Wednesday, June 15, 2011


Can- Tago Mago (1971) MP3 & FLAC


"Well, I saw mushroom head, I was born and I was dead."

Named after a private island off the coast of Ibiza associated with Aleister Crowley, Can's Tago Mago is generally considered one of the pinnacles of the Kraut-Rock genre. It is also noteworthy for being Can's first full-length album with Damo Suzuki as lead vocalist. After the exit of vocalist Malcolm Mooney due to psychological problems, Suzuki, legend has it, was discovered by Bassist Holger Czukay busking outside cafes in Munich and was invited to join Can based on his performance at a single gig the band played later that night. While no one will confuse Suzuki for an accomplished singer, his untethered vocal style, shifting from mumble to chant to shriek by turns, fits Tago Mago's more experimental ambitions perfectly. Julian Cope has described the album as "sound[ing] only like itself, like no-one before or after," and with influences ranging from Bitches Brew-era Miles Davis to Stockhausen, Can's sound at this point was somewhat resistant to categorization. Tago Mago starts out modestly with the somewhat plodding opening to "Paperhouse," but at the two minute mark things transform into an insistently ominous tribal beat punctuated by some amazing layered and multi-tracked guitar work from Michael Karoli. On the album's centerpiece, "Halleluhwah," Czukay and drummer Jaki Liebezeit settle into a Funk-inspired groove which is sustained for the entire 18 minute duration of the song while a parade of different sound effects and textures (as well as Suzuki's vocals) move through the mix. It is hard to over-estimate the ground-breaking status of Can's early-seventies work, and while they would hit similar artistic heights on the two albums that immediately followed Tago Mago, Can would never sound quite this mysterious again.

Tago Mago (2004 Japanese Remastered Edition)
1. Paperhouse  (7:28)
2. Mushroom  (4:03)
3. Oh Yeah  (7:23)
4. Halleluhwah  (18:32)
5. Aumgn  (17:37)
6. Peking O  (11:37)
7. Bring Me Coffee or Tea  (6:47)


20 comments:

  1. A lawdy, this is a great album. Truth be told i tend to skip Aumgn, unless im tuned right into it.

    Jaki is a finely tuned precision machine, what a drummer.

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  2. I will be downloading this gem. I used to have it somewhere and probably in 320. Thanks for the post oh great one!

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  3. Another essential album! I love all Can up until Landed

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  4. thestarry, good to hear from you! Yes, this one is amazing. Jaki and Holger are in fine form throughout. Amazing rhythm section

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  5. scurfie, I thought I'd throw in a surprise. Glad it filled a want :)

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  6. Any good quality LIVE Can would be great! I got a couple, not in FLAC. But they're good quality if you would like them.

    Anyway, this album is...just........no words come to mind here.

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  7. Revan0357, I'll look around for some live Can in FLAC. What time period are yours from?

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  8. Oh yeah, brilliant voixautre. I was 14 when this came out and it blew my mind. My LP has long since vanished. can't wait to hear it again. Thank you so much!

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  9. bedlam, my pleasure. I wasn't sure what kind of reaction this post would get. I'm pleasantly surprised. I think I'll post a few more Can albums in the near future :)

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  10. oh yeah, can are the business!

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  11. The one is the Edinburgh Fest in 1973 (which is Damo's last show with them) and a concert in Paris from 1973 also.

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  12. Revan0357, the Edinburgh show sounds very interesting

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  13. Hi, you can email me at:

    killingmoonmusic@gmail.com

    thanks again!

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  14. Issi, you're welcome. I'll post more Can in the coming days/weeks

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  15. can changed my perception of what music is and what it can do! thanks, only have this on vinyl.

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  16. richard, my pleasure. I will post the two following albums in the near future. Thanks for the comment!

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