Comments for Can, Flow Motion

It grows on you, believe me, but it is difficult to enjoy (like PIL who I think were influenced by this one particularly). Best way to think of it is as a reggae record or something similar. There's an interesting sensibility present and it's the most difficult "sellout" music ever made; however I must admit that as a commercial product it comes off a bit confused. But tracks 2 & 3 excel, & I greatly enjoy it all save the too-long title track.

It is better to regard this album as "relaxation music" or "easy listening" (if only the latter term is ever applicable to Can). Half of it ("I want more", ".......and more", "Laugh till...") is not bad but not impressive at all, either, almost "music-to-just-appear-here" (well, personally i don't like ".........and more" at all). However, there are several really good cuts: "Babylonian Perl" (namely after this song I started to pay attention to the band's art, seriously!), "...Waltz" and "Flowmotion" itself. For very strange reason the first two cuts did not appear on "Cannibalism II", although all others did one way or the other. Maybe this fact affects the perseption of the album (I do not have Flowmotion on CD, but I have Cannibalism II, and, if I hadn't heard the entire album before I would refrain from bying it if I saw it). If you are bored with REAL "easy listening" stuff and wonder what those guys have done and why they are so (respected, influential, genius, famous, notorious - choose what's applicable)..., try this album but try not to bild your notion of this band on the basis only this album.

If there is one Can album I do not like, this would be it. This is nothing like the Can I know and love. This is way too poppy and surface for my tastes. Sort of over intellectualized K.C. and The Sunshine Band or Abba. Don''t judge the band on this one, all the others are much better.

The first five tracks are CAN`s attempt at some funky-groovypop tunes. CAN are musically very able and the sound on this is very professional. However, the four core-members are *vocally inept* which only spoils the overall sound. Dunnoif they`re taking the piss (like some of Zappa`s stuff) orif they`re seriously trying to hit the mainstream level ofrock music! The lyrics, by some Peter Gilmour, are banal.The last two tracks make the CD worthwhile. `Smoke` is heavilypercussive and is the darkest piece. It belongs to the Ethnological Forgery Series. (see `Unlimited Edition`).`Flow Motion` is the highpoint -a 10 minute instrumental of serious laidback funky guitar stuff with occasional soaringgliding synth sounds. The track gives the same effect as somerecent Ozric Tentacles albums.On the whole, not a strongly recommended CD. `Smoke` and `Flow Motion edit` appear on CAN`s compilation `Cannibalism no2` SpoonCD21, maybe a better investment?