Computer World [IMPORT]

Kraftwerk

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 17, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 1981
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Wea Int'l
• ASIN: B000002GYI
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (100 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #27,479 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > World Music > Europe > Continental Europe > Germany

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording
This is the album pundits like to point to when they accuse Kraftwerk of being digital-age visionaries; an all-too-easy assessment to make in the face of tracks such as "Home Computer" and "Computer Love" (not an ode to one-hand typing!). But to saddle the band with the reputation of sages is to completely miss the low-key wit and all-too-human playfulness of this album. "Pocket Calculator" and "Numbers" (the lyrics: numbers one to eight--period) could be read as tongue-in-cheek ripostes to too much bad "educational" programming, but that would smack of creeping punditry. Computer World is Kraftwerk's most lovable bundle of contradictions: at once its most technologically obsessed album and its most human. --Jerry McCulley

Product Description
English Language Version. When Kraftwerk released Computer World on an unsuspecting public back in 1981, the thought of Electronic music and computers taking over seemed like a farce. Now, a quarter of a century later, Kraftwerk's musical vision has come true tenfold and many Electronic bands cite them as their main influence. This classic slice of Kraftwerk's musical tapestry is an astounding album filled with bleeps, blips, beats and a huge dose of melody that inspired thousands of musicians and fans to go forth and multiply (literally). Tracks like 'Computer Love', 'Computer World' and 'It's More Fun To Compute' have been sampled by artists from all genres, especially Rap and R&B. The hit single 'Pocket Calculator' may seem like ancient material, lyrically, but most of the world now operate their own iPods, Blackberries, cell phones, etc. so the meaning is not lost. Even the ominous 'Numbers' still sound slightly creepy after all these years. So, what have we learned from Kraftwerk? Everything. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, Simple, Clean, December 21, 2004

By	SystemStructure "System uses Meditate! A goo... (town, WA United States) - See all my reviews

CLASSIC album. Kraftwerk is so important to EVERY electronic act that followed that I can't really put it into words. They made the foundation for all of it - ALL electronic music owes much to this group. As such, Kraftwerk, that modest, polite group from (of all places) Dusseldorf has become one of the most important bands of all time. Let me just underscore the point once more - EVERYONE - from Aphex Twin to Boards of Canada to Crystal Method... everyone owes something to the Kraftwerk.

Today, listenting to this epic band (with their quirky and naive German sense of humor) is like having a "back to basics" course in musical history. Going back to Kraftwerk is going to square one - hearing the clean, original ideas in electronic music clearly at the fore. It is very cool to hear this album after all these years.

If there is anything else that needs to be said I think it would be that Kraftwerk represents a little known element of the German character. They are playful, witty, simple, humble and very idealistic. Like wide eyed engineers creating a dream project, they forge the future with joy.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Landmark in 20th Century German Artistic Expression, July 21, 2004

By	Fred McGhee "fredmcghee" (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

What a record. How absolutely visionary, how ridiculously influential, how timeless, how international, how beautiful, how artistic, how technological, and how German all at the same time.

"Computer Love" is my favorite track on the record. I never tire of that song; I mean who can't sympathize with this song's protagonist? The mere fact that I am typing this review of that song and this album should give you an indication of how ahead of its time this project was.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A true classic of classics, August 3, 1998

By A Customer

This was the first Kraftwerk album I ever heard. I was over at a new acquaintance's aparment and looking over his LP collection, seeing rows and rows of albums by groups I'd never heard of: Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, Japan, Africa Bambaata, Gary Numan, Cabaret Voltaire, etc. What was all of this stuff?

I came across this bright green cover with a simple monochrome image of an old computer terminal displaying four digitzed heads. It looked like some unknown undergroud band's first album (the one where they do their own graphic design). My friend puts it on his nice hi-fi and the rest, they say, is history. I ended up listening to it twice, then went out the next day and found mint used copies of both the US and German pressings. I am now a certified Kraftwerk junkie.

If you have not heard them before, I would suggest that you start with this album, as I consider it their best. Other top faves are "Trans-Europe Express" and "Man Machine" (and! the German versions if you can find/afford them). For those who want a "newer" sound (ie. all digital), go with "The Mix", but I believe that the individual albums are much stronger than the reworked hits package.