NEU!

This was an incredibly ground-breaking album that changed the face not only of German rock, but started to influence so many other artists over so many subsequent years. The whole "Krautrock"/futuristic thing started with albums like this. David Bowie, an artist greatly influenced by this album, was still in his "glam" stage at this point. Joy Division were still at school. Brian Eno was no doubt taking notes.Neu! were just two people - Michael Rother and Klaus Dinger. The music they made was quite remarkable.TRACK LISTING1. Hallogallo2. Soderangebot3. Weissensee4. Im Glück5. Negativland6. Lieber Honig"Hallogallo" has a totally addictive bass line that just keeps going, like a driving car, keeping a constant speed. It sounds completely delicious. Then there are those wah-wah-ish guitar interjections and the metronomic drum beat. A gentle keyboard-sounding piece of guitar comes in half way through. This is an incredibly ahead of its time piece of music, like nothing before, really. Its driving rhythms are extremely intoxicating. They just sweep you along."Soderangebot" is a more experimental, bleak ambient piece based around some strange noises. It doesn't have nearly as much appeal as"Hallogallo", however, its atmosphere is considerably undercooked, unfortunately, for me. "Weissensee" starts with a "Five Years"-style stately drum beat that underpins some gently wailing slide guitar. Half way through the guitar really kicks in with intent. The drum beat remains the same, keeping everything in check while the guitar runs free. I read someone say it was like "gazing out of a rain-smeared window". They are so right. In November."Im Glück" sees a return to the ambient, sonorous soundscape of "Soderangebot", complete with gurgling water noises that has many hints of David Bowie/Brian Eno's work on the second half of "Low". "Negativland" is full of industrial noises and some searing guitar over insistent, more urgent drums this time. U2 would be heavily influenced by this in the nineties period. Talking Heads on "Fear Of Music" too. It breaks out into some seriously Joy Division/Magazine-style riffage at one point too. The influences are almost too many to keep naming. "Lieber Honig" is spoilt, unfortunately by tape hiss and some positively dreadful whining, incomprehensible vocals. It is pretty much unlistenable. That water sound is back too. For me, I stop listening after the end of "Negativland", which still makes it an excellent piece of work, however.Yes, one could argue that there is a monotony to this album, but if you let it enter your consciousness it is very enjoyable.

The recording becomes better as it progresses, each instrument is well defined and has good tone. Not only is the music well in advance of its time so is the sound quality.The “driven” quality is what you would expect from one of the founders of Kraft-rock. Having bought this on vinyl when it was first released this CD recording stands up very well and shows what was and is possible with care.I have not set out to write reviews of the music content as “beauty is in the ears of the listener”. These reviews are about the quality (or not) of the recorded sound. To read about how the reviews are done please see my profile. • Clarity – Very good, as good as a modern recording • Channel separation – Very good • Channel balance – Dynamic use of left, right and centre enhances sound • Sound Stage – Very good, better than expected given the age of the recording. Broad and wide • Distortion – Non audible • Compression – Non audible • Atmosphere – Surprisingly good given its age. Swirls and is spacious well in advance of its time • Bass – low frequencies – OK, drums are slightly “soft” could be a lot worse • Treble – high frequencies – Crisp and clear. Well defined guitars and cymbalsAs a general rule of thumb recordings from the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s are nearly always better on the original vinyl. Remasters often fail to please as it’s just not possible to make a silk purse from a sows ear, i.e. the original recording lacks the necessary detail to be processed digitally and show an audible improvement. Indeed such processing can make the sound worse.Modern recordings which have been processed digitally from start to finish can be as good as vinyl. CD’s are often unfairly criticised for being poor quality. This is not the case, it is the original recording or the process which is to blame. Modern “remasters” can both enhance and degrade a recording. The statement GIGO (Garbage In Garbage Out) is the limiting factor. Ignore this at your cost.

I only heard Neu! for the first time a year or two ago and am still listening avidly to their music. You never know what's coming up next when you hear one of their albums for the first time. One constant, however, is that the first track on all of their 1970s albums features that lean, relentless beat that became their trademark, around which are wrapped subtle changes. As a result, 'Hallogallo' immerses the listener in a journey without any seeming end. It isn't surprising that they bombed as a live act; audiences, meagre as they were, probably thought Neu!'s music didn't go anywhere. The slower 'Weisensee', however, is the only other track which relies primarily on its beat. 'Sonderangebot' is much stranger, like a slow-motion scythe. 'Negativland' is a shock to the senses, opening with pneumatic drills, peppered with effects, ultimately to a regular beat, but like some clanking, industrial monster. The two tracks either side of this almost overshoot the avant garde approach, so quiet in places as to be imperceptible, 'Lieber Honig' being nigh on shambolic, but the album as a whole is still compelling.