CAN [AKA: INNER SPACE]

I find I am always a dissenter when it comes to this album. I own most of the early stuff, and though it is great in it's own way, alot of it was recorded on primitive equipment. And if you haven't figured it out by now, Can was basically an improvising band...what you heard on their albums was culled from hours of tape.

So why all of the early Can fans hate this album is that it doesn't follow their old improvising approach and the sound quality is slick. It's a case of this isn't what I want from this band, I want something that sounds like their old product. If you put this kind of thinking aside, you'll see that this is a fine album. The best cuts? Safe and also Sunday Afternoon Jam. Safe just has an awesome rock solid drum beat and incredible lyrics (great guitar work from Karoli also). This is a greeting message to all of those who like to take everything quite easy and don't know the right way... Well hey Can fans, do you really think Can was playing it safe on this cut? No, they were breaking new ground and the band was evolving. They were becoming more professional sounding and focused. (I know it was the ragged unfocused side that made them so charming in the first place, but hey, they were becoming better musicians over time). I love the way the errie synth lines snake in and out of this one.

Sunday Jam is a great guitar work out, propelled by the percussion of Leibezeit and the conga player from Traffic. Roscoe Gee on bass pumps out a steady bass line and Can depart earth for Prog Rock heaven circa mid 1970s.

The album is a little lite...Can Can and Can Be are basically the same song with a little tape editing, but basically there is enough here to provide an excellent prog rock work out.