Trans-Europe Express (album)
Occupation
- Vocals / Synthesizer: Florian Schneider
- Vocals / Synthesizer: Ralf Hütter
- Electronic Drums: Wolfgang Fluer
- Electronic Drums: Karl Bartos
Trans Europe Express the sixth studio album of the band 's power plant. It appeared in 1977 in a German and an English version, the Trans-Europe Express was called. The album is named after the Trans Europe Express.
Creation and publication
The album was produced in the band's Kling Klang studio by Florian Schneider and Ralf Hütter. Engineers were Peter Bollig, Bill Haverson and Thomas cuckoo. It appeared on the Kling Klang label also named after it; for distribution by EMI and Capitol Records responsible. The design of the album covers was in the hands of Emil Schult; the front shows depending on the version, a black and white photo of the band members or a colored painted portrait of the group. The reverse side illustrates some of the songs; in the booklet a collage of the group can be seen sitting at a table under a tree.
On this album came almost all compositions by Ralf Hütter. Only " Hall of Mirrors " and the 0:50 long "Endless Endless " were composed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider. The texts written: "Europe Endless " ( Hütter, Schneider); " Hall of Mirrors " ( Hütter, Schneider, shoulder ); " Mannequins " ( Hütter ); "Trans Europe Express" ( Hütter, Schult ) As a single from the album Showroom Dummies was decoupled, the English version of mannequins; the original B- side was the French language version of Les Mannequins. The single learned in 1978, 1981 and 2007 several editions with different B- sides.
The album art of 2009, published under the name " Kling Klang Digital Master " edition shows on the album covers a stylized black and white TEE train.
Musical background
Musically formative for the album and the further development of the band was the use of novel sequencer type Synthanorma ( see Related links ) that the constant repetition of pre-determinable pattern ( patterns) was possible. Apart from the enormous length of the songs thus a continuous, tight and programmatic rhythm was possible, but also had a certain machine acting monotony. Overall, the music presented by much catchier and less experimental and avant-garde than on the previous albums. Songs like mannequins or Europe were thus endless style icon for future generations of electronic pop music ( techno, hip -hop, electro, etc.).
Lyrically, the band was definitely influenced by their chosen topic with the title; so Europe is endless from a trip through Europe, on the " reality and postcard images " are compared. The Ambient -like hall of mirrors with its bizarre and gloomy sound effects, however, is about the perception of and reflection on the given in the mirror reflection of one's own person. In an interview Karl Bartos said, such as " mannequins ", was born. Journanlisten wrote in the 70s, "Look how these people on stage you look like showroom dummies, mannequins So as mannequins.. ."
Trans Europe Express is back from the eponymous modern transportation and the easy, convenient access to several major European cities (Paris, Vienna and Dusseldorf are mentioned in the text). This historical footage of the 1929 Rail Zeppelin constructed or recordings of an appropriate toy version be used on the single track and in a twisted music video. The song is by the way, with the following titles metal on metal and trigger a three piece suite; also typical driving noise of a moving at a constant speed train simulating rhythm are fundamental to recognize parallels to David Bowie's 1976 erschienenem album Station to Station (literally it says in the English version: "From station to station back to Dusseldorf City Meet Iggy Pop and. David Bowie. "). Franz Schubert, the eponymous composers dedicated, is a quieter instrumental piece that transitions seamlessly into endless endless.
Reception
A single version of the title song reached 34th place in the Italian charts. Appeared in 1982 in addition a single of Showroom dummies that finished 25th in the British charts.
Negative criticism heard the album later by the German magazine Der Spiegel, where the work on the occasion of the release of the album Computer World in 1981, was called " futurist kitsch".
Subsequent recognition found the plant in numerous compilations of the best or most important works of pop music history. So Rolling Stone magazine chose the album in a top 500 list at No. 253; in a top-100 compiling the New Musical Express it reached the 71st place. Also in other lists found the album entrance.
1982 coverte Afrika Bambaataa Planet Rock in his song the tune of the title song.
Title list
German version
English version
In addition, still existed a French version, which essentially corresponded to the English. From mannequins and showroom dummies, however, was a sung song in French called Les Mannequins. It should also be noted that the metal pieces were summarized on metal and deduction to Metal on Metal on the English and French versions.