CONCERT CLASSICS

I discovered this live album not long ago and it is truly a gem. Recorded during the Autobahn tour of 1975, it looks like a bootleg but seems strangely official. The four tracks are decently recorded but the sound producer could have shortened the gap between them, which can last several minutes.

Kometenmelodie sounds nearly like a different track, it seems that the two first tracks of face B of Autobahn were merged in one. A sort of xylophone has been added and the result works very well.

Klinglang is maybe the best piece of the album, even if the 'klingklang' sound at the beginning of the studio track has disappeared, consequently the live version is much shorter, about 8 minutes. Again, the track doesn't look at all like the studio version. Now, the main attraction of the piece is a very addictive electronic xylophone solo, played all along the 8 minutes.

Autobahn and Tanzmusik are more faithful to the original than the two other tracks. But I also found the second part of Autobahn more catchy than the studio version as the keyboards sound stronger.

After listening this album, I just regret that Kraftwerk didn't make more improvised music, for which they seemed to have a real talent, whereas their studio records - especially after Radio-Activity - sound a bit too much 'clinical' and cold.

Considering that this album sounds better to me than everything made by Kraftwerk in studio, I give a five stars rating.

I do not see why this record is not more famous, but I am sure that every Kraftwerk and electronic music fan should really enjoy this fantastic album.