They started out as 'The Can' before losing the article and their minds. The choppy notes on the back sleeve of this, their 1969 debut, ask "why then do they play together? .. 'cause they are the best thing that ever came from the continent!" "Father Cannot Yell" begins on the Velvet Underground's nuts before chugging away on its own (nuts), propelled by singer Malcolm Mooney, who might be nuts, huffing and panting his head off. While beatheads rightfully drool over later Can albums like Ege Bamyasi and Tago Mago, Monster Movie is a real krautrock masterpiece. Julian Cope, the author of the Krautrock Sampler, called "Outside Your Door" Can's "greatest rock & roll song ever." Mooney, a black expat in Germany, ends it chanting, "Any colour is bad." All 20 minutes of Side 2 belong to "You Doo Right" which was recorded live in a castle in Germany. It's a raw, funky epic that could easily be four tracks in one. The notes call them "talented young people, who want to stay in line, but can't" and "You Doo Right" is a perfect example. Holger Czukay's two chord bass locks in the groove and for the last ten minutes, Jaki Liebezeit whoops some tom-tom ass so Mooney can (surprise) go nuts, sounding parched in his soul desert, ranting and croaking "I need your love." Fuck it, get him some water.

• 'monster sky' colored vinyl
• housed in repro pic sleeve w/ printed liner note insert
• digital download included
• limited edition
• original release year: 1969
• music label: Spoon 2022

reviewed by the mgmnt 05/2005