Kraftwerk: The Catalogue Box Set [Box set, Original recording remastered]

Kraftwerk | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 23, 2009)
• Original Release Date: November 23, 2009
• Number of Discs: 8
• Format: Box set, Original recording remastered
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Astralwerks
• ASIN: B002LCOQTG
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #24,894 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

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Editorial Reviews

"For one group to lay claim to being one of the pioneers of experimental music, and then to gain a No. 1 UK hit single, as well as exerting a tremendous influence on numerous other artists for more than thirty years is remarkable.  Kraftwerk occupy a unique position in popular music." --Record Collector

 

From David Bowie to Daft Punk, Depeche Mode to Radiohead, Dr. Dre to LCD Soundsystem, and even to the likes of the Sex Pistols, The Cars, Nine Inch Nails and almost everyone in between, the influence of Kraftwerk is remarkable.

 

Electro Pioneers, living legends and globally revered masters of electronic sound, Kraftwerk now celebrate the 35th anniversary of their landmark 1974 hit "Autobahn" by releasing newly remastered editions of their 8 classic albums in a deluxe box set.

 

The first ever complete remastering of Kraftwerk's 8 classic studio albums, covering all their releases on the Capitol, Warner Brothers and Astralwerks labels: Autobahn, Radio-Activity, Trans Europe Express, The Man Machine, Computer World, Techno Pop, The Mix, Tour De France.

 

In 2009 Kraftwerk have upgraded their Kling Klang masters with the latest studio technology and these eight magnificent recordings still sound like nothing else in the history of music. Kraftwerk are unique, pristine, profound and beautiful. Decades may pass, but their streamlined synthetic symphonies stand outside time, as fresh as tomorrow, transcendent and sublime.

 

The 12" x 12" x 1 1/2" box features all 8 albums, exclusively created just for this box set in mini-LP style album packaging complete with inner sleeves.  Restored and newly expanded artwork is presented in the form of 8 large format 12 to 20 page booklets, housed inside a rigid board slipcase portfolio.

 

Manufactured in Germany.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The (almost) ultimate for Kraftwerk fans, November 24, 2009

By 

Paul Allaer (Cincinnati) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Kraftwerk: The Catalogue Box Set (Audio CD)

After many years of rumors about a definitive remastered collection of the Kraftwerk catalogue, now finally comes "The Catalogue", a stylish box set of 8 of the 11 Kraftwerk studio albums (more on the 3 missing albums later).

"The Catalogue" (8 CDs; 351 min.) brings albums 4 through 11 of the Kraftwerk catalogue, starting with 1974's "Autobahn" all the way through 2003's "Tour De France Soundtracks". As a lifelong Kraftwerk fan, I nevertheless did not have a couple of the early albums on CD (I had them on vinyl as a kid), and to now rehear "Autobahn" and "Radio Activity" in all of its remastered glory was quite the fantastic listening experience. The remastered sound on all of the albums are remarkable, albeit less noticable on the last release "Tour de France Soundtracks", as that one was released in quite good audio quality already in 2003. Listening to many of these tracks, it reminds you of the astonishing catalogue of songs from Kraftwerk, and it makes me wish the band would open the playbook a bit more in their concerts, not always playing pretty much the same 'greatest hits'. (I've seen Kraftwerk a couple of times in recent years, most recently opening for Radiohead in March in Sao Paolo).

As to the box set and packaging, it is quite the visual experience. Style has always been a HUGE point for the Kraftwerk experience. The box set is in the format of the old vinyl release, and besides the 8 CDs, there are 8 visual booklets for each of the albums, all in the format of the old vinyl, each being 16 or 20 pages, with pictures and most of the lyrics. It was as though you were back in the 1970s enjoying the vinyl experience, except that you now have the remastered CD pristine listening to go along with it.

The November issue of MOJO Magazine had a fascinating interview with Ralf Hutter, in which he mentions that the first 3 Kraftwerk albums (Kraftwerk; Kraftwerk 2; Ralf + Florian) will get an updated remastered release at some point as well, and that a new Kraftwerk album will be out "quite soon", which of course in the Kraftwerk universe could be next year, or in five, who knows. All that aside, "The Catalogue" is the ultimate for Kraftwerk fans, but for those missing first 3 albums.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb collection, November 25, 2009

By 

Edward Casper (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Kraftwerk: The Catalogue Box Set (Audio CD)

First off, I'm biased. I've liked this group since I was a kid. The music is great. I don't love it all, but it's very good and much of it is classic. These guys have been extremely influential and they helped change the face of popular music. I don't know if it's possible to overstate their contribution to music.

Having said that, if you are on the fence about splurging for the box set, maybe this will help. Three of the CDs are available only in the box set. All three of them are excellent, but one is classic: Computer World. It's been sampled a ton and it's one of the progenitors of hip hop. The beats, the sounds, the humor. These guys were silly and serious at the same time. Not an album to be missed. The others are fun -- The Mix is an amped-up Reader's Digest version of their biggest songs, and Techno Pop contains some great music as well.

An added bonus, the box set has real quality. It's made of thick, sturdy card board. The booklets are well made and have wonderful artwork, and the CD covers and slipcases are superb. Also, the CD labels themselves are excellent. From a graphic design point of view, this collection is a real winner.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great set, but buy the german version instead!, September 21, 2010

By 

muddy glass (new york) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kraftwerk: The Catalogue Box Set (Audio CD)

the members of kraftwerk are the godfathers of all electronic music. beautiful melodies combined with their perfectionist attention to detail are seen on every kraftwerk album. all of their main albums are available in this one gorgeous box set, only missing some less polished experimental music from their early years. you would be in for a treat if you're hearing all of these albums for the first time in one shot like this. however, don't buy this english version set just yet!

after you've heard and become addicted to kraftwerk's catalogue, you will want to experience this music in the original german. kraftwerk usually releases a german version of each album as well as an international version with english lyrics. the differences are minor, but can get annoying at times.

for example, in the song "pocket calculator" off of the "computer world" album, the english lyrics begin with: "i'm the operator with my pocket calculator." the original german lyrics start with: "ich bin der musikant mit taschenrechner in der hand," which translates as, "i'm the musician with pocket calculator in the hand." the lyrics in both versions then talk about using the pocket calculator to do computational tasks like adding/subtracting as well as controlling/composing (music), which should conjure up the image of a synthesizer. if you didn't know the original german lyrics were referring to a musician, then the rest of the lyrics might not make sense. this song is about the melding of man and machine. the human musician makes music using electronics, breathing life into the electronics, while the electronics in turn serve as an appendage to the musician, making the human more machine-like; each affects the other. this is a theme that runs throughout kraftwerk's music in the "man-machine (die mensch-maschine)" and "computer world (computerwelt)" era. the underlying idea can get lost in translation here because of the awkward "operator/calculator" rhyme, while the original german is perfect with the "musikant/hand" rhyme. kraftwerk lyrics are first written in german, then ported over to english with varying degrees of compromise.

the german version of "the catalogue" is called "der katalog" and can be found on the german version of amazon (amazon.de) for a comparable price. unless you're planning on owning both the english and german sets, i recommend the purer german version if you can only own one of the two.