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Classic LPs for vinyl returnees No.12

Kraftwerk. Trans-Europe Express

This, and Kraftwerk's later album Computer World were no only major steps forward in what electronic music might sound like, but were highly influential on subsequent hip hop & dance music (starting with Planet Rock). Trans-Europe Express' title track is along form mesmeric deception of rail travel & sounds unlike anything that went before. This LP showed the real promise of electronics for pop!

#VinylCoreCollection #music

Cover: Kraftwerk. Trans-Europe Express with band rendered on cover in high contrast colour photograph intending to look like a 50s catalogue photo

nick rothwell

@cassiel@post.lurk.org replied · 9 hours ago

@ChrisMayLA6 I think Radio Activity is a stronger and more creative album, and The Man Machine was where the sound design and production really kicked up a gear…

Emeritus Prof Christopher May

@ChrisMayLA6@zirk.us replied · 8 hours ago

@cassiel

Indeed, there was a wealth of choice... I chose TEE primarily due to its explicit onwards influence, but in other circumstances I would have taken Kraftwerk's output in the round - they really were doing something very very different - I saw them in Hammersmith in the early 1980s & they completely blew me away that night - really (in the rue meaning of the word) awesome!

nick rothwell

@cassiel@post.lurk.org replied · 4 hours ago

@ChrisMayLA6 And of course they were set on that path (post-Radio Activity I think?) by the xenophobic article in the music press by Lester Bangs.

Emeritus Prof Christopher May

@ChrisMayLA6@zirk.us replied · 22 minutes ago

@cassiel

Aha, I din't know that.

nick rothwell

@cassiel@post.lurk.org replied · 4 hours ago

@ChrisMayLA6 Agreed, in terms of cultural influence TEE was probably the biggest at the time, though these days probably more TMM and CW (and more retrospectively, Autobahn). Saw them on the CW tour in (I think) 1981.

Dr Susi Arnott

@SusiArnott@mastodon.green replied · 9 hours ago

@ChrisMayLA6 Took me back! Found myself checking Wikipedia- recorded 1976, released 1977 (and yes, Showroom Dummies:)

Richard Webb

@Fasgadh@mastodon.scot replied · 9 hours ago

@ChrisMayLA6
For years I was aware of the album., but I only heard snatches of it in the background here and there while I saved up to buy it. No radio play.