MONSTER MOVIE

Monster Movie, the first Can album to be released. What a thing this is- I am a big fan of Suzuki's schizo-mumble, but Mooney is at least as good, though he sounds a bit more "traditional" than Suzuki. As for the music, Monster Movie is as original and shocking as the other Can tunes. "Father Cannot Yell" seems to have traces of punk, and even rap in Mooney's flowing vocals. I have no idea exactly what he's singing about, but that's to be expected from Can. The song is dominated by screeching guitar and pulsing synth noises, that give it an aggressive feel. Mary, Mary So Contrary is a laid-back, calm tune, which seems to take mainstream blues and twist it around with a signature Can feel. It's a good song, though his repetitive singing in the middle is just a bit irritating. Otherwise, it's a very good blues-rock song, perfect for anyone coming off a bad breakup. Outside My Door has a bit of a country feel, but it's still Can- it's energetic and catchy, and has great guitar as always. And now, we come to the centerpiece, the epic Yoo Doo Right. It's groovy, cosmic feel makes it sound a bit like Tago Mago's Halleluwah- in fact, you might be able to look at this as the foundation said epic was built on. Mooney wails over instrumentals that flow endlessly like a river- making a song you can get lost in- certainly a behemoth, and this was edited down from a six-hour jam session. Despite not having acquired Suzuki yet, Can manages to build a very good debut, possibly one of the best debuts ever. Four stars for an excellent album by krautrock's premier band.