In Praise Of: Can "Landed"

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It's interesting how, according to the recent Spoon/Mute reissues, Can's critical canon (no pun intended) ends and includes Soon Over Babaluma from 1974. Perhaps this is the last album before the musicians themselves started singing and could actually be HEARD in the final mix (Damo's last album was Future Days (1973), and Soon Over Babaluma had singing, but was rather buried in comparison). Which is sad, because relistening to Landed (1975), I'm far more enamored with this record than Soon Over by a large degree. (And the singing isn't bad, guys! Certainly, the lack of an enigmatic frontman singer like Mooney or Suzuki leaves something to be desired, though, but that's the breaks)

Landed sounds like they finally hit a groove that Soon Over Babaluma was first exploring and wetting their feet with. It's sonically more rich and more momentous..(did I just hear Karoli say "on the gang bang trail" on "Hunters And Collectors"?). In fact, the only minor sore spot on the record is the slightly trying "Vernal Equinox" which overstays its welcome by about three minutes. "Red Hot Indians" is quite underrated, and the 13+ minute "Unfinished" is amongst Can's greatest opuses ever recorded, especially the majestic but slightly descending ending... far better and rewarding than any opus on Tago Mago (and that's saying a lot, considering how much I love the full "Halleluwah".)

Too bad it doesn't have the excellent "I Want More" on it, like its follower Flow Motion. Then again, "I Want More" is pretty much the only thing Flow Motion has going for it.

Anyway, I just remember hearing back in the day of the first round of Can CD reissues (around 1989 or 1990) Landed was when Can started to suck.. and having listened to it, I have to strongly disagree.

― donut bitch (donut), Monday, 12 April 2004 03:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Here's the entirety of the Allmusic review:

"Another erratic waxing features some great guitar and Babaluma-style grooves, but is unfocused on the whole. — Myles Boisen"

Two stars.

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

― donut bitch (donut), Monday, 12 April 2004 03:35 (twenty-one years ago)

All right all right I'll get to it. Once I finally listen to it.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 12 April 2004 03:35 (twenty-one years ago)

I actually think "Half Past One" is their greatest track ever.

― Tim Ellison, Monday, 12 April 2004 04:09 (twenty-one years ago)

it's the last solidly interesting record.

up until this point, all Can albums had been recorded as livemixes by Holger, direct to two track. (same technique as Faust at Wumme actually). They'd layer and edit the tapes after the fact, but the amazing thing about Monster Movie > Babaluma is that they are basically documents of an incredible live band, playing together in real time.

'Landed' is the first album where they bought a 16-track deck, tracking their performances seperately onto individual channels. suddenly they could solo each of their parts and hear 'mistakes'. the book in Can Box notes how suddenly they were all individually holed up in seperate booths, tracking and retracking their 'parts' until they'd gotten them 'right'. they were no longer really a live band. this is their first overtly studio album, and you can hear it, instead of one unified organic mass you hear lots of pristine overdubs. later albums, increasingly smooth & tension free.

― (Jon L), Monday, 12 April 2004 04:54 (twenty-one years ago)

I feel like Ned "All right, all right, I'll get to it." So far I've only been enamoured with Ege Bamyasi, Tago and Soundtracks but just checked out Flow Motion from the library, listened to maybe the first half and thought it was actually better than I'd expected. Saw the new Can DVD, found it kindof disappointing.

― bimble (bimble), Monday, 12 April 2004 05:07 (twenty-one years ago)

It kills Soon over Babaluma. Vocals are weak but certainly not awful. Side one rocks the house. Strange mixing, no doubt a result of the switch away from the live described above. It does sound likea different band than the earlier albums, but still a very good one... Basically it's as good as or better than any of Holger's solo records. THe way "Hunters and Collectors" segues into "Vernal Equinox" is terrific. And to me this album has Michael Karolyi's best playing, well, at least his best noticeable playing (I think of his work in a lot of Can as being at its best when it's subtle and unobtrusive, whereas here he's more in Phil Manzanera territory).

― no opinion, Monday, 12 April 2004 05:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Check out Irmin's keyboard playing on "Half Past One."

― Tim Ellison, Monday, 12 April 2004 05:29 (twenty-one years ago)

bimble - not keen on Monster Movie?

Agree about the DVD.

I emailed Damo the other week and he replied within the hour. Whadda guy.

― bloke (bloke), Monday, 12 April 2004 07:36 (twenty-one years ago)

I love Landed. Full Moon On The Highway is one of my fave can songs.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 12 April 2004 10:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Soon Over >>>>>> Landed

I don't think it's close to the level of Soon Over, an album I think has been sorely underrated. In fact, I like their self-titled album from '78 better than this. I wish Can had gone full on disco, because as a straight rock band (which is what most of Landed sounds like to me), they're kind of boring.

― dleone (dleone), Monday, 12 April 2004 11:04 (twenty-one years ago)

What's your take on Out of Reach, D?

― Mark (MarkR), Monday, 12 April 2004 12:15 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm stickin' with Monster Movie, thanks.`

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 12 April 2004 12:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Will have to listen again, Mark. Those later Can albums don't get enough playing time at my place, plus the version I have of Out of Reach is coupled with the s/t (aka Inner Space), so I can't remember which songs fall on which right now.

― dleone (dleone), Monday, 12 April 2004 12:57 (twenty-one years ago)

I was just asking cuz it has some Candisco.

― Mark (MarkR), Monday, 12 April 2004 13:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, but I'm really talking about "I Want More" style disco. Like, if they were gonna get all pop song on me, they should just go all the way and have dancers and everything, and big catchy choruses.

― dleone (dleone), Monday, 12 April 2004 13:06 (twenty-one years ago)

I like Babylonian Pearl from Flow Motion, but think that I am the only one. Someone should make a Rough Guide to Can's Pop Songs. That would be amazing.

― Magic City (ano ano), Monday, 12 April 2004 13:55 (twenty-one years ago)

"Unfinished" is phenomenal -- one track on "Landed" won which the compulsive overdubbing produces an effect where the whole transcends the parts.

Seconding Tim re: the keyboards on "Half Past One". They inhabit that great future zone that Herbie Hancock's "Headhunters" and Miles Davis' '70's material also evoke.

― Nom De Plume (Nom De Plume), Monday, 12 April 2004 15:08 (twenty-one years ago)

The title track of Flow Motion is fantastic, too. Very round sounding.

"All Gates Open" from the s/t record is also pretty great...

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Monday, 12 April 2004 15:16 (twenty-one years ago)

IMHO, both Landed and Flow Motion are better than Soon Over Babaluma. SOB is kinda "Future Days Lite (with new extra-added Reggae!)". I agree that the studio version of "Vernal Equinox" is kinda dud, but the live version on the DVD from "The Old Grey Whistle Test" totally smokes--dig in particular Irmin's ridiculous chainmail vest!

― J (Jay), Monday, 12 April 2004 16:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Sat very much on the fence re 'Landed', some of it is quite lovely but the vocals are far too high in the mix, and it seems lacking in the mysteriousness of the earlier stuff...nothing as transcendent as 'Chain Reaction/Quantum Physics' on there (reggae, pardon?)

But about the later stuff, 'aspectacle' is marvellous, is there much else like that on the later LPs?

― Owen Hatherley, Monday, 12 April 2004 16:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Second Naive Teen Idol on "All Gates Open" from last album--a beautiful track.

The '80s reunion album Rite Time with Malcolm Mooney is really good, too!

― Tim Ellison, Monday, 12 April 2004 16:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Never liked 'Soon' very much but like 'Landed' a lot. I also always thought 'Vernal Equinox' a bit overlong and boring but after putting it out of context onto a krautrock compilation cd now I love it.

― rw, Monday, 12 April 2004 16:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Babaluma >>> Future Days >>> Landed >>> all the later ones

now Babaluma vs Bamyasi vs Tago
that's tough...

― Paul (scifisoul), Monday, 12 April 2004 16:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, but I'm really talking about "I Want More" style disco. Like, if they were gonna get all pop song on me, they should just go all the way and have dancers and everything, and big catchy choruses.

"Turtles Have Short Legs" is about as catchy as Can ever got... and I think this single was released circa Ege Bamyasi I believe.
Hell, The second wave in Parappa The Rapper ("STEP...ON...DA GAS! Now STEP...ON....DA BREAKS!") completely ripped the piano break from this song. "Turtles" is Can's catchiest and greatest song EVAH. but anyway, sorry for the digression...

― donut bitch (donut), Monday, 12 April 2004 16:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Wow, DB!

― Lil' Fancy Kpants (The K is Silent) (ex machina), Monday, 12 April 2004 16:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, totally true about Parappa -- but that's why I loved it!

BTW, on a related note, Damo's tour with Cul de Sac was awesome -- he was in EXCELLENT form. I saw them here in DC -- and it would've been one of the best nights evah had my friend and I not witnessed a drive-by shooting down the street about an hour later...

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Monday, 12 April 2004 17:41 (twenty-one years ago)

listened to Landed and Babaluma again last night for the first time in years... the former has it's occasional moments & explosions of bizarre instrumental tone color, but yikes this is a stiff record. Babaluma, they still sound like a band and 'Quantum Physics' is one of their best tracks.

The last 10 years or so, I haven't been listening to Can much. But I'm still obsessively listening to Movies and On The Way To The Peak of Normal. 'Hunters and Collectors' is a fun song, but it does not compare to what Holger turned it into with 'Oh Lord Give Us More Money'.

― (Jon L), Monday, 12 April 2004 17:48 (twenty-one years ago)

To "bloke" - actually no, I think Monster Movie had a few great moments, but in the end I sold it when I needed cash. I heard 3/4 of "Future Days" and just kindof felt they were past their Suzuki prime by then.

Someone had complained about reggae involvement? Actually I like the idea, in fact I have been on a bit of a phase lately craving white reggae hybrid sorts of things, and that's why I like some of Flow Motion especially "Laugh Until You Cry..."

At any rate, though, all this discussion has been very exciting to me because I realize I'm not really done with investigating Can at all. I'd love to check out some of their late 70's work! Thanks people!

― bimble (bimble), Tuesday, 13 April 2004 01:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Late to the party, but I gotta second whoever rated Half Past One as the best Can track ever. The keyboards, the flamenco guitar and even the vocals are amazing.
Landed always walks the thin line between cheesy space rock and just good ol' classic rock. The most interesting parts are those that do not fall in these categories, eg Half Past One, Red Hot Indians.

― Baaderoni (Fabfunk), Tuesday, 13 April 2004 06:59 (twenty-one years ago)

In fact, the only minor sore spot on the record is the slightly trying "Vernal Equinox" which overstays its welcome by about three minutes.

Cannot agree here, I love this track - it's like Can's attempt to do heavy metal and jazz rock simultaneously and doesn't sound like either. Karoli's guitar playing is phenomenal. Irmin's keyboards crazed and I love the giant rubber band sound Holger Czukay gets on his bass here. The one problem with the track (and indeed everything Can did after "Future Days") are the drums, which are nowhere near as powerful and well produced as they were when Czukay was recording them on 2-track - unfortunately this appears to have been deliberate on his part.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 13 April 2004 09:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, I'm sorry to say I've not got Landed, and it disappoints me in comparison to Flow Motion. Have not heard Soon Over Babaluma yet. Got the CD today of Inner Space/Out of Reach, though, and am liking it a lot.

― bimble (bimble), Monday, 26 April 2004 19:37 (twenty-one years ago)

That is, I've NOW got Landed. Whoops.

― bimble (bimble), Monday, 26 April 2004 19:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, you know, I don't have the album. I just have this U.K. comp of their Virgin-era albums called Incandescence. The Landed tracks on it ("Full Moon on the Highway," "Half Past One," and "Hunters and Collectors") are the best tracks on the album, though! (Well, along with "I Want More," anyway.) Don't you think those three tracks are outstanding? Maybe it can be an album you keep and enjoy for its few good tracks or something?

― Tim Ellison, Monday, 26 April 2004 19:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, I admit "Hunters and Collectors" isn't too bad at all, although a little repetitive in the end. "Full Moon on The Highway" bugs me a little, just too dissonant. "Half Past One" is okay, just doesn't leave much of an impression after it's over. I actually enjoy some of the very last track on the album "Unfinished" as just kindof mello Eno-ish ambient music you can put on and feel calmed by without having to pay much close attention. "Vernal Equinox" sounds like little more than self-indulgence to me, though "Red Hot Indians" seemed more interesting. Overall, though I can't help but feel when I'm playing this album that my attention is just not being fully engaged enough and I begin to ask myself why I'm playing it before long.

"I Want More" is actually on "Flow Motion" rather than "Landed", and I love it, but I downloaded it a long time ago so it's not a new thing to me the way "Flow Motion" as a whole is.

― bimble (bimble), Monday, 26 April 2004 20:09 (twenty-one years ago)

I gotta mention again, check out Irmin's keyboards on "Half Past One," especially toward the end.

― Tim Ellison, Monday, 26 April 2004 20:16 (twenty-one years ago)

I think Unlimited Edition captures the best stuff from this era, actually — especially w/ respect to the Ethnological Forgery Series. There's a kickass Dixieland tune on there...

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Monday, 26 April 2004 20:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Great, tell me that later when I actually have some money left to spend on CD's.

― bimble (bimble), Monday, 26 April 2004 21:13 (twenty-one years ago)

HEY DO YOU GUYS LIKE DAN ST. JACQUES! HE IS THE BEST

YO DAN ST. JACQUES I WANNA HAVE YR KIDS

― NUMBER 1 TERRY RILEY FAN (ex machina), Monday, 26 April 2004 21:15 (twenty-one years ago)

criticizing can for repetition is like criticizing the beatles for hooks.

(YO JON OTM, OK?)

― i4n j0hns0n, Monday, 26 April 2004 21:15 (twenty-one years ago)

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