EGE BAMYASI

When I haven't listened to this one in a while, it begins to take a back seat in my mind compared to CAN's masterworks: Future Days, Tago Mago, even Landed ("Vernal Equinox"). Then I give it a spin, and it kills me, and I swear I'll never forget again. But, it keeps happening, and will probably always keep happening... so, because I just listened to it: Ege Bamyasi is amazing! "Vitamin C" has one of my favorite drum beats of all time. Jaki Liebezeit is one-of-a-kind on drums: his patterns breathe and flow like living organisms. No one has the feel of this guy. "One More Night" is the most chilled-out, grooving piece of music CAN ever recorded; "Pinch" is full of fluttering drums and sound effects and reminds me at times of classic 70's Miles Davis "fusion." "Sing Swan Song" is beautiful, almost a ballad by CAN's standards; "Soup" has THE MOST obnoxious (in a good way!) CAN moment ever: halfway through the song, everything drops out and some strange sound begins screaming at you through your speakers, making you lose your appetite and damaging your pets' hearing. Then, while the band is farting around on their instruments, Damo Suzuki begins spouting gibberish on top in some made-up language. Absolutely sublime, if you ask me. (Some people, or their wives, will detest it.)