental and, somewhat confused, album.
Garage rock kraftwerk!
Every track sounds like an introduction track. Like... they're the foundation for a climax that never happens. I wish this album could have actually been, well, developed. Favorite Track: "Seeland".
5/10
May need to listen again.
Very neu feeling loved the album and how it flows.
I’m listening to this and I’m thinking it’s not bad. The rain and crashing waves over Leb’ Wohl was okay. Just kind of an interesting album. I can imagine this being mind-blowing in 1975. I do hear the bands they influenced especially J Spaceman and Spiritualized so I guess it’s not as bad as I thought. The first thing I thought of when I heard Hero David Bowie so maybe I do like this more than I realized.
Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background Pleasant listen and I can hear the influence on what came after. I don't see myself enjoying this on a level much higher than background music though.
So far I’m hearing songs best suited for the intermission at the Olympics and when you are on hold while on the phone. Does anyone like that? No. Much like I question with this album. What’s special about it? 4 songs deep….nothing 5 songs deep and we finally have words…I think. This could be like that Italian guy from the 70’s who made up gibberish to sound English and sang it over a catchy beat. Or like Sigur Ros. But this isn’t anything close to Sigur Ros. Hero sounds like the Stones over a Stone Roses beat. The best song yet. I don’t understand why they wasted their time on a mostly instrumental album. When they sing, it raises their bar. This album would be decent if that was the case. I’m torn. Is it a 4? Unbelievable it almost is for me. A huge turnaround but it still has those boring instrumental songs. I’m giving it a 3 but I really mean 3.5. Sorry Choice cut: Hero
Really liked some of the relaxing tracks, seems like an interesting experimental album, would probably listen to a track or two again some time.
was really promising at first, i really liked the flowy nature of the first three instrumental tracks and then it just went fully off rails imo
The longest short album ever made.
Opens with two lovely instrumental pieces which reminds me of Kraftwerk, Public Service Broadcasting, Air, Brian Eno etc. They are atmospheric, peaceful, and simple in the right way. The third song, Leb Wohl, builds on these after a transition of rain dripping to oceans crashing, and grows a beautiful 9 minute track which you could meditate to. Then - the sound completely switches, with more upbeat guitars and PIL era Jonny Rotten style vocals... two years before Never Mind the Bollocks? It's cool, and I think listening to this in 1975 would have been very cool. A fun listen I never would have come across if not for the project. 7/10
2.5
Don’t care as much for the vocal songs, instrumentals were great tho!
Superbe 1ere moitié d’album (pièces d’ambiance). 3,5/5
Pretty cool to fall asleep to and I mean that in a good way. Could be listed on the Calm app. And then it’s kinda punk which was also nice.
Reminds me a bit of Mum at times and almost pushed it to a 4. Some very good, calm atmospheric stuff that I needed last week. In general, kinda surprised this is so old!
I didn't enjoy it, but it wasn't as bad as to deserve a 2
Wasn’t sure what to expect but this was alright
Mostly instrumental, or quiet enough vocals that it seemed that way. Nice calm background
Far less annoying / grating than I expected a krautrock album to be. This was downright pleasant for much of its runtime. If any of these tracks came on on a playlist I don't think I'd be all that upset. A big surprise for me!
The type of music I listen to during ketamine, I like it
Not bad, not familiar with much krautrock. The sort of album you probably have to be in the mood for.
NEU thanks
First part was a little cool, being primarily instrumental... And I don't remember much of the rest of it, to be completely honest
The epitome of Krautrock: German psychedelic/ambient rock
I don't think I knew what krautrock was other than it being associated with Kraftwerk. This was an interesting listen. Definitely some tracks on here I really enjoyed.
This is my ‘krautrock’ debut and I have to say it was mostly enjoyable. The instrumentals are engaging and atmospheric, shifting from upbeat to mellow tones throughout the album, almost giving off a feeling of calm that I didn't expect. The moments of wailing & shouting from the lead singer weren’t doing it for me though when he did pop up. Other than that though I will definitely be trying some more of Neu! in the future.
Not at all what I expected. Most was okay, couple of tracks were meh.
Album #1,000 Some probably innovative sounds for the time mixed in with a couple of German punk rock songs. Nothing special nowadays.
it was good, instrumental but slow
i really like the ambient side of this its giving sigur ros. nice
I liked the first two songs as I liked the instrumental music as it was calm and relaxing. It actually made me sad when the vocals were added to "Leb' wohl" as they took me out of the song. I enjoyed the sound of the surf as part of the music. "Hero" was definitely more upbeat and again I thought the vocals were the worst part of the music.
Not bad
The first half was some nice chill electronic rock that I really enjoyed, until they took a hard turn into some heavier punk sounds that just didn't work well at all with their style
3.2 2x
The vocal parts got too weird for me, but I enjoyed other parts. I'd listen to other stuff by them
Weird shift from A-side to B-side, but I thought this was pretty enjoyable overall.
Freaky psicadelico
I liked elements of it. Will explore Neu in a “greatest hits” way.
I've seen this album cover before. It creates a pretty strong impression - I'm always one for a little confidence in my album covers. I'm certain that I've never listened to a Neu song before, though if I'm not mistaken these guys belong to the krautrock genre. Guess I've nothing more to do than give this one a listen. Hey, this is pretty cool. Very easy to listen to with quite an interesting sound. I'm pretty sure Radiohead have aped a krautrock influence at some point in their discography, though outside of that this is my first-ever krautrock album. I've always had the impression that krautrock was lo-fi and garage rock-y, which is why I've never thought of touching this genre with a ten-foot pole. Now that I've been forcefully subjected to this music, I kind of regret not looking into it sooner. Psychedelia and ambient music are such a great pairing, and this album does a very good job of combining the two into it's own thing. Admittedly, as I have said many times before, I find it exceptionally difficult to get into ambient music and the second half of this album kind of goes out to lunch, so my opinion on this isn't as strong as it could be. Still, I want to give this album another go somewhere down the line, so I may bump it to a 4 in the future. "Isi" is a solid opener. Big fan of the polished, sleek sound. Those rippling psychedelic sounds are pretty great, and I'm a big fan of the "bum bum bum" bit during the section where it appears (I'm always hopeless at describing electronic music). "Seeland" has a cool, trance-like feel to it. Those warm guitars are very soothing, and the rain ambience near the end of the track is a great addition. "Hero" has some pretty great guitar hooks, though I must admit that the vocals don't do it for me. Book time. Didn't succeed in the beginning, though Neu are a band with a continuing influence over music. Features the first-ever remixed song (that can't be true, can it?). This album released when Neu achieved global popularity, with this being regarded as their best album. Yeah, this seems like a solid pick. I cosign this inclusion.
I don't know you guys....I love to dance
Good for a post thanksgiving food coma
I liked this as an atmospheric album, it can definitely hit on its day. I especially liked some parts of Seeland
I didn’t not like it, just nothing to write home about/indifferent; vibey instrumentals in the first part or so that sound like my alarm clock, and then it gets rockier/louder/faster in the latter part
Weird but not too bad.
fine i guess
Innovative for it's time. A bit repetitions sounding.
Nice album
A mullet album- business on the front, party on the back. Decent and interesting dichotomy displayed here. I caught a groove on “E. - Musik” and saved it for a good road trip stretch. (I can be a sucker for a 9 min jam if done correctly)
Two vastly different albums in one. No doubt a direct sign of how these two dudes couldn’t get along. From chill electronica on side A to a more in-your-face post punk electronic style on side B. And yet the album still has a well-balanced arc to it. It’s no wonder this one is cited as influential to others like Bowie, Sonic Youth and Thom Yorke.
Ha, I definitely checked about halfway through to make sure the album didn’t end and change to something else. This was def unique, honestly I didn’t mind it. Not a ton to it, so have to cap the rating
Pretty interesting. Like listening to two albums in one. Was expecting more of a straightforward electronic album but it had more to offer. 2.75/5
A plesant collection of ambiance music. Nice background for driving or working.
A strange album that seemed to change its mind at times on exactly what it was. I didn’t dislike it but nothing grabbed me enough to give it a higher score.
Pretty solid ‘dance/electronic’ album , first track was my favourite and it sort’ve lulled through the rest. Be curious to check out more of the artist though.
Not bad
not necessarily super my thing, but I also understand why it's popular. and hey, I do like some CAN music, so who am I to judge?
Interesting, I can see the influence on the 80s era sound.
Will need another listen, some great soundscapes but not normally my thing
never heard this before, rather liked it.
Isi 3.4 Seeland 3.2 Leb Wohl (Farewell) 2.8 Hero 3 E. Musik 3 After Eight 2.8 Score: 3.033333333
Having never heard of this band before I was impressed. This album had a very atmospheric vibe. 3/5
Krautrock, interesting
This is rad
This starts off rough. Isi has a nice bouncy beat, but it's pretty one note. Seeland is somehow more interesting but more boring. Leb' Wohl is 9 miserable minutes of life I will never recapture. Things pick up here though, a lot! The entire back half from Hero through After eight is great. a couple punky guitar driven tracks with a spacey/droney jam in between.
Fun album. Mixed sounds. also, very short - six tracks!
New to me.
If rock did background music. Not necessarily bad just not memorable
It was nice background music.
First three songs I was thinking 4. Last three sons (mainly 4 and 5) made me think 2. So imma settle in the middle on a 3. It is very experimental for its time which is cool and parts of it are really nice, but others are just repetitive noise and just sucks.
not familiar with them, and not fan of krautrock but opening two tracks were exact opposite of what I expected. very relaxing on this dreary day. then got to the 3rd track & it all fizzled out from there. 2.5 stars
Some strange and unusual. Some like a ghost of an old friend. I may not purchase the vinyl but I can appreciate the art.
It was okay. Mostly electronic. It would probably grow on me with repeated listens.
Pretty good
I really liked the easy listening instrumental music. Feels ahead of it's time and really rocks. I wasnt really blown away by any tracks so I'll leave it at a 3 rather than 4 stars.
This wasn't terrible, but still meh.
3.5
2.5
I likethe more spacey side, but dislikefhe more punky side. 3.5 stars
Another Earth, Wind & Fire album on this list, at least in terms of sampled sound effects. Also a bit of rain and water sounds which would spook out Maurice White, sadly. This has the hypnotic, blissed, cruising Krautrock sound which I fully expect and love from Neu! but second half is scrappier and overall it has too much of that scrappier, crappier punk feel which I do not like. Vocal Neu! Is a complete no no. 3.5.
Mellow. Nice.
It sounds newer than it is. Especially the parts with screaming. It sounds like the prototype of the heavier post-punk/wave that came a couple of years later. So I guess it's an important record. That being said, it does sound like a prototype and not the finished product.
I've lost a soldier - but the albums are keeping me company. An experimental German rock band means I can list all my favourite German words for no apparent reason: Fernweh // Torschulsspanik // Kopfkino // Geschirrklirren // Da haben wir den salat // Ohrwurm // Wolke Sounds like it features in multiple movie soundtracks. The rolling waves in Leb Wohl are soothing.
Never heard of them or this album. It's 50 yrs old, I don't expect to overturn a gem on this one... I had my money on it being Euro dance music just from the name and timeframe. I was right on the Euro thing (Germany) but they're more ambient/chill vs dance. Very relaxing music, I especially liked "Seeland" & "ISI". A switch got flipped as the second half was very different. "Hero" was so far from "Seeland" I thought the album changed, didn't care for it all and it was about 4 minutes too long. Hard to gauge who they are based on the yin & yang (or oil & water) of tracks 1-3 vs 4-6. Did they create Ambient music? Is that their influence and the reason it made this list? Otherwise it was a miss for me. 3 stars but closer to 2.
Atmospheric, weird. The instrumentals are good & interesting. It's uneven though. Weird Atmospheric instrumentals then punk inspired rock. Emusik is a mixture of both. This is right in middle. 3 or 2.5
I appreciated that this was a different sound than the majority of the list and that it came from a country that wasn’t the US or UK. I was also shocked that this is from the 70s because it had a much more modern sound. I figured this was from the early 2000s at first. Not all of it was to my taste, and it doesn’t hold a ton of replay value for me, but it was enjoyable enough, and I’m glad I listened to it. I appreciate being exposed to this kind of music even if it’s not my favorite.
Was enjoying this at first but it got a bit too repetitive for me. 5/10
I was very tired when I started listening to this and almost fell asleep at work bc it’s soothing
This album was an unexpected, fun listen. It’s definitely going on the “Mushrooms” playlist. You know what’s never going on the “Mushrooms” playlist?… KISS’s 1998 abomination “Psycho Circus”.
Cool, but also a bit boring?
With both its lulling, swooping ambient sections and more vigorous high-tempo sections that put the “rock” in “Krautrock”, NEU! ‘75 is another one of those albums that serves more as a keystone to subsequent music that branched further out from what’s contained in this record. Without this we wouldn’t have blah, blah, and of course blah. That’s how these things tend to go. So I’m grateful that this exists. And I enjoyed my listening of it. But do you need to hear it before you die? ... Only if you’re into this sort of thing.