EGE BAMYASI

Can's fourth album is something like a series of mellow '70's period extended grooves by Miles Davis run through a German psychedelic rock band filter with the trumpet replaced by the excentric (to say the least) vocals of Damo Suzuki. Unlike Miles, jazz or fusion there aren't any solos as such, rather this albums strength lies in it's rhythmic interplay and textural overlays. I find Ege Bamyasi to be at times brilliant, at times irritating due to Damo, somewhat overated, but never boring. Compared to the the album immediately preceding it, the masterpiece Tago Mago, it's looser, more laid back, the grooves more subdued and funky. This is a subtle album (crazed improv "Soup" notwithstanding) that may not immediately grab you but greatly rewards repeated listening. The album that followed it, the excellent Future Days, is somewhat more dreamy and textural. But although I prefer Tago Mago and Future Days, Ege Bamyasi wouldn't be a bad place at all to start if you're new to Can.