UNLIMITED EDITION

This intriguing collection of Can-dementia was actually my introduction to the band. Right back in the days when I only listened to symphonic prog (yes I once was innocent too). Needless to say I hated the guts out of this thing and stayed clear of all things Can for almost 10 more years. But for the initiated, this is quite an interesting collection of leftovers, brimming with ideas, sketches, creativity and, well, sheer madness.

This album presents Can's music in an embryonic state, with few of the pieces entirely developed, but that's exactly what makes it an interesting release and must-have for Can-ophiles, as they add interesting new sonic explorations, alternate takes and other useful additions to the known body of Can works. The 'Ethnological Forgery Series' being the obvious examples, showing experiments with world music reminding me slightly of Embryo. The opener 'Gomorrha' is one of the few fully formed Can tracks, a little cosmic masterpiece unique to their discography. Much of the songs with vocals are from the Malcolm Mooney years, which is a plus as far as I'm concerned. The 17 minute 'Cutaway' is a bit of a disappointment though.

I don't fancy all tracks here equally, but the mix of experimental successes as well as the failures is a big part of the charm of this release. Besides, since I digitalized my entire catalog this year, a playlist with 50 very strong minutes can be easily compiled from what's on offer here. You could say this is for fans only, but well, that's what many people think of the entire Can discography anyway. So 4 it is!