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59 of 64 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Indescribable Classic, December 31, 2004
There's not an easy way to describe the music found on _Tago Mago_, but here's a slight stab at it: Imagine a proto-Radiohead (the vocalist reminds one of Thom Yorke at times) with tasteful psychedelic/jam elements *slightly* reminiscent of Cream, The Grateful Dead, The Yardbirds and others of that pantheon - added with an ambient aesthetic foreshadowing some of the ambient/dance music that became large some decades later (this was released in 1971.)
This is just a taste of what you'll find on this album, added with many other elements. A track by track overview:
"Paperhouse"--A 7 1/2 minute psychedelic workout featuring some tasteful guitar noodling, an addictive rhythm and some sensual vocals from (then) Oriental singer named Kenji 'Damo' Suzuki. I just love that sensual accent. The first day I got this, I listened to this track alone 23 consecutive times (non-stop), which came out to over 2 1/2 hours. It can get very addictive (as well as the rest of the album.)
"Mushroom"--A proto-ambient/dance number. To be honest, some of these tracks could mislead you from believing this came out in 1971, because they don't sound too dated.
"Oh Yeah"--Another ambient number. This time, with some bluesy licks and some eerie keyboard textures. Once again, the underlying funky, tasteful rhythms can become very addictive.
"Halleluwah"--A mid-tempo number which manages to keep the same rhythm for 1,107 seconds (with the exception of a quiet break somewhere in the middle) without sounding like it drags. By the way, the time limit--1,107 seconds--is 18:27 folks, if you were confused by the "seconds" sentence. Once again (sorry if I sound repetitive), the grooves & rhythms, the guitar/bass interaction and the vocals are so tasty, they can get addictive.
Now, the second half (or second disc, if you own the vinyl) is where it gets VERY challenging and inaccessible - depending on your point of view. These next few tracks are intense, relentless and uncompromising excercises in experimentation.
"Aumgn"--If you pay close attention, you'll notice the opening for "Paperhouse" is the way this track begins - and elaborates more on what was left behind in favor of the duration of the aforementioned track. Listen to this in the dark, with eyes closed and scare the daylights out of yourself. Listening to this is probably even scarier than most of those cheesy horror flicks. Ominous, slithering keyboard textures, creepy vocal atmospherics and some disturbing, relentless percussion & drumming can be found, which gives this track an aura of exorcism (I'm not joking.)
"Peking O."--Sounds like a prototype (along with Frank Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention) for the type of thing Mr. Bungle does. This track features moments that will scare you, warp your mind, and make you laugh out loud. Underneath all the demented vocal shoutings (some sped-up) and ultra-bizarre, abrupt switches in dynamics, is an unlikely amalgamation of ambient, reggae, ragtime and fusion.
"Bring Me Coffee Or Tea"--Probably not as inaccessible or wild as the previous two tracks. This time, it's a slow, meditative number featuring some haunting chords, tasteful instrumentation and some exotic percussion that reminds one of the type of instrumentation King Crimson would revel in during their 1973-1974 period. This also probably sounds the most like a prototype for Radiohead.
To prevent (further?) embarrassment, I'm going to end this review, because there isn't much more I can say, except that this album is EXCELLENT. I don't consider myself someone who uses big terms very often, but, if there's a new discovery that deserves such big praise - this would definitely come to mind. Recommended to adventurous music listeners, as well as those progressive rock fans that want a little more than Yes, Genesis, ELP, King Crimson stuff (and I'm not degrading these bands, as I love them all as well.)
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20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
THIS was recorded in 1971?!? , April 8, 2005
WHOA.
That was my initial reaction to this album when I jumped on the Can bandwagon a year or so ago. These Krautrockers both obliterated the old molds while creating a bunch more from scratch. EVERY track on this, their third album and second with the immortal vocalist Damo Suzuki, sounds like it singlehandedly pioneered some form of modern music. Blues jamming, electronica, ambient, funk, jazz/fusion idioms, classical/minimalist elements remiscient of Stockhausen (whom Can were students of), rock, it's all here and more.
This stuff is epic and not structured for radio listening. The shortest track Mushroom is about 4 minutes long, and the rest is all 6 minutes or longer, topping out at 18+ for Halleluhwah. It never gets boring, though... it all lies in the precision of drummer Jaki Liebeszeit and bassist Holger Czukay's endless grooves, lots of clever tape manipulation similar to Miles' fusion productions, and a cornucopia of wild instrumentation. And of course, Damo himself, who basically tosses the idea of conventional "verse-chorus-verse" or even intelligible lyrics out the window and goes from sensual crooning to scary chants to totally insane Boredoms-esque vocal anarchy. This guy is the closest thing I can think of to a Mike Patton prototype--highest praise indeed. Too bad he left the band only two albums after this, legend has it to become a Jehovah's Witness (!).
The first half is fairly easy to digest, though still pretty far removed from the majority of '70s music. Paperhouse and Mushroom are Can classics, both heavy on the funky rhythms and Damo's vocals reaching points of near-lucidity. Oh Yeah is a psychedelic, ambient, though still highly funky tune with some cool use of backwards tape.
The second record (this was a double LP) delves into sheer experimental madness. Aumgn is one of the scariest things I've ever listened to--17 minutes of eerie chants, pounding percussion, and horror-movie keyboards. Acid tripping is NOT recommended for this one. Peking-O is just psychotic--scary yet hilarious vocal cut-ups and schizo instrumentation abound, almost like a proto-Mr. Bungle/Fantomas/Naked City. The closer Bring Me Coffee Or Tea returns to the comparatively mellow vibe of the first half, with an influx of exotic percussion and a strong New Age/world music flavor.
Whereas Ege Bamyasi may be a bit more focused and concise, and Future Days more accessible and beautiful, this is Can at their absolute peak of sonic adventurism and is the one record I'd reccommend above all their others. Prepare to have half your collection rendered obsolete.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
There was Krautrock, then there was Can, January 4, 2005
This album literally changed my life and my views about music when I first heard it about 10 years ago.
I have no words to adequately describe this colossal masterwork, because I've always been so close to it. Many times over the years I've woken up in the middle of the night with "Mushroom" or "Oh Yeah" playing in my head, invading my dreams. I love ALL Can, but Tago Mago is the one that connects with me on such a personal level, it's almost part of my being.
Not to mention the fact that "Augmn" scares the s**t out of my wife. She will not be in the same room with me while it's playing (which is fairly often).
This re-mastered edition sounds AMAZING, far far better than it has ever sounded on previous CD pressings.
"Tago Mago" is IT. The pinnacle. It's something beyond music, indeed beyond anything I've ever heard in terms of scope and innovation.
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