If I Can have wings then you Can have some more.

Can-Tago Mago-1971
Krautrock, experimental, progressive.



















After a rather crazy weekend involving red wine, 5AM vodka, Hawkeyes struggling to another win and a haunted cornfield, today is thankfully another lazy Sunday, which means another lazy Sunday afternoon post for you guys, and a huge step in out journey through Can's discography, in the first of their three masterpieces; "Tago Mago", "Ege Bamyasi" and "Future Days". "Tago Mago" is the first full album to feature Damo Suzuki after his warm up on the previous album "Soundtracks". The album is one of my favorites, one I will never get old off. Its depth, creativity, composition and sheer crazyness of the album makes it for me one of the essential albums I post on this blog.

All the songs are excellent, with the first half being the stronger, mainly due to its listenability, as the 2nd halfs swirling noise in the epics "Aumgn" and "Peking O" are hard to access for quite some listens through the album,

The first half contains 4 near perfect songs, songs in a style and of such pure expression that hadn't been heard before. "Paperhouse" is the album opener, its downbeat pulse and flowing keys work to create something simply beautiful and the rather simple sympathetic guitar creates a sad yet honest feel to the song. Its not until Jaki Leibzeit's drums really kick into the song after the first few minutes that you get a true idea of where this album and band are heading. The rest of the song is a swirling organised sonic mess of epic proportions. Damo's sound, tone and lyrics really work well, and the band have much more creative freedom than with Mooney. The pause in the middle is just enough time to catch your breath before the ferocious closer to the song, in which Irmin Schmidt pushes along the band with great force straight into the next song "Mushroom".

The song is even more downbeat than "Paperhouse" bordering on insanity, the torment displayed in Damo's muttered lyrics influences the whole feel of music, this song portrays madness so well, its hypnotic. A huge explosion begins the next song and what a stunner it is, 7 minutes of pure brilliance.
"Oh Yeah" is an atmospheric consuming juggernaut. Damo's backwards singing creates a rather uncomfortable feel from the out, and Jaki's drumming is truly magnificent on this song and especially the next "Halleluhwah". I've listened to both songs just to absorb the drumming and vocals as something by themselves. But really the main ethos of Can and why they are so good is the fact that the band has no egos, its not about virtuoso performances and long decadent solos that would plague English progressive music, its about creating fluid, meaningfully expressive music, the skill its takes to turn 5 individuals in to one sound is much more than simply technical prowess.

"Halleluhwah" is 18.32 minutes long, but do not let you put you off, its a stunning song and as mentioned a testament to Leibzeit's drumming expertise. It has a similar feel as the rest of the album, essentially that the drums and bass keep their heavy hypnotic rhythm whilst Karoli and Schmidt are free to explore and weave sounds together over the top, to play with and enhance Damo's vocals. One must not also forget that many of the songs came from extended jams in between takes, and that Holgar Czukay'spioneering editing techinques allow the album to not watse one note, and "Halleluhwah" is that beat-trance monster example of Can's sheer excellence.

Side two contains the swirling madnesses that are "Aumgn" and "Peking O" as well as the closer "Bring Me Coffee Or Tea". "Aumgn" is a wonderful listen, dark and disturbing but with a hint of of the ambigious beauty that the album has at its center. It perhaps show its length too much unlike "Halleluhwah", and so does "Peking O" which are small issues in such an excellent album. "Peking O" is pure experimentalism, and Damo's song, as he chants and screams chaotically to a variety if themes and sounds. Its a crazy song, hard to fathom or make any sense out of, but that not the point, its just to enjoy 12 minutes of musical insanity.
The albums ends with "Bring Me Coffee Or Tea" a respite from the previous 30 minutes and a welcome comedown, much more peaceful than the rest of the album, yet still fits in wonderfully.

Tago Mago was an album not appreciated commercially or critically at the time, yet at least now is being heard by more people. A true masterpiece of the era, its pioneering, deep, beautiful. A gargantuan in experimental music, it has influenced nearly all those who have heard it. One should see this as an album, however I have described the songs.
Next time will be "Ege Bamyasi" the 2nd flawless album by Can from 1972.
Enjoy
jamscoopa

Info
Paperhouse Live (on youtube)
Spoon
AMG
Please buy this album from a good retailer or:
US
UK
Or please delete after 24 hours and then buy:
Oh yeah (256kbps)