Trans-Europe Express (album)
|
|
Trans-Europe Express is the English language version of a 1977 music album by German band Kraftwerk. Its German language version was simultaneously released as Trans-Europa Express.
This milestone Kraftwerk album is also notable for probably being their most-often ranked album, even on pop/rock lists, including: #253 in industry magazine "Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" (2002) – #36 in music magazine NME's "100 Greatest Albums of All Time" (2003) [1] (http://web.archive.org/web/20040610182149/http://www.ananova.com/entertainment/story/sm_757108.html) – #56 in TV network VH1's "100 Greatest Albums (of Rock & Roll) of All Time" (2003) [2] (http://web.archive.org/web/20040109121946/http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/the_greatest/62191/episode_about.jhtml)[3] (http://web.archive.org/web/20040525184706/http://www.booksmatter.com/b0743448766.htm).
| Contents |
Overview
Kraftwerk's sound developed further on this release. Their music is distilled into a song format more than ever, with strong classical melodies. Much use was made of custom-built sequencing equipment, which combined with further sonic developments in their electronic percussion, produces an increasingly precise, minimalist electronic pop sound, by now sounding quite unique compared to any of their contemporaries. The string sounds of the Vako Orchestron were also used liberally, and some impressive vocal vocoding is on display. The title track in particular was an impressive fusion of electronic percussion rhythms and very strong melody, tied together with a lyrical concept. (Tracing its developement through live bootlegs, it appears to have ultimately derived from "Ruckzuck", which opened the original Kraftwerk album.)
Track listing
(English release titles - German release titles)
- (09:40) "Europe Endless" - "Europa Endlos"
- (07:55) "Hall Of Mirrors" - "Spiegelsaal"
- (06:15) "Showroom Dummies" - "Schaufensterpuppen"
- (06:50) "Trans-Europe Express" [TEE part 1] - "Trans-Europa Express"
- (06:45) "Metal On Metal" [TEE part 2] - "Metall Auf Metall" & "Abzug"
- (04:25) "Franz Schubert" - "Franz Schubert"
- (00:55) "Endless Endless" - "Endlos Endlos"
Note: The track "Trans-Europe Express" segues seamlessly into "Metal On Metal", which then replays the theme of "Trans-Europe Express", making the whole a 13:36 piece. In the German edition, "Metal On Metal" was itself originally two tracks, "Abzug" being the reprise of "Trans Europa Express".
There has also been a special, glow-in-the-dark white vinyl edition of this album for the French market, featuring the bonus track "Les mannequins", a version of "Showroom Dummies" sung in French. (This track was also a single, later collected on the 1992 EP Showroom Dummies and the 1996 compilation The Model - Showroom Dummies.)
Personnel
- Ralf Hütter - electronics, voice
- Florian Schneider - electronics, voice
- Karl Bartos - electronic percussion
- Wolfgang Flür - electronic percussion