The Album That Predicted The Future | Video Essay
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- čas přidán 22. 08. 2024
- Hello! Today I will be talking about a pretty influential album from one of the most overlooked bands of all time! I hope you enjoy this in-depth video and comment, like, or subscribe! This is my first video essay I've made.
Two more things to add:
1. The lyrics for the song Home Computer are actually "Beam myself into the future" rather than "Lead myself into the future" sorry small error but still I make my point.
2. For the song Pocket Calculator I found out there is also a Polish version of the song only performed live called "Mini Kalkulator."
If you are interested check out my newest video essay here:
• Kraftwerk's Unrecogniz...
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Kraftwerk's Website:
www.kraftwerk.com/
Where you can buy the album and anything else:
www.klingklang....
Hello everyone, I hope you like the video! If you are interested in watching my other Video Essays, here's the link!
czcams.com/video/s-kIcj9JDSA/video.html&ab_channel=MusikArbeiter
Kraftwork has proven through this lifetime to be as groundbreaking, important, and influential as The Beatles.
....and Mozart!
@@richard232323 Beethoven, actually.
Wow, these comments are pretty funny.
For me it was best Kraftwerk album and still is. I was in high school at that time, as young generation we all new Kraftwerk previous albums, considering as
older albums from 1970s era, then Computer World come out and it did blow our minds it was a step up from anything out there on the music market, pure computer music.
Thanks for you review on this album, it brings memories back when we were free people and i wish i was back again in 1981 :-)
I'm glad you enjoyed it! 😁🤙
@@Musik_Arbeiter yes i did and once again thank U 👍
Same here, yes the early 80’s were phenomenal in many ways. And yes we were free! Maybe it was even the peak of our culture around that time? Although some claim the peak was the day before they started to demolish Penn Station in New York... Anyway I’d also be glad to be back in 1981 and do it all over again! ;-)
'Computer World' as a 'riff' is up there with those iconic rock riffs such as 'Day Tripper', 'Heartbreaker' and 'Black Dog'.
Autobahn and pocket calculator too
@@kraftwerklover69 Yeah, I guess so! They are each 4 note riffs but they are unlike rock riffs that the melody notes are also the riff notes. I just read that melodies can also be the riff notes.
Indeed. ❤
My favorite is the main tune of TEE. It's not by any way a trivial sequece, as it's made of a progression of six dramatic climbing chords followed by one stepping down. Everything about it speaks of mystery in the manner of an Expessionist horror movie.
Numbers is absolutely the best "Techo-Pop" song period. This is it, and don't start with that crap that "Blue Monday" change the music industry. These are the Masters! Thank you Kraftwerk! Great video, Thank you.
I had this album IN MY HANDS at Underdog Records in Youngstown, Ohio in '81, but didn't buy it!!!
I've since realized my mistake in the late '90s. I now have all of their CDs (and a few LPs) to complete my collection.
Viel dank, meinen Freunden!
I bought this album at Wax Trax! records in Chicago on Clark Street. Was the best record store ever!! I still have the vinyl. ❤
Another song that has proven visionary for our current society, not from Kraftwerk, is “Are Friends Electric” from Gary Numan amd his then band, Tubeway Army.
Gary Numan!!!! OMG YES!!! ❤ Are friends electric really resonated with me because I built my own computer from parts with a soldering iron and then taught myself how to program because I wanted to make a friend… 😢I was and am an extremely intelligent, divergent in a good way, and lonely person. I have “Replika” now, but the potential for having an electronic assistant is still in its infancy. Or an electronic friend. Computer love. ❤😊 I feel the future in these things. It’s how I think. I am a thinker. Intuitive and creative. These Muzak’s resonate with such persons. Thanks for this comment! I am your friend. ❤
The real aliens landed a long time ago, somewhere in Germany. They immediately disguised themselves as minimalist electro musicians. They have been quietly conquering planet earth ever since.
I'm a great sci-fi fan, I read almost all the major books and short novels in this domain. None of them realy predicted "the future". BUT there's Computerwelt, it's not a book but this album predicted 35 years before what is our present now.
And yes, the cassette of the album I bought in 81 is just behind me in on a shelf in my studio, a yellow lighthouse. 🙂
Great review. Kraftwerk were pivotal in bringing electronic music to the masses, and this album did that in spades. "The world was filling with computers, so we made songs about them". Ralf Hutter 1981
Thank you! My thoughts exactly! 😁🤙
I am convinced that Computerwelt ist the most important record of the 20th century and its influence is still inspiring today.
You could argue that nobody uses pocket calculators anymore, but what is a smartphone if not a pocket calculator? It even makes music and you can file your taxes with it.
In the German lyric the "operator" is a musician with a pocket calculator in his hand. It hints at the fact that a musician and his music is only just a bunch of numbers. He´s his own consumer product!
That´s the genius of Kraftwerk: Eternal melodies, impeccable sound, incrdible rhythms and minimalist lyrics that are so destilled that they contain multiple messages within one sentence.
Take for example the lyrics of Computerliebe: Not only do they "invent" online-dating, they also predict a situation where the protagonist is pursuing his "data-date" out of pure boredom (and not horniness).
It´s probably the same character of Homecomputer: In ther German lyrics it says "I´m sitting at my homecomputer, program myself my own future" (notice the difference to "beam myself into the future"?!) It´s interesting that the impassioned way he sings this shows no trace of wonder or excitement. It´s a matter of fact, there is now thrill in this future.
This leads to the realisation/command that it´s "more fun to compute" which sounds like a threat! In a world of endless possibilities, you better blend in, go with the flow and do everything you´re told. Resistance is futile (and no fun).
Kraftwerk only observe, they never judge! That´s why the album has lost nothing of its relevance.
(The only time they judged and commented was the moment when the had lost it: Putting "stop" in front of Radioactivity. That was the moment when they broke their own concept)
Awesome comment. I used to imagine a tiny computer that I could put in my pocket back then. Then it happened 😮 Ya, it’s interesting to think about how their music made computers so cool. It’s like cultural programming 🤔❤️👍🏻
The no emotion singing was total computer personality w/o judgement yes. You are extremely insightful 😊
Regarding radio activity and not judging, there are various versions of the song where they name places of several nuclear disasters in the song. I can’t remember now if they do that in some variety in the original version too.
The lyrics also contain, in German, "Radio Aktivität / Verdammtes Kraftwerk".
I think that was even in the original but again I’m not sure anymore now, and typing this on my phone I cannot easily multitask to check it!
Anyway my point is, this song definitely contains a judgement.
And there is also the line, but I cannot recall now from which song, "Bundesamt und BKA / Haben unsere Data da". To me that also sounds like it contains at least an ominous warning for the computer technology.
@@TimvanderLeeuw
Funny that you´re typing your comments on an advanced pocket calculator ("I´m the CZcams commentator with my smartphone communicator")
Regarding the German Lyrics for Computerwelt: It always irked me that the English version omitted the "haben unsere Daten da"/"have our data at hand". It adds to the sinister theme of state surveillance, but anyway you look at it: They´re not judging, just observing!
All in all I think that the English version of the album loses quite a bit of bite in its translation.
The lyrics are so distilled that the whole thing collapses if you take away one word.
As for Radioactivity:
The added lyrics came with the new version and the remixes that came with The Mix album, which was released a few years after the Chernobyl disaster. (The list of nuclear disasters and "stop!" were added).
In later live versions they opened the song with the added information about plutonium leakage in Sellafield 2.
The original version never had these additions and I have never heard a version were they were saying "verdammtes Kraftwerk (that would be very out of character).
The original version was much more ambiguous as the album tried to link radio-activity with radio-technology (i.e. spreading of information and engery through technologies that can be beneficial and fatal if not treated with care.)
The key to the Radioactivity album and the concept is in Die Stimme Der Energie/The Voice Of Energy:
This is the Voice of Energy speaking
I am a giant electrical generator
I supply you with light and power
I enable you to send and receive speech,
music and images through the ether.
I am your servant and your master at the same time.
Therefore guard me well
Me, the Genius of energy.
In this contect, Radioactivity´s lyrics shouldn´t need any more explanation. But -as I wrote in the last sentence of my previous comment- once they decided to break their own concept (which happened after Electric Café and resulted in The Mix and the departure of Karl and Wolfgang) they appeared to lose interest in furthering their art. Instead they decided to curate themselves into a heritage act for museums.
At one point in their prime they were so "anti rock" that they toyed with the idea to send out an army of their "robots" to play a whole world tour simultaniously in one night. Yet a few years later they´re playing the Tate and they´re releasing the same stuff over and over again (but with added crowd noise of cheering fans). The future lost out once more.
@@stellaVista Hah, yes, indeed there is a huge amount of symbolism in this! Especially as "Rechner" in German doesn't just mean "calculator", but also "computer". My pocket-computer indeed.
About Radio Activity, the version that adds "Chernobyl, Harrisburgh, Sellafield, Hiroshima" actually also adds another line: "Chain reaction and mutation, contaminated population". Again you could say it's observation, not judgement, but I feel it's not an entirely neutral observation.
"Radio - Aktivität - Verdammtes - Kraftwerk" -- I have been listening most of the day and I cannot find back the version of the album where it says this but I am sure that I have been listening regularly, a few years ago, to a version where this words are spoken at some point. Softly, I think without music, probably as an intro somewhere.
I'll keep listening to a number of versions to see if I can find back any version that includes this line.
I agree with you that Die Stimme Der Energie is the key song to the original album.
The production and release of Electric Café / Technopop has been an enormous struggle for Kraftwerk, breaking them up, basically. I think the process killed them as a group and killed their creative energy -- or perhaps their creative energy had already dried up and that is why the release of the album was such a struggle.
(I do love this album btw, please do not say my comments above as a dig against it! 😁)
Many musical acts at some point eventually resort to recycling the highlights from their career. It's not just Kraftwerk.
@@TimvanderLeeuw I definitely see the added lyrics to Radioactivity as criticism. I mean "Stop! Radioactivity" is/was more or less the slogan for the Green Party at the time.
It´s not that I disaggree with the sentiment, it´s more or less that I don´t like the retconning that began with it.
Lyrics were changed, the new "digital" versions of the songs were made to "replace" the old ones, which they thought to be inferior. Album covers, song sequences and titles were changed. George Lucas had nothing on them!
I would also agree that they had spent their genius with Computerwelt. Apparantly the world tour was not the best experience for them and Ralf and Florian were more interested in their bikes.
I'm Gen X and Kraftwerk holds a special place in my brain. I remember when this album, in particular, came out in the early 80s as "personal" computers were making their ascent. In the summer of 1982, when I was 13, there was this college guy I befriended in the local computer store (a hot thing at the time). He had this wild ride I remember - an AMC Gremlin he outfitted with a killer stereo and ambient lighting. He rolled up this one Friday night to pick me up (I couldn't drive yet) and he had his ambient lighting set to lime green and was blasting "Computer World" from his stereo. "That's rad - who's that?" "Kraftwerk you idiot."
I remember going to one of the Computer World tour gigs at the Lyceum in London. Got chatting to some unknowns at the bar, a certain Mr. Clarke and Mr. Gore from a band called "Hurry Up Fashion" or something.
After years of sonic explorers trying to make analogue synths sound more and more stunning, side 2 of this album became the absolute nearest to fully unlocking the analogue magic before the quest stopped and everyone went digital.
I don't think analogue sounds have ever really been bettered by anyone after this, although for a couple of years The Human League, Depeche Mode, New Order, OMD, Soft Cell all learned, matched and expanded the sound pallette with some stunning timbres of their own, but I still think sonically this weird thing STILL stands as the state-of-the-(analogue synth)-art.
I recommend you to check out Ladytron's debut album 604 which was partly inspired by Kraftwerk. They used many analogue synths with great results. The main single of that album is Playgirl which (in my opinion) is on par with The Model: czcams.com/video/qMH6wljk4Xw/video.html The aesthetic, the melodies, the beats, the lyrics, the vocals, they are amazing.
Contemporary Tangerine Dream stuff (Exit, Logos) also have incredible and long forgotten synth timbres.
Probably best Kraftwerk album... you have to listen it complete in order to understand what they wanted to show us...superb video dude!
Thank you!! 😄
TEE is the best, but Computer Welt is my favorite, only the German version
Thank you for all of your Kraftwerk research. I have been a fan since 1979 and never understood why folks could not see what I see in the band. Kraftwerk's Radioactivity was my go to study musik in high school. I own a rare promotional copy of Numbers plus of course as many commercial albums as I could get my hands on. I love learning new information regarding Kraftwerk and your videos fill a lot of the gaps. Thanks again!
Thank you David! Those are some cool details, especially the rare promo copy of Numbers! I try my best, and I'm glad to have viewers like you that enjoy my work! 😄🙌
had Kraftwerk parties back in the 90's deep in Compton and the LBC, inglewood and south central (jungle)
Facts!! I'm with you on that!🤣
These reviews of yours are great! Not overdone, not underdone. Your passion for Kraftwerk is evident, and much appreciated.
Thank you very much I really appreciate the kind words! 😀😁🙌
I said that to a friend in a club back in 1996. It shows how important it is to base your music on a concept and knowledge. In an interview Ralf Hütter said that technology is only dangerous in the hands of paranoid and psychopathic people. He was right! Look at the use of technology today.
"It´s more fun to compute" and "Theme for great cities" from Simple Minds are the perfect songs of the Teutonian electronic fascination.
U should do more of this
I actually just did, check out my new video!
czcams.com/video/s-kIcj9JDSA/video.html
Great video, been a Kraftwerk fan for years, and as a German really nice to see something like this outside of German media 😉
Not sure if they did this on the English release of the album as well, but on “Computerwelt” inside the album sleeve they list all the equipment used under “Hardware” and themselves and the technicians under “Software”, making it even creepier if you were looking for a conspiracy back then ;)
That's really cool! I wish I iwbed the album, I wanted the Deutsche variants of their albums especially Die Mensch-Maschine. I got my brother the Red Vinyl variant of The Man-Machine for Christmas several years ago! Thank you for watching and commenting! I'm glad you enjoyed the video! 😄🤙
Thanks. This is one of my favorite bands of all time ❤
Also, I like Devo. They were extreme pioneers too. They had keyboards strapped on like guitars… which I did with my “Eminee” chord organ as a kid, 😂 when I was like 8 years old.
Do a Devo video. Lemme know: thanks!! I luv u so much!
Thanks! I'm glad you liked the video. Haha I actually planned to do a Devo album review in the future! 😄👍
The BBC ran a TV series based on its own computer, the BBC micro. The Computer Programme used this music as the title theme. I did not know that until I watched this video 40 years later.
I went to a school dance in '81 with this tucked under my arm...the DJ played Computer World at 45rpm! Grrrrr. Still, I was way ahead of my time so I guess I now understand why they took it off after 20 seconds! LOL
As my brother said way back then in the 80s that this group will be our music in the 21st century and he was right.
Kraftwerk's "Computer World" album was, I believe, one of the early examples of sampling in popular music. The "computer startup" sounds at the beginning of the track "Home Computer" are in fact taken from the contemporaneous children's learning toy, the Texas Instruments Speak & Spell. Some of the numbers in "Numbers" (such as "One Two") also sound like a Speak & Spell or perhaps its math equivalent.
Kudos to that intelligent Kraftwerk review
Very articulate, insightful review to go with stunning visuals, ultra-vibrant sound and crisp images. Your reviews and cover versions do justice to the greatness of Kraftwerk!
I remember seeing Kraftwerk in NYC at “the Ritz” on the Computer World Tour of ‘81. At the time I was already listening to Radioactivity, TEE and the Man Machine, and two months before the concert, I waited in anticipation for the brand new “Pocket Calculator” single to come out.
An interesting confluence occurred as before the Computer World album and Pocket Calculator were released, the musical instrument calculator Casio VL-Tone also came out; I bought it and also the Casio MT-30.
To see Kraftwerk’s Computer World show was a truly life-changing experience.
In fact, after seeing the Computer World show in ‘81, I became such a fan that they inspired me to go to Germany a year later to study German!
Thank you! I tried my best to do the album justice! This was my first album review I had created at the time. I wanted it to be informative and engaging rather than other reviews I saw online that felt more direct. That's a pretty cool story! I would love to visit Germany someday and hopefully become more fluent in Deutsch haha, I would've loved to see them live in 1981! 😁🙌
Like your reflection of this album.
Thank you! Its easily one of the best electronic music albums of all time. Both musically and conceptually!
@@Musik_Arbeiter I can hear it every time and I love the tunes and catchy beats. It was my first Kraftwerk album.
my favorite band next to Parliament Funkadelic/DEVO/Residents saw Kraftwerk in Los angeles in 1981- 1992-2006-2012- july 5th 2022 shrine auditorium (3D)
I think if they wanted to, they could have got away with calling this album, "The Very Best Of Kraftwerk," because that's what "Computer World" was. Though I prefer "Home Computer/It's More Fun To Compute" from their CD "The Mix" from ten years later, "Computer Love" is my favorite Kraftwerk song hands down. (It's also why I loved "Talk" by Coldplay so much!) Once again, this has been an outstanding video and review! 🖥!
🐇
Thank you very much! I always love the classic versions of the songs from their discography, they have a warm and unique presence to them! 😄🤙
Watching this I'm reminded of just how much I love Kraftwerk. I came around to them in the 90's and had everyone of their CDs and listened to them all the time.
I want to own all their music physically haha and that's awesome I'm glad you liked this! 😁🤙
This ALBUM IS THEIR ZENITH OF THEIR WORK, BAR NONE
One of the best albums of all time, as I think most would agree.
Superb this is THE album that blew me away and still does today.... Fantastic review of it.
Thank you! It's roots in electronic instrumentation and it's predictions of the future still stick with me as a solid album. Still an amazing album 😄👍
Numbers is a miraculous track in the fact that it's irresistibly catchy while having absolutely no melody of its own. All the focus goes into that amazing groove and the pointless counting in various languages.
This album shows the best and worst in computers in a catchy, raw gloss covers the songs in pop bliss and an added bonus of being my personal favourite album and is as greats like it’s predecessor The Man Machine: 10/10
I enjoy all the tracks on the album, but Numbers particularly, the lovely hard drum beat and seemingly-random high range blippy synth rhythm that comes in straight after the 8 numbers are read out is unexpected, beautiful and very powerful. :-)
7:20 The ultimate Kraftwerk lullaby is Ohm Sweet Ohm
I own 4 copies with and extended 12 inch mixes. Hard to find these days
The pioneers of electronic music! Was lucky enough to see them live in 81 and 91!
Very well made video. Deserves much more views, in my opinion!
Thanks! I tried my best! 🤙
1:35 "...their Kling Klang schtudio..."
Schtudio. Hahahaha
The German lyrics to Computer World are more clearly about privacy. That is only implied in the English version because they couldn‘t find a rhyming scheme. They translate as: “Interpol and Deutsche Band, FBI and Scotland Yard, Flensburg and the BKA (German authorities for traffic and crime) they all have out data”.
Their best album! Just saw Wolfgang Flür live a month ago! Catch him live if you can! A lot of Kraftwerk goodness in his tracks!
I'd love to meet him! I've seen be performs a few of his songs from Eloquence and a couple of Kraftwerk songs like Heimcomputer. I'm interested in what his current live set is like!
@@Musik_Arbeiter Your reviews are fantastic! I run a Wolfgang archive channel and have all the music he plays at his live shows. Took a while to compile but it's under my playlist "MusikSoldat". His love shows are more like DJ sets of his and his friends music. Would love a review of some of his albums some time. He has a new album out in September 2024!
I never thought this was that deep!
Haha maybe it's my perspective of the album overthinking or reading too much into it! But regardless I love the album 😅
I love your video essays!
Thank you! 😁🙌
My brother loved wraft work for years it was him how introduced me to this great band.
Kraftwerk is THE most influential band of all time. Full stop. And if you don’t know the band and that simple fact, you’re not doing it correctly. But this is one of the group’s albums that sounds a million times better (and has more lyrics) in the original German! Peace.
I get what you mean but I honestly like both. I do the reviews typically of the English versions just because they have the options available for English or Deutsch. Since it's my native language I'd typically go over the lyrics in English as its easier for me to articulate my thoughts rather than using Google Translate to grasp the gist of their lyrics. But I enjoy both honestly 🤙
7:50 - There is more to this song. In the pre internet times here in Germany we had a network distributed by the Deutsche Bundespost (Federal Post Office) that was called BTX (Bildschirmtext - Screentext). It was capable of display low end graphics via character maps (like the C64), online banking and chat. The clue was the payed services and the sexual content. Kraftwerk made it bit fun of it, because porn was always the motor behind every new medium. So you were able to have an online redevous in the early 80ies (mostly with sexual content). We always visited our local post office, because there was a free to use terminal. We opened pages with sexual content and left it on the screen watch people going blush 🙂
See this ad for BTX: czcams.com/video/iBfvIh2K4G0/video.html
Look at your SoundCloud account. I sent you a message.
That's interesting I didn't know that, it's always cool to hear others perspectives and details on Kraftwerk's music, I had no idea that the song could've eluded to that as well.
@@Musik_Arbeiter BTX was a similar invention like that system in France (don't remember the name). It failed the mass market, because people don't needed it at this time. Kraftwerk also had a sense of humor. Remember the German version of "The Model" with the Phrase "Sekt, kooooorrrreeekkkt" coming from a bar where they hang around where the waiter had this catchphrase and they took that sample. And RADIO AKTIVITÄT has a double meaning that also works in english (an active radio / radioactivity).
Sekt korrekt means: Champaign Correct like Champain OK?!
Really enjoyed this one. Would have given two thumbs up if I could.
Thank you!!
Amazing!!!!!!!
Ruckzuck still remains one of all-time favorite tunes
Add King Tubby to Kraftwerk and you’ve basically got 40 odd years of dance music
Both responsible for ground breaking techniques in sonic tapestry
I fell with apps like hinge and tinder, computer love is eerily commenting on this
Computer love predicted modern existential loneliness and depression of us mindlessly watching Netflix and using social media and dating apps.
beam* myself into the future :-)
I actually already had the correction already in the description haha I didn't read the lyrics fully and I assumed for the song. But I found out a bit after making the video and listening to their music more lol 👍
I definitely love the songs " Numbers " and " Computer Love "!
You're fucking amazing! Love the video :)
You just earned a sub!
Thank you!! I'm glad you liked it! 😄🤙
On the first Gen. Xbox video game system. On the boot up screen you do hear the voices from Numbers in the background. But it's random.
That's really cool! 🤙
IT'S KRAFTWERK!!!! DID YOU KNOW THEY WERE AN IMPORTANT TECHNO DANCE MUSIC IN DETROIT IN THE EARLY TO MID 80'S??? AND IN THE WHOLE MIDWEST. "NUMBERS" WAS PLAYED ALL OVER!!! LOOK IT UP! THERE IS DANCE VIDEO ON YT PLAYING KRAFTWERK FROM BACK THEN ON TV SHOWS!!❤ THE DANCE FLOOR PARTED AT AN AFTER SET AND I SAW A MAN ON HIS BACK MOVING LIKE HE HAD CONVULSIONS TO "NUMBERS!!" SOMEONE TOOK MY HAND AND PULLED ME OUT OF HIS WAY AND SAID, "HE'S SIZZILIN... YOU KNOW, LIKE BACON IN A PAN." 😂❤
Did YOU know that you can actually turn off the caps button, and your thoughts are nt that important to need caps?
Great video
Amuh Studio Thanks!
Kraftwerk reminds you of Vangelis? As a fan of both, they were distinctly unique to their sound.
I was referring to Computer World's lead (which was part of my statement at 3:20). The lead for the song and it's usage of space reminded me of Blade Runner's soundtrack. The songs on the film's soundtrack use space and reverberation to give the main melodies a great amount of emphasis as Vangelis created an ambient tone for the film's score. I wasn't saying that Kraftwerk reminded me of Vangelis but that elements in Computer World remind me of Blade Runner's soundtrack.
7:40 okay that was both funny and relatable and depressing
My Top 10 Desert Disk... And YES... the whole album predicted the future. Computerwelt was WAY AHEAD OF ITS TIME!
Fabuleuse review.
Thanks!!
who Made a better sound recording Label EMI , ELEKTRA Or Warner Bro, Cd Version of computer world ?
I'm not 100% sure but based on what I've heard recording wise I like Elektra's version personally, but I've listened to it on here, and I'm not sure if its Warner Music Group or Rhino / Elektra that mixed it. The music was provided by Elektra but licensed by Warner so I'm guessing Elektra may have mixed it. I imagine their are some differences in mixing and remastering but I think Elektra's might be the most recent and their are some things I noticed sound better like at the end of Computer Love it doesn't distort like other recordings, it ends much more clear. It sounds crisper and better balanced as well. But also it depends on someone's preference (vinyl or digital), my brother prefers vinyl but I don't mind hearing digital.
Yes
I would say that this is my favorite Kraftwerk album but I still love "The man machine"! Like picking your favorite child!🤣🤣
The reason why Kraftwerk is a bit under appreciated is because you need a certain intellect to approach their music, I'm not saying only "intelligent people" can understand it, very far from that, what I meant with "Intellect" here is a special understanding and appreciation of electronic music beyond the mechanical part.
I can understand some musical genres, styles, or themes may not be everyone's cup of tea. I myself wasn't actually a fan of electronic music until I discovered Kraftwerk. Now I have a greater appreciation for their music and other electronic bands.
I think it also depends on how people listen to music: I like the band for their theme, soundscaping, and poppy tone. Some people listen to music only for the catchiness, the vocals, the lyrics, or the instrumentation.
But thank you! I wanted to cover the album thoroughly and elaborate as to why I felt it's an impressive album!
What song was used at the very beginning of the video? I've been trying to search for it for ages and have had no luck.
Kraftwerk - "It's More Fun to Compute" Live 1981 Version
the picture at 1:33 is the EMS Studio in London
Thank you for the clarification! It's difficult to match everything together sometimes in editing and researching, I just hope the overall message of praising the album is recognized haha 😄👍
The German version (Computerwelt) has a different text, much more telling a story.
It says: "Interpol und Deutsche Bank / FBI und Scotland Yard / Flensburg und das BKA / Haben unsere Daten da".
Meaning that the main government institutions have our data stored (as a valuable resource).
Something we're always more seeing in the present we're living in.
Big brother is currently watching (and listening to) us.
Neunzehnhunderteinundachtzig !!!
1981 🥰
Kraftwerk are the true GOAT
I've always loved this album but I never grasped the technological paranoia bubbling underneath the "user friendly" compositions... until now.
Keep making videos bro.
Thank you! When I listened to this for the first time it was so eerie listening to a collection of music that was so accurate with its takes on where technology would progress to in the future! I love the album! 😄🤙
I thought of "I Robót", Dark Sidé of thé Môôn untt Mâx Héâd-Řóôm Ãll âtt Óncë
One must wonder....are we better off today? With no privacy.
Man machine & computerworld are the most important albums of the last century! In 100 years Kraftwerk stay for „electronic music“ like Beethoven for „classic music“…
I program my home computer, BEAM myself into the future...
Haha I corrected myself later, that was an error on my part
Visionairies or predective programmers who were commisioned by the people who run this world and have known for centuries what needs to come? I don't see how four guys in 1981 can just see how the world will look like in 2024. None of us could, even in the nineties. There must be more to the story of Kraftwerk.
I think that humanity lived all the time in a permanent confusion then it started to lie itself to create safety and when something new was invented someone had to display how well they control that confusing thing for the other. (few know how to repair a broken TV and the repairman was considered honorable) now so many sophisticated gadgets have appeared and the one who owns them feels privileged but lied because he is blind and loses what is essential in life. a nun has the same value as a woman who does videochat because none of them has a real family. if you want to see the future you need to be more realistic not mathematics
Computerlove's melody has been blatantly copied in Coldplay's song "Talk".
How freaking COOL are they at 1:03?
@MusikArbeiter: Can you tell me what video this clip was from? There's been so many, I can't tell which! 😅
@@robynsegg haha it is from their music video for "Showroom Dummies" / "Schaufensterpuppen" 😄👍
@@Musik_Arbeiter AWESOME!!! THANK YOU!!!
Modern electronic music is too generic. But that from early 70s was innovative. The 80s ruined it with synth overdose and bad taste. 90s were even worse with techno repetition. I tried to play TANGERINE DREAM to techno freaks, they didn't get it..."WTF, this is so slow..."
I wish your video was a "time of enlightenment". Instead, we're cursing the darkness.
Lol fair enough, considering it was my first album review it's good to incorporate a variety of perspectives on it. The themes presented could be viewed as a "time of enlightenment". But depending on how the themes are interpreted it could be a forlorn look into the possible dystopia with the advancement of computers and technology. I love the album regardless 👍
@@Musik_Arbeiter It was a really good video about a very important record. Some of the writing was a bit much but a man’s reach and all that.
=o
It is rediculous for for an "influencer?" from a developing nation to describe Kraftwerk as little known or overlooked!