CAN Part Two: Future Days

I more then likely can talk about CAN in like four posts on this blog.  CAN has a rich history in my musical influences.  I loved the fact that I found people and even radio stations to find these gems that were on the ground.  It was almost doing a scavenger hunt with music instead of candy or toys or whatever scavenger hunts do these days.  What prompted me to do this post was a math class in my school.  I work at a local high school and yesterday we had a math game in the class I help with some of the students.  The teacher made up team names.  One team name had a David Bowie reference and the other had a Don Van Vilet reference.  These two references had in their own way refer to CAN.  Bowie was a huge fan and the music of CAN. Don or Captain Beefheart also was one of those scavenger hunt items like CAN was. The fun part of the team names was the fact three of the adults in the room had a great laugh.

Upon hearing CAN I was not sure what to think.  I never heard them on Classic Rock radio but the cool people knew them more then any Classic Rock artist.  I mentioned before I stumbled upon them on a Wim Wenders soundtrack.  It was more forward then anything on the album.  The soundtrack was supposed to have music that sounded like a bit more in the future and CAN's contribution to the album was very forward thinking and very experimental.  When I heard the song on a local college radio show followed by a older CAN song, both sounded like they belonged in the future.  I quickly wanted more and more of their music.

When I bought Unlimited Edition I had fun hearing these futuristic songs. After showing my co-worker this nugget he pointed out they have an album called Future Days.  Future Days had elements of hazy, expansive soundscapes dominated by percolating rhythms and evocative layers of keys. Future Days certainly describes how ahead of their time they really were.  The only problem was to find this at the local record store.  When I went on the quest to find it it was expensive.  I saw a copy and my naiveness must have been shown on my face.  The guy at the record store mentioned how good it was, but the price was $60.00.  I could never afford that.  I went back to the store I got Unlimited Edition and saw two more CAN albums.  They were for the same price. $6.99 and they were Ege Bamyasi and Delay 1968.  The guy at the counter told me we randomly get more of their albums so check back.  This store was a electronic store with CD's, and such.  I gave him a phone number to reach me at.  Call me when any CAN come in.  He must have thought I was nuts or crazy.

A few months past and a call on our answering machine was the store.  The guy over the phone mentioned that two other CAN albums came in.  An album called Tago Mago and another called Soundtracks.  I went back to get them.  He was there telling me that I should be getting a call next week because every time I buy these someone on at the office puts in an order for others.  He didn't know what they would be, but its guaranteed that they are from the group CAN.  I was so excited to see these come.  Over time my collection got bigger and bigger.  When I came in one day after his phone call He had them at register.  I finally had a copy of Future Days and the other was called Canniabalism 2. He also mentioned to my surprise that someone else has been picking these up so now there is a standing order of two copies of each album I get.  He sets aside one copy for me and another for someone else.  I was now ready for CAN.

I dug quickly into Future Days. It only had four songs, but each of the songs were hard to digest. When I heard Future Days it sounded like nothing from their previous albums This time it was more mellow.  It was not full is dissident and noise like Tago Mago and Ege Bamyasi it flowed so smoothly.  Karoli's guitar sounds were not noisy full of feedback and his typical sound.  I felt like CAN went to the beach and recorded a wonderful relaxing album.  What I also noticed was this album was heavy on the keyboards and the percussion.  It was like no other.  If you want to hear Jaki shine, then this would be the album.

Future Days is fiercely progressive, calming, complex, intense, and beautiful all at once. It is one of CAN's most fully realized and lasting achievements.(AM).  Future Days is not like anything that came before it or after.  Future Days is an album that stick with you like glue.  It's an album that just wow's you with so much.  I tell one thing, the "single" is pretty catchy too.  "Moonshake" is a monster.  It really is a song and a album that just pulls you in and won't let go.  All their albums have something noteworthy, but this one is different.  It makes you feel wonderful once you listen to it.  I cant describe it, but once you hear it, you will wonder how this was made.  It maybe Damo's (the singer) swan song, but what a great way to go out.  CAN is the future in this world and this album might prove it.