Neu! 2 [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Neu!

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 29, 2001)
• Original Release Date: 1973
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Astralwerks
• ASIN: B000056IKU
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #147,340 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Stereolab must be quietly fuming: the sweet repetition on the 11-minute opening track "Fur Immer" here defines the parameters of the bachelor-pad band's sound so accurately, it's uncanny. Until this long-overdue reissue, however, only a handful of famous and/or connected musicians--David Bowie, Kraftwerk, Add N to X, DAF, Blur--had heard this relatively obscure album, first released in 1973. Stereolab isn't the only group this experimental, minimalist, unsettlingly beautiful Germanic duo influenced, though; you can hear traces of Suicide's aggressive disco-punk and almost all present-day dance bands within Klaus Dinger's almost robotic, forceful drumming on "Spitzenqualitat" and the finale "Super." What strikes the listener most about Neu! 2, however, is the sheer enjoyment these aural visionaries were deriving from their conveyor-belt grooves: ecstatic yelps of ecstasy sometimes obliterating the percussive din, keyboardist Michael Rother thumping his guitar like he's the first child on a new motorway of sound which, indeed, he was. Tracks are sped up and then slowed down, almost at random. Indispensable listening. --Everett True

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sorry Sis, I'll buy you it for Xmas!, June 18, 2001

By	Tom (London) - See all my reviews

I remember my older sister having this LP, when I left home I stole it and never told her! I can't believe it's taken over 20 years for it to be re-issued! For me, "Fur Immer" is the definitive Neu! track, the definitive motorik track if you prefer. Unlike "Hallogallo", which it superficially resembles, it has that distinctive clean rhythm guitar sound which is as recognisably "Neu!" as the relentless get-out-of-my-way drumming style (just ask Stereolab). Again, this track seems more dynamic and better thought out than "Hallogalloo", the crescendos and de-crescendos work better and the overall sound is lusher - tho "Hallogallo" has a punchier feel. Of the other tracks on this release, "Neuschnee" has a lovely Rother melody set to a punishing Dinger beat - another perfect Neu! track! "Super" and "Lila Engel" simply invent punk rock - monstrous beats, insane guitar and Dinger's extraordinary strangulated retch of a voice. Unfortunately, the rest of the album is taken up with mere space-filling noodling: the record player distortions of "Super" and "Neuschnee" could be some sort of dadaist anti-art precursor to the modern-day turntablism or else they could just be a cheap and quick way to fill up space (I tend towards the latter argument). Nonetheless I have always found 'Cassetto', the warbly warped-tape version of 'Hallogallo', a perfectly acceptable way to fill space when making up a Neu! compilation tape for friends - of course, now the Neu! albums are all available on CD my compilation tape days may just be behind me....

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Most Interesting NEU!, July 19, 2001

By	Eric Cason (Citizen of the World!) - See all my reviews

Not as tuneful as NEU! 75 or as revered as NEU! #1, it is the most interesting in terms of remixing. By simply slowing down and speeding up different tracks they create totally different feelings and totally different songs. Super 16 and Super are polar opposites, 16 is slow and druggy and sounds like the monster under your bed, plain super is intense and punkish. The modern concept of the remix starts here (plus the rest of the songs are beyond excellent, as it goes without saying for NEU!). While the other two are most listenable, this is the NEU! you CANNOT live without a minute longer.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We're gonna do it anyway, February 19, 2005

By	Christopher M. Nabity "jethroangel" (USA) - See all my reviews

First of all, let me say that once in a great while amazon gets the track listing slightly off. I bought the album tonight and it is sitting here in front of me as I write this. The album, I assume, is supposed to look as closely to the original vinyl as possible. It even has the songs split into two sections which are noted as Sides 1 and 2. The correct track listing should be:

1. Für Immer
2. Spitzenwualitat
3. Gedenkminute
4. Lila Engel
5. Neuschnee 78
6. Super 16
7. Neuschnee
8. Cassetteo
9. Super 78
10. Hallo Excentrico !
11. Super

On the back of the CD, what would have been side two of the original record release, is above what would have been side one. So if you do not happen to notice that they are labeled as side one and side two then you may be confused. However a CD as we all know only has one side.

Anyway, the album is brilliant. I'll bet Klaus Dinger and Michael Rother said some variation of "we're gonna do it anyway" a time or two in their careers as NEU! Just look at the record, the track listing is shoved all the way into the top left corner and takes a minute to figure out. Beyond that, once you listen to the album you'll notice something. For those familiar with turntable speeds, you'll know that Super 16 does not refer to the variation of 16mm motion picture film used to give a higher quality look when transfered to 35mm. If you know anything about the history of the turntable, records, and vinyl (in relation to sound recording) you'll know about the 16RPM records were used for voice recording and by Chrysler for the car stereo turntables that they jokingly used. They printed special versions of various albums in 16RPM. Yes, to answer your question, every bump your car hit caused the needle to scratch and most likely ruin you're album. The turntable was only good when the player was used while your car was at a complete stop. Anyway, they took the same song (on vinyl) that was recorded at 33 1/3 speed and ran it at 16 and 78 RPMs. They even included the 33 1/3RPM version. They even have another track (Neuschnee) at 33 1/3 were they run it at 78 and include both versions. I'm sure someone along the way said something to Dinger and Rother and they replied with some variation of "we're gonna do it anyway." Different versions of the same song? Hard to read track listing? They deserve some credit for doing what they want to do. It obviously looks like somewhere along the way they didn't take someone's advice and it was for the better!

The music holds up even under the technical aspects. Weak music is made even more weak with technical special effects. However, great music can be made even better with the same effects.

I'm only sad that each generation is farther removed from vinyl than the last. One day someone will see this album and say "what does 16 and 78 mean?"