When I first heard about Daumco's First Review Write-Off, a million albums came to mind that I could write about, including the Hawkwind album I just reviewed a week or two ago. Actually, about 1/4th to 1/3rd of the reviews I have written fall into that category. I could have taken the easy way out and just updated one of my older reviews and entered one of them. Instead, being the difficult matzahead that I am, I've decided to write about another album altogether. That album is Tone Float, which is listed here as a Kraftwerk album, but is in reality by a group called Organization, which Florian Schneider and Ralf Hutter were in right before they formed Kraftwerk... (it certainly does make sense, though, releasing it under the name Kraftwerk, or else barely anyone know of it's existence and it would not sell as good..much...well, etc..).

On Tone Float (which was recorded in 1969), Florian (credited with playing flute and a variety of acoustic percussion) and Ralf (organ) were joined by percussionists Basil Hammoudi and Fred Monicks, and bassist Butch Hauf. Hammoudi is also credited with vocals, though he doesn't really sing any words; he just chants from time to time. So, obviously, one can't easily sing along to some of the tunes...or any of them for that matter, since they are mainly instrumental!

The songs:

1. Tone Float (20:46)
2. Milk Rock (5:19)
3. Silver Forest (3:19)
4. Rhythm Salad (4:04)
5. Noitasinagro (7:46)

Bonus track:
6. Vor Dem Blauen Bock (11:17)
(Beat Club TV-Theme Mai 1971)

Kraftwerk fans (who are the ones most likely to purchase this ) may be very surprised (and possibly) disappointed by Tone Float. All of the percussion on this is acoustic....there are no electronic drums or drum machines (which maybe hadn't been invented yet). There are no synthesizers, but plenty of organ playing. There are also instruments like flute and electric violin, two instruments that one would not find on later Kraftwerk albums (they do pop up on at least the first two or three Kraftwerk albums).

Maybe the biggest surprise here is how loose the song structures are....the majority of the album is complete improv, reminding me of early King Crimson, and Pink Floyd between 1968 and 1970. There are barely any recognizable and/or memorable melodies or vocal lines....this is a band that were just jamming and trying to find their own, unique sound. The one thing this album has in common with most of the other Kraftwerk releases( with the very notable exception of Kraftwerk 1) is that it makes for good background music...at least I, MATZABALLHEAD, think so.

The 20 minute Tone Float starts out with just percussion playing, sounding very much during it's first five to ten minutes like a very disorganized drum circle. Ralf Hutter's organ comes in around the ten minute mark.....the rest of the song reminds me of A Saucerful Of Secrets or Careful With That Axe, Eugene, though it is a bit more meandering and less melodic.

The second tune, Milk Rock, starts off with a bass line that I think is similar to the one for Everyday People. I can't say too much more about the rest of the song, or the rest of the album, that I haven't said before, except for the fact that if you spell the song title " Noitasinagro " backward, you will be a bit more organized, and maybe feel a bit more organic.

I lied, I can say one more thing about one of the songs. The bonus track, Vor Dem Blauen Bock, is a recording that Kraftwerk made as a trio for German Television back in 1971, during a six month period where Ralf Hutter had left the band. The line-up consisted of Florian Schneider on flute and electronic equipment, Michael Rother on guitar and Klaus Dinger on drums. It is much heavier than anything else on this CD, and more in line with some of the more aggressive music from the first official Kraftwerk album. Also like some of the music from the first Kraftwerk record, this song actually manages to get somewhat EXCITING during the faster and heavier sections, though it still feels a bit disorganized.

So, am I recommending this album? Kind of....I think Kraftwerk fans may want to check it out, at the very least to complete their collections. The thing is, if they really like Kraftwerk's more popular records like Autobahn and The Man Machine, then they may not like it. I personally think that it is an okay album...certainly not one of their best, though I like it better than Trans-Europe Express (which is one of my LEAST favorites of theirs) and Tour De France Soundtracks. An interesting album, to say the most!

Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Reading or Studying