Kraftwerk (Week 3)

Hey all, here's another blog post where I'll discuss the electro-pop band Kraftwerk, and their influence on music as we know it today. I've included some basic questions about the band to help you follow along.

1. Describe the music and image of Kraftwerk.

Kraftwerk are an electronic music group from Düsseldorf, Germany. Originating from a creative spark between Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, Kraftwerk has since earned its place in the history of music as one of the biggest influences in the electronic genre. 

2. Discuss the albums released by Kraftwerk from 1974-1981.

From the years 1974 to 1981, Kraftwerk released a total of 5 albums - Autobahn (1974), Radio-Activity (1975), Trans-Europe Express (1977), The Man-Machine (1978), and  finally Computer World (1981). This span of albums is said to be of the most importance in the band's discography, with Autobahn being the electronic-influenced album that put them on the map. Autobahn was the turning point in Kraftwerk's career, since prior to this album they were an instrumental jam band that was highly influenced by jazz. Trans-Europe Express and Radio-Activity followed similar conceptual themes that were met with general positivity, while The Man-Machine was received as a disappointing, sellout album. They were able to turn this around, however, with the release of Computer World, which would statistically be their best album in the history of Kraftwerk.

3. Discuss a minimum of two characteristics of Kraftwerk’s music that earns them the position of the biggest influence on electronic music e.g. visual and musical aesthetic, album concepts, artists they have influenced, production qualities, lyrical themes, etc.

One of Kraftwerk's signature sounds is that of the vocoder. Though the vocoder had been developed decades earlier in the 1930s and used many times by experimentalists and musicians alike, it wasn't until Kraftwerk's album Autobahn in 1974 that the vocoder would find a spot in one of the most influential electronic rock records to date. 


Another trademark characteristic of Kraftwerk is their conceptual themes. Though the albums span a variety of themes, Autobahn and Trans-Europe Express were brought to us as a collection of music synthesis that would resemble transportation experiences (Autobahn referring to the roadways that span Germany, Trans-Europe Express that refer to traveling via train). Radio-Activity has some sense of humor behind it, of which the band members are aware of. Whether or not it was intentional I can't be sure, but Radio-Activity takes multi-lingual lyrical themes spanning from the radio to literal radioactive nuclear energy.

4. What impression does the work of Kraftwerk leave with you as a listener and as an industry professional?
Personally, I am not absolutely crazy about electronic as I see many people are. I do respect and enjoy it occasionally though, and I share that attitude with Kraftwerk especially. Kraftwerk were formed in an era of pushing the boundaries. People were becoming socially aware and beginning to question their surroundings.


Thanks again for checking my posts out. Hope you've learned something from my ramblings, and as always check out the References tab for more.


Thanks!


-Matthew Morrison