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.)

This used to be my favourite before re-listenig the Can albums before making those reviews. I say used to be because I think Tago Mago is superior but by no means is this album not great in its own right. But be careful not to be playing to this as you try to get into the pants of this girl you've been trying to seduce because she will flee and you will hate this album. In other words , this is not to be put in any kind of ears but for those willing to venture into adventure ; one word: WELCOME.

"Ege Bamyasi" is one of my personal favorite industrial-psyche beat albums of all time, delivering droned out dreamy cosmic tunes of the highest calibre. One listen and you will be hooked my friends to the infectious grooves that they get into on this album. In particular Jaki Liebezeit's percussive strokes stand out in positive light with a never ending array of ethnic beats. One of my all time favorite CAN tunes "Pinch" opens up this album with stunning mix of ethnic beats and cosmic progressive space rock. "Ege Bamyasi" is slightly less bizarre in approach than some of their other recordings, yet still contains all of their patented freaked out attitude. In many ways I get a strong PINK FLOYD/AMON DUUL feeling throughout this album depending on whether we are of course in a cosmic moment or fuzzed spaced out jam. Once again in classic CAN style we are treated to a royal mix of musical tones and colors throughout. "Ege Bamyasi" is a treasured album in my collection and seems to be the perfect Sunday morning musical treat.

To me, "Ege Bamyasi" doesn't quite live up to "Tago Mago". Simply because two of the songs I never could seem to warm up to, "Pinch" and "Vitamin C" (which I found a bit overrated). But the rest of the album is great, such as the psychedelic "Sing Swan Song", the KRAFTWERK-like "One More Night", and the quirky "I'm So Green". "Soup", like "Aumgn" and "Peking O" off their previous album, is another love it or hate it, but since I have no problem with the more radical moments of "Tago Mago", I have no problem with "Soup", which, in many ways, is similar to "Peking O", especially with Damo Suzuki's shrieking and mindless babbling. "Spoon" was originally released as a single at the end of 1971, which demonstrates that band could rack up a hit (at least in Germany) and still make it sound great.

On this album, there's a slight Middle Eastern influence, no doubt for the fact they named their album after a can of Okra they found in a Turkish restaraunt in Germany. But one with the two songs I'm not too keen on, "Soup" and "Vitamin C". To these, they seem a little too much like percussion exercises for drummer Jaki Liebezeit, and "Vitamin C" almost seems a bit clichéd (in CAN fashion, of course), and they make me wish for a little more music. To me, "Tago Mago" and "Future Days" are better albums, but this album is still packed with great stuff as well.

Album number three by the Krautrock pioneers of CAN is sometimes lost in the long shadow cast by the towering edifice of "Tago Mago" (their groundbreaking 1971 double-disc), but in retrospect it may well be the quintessential CAN recording from their influential formative years. The music is no less challenging or confrontational than it was on the earlier album, but distills the almost overwhelming 80-minute barrage of sound from "Tago Mago" to a much easier to digest single LP's worth of equally astonishing creativity.

"Ege Bamyasi" has everything the neophyte listener needs to understand why CAN was such a musical force. It's all here: the rhythmically busy, near paranormal jamming; the quieter, more hypnotic ballads ("Sing Swan Song", with Holger Czukay's trademark two- note bass vibrations); a couple of typically skewed pop songs (one of them, "Spoon", a minor hit in their native country); and another classic CAN freak-out, abbreviated here to a manageable fraction of their earlier side-long experiments.

CAN was a band of restless musical adventurers who rarely traveled with a map, and as usual they cover a lot of territory here. It's hard to believe the same group responsible for the swinging, near free-form nine-minute album opener "Pinch" could, just two tracks later, tighten their ranks so drastically for the controlled 7/8 discipline of "One More Night" (and still make it soar, in a spasmodic KRAFTWERK-like way).

It would be hard to single out the efforts of any one player from such an organically fused unit, especially in a band so totally lacking in rock star egos, clichés, and conceits. No virtuoso head trips here: individual skill meant nothing to CAN if it didn't advance the group agenda.

But as an ex-garage band drummer I can't pass up an opportunity to champion Jaki Liebezeit, no less a world-class talent than his bandmates, but the one whose signature rhythms gave the CAN sound its irresistible drive. Listen to his subtle, pinpoint percussion fills on "Sing Swan Song" (in the middle section, under Michael Karoli's bagpipe-guitar sustains), or his nimble, non-stop snare and tom workout during "Vitamin C". What you're hearing is the difference between a dedicated musician and a common rock 'n' roll showman.

Now multiply that difference by a factor of five, once for each member of the band. That's the CAN equation.

The fourth CAN album is another excellent addition to a collection of progressive rock. Schmidt's keyboards and synth are more present here than on the earlier albums while the production seems more polished than before. Highlights are "Sing Swan Song", "One More Night" and "Vitamin C", while "Soup" contains many unnecessary noisy moments making it a track to skip over when listening. For some reason though, I am always left a bit "hungry" after "eating" this album. Perhaps the "bamya" from the cover image (Turkish word for "okra", green pods usually cooked with soups in many South-East European/Middle-East cuisines) is leaving a bad taste in my ears, because in reality it is not my favorite food addition. Still recommended as a wonderfully produced semi- concept album dealing with canned food.

This one seems like a simpler, bare bones affair compared to "Tago Mago". The experimental, psychedelic outbreaks are all but gone except for the latter part of "Soup". This one has shorter songs that are for the most part driven and led by the drums and percussion. You could imagine that this was the inspiration for Trance / Dance music with the hypnotic beats and often stoned-like vocals. Actually his vocals remind me of Thom Yorke at times, and when he yells the lyrics he sounds more like Mick Jagger. He has a few different vocal styles, even bringing to mind Christian Vander of MAGMA.

"Pinch" has such a great beat as vocals (Mick-like) enter. The drums, percussion and vocals dominate this one. It's hard not to move with it's funky rhythm. "Sing Swan Song" opens with the sound of running water. This one is more laid back and ambient with Yorke- like vocals. Some farfisa keys come and go. "One More Night" has an intoxicating beat with guitar adding to the sound.

"Vitamin C" has some very impressive percussion sounds. Organ after 2 minutes. Some weird spacey sounds to end it that also blend into the beginning of "Soup". This song really kicks in 1 1/2 minutes in with pounding drums and loud vocals. From the 6 minute mark to the end we get an experimental, crazy section with even Vander -like vocals. "I'm So Green" is another toe tapper that is all about the beat and the vocals. "Spoon" was released previous to this album as a single, and it did very well in Germany. It is quite catchy and a good way to end the album.

So this is an accessible recording that is still CAN all the way. Not as good as "Tago Mago" or their early stuff in my opinion but a must for CAN fans.

Eating Okraschoten you're not losing your Vitamin C for sure ...

'Ege Bamyasi' is an excellent album. First of all Jaki Liebezeit's great percussion work is remarkable. This production is very groovy in a special mood. All the musicians are able to demonstrate their talent and variety here. Suzuki's vocals are exemplary for that - often improvised spoken word like, very unique, so he acts as a singer and also as a performer.

Pinch is dynamic pure. Compelling drums/percussion and a minimalistic bass are supplying the necessary groove. A very compact jam song without any solo activities and some spacy floydy elements. One More Night seems to be the birth of TripHop and Vitamin C contains wonderful keyboards and a catchy refrain. Soup is breathtaking crazy, controversial, surprising with a jazzy bass line in the middle and undefinable vocals - or is it Kobaïan at the end? Spoon got famous in Germany and a Top Ten single because the song was used as the theme melody for the Durbridge television thriller 'Das Messer'.

This album was ahead of the times in 1972 and is an important milestone of Krautrock - don't miss it!

This is a fine album from Can. As usual, the intricate drumming of Jaki Liebezeit propels each piece along, making most of the songs interesting to this proggies ears. Most of the songs are groove based jams, with the usual Can weirdness added in. It almost sounds like something from Brian Eno's "Here Come The Warm Jets" period, with somewhat abrasive sounds over decent rock jam licks.

Then there's "Soup". Be prepared for an audio assault on this track. This is the only warning you will receive.

My favorite track on this disk is "Spoon". I'm not sure why, but it always makes me smile.

"Ege Bamyasi" is the 4th full-length studio album by German experimental/ psychadelic rock act Can (if you count the compiled album "Soundtracks (1970)" as a studio album and not a compilation). The album was released through United Artists in November 1972. "Ege Bamyasi" is the second album in a row with a stabile lineup. Once again featuring Japanese vocalist Damo Suzuki behind the microphone.

Can had earlier in 1972 had great succes with the single release "Spoon". A single that sold over 300.000 copies and charted on the Top 20 in Germany. The track had been used as the theme song in a German TV Thriller series called "Das Messer" and gained a lot of popularity and exposure through that series. Can made a considerable amount of money on the commercial success of the single which allowed them to move into better recording quarters for the recording of "Ege Bamyasi". The sessions for "Ege Bamyasi" didn´t run too smoothly though and because of a shortage of material the band had to include the "Spoon" track on the album.

musically the material on "Ege Bamyasi" were up until then the band´s most accessible output but it´s still quite experimental and certainly not mainstream oriented. Not even the "Spoon", which was arguably a mainstream hit, is what I´d characterize as a track with mainstream appeal (but mainstream audiences sometimes catchess on to something, that you never thought they would).

"Ege Bamyasi" opens with the rhythmically complex and very intriguing "Pinch". Repetitive driving beats, lots of feedback noises, experimental keyboards, and psychadelic vocals. A prime example of Can´s exceptional interplay and mutual understanding of dynamics and rhythm. The 10:25 minutes long "Soup" is the most experimental track on the album. About 4 minutes into the song it turns very experimental and the rest of the song can be described as a combination of the avant garde rock sound of Frank Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention and the bizarre jazz rock sound of Magma (for the lack of a better description). Eerie noises and yelling, talking and singing vocals by Damo Suzuki. The remaining tracks on the 7 track, 39:26 minutes long album, are not as experimental but the repetitive almost tribal rhythmic playing are a dominant element on all tracks. The music is not melodic in a traditional sense of melody being something catchy that you can sing along to, but there are several memorable hooks and rhythms that make the music relatively accessible anyway. The reggae type vocals on "Vitamin C" are an example of a unique memorable feature on the album.

The musicianship are outstanding. There are so many innovative ideas featured on the tracks and the passionate attitude with which those tracks are played/sung is greatly charming. Although all musicians on the album are highly skilled and all worth a mention I will however give a special mention to drummer Jaki Liebezeit, because of his absolutely brilliant contributions to the album. It´s hard not to adore his inventive powerful playing and impeccable sense of rhythm.

The sound production is professional, powerful, and organic sounding. It´s almost like standing next to the musicians playing. It´s got that authentic almost live feel to it. While everything is very well sounding on the album I´ll give a special mention to the drum sound, which is probably one of the best drum productions I´ve yet encountered. It´s incredibly well sounding and powerful.

So upon conclusion "Ege Bamyasi" is a high quality album on all parameters. It´s highly recommendable to anyone with an interest in experimental/psychadelic rock with a strong emphasis on rhythm. The most "out there" experiments are kept at an acceptable level, which provides "Ege Bamyasi" with an accessible edge, although it´s ultimately quite the experimental release. A 4.5 star (90%) rating is fully deserved.

The German krautrock group CAN is one of my favorite forces of gutsy and imaginative innovation. On 'Ege Bamyasi', named after a food can the band found whilst touring in a foreign country, the band would again combine a few in live improvisation conceived tracks (like the opening track 'Pinch') with some more orderly composed songs (like 'Swin Swan Song', 'I'm So Green' and 'Soup'). The album is a bit more relaxing (it's just so cool..) and less disturbing than the highly experimental Tago Mago, yet it does hold CAN's craziest moment (the second part of) 'Soup'; an avant-garde piece that sounds like an occult ritual with Damo Suzuki shrieking in a made-up language. The opening track 'Pinch' is a somewhat hard to get into sounding psycho-beat track with lots of percussion and a drugged out vocal presence. This would be a hiphop man's best intro into krautrock I guess. It is followed by 'Swin Swan Song', an ethereal ballad type track that is perhaps the most beautiful thing the band ever recorded. It has a beautiful flow and a great dreamy melancholy to it - even the sung vocals are spot on. 'One More Night' is actually quite straight forward for Can, though still quite organic in its flow. It has some very nice keyboard loops by Irmin Schmidt and the bluesy guitar of Michael Karoli stands out as well. 'Vitamin C' is great rhythmical song and its progression into the first halve of 'Soup' is simply amazing with its avant-garde and post-punk attitudes. 'I'm So Green' hints at The Velvet Underground whilst 'Spoon' is the type of song only CAN could ever have made in the seventies. Short, full of original sounds, rhythmical and exciting in an oh so cool way. It is amazing how the mojo of CAN has stood the test of time so well.

If there's one Can album that could be called the perfect introduction to everything Can then Ege Bamyasi must be it. The focus has shifted from extended improvisations to concise songs, some of them even featuring melodies you could hum along with. Make no mistake, it's all trademark Can but it's just a tad more digestible then what came before.

The opener Pinch might be the hardest nut to crack. Nine and a half minutes of non-melodic improvisations, abstract sounds and random vocals on top of an entrancing break-beat. And guess what. It's irresistibly captivating. It is followed by three outstanding short songs. Sing Swan Song is a mesmerizing dreamy piece of music and One More Night is a visionary piece of music that would inspire countless generations of future artists, particularly trip hop guru Tricky must have learned a trick or two from this one. That goes even more for Vitamin C, a short but very affecting and funky tribal rock trip. The rhythmic section of Czukay and Liebezeit must be one of the grooviest in the world.

It fades into Soup, another proof of Suzuki's harmonically weird but extraordinary approach to vocals, there's so much raw power in that little man. After a good 3 minutes the song gradually evolves into very avant-garde territories. The noise experiments from minute 5 onwards are sure to drive any accidental bystanders away. It's Can giving the finger to melodic purists and it has rather to be seen as an artistic statement then a piece of music you play for Sunday breakfast. It's quit ok actually. No need for a big fuss.

I'm so Green is the reason this album strands at 4.5 stars. There's nothing wrong with it but it feels a bit fragmented and rushed. It's probably an excerpt from an improvisation that needed a bit more time to develop. Spoon on the other hand is one of Can's best 'songs'. It even feels like a song, with vocal melodies even resembling verses and a chorus.

Ege Bamyasi is not just an excellent album. It's an exceptionally excellent album. At 40 minutes it's a bit short to compensate fro its little flaws. Nevertheless, 4.5 big Bamyalar from me!

The music character that they had had and the content might have contained a lot of very original parts that were. It might contain the point to have completed the creation of music as each album became independent if it thought about the content of the album when the listener enjoyed their music. Some respects might be able to be found if it thinks about the transition of their music of course.

If the point for the music characters of them who multiplied from the first stage to middle term and were done was considered, the band might have been fixed by making the idea that they took and the sound and Vocalist.

Especially, the world of order and irrationality that "Tago Mago" has. Or, beauty and it destroys it of involving "Future Days". The music character that they had had will not have been a simple experiment. Establishment and influence of impression of band by Damo Suzuki. Or, the introduction of the rhythm of Afro and Latin is established and it succeeds. And, it is continuous of decorated sound in which a complete arrangement is given. In the flow of the transition, this album also has the opinion made for the part with the element of POP a little to exist. However, the transition of their albums and music can tie and it research alone. And, it is certain to have contained respect of room by their commercial successes if talking by thinking only about this album.

There might have been room to create music to men who had concluded successfully "Spoon" offered for "Das Messer" of the television series of Germany worldwide. However, having acted as a little loose work in the flow to which the part of the room creates music is a well-known fact in them. It is said that "Spoon" was used to supplement the lack of the material collected to the album. It is said that the part of room finished recording hindering member's creation and session in a hurry. The Music characters of them who develop further and humours will be able to be found from "Tago Mago" in the album. The name of the canned food made in Turkey might be adopted and the part where the title etc. that were reminiscent to the title of the tune of the ingredient were introduced as an idea understand they had very original creativity. Some perfection and busy have finished when thinking about the Music characters of them done alone with this album ..a lot of included content...

The element of the music that each member was pursuing at that time takes up various topics, is pursued, and reflected in the tune. Music of Vietnam in which Holger Czukay had been always interested. Elements of the music such as Bali and Morocco interesting also of other members came to appear everywhere as one of the charms of their music characters at the same time as with the action that may be gradually reflected from their mid-term works.

"Pinch" might be one space that they exactly create. Floods of overwhelming sounds of men who were doing by "Tago Mago" challenge music further with this album as another route. The song of continued Groove and Damo that merges completely in the band has the overwhelming might. This tune will not be simple Rock. Decoration of keyboard to contribute to tune completely. And, the arrangement of the guitar and the percussion instrument has acted on the tune, too.

The development of the ballade around which a gentle song to the sound of running water is twined with the rhythm of "Sing Swan Song" is impressive. The guitar with the part of the keyboard and the decoration where the anacatesthesia overflows contributes to the tune.

The song with the feeling whispered to a steady rhythm twines round "One More Night". The part where originality is felt is proof that the decoration and the guitar of the keyboard contribute. The order united as a flow of the album is reflected in this album well. The introduction of Noise and the exactness of the song might have been established.

The melody and the rhythm of "Vitamin C" made anxious are impressive. And, the song of Damo Suzuki sung by a pronunciation near Japanese gives the band an original part and width. A contribution of the line of Bass and a constant anacatesthesia might be splendid. The melody of the keyboard also contributes to the tune.

The flow from the part of Coda of "Vitamin C" is received and "Soup" is connected. The flow that shifts from a quiet standing up to intense Rock gives the listener the overwhelming might. The band will be able to be discovered to establish and to develop exactly. The tune contains the part of the complexity further and advances. The flow that creates a constant space while containing decorated part might succeed, too. The flow that the idea into which the flow develops in the forward is exactly achieved by "Tago Mago" is reminiscent.

In "I'm So Green", originality and the melody of the band are features in the element that Rock is good. The arrangement of the guitar and the song with originality always press the establishment of the directionality of the band.

"Spoon" gives the arrangement of various sounds to a steady rhythm and raises the perfection of the tune. Decoration of impressive melody of song and electronic rhythm. Or, the sound that the keyboard contributes decides the impression.

It is likely to be acknowledged as an album with which the element of POP and steady Rock is blocked a little more in the work of Can. However, it changes and it revolutionizes it. move from "Tago Mago" to this albumAnd, if the flow is considered as one top that reaches by "Future Days", the album at this time can be caught as an important work when talking about them.

When I first came across the TAGO MAGO album, I was thoroughly pleased with it even if the avant-garde moments were a bit too much. The initial surprise was what kept drawing me to TAGO MAGO; the same cannot be said for EGE BAMYASI even if ''the green album'' is good in its own regard.

If the avant, musique conrete stuff is what drove you nuts on TAGO MAGO, you can relax as only ''Soup'' has any elements of that here. However, don't come into this album thinking you'll find classic prog; we deal more so with funky jams and unique rhythms than your typical prog perks. Many facets that would later evolve into hip hop (''Pinch'') and alternative music (''I'm So Green'') seem to have roots in this album.

It's a mixed affair to say the least. ''Pinch'' and ''One More Night'' are quite addicting to say the least, and ''Vitamin C'' and ''Spoon'' take the good jam elements and compact them into bite- sized format. ''Soup'' is weak as it tries too hard to outdo every long song TAGO MAGO offered and failing to do so. The other two are just okay but nonmemorable songs to put it bluntly.

Anyone that had trouble with TAGO MAGO ought to try this out as it is a safer version of CAN. All of those impressed with CAN before might find this to be a bit wimpy.

I'm afraid that this fourth "Can" album won't raise quite high on my scale of evaluation. Like the predecessor "Tago Mago", I can't feel a lot of positive vibrations here.

Repetitive, jamming oriented music, noisy stuff. You got it all after having listened to the opening "Pinch". Awful to my ears. Press next, indeed, to reach the soft and psyche "Sing Swan Song". At least, there is nothing to hurt your senses here. Fine psychedelia, but some five years later than the original movement. Still, one of the best track available (but there aren't many).

And the "Soup" that is being served here is rather indigestible to say the least. Over ten minutes of unorganized noise. Some might like this, I don't. Some relief though when you will reach the sixth track of this album: a decent groove and effective music for this "I'm So Green". The second bearable song from this offering. And the last one.

Only ten albums to go in their discography...Two stars for this one.

There was really no way for Can to go further in the direction explored on Tago Mago which called for a step into a slightly different direction with their next release.

Unlike the albums before it, Ege Bamyasi featured quite a few shorter tracks and not a single composition over 11 minutes mark. Did that mean that Can had finally given up the long improvisations and became a commercially successful band? Not really, although considering that their single Spoon was a hit in Germany there was some unintentional success. From what I've gathered, recording this album was a frustrating process for the band and due to the lack of material the single Spoon was added to the end of the record just to fill out the space.

Still, this is far from why I consider it an inferior album from the Damo Suzuki-era. My main concern has to do with the track arrangement. Of course I can understand that Can wanted to mix things up a bit after Tago Mago that featured its longest tracks towards the middle of the album. Ege Bamyasi features the first longer groove/jam composition right off the bat. Even though I enjoy Pinch for its steady hypnotic groove and off the wall work by Damo Suzuki, the song lacks a punch that has been featured on previous album openers and instead plays like a transition to the next three shorter tracks. Note that this was never the case on Tago Mago even though that release was double the length of Ege Bamyasi nothing there could even remotely constitute for transition material. The perfect placement of the avant-garde material in the middle of the album created a real surprise for the listener, while here it's more of a roller coaster ride where the two longer tracks feel just like rising to the top, leading up to the fall, while the shorter tracks are the fun parts.

By this time Can began to incorporate vast amounts of world music influences into their work which was an interesting addition to their sound while, at the same time, smoothing out some of the band's rawer and more energetic moments. This album is also much groovier and less experimental than the previous releases which, in a way, was a sign of the things to come. When the material hits all the right notes this album becomes a real treat, but there are only a few such instances and they become easily overshadowed by the lesser material.

Ege Bamyasi can be considered a transitional album for Can. A weird mix between the raw avant-garde sound of the past and the hypnotic groove sound achieved on Future Days. Personally I just lack the energy and inspiration even though this was the period where Can could do no wrong. Hence, good but non-essential release!

***** star songs: Vitamin C (3:34) Spoon (3:04)

**** star songs: Pinch (9:27) Sing Swan Song (4:47) I'm So Green (3:04)

*** star songs: One More Night (5:34) Soup (10:32)

You know, I could see where this could easily be somebody's favorite Can album. Unlike the two albums immediately preceeding it, there are no obvious low points, and there are certainly real highlights. Further, there's a really heavy dose of "ethnic" rhythms to be found; the "robotic" tendencies Jaki mastered on the last couple of albums have largely given way to "shake your booty" tendencies that he shows he's mastered just as well. Add in that Damo is just as prominent in his eccentric way as ever, and it certainly seems (on paper) that I should be willing to rank this among Can albums as high as Soundtracks, at least.

Here's the thing, though: with the exception of two (possibly three) tracks, I can't help but get the feeling that Can, at this point in time, could have done this album in their sleep. "Sing Swan Song," for instance, may be a perfectly lovely Easternish moody ballad, but after the other moody ballads they'd done on the last two albums, something like this wasn't exactly them stretching themselves. "One More Night" actually comes pretty close to getting the dreaded "filler" tag from me; this may be a rather involved piece of proto-trance meant for background listening, but it's hard for me to treat it as more than background music regardless, even if Damo gives it an edge after a while. "I'm So Green" is a fun piece of robo-ethnic dance pop, and it's interesting to put on once in a while, but it's hardly one of Can's career highlights.

The tracks which bookend the album are both very good, to my ears, but they too don't hit me as as inspired as Can's best work. The opening "Pinch," as cool as it sounds with its jittery ethnic rhythms and its domination by Damo's voice, has a couple of things working against it to keep me from loving it. First is that, while Can has always largely been based around Jaki and Damo, here that emphasis is pressed just a bit too hard, particularly at the expense of Karoli and Schmidt. Karoli's there, but he's buried (though impressive), and even after the nth listen I can't think of any especially strong Schmidt presence. The second characteristic, then, is that I'm not really happy with the structure, or lack thereof, of the piece. "Pinch" really sounds like it could have just been somebody turning on the recording mic for a random ten minute interval in the middle of an hour-long Can jam, and while I can guess that that would make some jump for joy, it makes me a little antsy. I guess I wouldn't be bothered so much, though, if this jam wasn't so one-note in nature; "Halleluwah" and "Mother Sky" had a bazillion cool things happen in their running times, whereas this is, basically, rhythm and rambling for ten minutes. Only Damo muttering the title of the song at the end gives any sense of resolution, and in this case that bugs me. I mean, the track is awesome as background music, but if I try to treat it as serious listening music, it goes down a bit in my ears.

The closing psychedelic number, "Spoon," is closer to being a classic than the other numbers thus far listed, because it manages to sound to me like Can are both stretching themselves a bit and at the same time bothering to actually focus on melody instead of just the rhythm. So help me, I love that little verse melody Damo sings in as close to a normal voice as he can muster, and the way Schmidt's synth noises muck it up (in a good way) does nothing but good for the effect. Of course, Schmidt's "normal" keyboard parts are really nice for some reason I can't put my finger on, and the bits of electronic percussion at the beginning have a neat ethnic sci-fi cool to them, so there you go.

The crux of the album, though, lies in the middle, with a short number ("Vitamin C," 3:34) and a long one ("Soup," 10:25). "Vitamin C" sounds creepy in a way the band hadn't yet managed to pull off (which says something), as Jaki brings back the robo-rhythms to great effect, Damo pulls off a threatening delivery about the danger of "Vitamin C" deficiency, and overall the band manages to take just enough of a step back from its usual perversity to sound cool in an almost normal way. That's a good thing, by the way, if only because of how relatively novel that is for the band; "Vitamin C" is, really, just a very good dark rock song.

"Soup," on the other hand, is Can at their most gloriously noisy and weird and varied, and provides a nice break from the feeling of sleepwalking through much of the rest of the album. The first half is fairly standard from Can, though not really for the album; it starts out quiet, then sees the band enter full screaming jam mode, with Damo bellowing way more than to that point, and with Karoli finally unleashed. And then we get the buildup of synth noises, until we get to the main attraction, which is Damo preaching his stuff over the craziest collection of processed noise that could have possibly existed in the early 70's. Maybe that's why the rest of the album sounds so tame, particularly in Schmidt's contributions; a disproportionate amount of time was probably spent on trying to get that perfect "soup-boiling-over" sound and all of those *blaaaaaaaaaare* noises and what-not.

Now, allow me to be clear; I in no way have an overall dislike for the tracks here that aren't "Vitamin C" or "Soup" (I'm giving this album a ****, for crying out loud). It's just that I can't shake the feeling that they had the capability to make a much better album here than they really did, and that feeling has only solidified in me over time. Regardless, it's a very, very, very good album.

Ege Bamyasi is much more accesible than Tago Mago. Here they focus more on grooves than freak-outs. Holger Czukay's tape-editing is not as noticeable here, but the music would not be the same without it. Generally more funky and precise compared to what came before. The cover art is a pun on the band's name. Supposedly Can is pronounced "khan", but in the English-speaking world it was pronounced "kann", hence the cover.

"Pinch" starts the album off sounding like what Miles Davis was doing at the same time. Except Japanese-born singer Damo Suzuki is doing vocals. As usual with his singing, you can't understand most of what he is saying. The bass and drums stay the same pretty much for the whole song. All the other instruments are all over the place. The music stops at the end and Damo says "pinch". "Sing Swan Song" starts with water noises. Then goes into the main part of the song which is fairly laid-back and melodic. Some acoustic guitar in this song.

"One More Night" is a catchy upbeat song. Sounds sunny and tropical. "Vitamin C" is a very funky song but the funkiness mainly comes from the drums. Great drumming by the way. The bass is very minimalist and not very bass-y. I like the chorus part of "you're losing...your vitamin C" and the fast guitar during it. I love the melodic organ over halfway through. Ends with dissonant sequencers which segue into "Soup", the longest song. After a bare minimalist section with drum rolls comes a very funky rocking part. Some synth noises and the drumming gets more jazzy. Halfway music stops and then distorted slowed down noises with Damo talk/singing.

The last half of "Soup" is the only part of the album comparable to the freakier stuff on Tago Mago. Some drums and guitar later. Music stops again, then weird drumming, keys and sax (?). Along with Damo's gibberish vocals. "I'm So Green" has a good beat and drumming form Liebezeit. This actually has key/chord changes in it. Fairly melodic and catchy. Goes into a jammy section in the middle. Nice cymbal work near the end. "Spoon" was actually a hit single in Germany. Begins with drum machine and organ before full band comes in on a five note vamp. Damo's double-tracked vocals sound good during the 'chorus'. Nice organ work here.

Czukay's production and bass playing is good. Unlike other albums, Michael Karoli doesn't play his violin here. His guitar playing here is typical of early Can: bluesy and psych rock influenced; not much for riffs or solos, rather creating texture. The keyboard work of Irmin Schmidt blends in with the other instruments. Nothing really stands out but the music would sound a lot different without him. The drumming of Jaki Liebezeit is excellent. His playing is what you notice the most here. Equal parts funky and jazzy. And then there's Damo; his vocals go from talking to yelling to almost singing in a 'normal' style.

A great place to start with Can, as is the follow up Future Days. Not quite representative of Krautrock, Ege Bamyasi would appeal to those who enjoy some of the funkier Miles Davis stuff from 1972-75. Not a masterpiece but an excellent album for your collection. 4 stars.

Rough, psychedelic and bizarre. Can is probably one of the most important krautrock bands, and this is definitely one of their most important albums (in a group with the other releases with Suzuki - Tago Mago, Future Days).

Ege Bamyasi retains all of the fantastic rough psychedelic rock instruments, with an emphasis on both psychedelic and rock individually. To me, this album is like a much more subdued and controlled version of Tago Mago; it still has the same elements as that album, but in lower quantity and with less emphasis on the endless noises that don't seem to go anywhere. So, I think that makes this one of the best Can albums to start with if you're unfamiliar with the group. Another hammer driving that point home is that this album is that this album is a half-half affair; psych rocker tracks (Pinch, Soup, Spoon) and songs that are quite catchy (Vitamin C, Sing Swan Song, I'm So Green, One More Night). I personally enjoy the catchier songs much more than the noisy tracks. Also, if you're a Kanye West fan then you'll probably recognize the main motif of "Sing Swan Song" as being sampled in one of his own songs, "Drunk and Hot Girls". With this band, that's about as big of a crossover appeal I think they'll ever get. I feel that the more song-oriented krautrock style really ranks this over Tago Mago.

Again, this is probably the best place to start if you're unfamiliar with Can, and if it's something you end up liking then Tago Mago should be you're next Can album purchase, but beware - it's a very hectic album in it's own right.

Stand out tracks: "Vitamin C", "Sing Swan Song", "Spoon"

The followup to Tago Mago was mostly recorded in the wake of the success of the Spoon single, which is presented at the end of the running order to round off proceedings. The funds from that success were used to buy the band their own studio space, and to be honest much of the album seems to involve the band simply growing used to their new studio. The compositions explore similar territory to Tago Mago, but not to the depth or the level of accomplishment attained on that album - it's more like the band limbering up and trying out their different exercises before producing a full-blown album. Spoon is a pretty decent song though, as is Vitamin C, and the rest of the material is interesting enough. Three and a half stars.

After the thunderous brilliance of the genre-defying 'Tago Mago' - probably Can's greatest studio effort - came this deliberate musical antidote, summing up the brazen original streak that runs through the core of this defining German outfit. Still featuring the 'classic' Can five-piece line-up of Michael Karoli(guitar), Damo Suzuki(guitar, vocals), Holger Czukay(bass, tapes), Jaki Liebezit(drums) and Irmin Schmidt(keyboards), 'Ege Bamyasi' found the group exploring softer, calmer moods as evidenced by the organic-themed - and rather jokey - album sleeve which depicts, simply, a can of okra. Gone is the electric fire-and-brimstone sonic assault of the almost dance-inflected 'Tago Mago', in come lush, bucolic sound effects(bubbling rivers, streams etc) mid-tempo bass-lines, softly-peddled haiku-style lyrics and washes of warm synthesizers. Although the same personel, this is very much a different band at work, with the reflective streak generating a new spin on the constantly-evolving Can sound. Less immediate than it's predecessor, 'Ege Bamyasi' is the come-down album after the highs of 'Tago Mago', and the pair go together almost perfectly, proving there is little in this world as refreshingly-original and daringly brilliant as Can album from the group's early-seventies peak.

STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON, 2012

9/10

"Ege Bamyasi" is a masterpiece of hypnotic Krautrock with strong psychedelic sparks and with a unique image and concept.

Following the release of the seminal "Tago Mago", Can created yet another masterpiece, "Ege Bamyasi", an album that went towards a completely different musical direction, maintaining still those few essential characteristics the band wasunique for.

Compared to "Tago Mago", there is a different, yet still out of the norm approach in attempting to find new horizons and experiment further: while the repetition, the tribal, driving, and somewhat funky rhythms and the psychedelic feel are still a major trait, the Avant-Garde elements are not at all that many ("Tago Mago" on the other hand redefined the concept of Experimental Rock with tracks like "Aumgn", "Halleluwah", or "Peking O"), thus the album is more accessible and slightly more melodic. The tone also is not as wild, and there are more than a few occasions where the band lays down a chill atmosphere, similar to the ones "Future Days" had all over the place.

"Ege Bamyasi" changes from mood to mood, creating a solid structure that gives plenty of variety. But what is most impressive about this release is it's flow, continuous and fluent as if the listener was experiencing drug-induced atmosphere swings: There are, though, lingering elements along all the songs of the album, especially the hypnotic rhythms. Songs like the grandiose hit/success, which happens to be the closing track, "Spoon", or "Vitamin C", are catchy and engaging, while other moments are more meant to be muscle relaxants, that stretch out to the point where the listener is oblivious to anything else surrounding him: "Sing Swan Song" is mellow and melodic, "One More Night", the following track, much more lively yet still incredibly hypnotic. "Soup" is possibly the masterpiece of the album, ten minutes that will be regarded as one of the greatest moments of Can's career, because of it's wild vocals, amazing sounds, and great varieties of experimentation within it. "I'm So Green" another short, but strongly impactful track that has a great melody as well as fantastic musicianship. Not to forget the opening nine minutes of the album, dominated entirely by the track "Pinch", a perfect appetizer to what will happen next.

"Ege Bamyasi" is one of those albums that sticks with the listener because of it's strange, yet magically ecstatic nature. An LP that will contribute in putting Can high up there, among the greats of contemporary music.

Although CAN had been active since 1968, the German band that blended together avant-garde jazz, psychedelic rock, funk and experimental noise techniques had mostly been an underground act that while having been cited as a major influence by future generations was still largely unknown to the German public. However that all changed after the band's third album 'Tago Mago' when CAN released the single 'Spoon' which proved to be a major hit that peaked at #6 on the German singles charts due to the fact it was used as the theme of the German TV series called 'Das Messer' (The Knife). The single sold over 300,000 units and in the process CAN was able to upgrade its situation to a much better recording studio where they commenced to record the band's fourth album EGE BAMYASI, which is Turkish for 'Aegeon Okra,' an odd title that was adopted spontaneously after a quick glimpse on the shelf.

While the band's studio was state of the art and ready for recording, the band was going through a creative slump and it took considerable effort to record enough material to release a followup album. The lack of material also mean that the supposed non-album single 'Spoon' was attached to the end of the album. Musically CAN followed in the footsteps of 'Tago Mago' minus the most tripped out parts as heard on 'Aumgn' and 'Peking O' but instead excelled in crafting the unique hybrids that deconstructed rock and roll and infiltrated the rock energy with various styles of ethnic music. Bassist Holgar Czukay was always fascinated by Vietnamese music and the rest of the band members were equally enthralled with Middle Eastern percussion as well as music from Morocco and Bali. The results were a unique sound that continued in the making of EGE BAMYASI.

Like much of 'Tago Mago,' EGE BAMYASI's focus is on the varied percussive styles of drummer Jaki Liebezeit whose techniques corrupted the jazz world and teased them into hypnotic groove driven loops that allowed the guitar, bass and keyboards to free float around. Once again vocalist Damo Suzuki delivers a deranged lead performance with mostly unintelligible lyrics that add to the mystique as well as insinuate exorcisms on tape. The final moments of 'Soup' for example exemplify his most erratic behavior where he screams and delivers vocal anguish in the first degree. For the most part EGE BAMYASI is a more even keel release than its predecessors with a constant percussive drive leading the way and other instruments and vocals going along for the ride. The rhythms are beefier as are the diverse percussive grooves. The bass remains in a psychedelic funk mode and the guitar and keys are implemented to provide musical textures rather than develop intricate melodies.

The band also performed free concerts in order to raise awareness of its music which was met with critical acclaim and delivered the promised results. The album while not as experimental and daring as 'Tago Mago' nonetheless delivers a ceaseless supply of hypnotic Krautrock that provided danceable funk grooves that also offered the perfect psychedelic respite from the status quo of blues based rock of the era. 'Vitamin C' is an interesting track as Suzuki has moments where he screams 'Hey You' that sounds a lot like what Pink Floyd would shout out on future albums like 'The Wall.' It seems that CAN has been one of the most influential Kraut bands in all of Germany. The indie rock band Spoon took its name from the CAN single and countless artists such as Public Image Limited, Sonic Youth and even Portishead learned a thing or two from EGE BAMYASI. The album has also been a rich source of sampling.

Initially i was disappointed by EGE BAMYASI as it wasn't as freaky as 'Tago Mago' but after several listens over the years my appreciation has grown although i prefer the albums that sandwich this release. While not the most innovative CAN release, it certainly is consistent in its delivery and offers its most psychedelic deviancy in the form of the multi-part 'Soup' which offers a break from the groovy beats at key moments. The single 'Spoon' actually works quite well as the most accessible track on the end as it allows a nice comedown from the frenetic percussive rich tracks that precede it. Overall, EGE BAMYASI is a solid CAN release that may take a few spins to sink in but once it finds its foothold, it's actually quite infectious.

Can polish up their sound a bit and become more ingrained and comfortable within their niche. The result isn't as revolutionary or, it must be said, as good as Tago Mago but it's still a great listen, not to mention more approachable for casual listeners, albeit only slightly: the Krautrock jam that "Soup" starts off as gives way within minutes to a fantastic haunting sound collage on par with similar experiments on the preceding album. The performances are stellar too: Irmin Schmidt's keyboards are more confident and visible here than on most other Can releases, and Jaki Liebezeit's drumming (especially on "Vitamin C" and the hypnotic album opener "Pinch") again has to be heard to be believed.