TAGO MAGO

This is perhaps the most well-known Krautrock album and thus makes a good first review for the genre. There is definitely some really interesting and accomplished material in here, but it comes across as uneven and very moody.

1. Paperhouse- This is an interesting, straight-forward psychedelic introduction that has a hypnotic feel to it (that feel is sustained throughout the album).An explorative piece that relies on a unique atmosphere and song structure as the driving factor. I'm not sure what to think of it though. 5/10

2. Mushroom- A haunting hypnotic 4/4 track that actually is the most effective song on here, despite being the most simplistic. The instrumentation is sufficient and the mood creates an always-interesting psychedelic song. 8/10

3. Oh Yeah- There's nothing outright wrong with the structure of this song, but most of the time it fails to enthrall me. Many of the songs on here you have to be in the right mood for and don't equate to oft listening; why that is, I'm not entirely sure. Another well-played psychedelic track with intriguing guitar, but it usually doesn't interest me a whole lot. 4/10

4. Halleluhwah- My favorite song on the album, and usually my reason for listening to it. This is an incredibly experimental track that really is a ride-driven by one of the most infectious drum grooves I've ever heard. It may be repetitive in basic structure, but the song builds throughout its duration to make an effectively enjoyable epic. 9/10

5. Aumgn- If you thought any of the previous songs were weird. just wait until you hear this. This song heavily relies on atmosphere and experimentation; if you are expecting traditional song structure, I'm warning you now on this one. It is a very good song for what it is trying to accomplish, but it is mood-based for me. Sometimes I really enjoy this track and other times not as much. Nonetheless, it definitely is intriguing and well-composed. 7/10

6. Peking O- This is even weirder than the last song! This is definitely the hardest song for me to rate on here, as it is the most polarizing. It may be revolutionary, but this is so dependent on my mood it's not even funny. If I'm not in the right mood and anything annoys me during the span of this album, it's this song. It's downright weird as all hell, but I don't know if it's in a good way. Sometimes I wonder if this was all thrown together, and this is coming from someone who has RIO/Avant as his favorite sub-genre. It still is interesting to hear and somewhat enjoyable. If you're in the mood for it however, it can be relatively satisfying. Not as effective as the previous track though, I'd say. 6/10

7. Bring Me Coffee or Tea- Phew. After the last two songs, this one is not near as odd. Unfortunately, I prefer the previous two songs nearly all the time, because this one does not strike a chord with me at all. It really drags on and sounds like psychedelic drivel to me. Bad album closer. At least the instrumentation is good. 4/10

Well, this is definitely an intriguing and unique listen, but is it essential for a music lover's collection? No.

This is such a hard album to rate and I have a difficult time recommending to most proggers out there, but it is usually at least enjoyable in many parts and is quite revolutionary.