Trans Europa Express

1	Europe Endless 9:41
2	The Hall of Mirrors 7:56
3	Showroom Dummies 6:15
4	Trans Europe Express 6:36
5	Metal on Metal 2:11
6	Abzug 4:54
7	Franz Schubert 4:26
8	Endless Endless 0:57

Barnes & Noble

Whether you're hip-hop or drum 'n' bass, it's always cool to be into Kraftwerk. After all, the (usually) four-man lineup most known for "Tour De France" seemed to have an impact on virtually all modern sounds. They were the first band to make electronica as "pretty" to listen to as Mozart or Chopin, and they pioneered the use of computers as instruments before it was commonplace. Released in 1977, Trans-Europe Express became one of the most influential albums of New Wave during the early '80's. Like their monumental hit (and ode to the road) "Autobahn," the sequence of songs from "Europe Endless" to "Endless Endless," mimics the feel of a journey without destination. The marriage of violins, guitars, and synthesized sounds creates an impression story about how we move and what moves us, while songs such as "Metal on Metal" and "The Hall of Mirrors" literally strike an emotional chord. The odd tribute, "Franz Schubert" is a perfect Kraftwerk masterpiece, so too is the title track. In a little under 45 succinct minutes, Kraftwerk express, in the best possible way, how even technology has texture, color, and warmth. Martine Bury

All Music Guide

Although Autobahn was a left-field masterpiece, Trans-Europe Express is often cited as perhaps the archetypal (and most accessible) Kraftwerk album. Melodic themes are repeated often and occasionally interwoven over deliberate, chugging beats, sometimes with manipulated vocals; the effect is mechanical yet hypnotic. Thematically, the record feels like parts of two different concept albums: one a meditation on the disparities between reality and image ("Hall of Mirrors" and "Showroom Dummies" share recurring images of glass, reflection, illusion, and confused identities, as well as whimsical melodies), and the other the glorification of Europe. There is an impressive composition paying homage to "Franz Schubert," but the real meat of this approach is contained in the opening love letter, "Europe Endless," and the epic title track, which shares themes and lyrics with the following track, "Metal on Metal." The song "Trans-Europe Express" is similar in concept to "Autobahn," as it mimics the swaying motion and insistent drive of a cross-continent train trip. What ultimately holds the album together, though, is the music, which is more consistently memorable even than that on Autobahn. Overall, Trans-Europe Express offers the best blend of minimalism, mechanized rhythms, and crafted, catchy melodies in the group's catalog; henceforth, their music would take on more danceable qualities only hinted at here (although the title cut provided the basis for Afrika Bambaataa's enormously important dancefloor smash "Planet Rock"). [The German edition retains its native spellings.] Steve Huey