SOON OVER BABALUMA

My first Can album, purchased shortly after its release. My friends and I were also listening to Robert Wyatt's "Rock Bottom" and Gong's famous trilogy at the time. When you think about it, all three acts injected a welcome dose of humor into their work. I remember hearing "Future Days" and "Ege Bamyasi" a year or two later, but found them unappealing at the time. I think it's difficult to work backwards with some groups; in the case of Can, you're going from a spacy but polished sound back to a wilder, more primitive style, and it just doesn't work for me. I liked one of the pieces from "Tago Mago" (the one showing the biggest Stockhausen influence), but I could never appreciate Damo Suzuki or Malcolm Mooney at all. Anyway, this album began the string of my favorite Can albums. I love much of their solo material, as well.