Track Listing

1. Computer World
2. Pocket Calculator
3. Numbers
4. Computer World .. 2
5. Computer Love
6. Home Computer
7. It's More Fun To Compute

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4769 in Music
• Released on: 2006-07-17
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Import

Album Description
When Kraftwerk released Computer World on an unsuspecting public back in 1981, the thought of Electronic music and computers taking over seemed like a farce. Now, a quarter of a century later, Kraftwerk's musical vision has come true tenfold and many Electronic bands cite them as their main influence. This classic slice of Kraftwerk's musical tapestry is an astounding album filled with bleeps, blips, beats and a huge dose of melody that inspired thousands of musicians and fans to go forth and multiply (literally). Tracks like 'Computer Love', 'Computer World' and 'It's More Fun To Compute' have been sampled by artists from all genres, especially Rap and R&B. The hit single 'Pocket Calculator' may seem like ancient material, lyrically, but most of the world now operate their own iPods, Blackberries, cell phones, etc. so the meaning is not lost. Even the ominous 'Numbers' still sound slightly creepy after all these years. So, what have we learned from Kraftwerk? Everything.

Amazon.com essential recording
This is the album pundits like to point to when they accuse Kraftwerk of being digital-age visionaries; an all-too-easy assessment to make in the face of tracks such as "Home Computer" and "Computer Love" (not an ode to one-hand typing!). But to saddle the band with the reputation of sages is to completely miss the low-key wit and all-too-human playfulness of this album. "Pocket Calculator" and "Numbers" (the lyrics: numbers one to eight--period) could be read as tongue-in-cheek ripostes to too much bad "educational" programming, but that would smack of creeping punditry. Computer World is Kraftwerk's most lovable bundle of contradictions: at once its most technologically obsessed album and its most human. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Computer World
Computer World being Kraftwerk's 1981 release was quite avantgarde for its time. At the time not many people used or owned computers so to sing about owning a computer such is in the track Home Computer was quite ahead of its time. Other classic tracks is the track Pocket Calculator. Compared to the release Trans-Europe Express here they have used the vocoder a whole lot more with a very successfull result. One funny side-not was that Kraftwerk used a speak and spell toy which was made by Texas Instruments during the recording of several of the tracks on this record. The book-let is quite minimal (almost to a fault?!) with no lyrics and very little information inside. The cover is a reminder of how early computers looked like and many kids today will be suprised if they see the cover today.

dull "music of der future".
There is something inherently prosaic in this dead dull "music of der future". Fortunately, man has still some sense of individualism, but barely, and Kraftwerk's fascist goal for music has not rendered vocals obsolete. Listening to this, it harkens back to the techno geek 1970's when Germans laden in neo-fascist uniforms with thin ties and a pound of grease on their hair, showed no emotion on stage, acting like machines. Most of them wore leather pants so tight that they froze while playing, hence the dumb and inarticulate Krautbot look. They copied architecture chic from the 1930's, added some 70's porn montage and called it "modern" 1970's and praised the revolution of robots and computers. Not only is that very idea horrifying, but it is also silly. "Kraftwerk" means "cheese plant" in German and they are very cheesy.

The CD is probably one of the most horrible things I've listened to. If you can get to the end of it, you'll find all sorts of unwanted electronic noise, Krautbot voice dubs, electro fuzz, beeps, computer konks, repugnant computer-generated vocals, static, repulsive synthesizers, and extremely unpleasant clamor that goes on forever, that you'll soon be reaching for a hammer to crush the CD. In my estimation, all crap. A few American bands at the time tried the stale trend with deadly results, Gary Numan The Pleasure Principle (1979), Styx Kilroy Was Here (1983) , both tossed their careers away because of it.

You'll be reminded of foolish telephone companies, lumbering computer screens, electronic wires, gay 70's discos, and moronic techno cabarets in smelly, dark German cellars. So, unless you're a nerd or have little taste in music, forget this stuff ever existed.

Computerwelt is way better.
This is a perfect album in almost every sense; production, composition, performance, concept, etc.

It's only drawback is that this is the English version. The lyrics in "Computer World" have been edited and they have no real meaning nor sense anymore. This is why I give it 4 stars.

The German version has more sound channels, more lyrics and more overall meaning.

You'll notice the differences as soon as you get to compare them.

Of course, if you prefer this version, it's just a matter of choice. In the end, this is what this world is all about, right?