DELAY 1968

Recorded in 1968 but not issued until 1981 'Delay' offers up more welcome helpings from the earlier days of Can's time with original lead-vocalist Malcolm Mooney, the schizophrenic American who appeared on the group's seminal 'Monster Movie' album. Depending on which Can you truly dig - whether it be the smoother, more psychedelic and experimental textures of Japanese ex-Busker Damo Suzuki or Mooney's wildly cacophonous brilliance - Can will always be one of those groups whose appeal is rooted in their own unique de-construction of rock 'n' roll. Both vocalists added their own peculiar flavour to the group's burgeoning sound, yet Mooney's time was briefest. Here, then, we get another chance to peruse the manic American's time with Can, this blistering release featuring seven sizzling cuts that paint 1968 Can in the same colour as the Velvet Underground, only with less emphasis on druggy dronery and a wild-eyed experimental edge brewed up with elements of funk, jazz, avant-garde rock and surreal sonic palettes of wirey guitars, tribal percussion and Mooney's own howling tones. Highlights include the lysergic tint of 'Butterfly', the punky, garage-flecked 'Nineteen Century Man', an eight-minute trawl through psychedelic world fusion territory on 'Little Star Of Bethlehem' and the scratchy, minimalist prog of the brilliantly-realised cut 'Thief'. Most interestingly of all, 'Delay' takes on a slightly broader range of styles than 'Monster Movie', showcasing Can at a highly transitional period. That said, this was a group quite unlike any other, and this welcome addition to the group's eclectic discography only goes to (rather emphatically) prove the point. Pretty damn brilliant. STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON, 2012