01	Ruckzuck						07:50
	02	Stratovarius						12:10
	03	Megahertz						09:33
	04	Vom Himmel Hoch						10:04
	05	Die Roboter						06:12
	06	Spacelab						05:55
	07	Metropolis						06:01
	08	Das Modell						03:43
	09	Neonlight						08:54
	10	Die Mensch Maschine						05:32

Kraftwerk: self-titled
Germanofon (941001)
Germany 1970

Note from Joe: As far as I know, all releases on the now defunct Germanofon 'label' are not official pressings. Nevertheless, official copies are not expected to be forthcoming in the near future for any of the stuff released by Germanofon.

Ralf Hutter, organ, tubes;
Florian Schneider, flute, violin, electric percussion;
with Andreas Hohmann, drums; Klaus Dinger, drums

Tracklist:
1. Ruckzuck - 7:47
2. Stratovarius - 12:10
3. Megaherz - 9:30
4. Vom Himmel Hoch - 10:12

total time 39:37

Joe McGlinchey:
Kraftwerk's first couple of albums as a duo (Kraftwerk, Kraftwerk 2, and Ralf und Florian) are nowadays all but disavowed by the band's founders and still-leaders, Ralf Hutter and Florian Schneider. These releases show a very different side than the later releases that have since become the sacred cow currency of alternative popular music criticism. As such, these beginning albums are usually hailed as the 'true forgotten masterpieces' of the band. Whether or not you'd classify this as 'prog rock' depends on how liberal your definition is, but if it has something to do with extended pieces and experimentalism, then this one meets it. The minimalist feel here is firmly in the Neu!/Cluster/Harmonia camp of Krautrock (the common denominator for all being the engineer and producer Conny Plank). That being said, I find this debut to be vastly overrated, and quite frankly, rather boring. The compositions here are just a bit too unrefined, unoffensive, and unobtrusive for me to get really swept up into it. So, while I can appreciate how different this sounds from the later 'proto-techno gods' era of Kraftwerk, I have to say I must more or less concur with Hutter and Schneider's assessment.

Other resources:
Gee, I wonder if one can find out about Kraftwerk on the WWW. ;)
Knock yourself out with this hub.
There's also the Kraftwerk Webring.

Artist Kraftwerk
Album Title Kraftwerk 1
Date of Release 1971

What might have been simply seen as an agreeable enough debut album has since become something of a notorious legend because Kraftwerk, or more accurately the core Hutter/Schneider duo at the heart of the band, simply refuses to acknowledge its existence any more. What's clearly missing from Kraftwerk is the predominance of clipped keyboard melodies that later versions of the band would make their own. Instead, Kraftwerk is an exploratory art rock album with psych roots first and foremost, with Conny Plank's brilliant co-production and engineering skills as important as the band performances. Still, Hutter and Schneider play organ and "electric percussion" - Hutter's work on the former can especially be appreciated with the extended opening drone moan of the all-over-the-place "Stratovarius," combined with Schneider's eerie violin work. But it's a different kind of combination and exploration, with the key pop sugar (and vocal work) of later years absent in favor of sudden jump cuts of musique concrete noise and circular jamming as prone to sprawl as it is to tight focus. Having never been given an authorized CD re-release, and long since out of print on vinyl, Kraftwerk only came to wider notice again in 1993 as part of the bootleg series that also resulted in the appearance of the early Neu! albums. The connection is important, given that Neu!'s Klaus Dinger is one of the two drummers; the roots of the motorik trance and tripped-out ambient wash of the later band can clearly be heard throughout. "Ruckzuck," with its repetitive flute mantra from Schneider and the initial groove suddenly turned into a stuttering, nervous freakout, is merely one demonstration, as is the steady rise-and-fall of feedback and flute at the end of "Megaherz." As a smart reference, there's an actual picture of a "kraftwerk" - a power station - in the gatefold art. - Ned Raggett

1. Ruckzuck (Hutter/Schneider) - 7:47
2. Stratovarius (Hutter/Schneider) - 12:10
3. Megaherz (Hutter/Schneider) - 9:30
4. Vom Himmel Hoch (Hutter/Schneider) - 10:12

Kraftwerk - Producer
Klaus Dinger - Drums
Ralf Hutter - Organ, Strings, Drums, Keyboards, Vocals, Woodwind, Cover Design
Conrad Plank - Producer, Engineer
Florian Schneider - Flute, Percussion, Strings, Violin, Drums, Keyboards, Vocals, Woodwind
Bernhard Becher - Photography

1971 LP Philips 6305058
1973 LP Vertigo 6641077



Kraftwerk

Formed 1970 in Dusseldorf, Germany


During the mid-'70s, Germany's Kraftwerk established the sonic blueprint followed by an extraordinary number of artists in the decades to come. From the British New Romantic movement to hip-hop to techno, the group's self-described "robot pop" - hypnotically minimal, obliquely rhythmic music performed solely via electronic means - resonates in virtually every new development to impact the contemporary pop scene of the late 20th century, and as pioneers of the electronic music form, their enduring influence cannot be overstated. Kraftwerk emerged from the same German experimental music community of the late '60s which also spawned Can and Tangerine Dream; primary members Florian Schneider and Ralf Hutter first met as classical music students at the Dusseldorf Conservatory, originally teaming in the group Organisation and issuing a 1970 album, Tone Float. Schneider and Hutter soon disbanded Organisation, rechristening themselves Kraftwerk (German for "power station"), beginning work on their own studio (later dubbed Kling Klang), and immersing their music in the fledgling world of minimalist electronics; their 1971 debut, titled simply Kraftwerk 1, offered a hint of their unique aesthetic in its earliest form, already implementing innovations including Schneider's attempts at designing homemade rhythm machines.
A series of lineup shifts followed, and at one point Hutter even left the group; however, by the release of 1972's Kraftwerk 2, he and Schneider were again working in tandem. Recorded without a live drummer, the album's rhythms relied solely on a drum machine, creating a distinctly robotic feel without precedent - the concept of purely technological music was, at the time, utterly alien to most musicians, as well as listeners. A series of well-received live performances followed before Kraftwerk began work on their breakthrough third LP, 1973's Ralf and Florian; honing their many ambitions down to a few simple yet extraordinarily innovative concepts, their music began growing more and more revelatory - even their clean-cut, scientific image was in direct opposition to the dominant pop fashions of the time. Kraftwerk's first album to be issued in the U.S., 1974's Autobahn was an international smash; an edited single version of the epic title track was a major hit at home and abroad, and in America the previously unknown group reached the upper rungs of the pop albums chart. Performed in large part on a Moog synthesizer, Autobahn crystallized the distinctive Kraftwerk sound while making the group's first clear overtures towards conventional pop structure and melody, establishing a permanent foothold for electronic music within the mainstream.

Kraftwerk resurfaced in 1975 with Radio-Activity, a concept album exploring the theme of radio communication; indicative of the group's new global popularity, it was released in both German and English-language editions, the latter appearing early the following year. Train travel emerged as the subject of 1977's Trans-Europe Express, which marked an increased movement towards seeming musical mechanization; the line became even further blurred with the follow-up, 1978's aptly titled The Man Machine, a work almost completely bereft of human touches. By this time, the members of Kraftwerk even publicly portrayed themselves as automatons, an image solidified by tracks like "We Are the Robots." Having reached the peak of their influence, however, the group disappeared from view, the first of many extended absences to follow; they did not return to action prior to 1981's Computer World, a meditation on the new global dominance of technology - a society their music long ago predicted and predated. After topping the British charts with the single "Computer Love," Kraftwerk again vanished, enjoying a five-year layoff culminating in the release of 1986's Electric Cafe. By now, however, pop music was dominated by synthesizers and drum machines, and the group's stature flagged; but for a 1991 best-of collection titled The Mix, they remained silent in the years to follow, finally releasing a new single, "Expo 2000," in late 1999. - Jason Ankeny


1971 Kraftwerk 1 Philips
1972 Kraftwerk 2 Philips
1973 Ralf and Florian Warner
1974 Autobahn Philips
1975 Radio-Aktivitat [German] EMI
1975 Radio-Activity Capitol
1977 Trans-Europa Express [German] EMI
1977 Trans-Europe Express Capitol
1978 Die Mensch Maschine [German] EMI
1978 The Man-Machine Capitol
1981 Computer Welt [German] EMI
1981 Computer World Warner
1983 Techno Pop [Not Released] EMI
1986 Electric Cafe [German] EMI
1986 Electric Cafe Elektra

1971 Highrail Fontana
1975 Exceller 8 Vertigo
1975 Doppelalbum Philips
1976 Pop Lions Fontana
197 Robots Capitol
1981 Electrokinetik Vertigo
1991 The Mix Elektra
1991 The Mix [German] EMI/Electrola
1994 The Capitol Years Cleopatra x
1994 The Model: Best of Kraftywerk Cleopatra
1998 Concert Classics [live] Ranch Life
1998 Vor Uns Metropolis Elektrik
1999 The Best of Kraftwerk EMI


KRAFTWERK

Personnel:
RALF HUTTER kb, (C-) electronics
FLORIAN SCHNEIDER flt, vln, (C-) electronics
(KLAUS GINGER perc) A,B
(ANDREAS HOHMANN perc) A,B
(MICHAEL ROTHER g) B
(EMIL SCHULT g) D
(PLATO RIVIERA b) D
KARL BARTOS drum machine F
WOLFGANG FLUR drum machine F

ALBUMS (up to '76):
(A)same (Phillips 6305 058) 1970
(C)"2" (Phillips 6305 117) 1971
(E)"Ralf + Florian" (Phillips 6305 197) 1973
(F)"Autobahn" (Phillips 6305 231) 1974
(F)"Radio-aktivitat" (Capitol 1C064-82087) 1975
(F)"Trans Europa Express" (Capitol 1C064-82306) 1976

NB: 1 & 2 released in the UK on swirl Vertigo 6641 077.
3 also UK issue on Vertigo 6360 616.
No other German band has been of such importance to the development of international rock music as Kraftwerk have. This aspect of their career is well documented elsewhere, so I will concentrate on their early years. For the pre-Krartwerk history, please look at the Organisation entry.

In the Summer of 1970, Ralf Hutter and Florian Schneider finished their own "Kling-Klang" studio in Dusseldorf. The purpose was to experiment with electronics and new sounds without the pressure of limited studio time. For the recording of the first Kraftwerk album in the Summer 1970 they were helped by two percussionists: Klaus Ginger and Andreas Hohmann. The record company Phillips were apparently quite open minded about experimental music at the time, as they signed groups like Cluster, Zweistein and Kraftwerk within months (late 1970 to early 1971). Kraftwerk I was released in November 1970. It was a landmark of experimental music featuring Hutter's organ sounds, Schneider's flute and violin and manipulated percussion. "Ruckzack" was an experiment of musical scales and flute riffs over a strong and hypnotic rhythm backing. Indeed this was the reference point from which their characteristic "kling-klang musik" gradually evolved during the following years. "Megahertz" was filled with slowly evolving musical clusters while "Stratovarius" and "Vom Himmel Hoch" were more violent and atonal. It wasn't really an "electronic" album, as no synthesizers were in use. Instead Kraftwerk used the sounds of electronically-manipulated oscillator, organ, flute, violin, bass, guitar, drum and percussion.

Considering the unconventional music included on the album, the sales in Germany were stunning: more than 50,000 copies were sold and it also peaked at Number 30 in the national pop charts. Occasionally Kraftwerk performed live in 1970 as a quintet with Michael Rother as the fifth member. Hutter und Schneider recorded the next album Kraftwerk 2 as a duo in 1971. This time the result was more mixed. The track that strongly pointed forward was the excellent "Klingklang". A suitable name for 17 minutes of improvisation upon an electronic rhythm backing, gradually changing pitch. This was a development of the musical idea for "Ruckzack" - Kraftwerk's patented klingklang-music was born! The rest of the album was filled with brave experiments, though some of them failed, such as the dissonant and noisy musical associations of "Atem" ('breath'), "Strom" and "Tonwelle" which included added sound effects. This album also charted in Germany, peaking at Number 36.

At the beginning of 1972, Kraftwerk performed live in France and Germany with Emil Schult, later their lyrics writer, and Plato Riviera. Schult also made a comic insert for Kraftwerk's next album Ralf + Florian (1975). A far more accessible album, where their klingklang music for the first time also became "Tanzmusik" (song title)! Other great tracks were "Kristallo" and "Ananas Symphonie", showing some of Kraftwerk's most romantic sides ever.

As most of you already will know, the next thing to come was Kraftwerk's big commercial breakthrough, in Germany, the USA and UK with the album and particularly the single "Autobahn". This was an edited version of the 22 minute title track occupying side one of the album, a major electronic opus dealing with the monotonous German motorways. The synthesizer harmonics in the main theme line were simply irresistible. This was the first time Kraftwerk used naive but effective lyrics and vocals. Two other fine tracks of the album, "Kometenmelodic 1 & 2", were already available in 1973 as a single. For an ambitious USA tour (April to June 1975) Kraftwerk were expanded to a quartet, featuring Karl Bartos and Wolfgang Flur (both playing electronic percussion). For months a collective group image had been carefully planned and constructed - one of four young men with short, clean-cut hair and identical ties and suits. Soon several stupid and ignorant articles in the press formulated such questions as: 'Kraftwerk - men or machines?'. The group has retained this 'man machine' image ever since to keep the sensation-fixed press continually amused. Radio-Aktivitat (released December 1975) was their first album to appear in both a German and an English version. This was a schizophrenic kind of concept album, toying with the equivocal meaning of the title and thus dealt with both Madame Curie's dangerous inventions and the more harmless radio waves. The title track became a new hit single in several European countries, but it surprisingly flopped in UK and the USA. The album was filled with both tuneful miniatures and noisy oddities.

In the Autumn of 1976 the quartet set out on a major European tour. For the rest of the year Trans Europe Express was recorded. Here they concentrated fully on making intelligent, rhythmic and danceable pop songs, exclusively with electronic equipment. It was a classic within this field, cultivated and perfected in the studio down to the smallest detail. This really pushed the British synthesizer-pop boom to take off around 1979.




Kraftwerk [Germany]

Updated 4/18/01
Discography
Kraftwerk (70)
Kraftwerk 2 (71)
Kraftwerk (73, repackage of first two LPs into 2LP set)
Ralf and Florian (73)
Autobahn (74)
Exceller 8 (75, Compilation)
Radioactivitat (75, aka Radioactivity)
Trans Europa Express (77)
Die Mensch-Maschine (78, aka The Man Machine)
Highrail (79, Compilation)
Computerwelt (80, aka Computer World)
Electric Cafe (86)
The Mix (91, remixed versions of earlier songs)

Reviews
German electronics duo (Florian Schneider-Esleben and Ralf Hutter) who first recorded as Organisation in 1970. The Organisation album is even more rare than the first two Kraftwek albums, which are usually seen as a double LP repackage with a cover photo of an oscilloscope display. Around 1972 or so, Schneider quit, and was replaced by Michael Rother (guitars) and Klaus Dinger (drums). This lineup recorded 35 minutes of music together, enough for a short album, before breaking up. This music remains unreleased to this very day, anyone know whatever became of it? Rother and Dinger subsequently recorded on their own as NEU! Hutter meanwhile rejoined with Schneider and recorded Ralf And Florian, supposedly a very good mix of electronics and acoustic instruments (flutes and the like). I haven't heard this one, though. For Autobahn, Wolfgang Flur (percussion) and Klaus Roeder (guitar, violin) were added to the fold. The album continues the experiments mixing synth textures with acoustic instruments (flutes, violins, recorders) most notably on the 22-minute title song, the first six minutes of which were repackaged as a single and became a surprise hit, but perhaps most successfully on "Morgenspaziergang", the second half is surprisingly all-acoustic! Future albums are all-electronic and all-boring, taking on a hokey robotic stance which turns out to be decidedly un-progressive. -- Mike Ohman

Links
[See Dusseldorf, La | Neu | Organisation]








review added 3-22-00
Kraftwerk: Kraftwerk 2
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk 2
Germanofon (941002)
Germany 1971

Note from Joe: As far as I know, all releases on the now defunct Germanofon 'label' are not official pressings. Nevertheless, official copies are not expected to be forthcoming in the near future for any of the stuff released by Germanofon.

Ralf Hutter, organ, electric piano, bass, rhythm machine, bells, harmonica; Florian Schneider, flutes, violin, guitar, mixer, bells

Tracklist:
1. Klingklang - 17:36
2. Atem - 2:57
3. Strom - 3:52
4. Spule 4 - 5:20
5. Wellenlange - 9:40
6. Harmonika - 3:17

total time 42:33

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Joe McGlinchey:
Kraftwerk's second album (the pylon is now green instead of red) continues the duo's explorations of minimalistic keyboard riffing and the D.I.Y. experimentalist ethic of the first album. The side-long "Klingklang" opens with gentle bell strikes before moving onto a repetitive keyboard groove with flute. Reminds me of a lo-fi predecessor to pieces like Cluster's "Grosses Wasser." "Atem" ("Breath") and "Harmonika" take the objects in their respective titles and process them, the emphasis being on highlighting a new-found aural texture that arises. I generally find Kraftwerk 2 to be an improvement over the eponymous debut in that it offers a bit more variety, though ultimately it's still nothing of which your collection will not survive the absence.
Other resources:
Gee, I wonder if one can find out about Kraftwerk on the WWW. ;)
Knock yourself out with this hub.
There's also the Kraftwerk Webring.



Kraftwerk 2
Artist Kraftwerk
Album Title Kraftwerk 2
Date of Release 1972
AMG Rating
Genre Electronica
Styles Electronic, Kraut Rock
Time 42:42
Library View Click here to see this album in MARC format

Like its predecessor (similarly designed right down to the traffic cone cover, though green instead of red), Kraftwerk 2 has never been properly re-released, giving it the same lost-classic aura as the first album, or at least lost, period. Thankfully, bootleg reissues in 1993 restored it to wider public listening; even more so than Kraftwerk 1, its lack of official reappearance is a mystery, in that the band is clearly well on its way to the later Kraftwerk sound of fame. Stripped down to the Hutter/Schneider duo for this release, and again working with Conrad Plank as coproducer and engineer (this album alone demonstrates his ability to create performances combining technological precision and warmth), Kraftwerk here start exploring the possibilities of keyboards and electronic percussion in detail. Given that the band's drummers were gone, such a shift was already in the wind, but it's the enthusiastic grappling with drum machines and their possibilities that makes Kraftwerk 2 noteworthy. The nearly side-long effort "KlingKlang," which would later give the name to the band's studio and which predicts later lengthy efforts like "Autobahn," shows how the duo is still working toward its future styles. Steady beats are sometimes sped up and slowed down; more freeform performances on flute, violin, and keyboard remain present (rather than honing in on a core melody); and again, no vocals yet grace the recordings. On the second side, the more rock-oriented origins of the group still cling on, mostly without any percussion whatsoever: the distorted solo guitar start of "Strom," the guitar/bass duets of "Spule 4" (queasy) and "Wellenlange" (quite beautiful and very indicative of many '90s space rock efforts). Ultimately as with Kraftwerk 1, Kraftwerk 2 isn't the "classic" sound of the band, but it's astonishingly worthy on its own, well worth seeking out. - Ned Raggett

1. KlingKlang (Hutter/Schneider) - 17:36
2. Atem (Hutter/Schneider) - 2:57
3. Strom (Hutter/Schneider) - 3:52
4. Spule 4 (Hutter/Schneider) - 5:20
5. Wellenlange (Hutter/Schneider) - 9:40
6. Harmonika (Hutter/Schneider) - 3:17



Harold Budd & Brian Eno: Pearl
Blue Chip Orchestra: Blue Chip Orchestra
Cybotron: Clear
Coil: Love's Secret Domain
Kluster: Zwei Osterei
Botanica: Garden of Earthly Delights
Manuel Gottsching: Inventions for Electric Guitar
John Cale: Vintage Violence
Black Dog Productions: Bytes
Steven Berkowitz: Ec(s)tasis

Ralf Hutter - Multi Instruments, Producer, Engineer
Conrad Plank - Producer, Engineer, Mixing
Florian Schneider - Multi Instruments, Producer, Engineer

1972 LP Philips



Autobahn
Artist Kraftwerk
Album Title Autobahn
Date of Release 1974 (release) inprint
AMG Rating
Genre Electronica
Tones Melancholy, Soothing, Nocturnal, Clinical, Detached, Hypnotic, Wintry, Sparse
Styles Electronic, Kraut Rock
Time 42:27
Library View Click here to see this album in MARC format
Product Purchase Click here to buy this album

Although Kraftwerk's first three albums were groundbreaking in their own right, Autobahn is where the group's hypnotic electro-pulse genuinely came into its own. The main difference between Autobahn and its predecessors is how it develops an insistent, propulsive pulse which makes the repeated rhythms and riffs of the shimmering electronic keyboards and trance-like guitars all the more hypnotizing. The 22-minute title track, in a severely edited form, became an international hit single and remains the peak of the band's achievements - it encapsulates the band and why they are important within one track - but the rest of the album provides soundscapes equally as intriguing. Within Autobahn, the roots of electro-funk, ambient, and synth-pop are all evident - it's a pioneering album, even if its electronic trances might not capture the attention of all listeners. - Stephen Thomas Erlewine

1. Autobahn (Hutter/Schneider/Schult) - 22:43
2. Komtenmelodie 1 (Hutter/Schneider) - 6:25
3. Komtenmelodie 2 (Hutter/Schneider) - 5:51
4. Mitternacht (Hutter/Schneider) - 3:45
5. Morgenspaziergang (Hutter/Schneider) - 4:03


Wolfgang Flur - Percussion
Ralf Hutter - Drums, Keyboards, Vocals
Conrad Plank - Producer
Klaus Roeder - Guitar, Violin
Florian Schneider - Drums, Keyboards

LP Philips 6623136
1974 CD Warner Brothers 2-25326
1974 CD EMI CDP5647461532
1974 LP Vertigo 2003
Mercury 3704
1995 CD EMI 7461532
1989 CS Elektra/Asylum 25326
1990 CD Elektra/Asylum 25326
CD Elektra 25326
1974 CS Warner Brothers 4-25326



Die Mensch Maschine [German]
Artist Kraftwerk
Album Title Mensch Maschine [German]
Date of Release 1978 (release)
AMG Rating
Genre Electronica
Styles Electronic
Time 36:15
Library View Click here to see this album in MARC format

The Man-Machine is closer to the sound and style that would define early new wave electro-pop, less minimalistic in its arrangements and more complex and danceable in its underlying rhythms. Like its predecessor, Trans-Europe Express, there is the feel of a divided concept album, with some songs devoted to science fiction-esque links between humans and technology, often with electronically processed vocals ("The Robots," "Spacelab," and the title track); others take the glamour of urbanization as their subject ("Neon Lights," "Metropolis"). Plus, there's "The Model," a character sketch which falls under the latter category but takes a more cynical view of the title character's glamorous lifestyle. More pop-oriented than any of their previous work, the sound of The Man-Machine - in particular among Kraftwerk's oeuvre - had a tremendous impact on the cold, robotic synth-pop of artists like Gary Numan, as well as Britain's later New Romantic movement. (The Man-Machine is also available in the original German version, Mensch Maschine.) - Steve Huey

1. Die Roboter (Bartos/Hutter/Hutter/Schneider) - 6:13
2. Spacelab (Bartos/Hutter/Hutter) - 6:02
3. Metropolis (Bartos/Hutter/Hutter/Schneider) - 6:03
4. Das Modell (Bartos/Hutter/Hutter/Schlit) - 3:43
5. Neonlicht (Bartos/Hutter/Hutter/Schneider) - 9:00
6. Die Mench - Maschine (Bartos/Hutter/Hutter) - 5:26

Kraftwerk - Producer
Karl Bartos - Percussion, Electronic Percussion, Electronic Drums
Wolfgang Flur - Percussion, Electronic Percussion, Electronic Drums
Ralf Hutter - Drums, Keyboards, Vocals, Voices, Electronic Sounds, Producer, Concept, Electronics, Stimme
Leanard Jackson - Engineer, Mixing
Florian Schneider - Drums, Keyboards, Vocals, Voices, Electronic Sounds, Producer, Concept, Electronics, Stimme
Guenter Froehling - Photography
Joschko Rudas - Engineer, Mixing

1978 CD EMI CDP5647461312



The Man-Machine
Artist Kraftwerk
Album Title Man-Machine
Date of Release 1978 (release)
AMG Rating
Genre Electronica
Tones Eerie, Cerebral, Clinical, Detached, Tense/Anxious, Restrained, Hypnotic, Refined/Mannered, Wintry, Reserved, Somber
Styles Electronic
Time 36:18
Library View Click here to see this album in MARC format
Product Purchase Click here to buy this album

The Man Machine is closer to the sound and style that would define early new wave electro-pop - less minimalistic in its arrangements and more complex and danceable in its underlying rhythms. Like its predecessor, Trans-Europe Express, there is the feel of a divided concept album, with some songs devoted to science fiction-esque links between humans and technology, often with electronically processed vocals ("The Robots," "Spacelab," and the title track); others take the glamour of urbanization as their subject ("Neon Lights" and "Metropolis"). Plus, there's "The Model," a character sketch which falls under the latter category but takes a more cynical view of the title character's glamorous lifestyle. More pop-oriented than any of their previous work, the sound of The Man Machine - in particular among Kraftwerk's oeuvre - had a tremendous impact on the cold, robotic synth-pop of artists like Gary Numan, as well as Britain's later New Romantic movement. - Steve Huey

1. The Robots (Bartos/Hutter/Schneider) - 6:12
2. Spacelab (Bartos/Hutter) - 5:55
3. Metropolis (Bartos/Hutter/Schneider) - 6:02
4. The Model (Bartos/Hutter/Schneider) - 3:42
5. Neon Lights (Bartos/Hutter/Schneider) - 8:55
6. The Man-Machine (Bartos/Hutter) - 5:28


Kraftwerk - Producer
Karl Bartos - Percussion, Electronic Percussion
Wolfgang Flur - Percussion, Electronic Percussion
Ralf Hutter - Drums, Keyboards, Vocals, Voices, Electronic Sounds, Producer, Concept, Electronics
Leanard Jackson - Engineer, Mixing
Florian Schneider - Drums, Keyboards, Vocals, Voices, Electronic Sounds, Producer, Concept, Electronics
Guenter Froehling - Photography
Joschko Rudas - Engineer, Mixing

CD Capitol C2-46039
CS Capitol 4N-16302
1978 LP Capitol 11728
1993 CLE
1978 CD Atlantic CDP7460392
Capitol 11728
CD Cleopatra 5877
LP Capitol SN-16302
1993 CD Cleopatra 5877
1996 CD Alliance 46039