Faust - Faust (Album Review)

 

Faust - Faust

(1971)

My copy: 1979 reissue on clear vinyl by Recommended Records. 

While bands like CAN, Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, Amon Duul II, etc. all had a head start during the onset of kraut-rock in the late 60s, Faust’s first self-titled record rocketed the genre to its end-point in one fell swoop. Released in 1971, Faust is a transcendental barrage of otherworldly sounds, with powerful jam sessions sprinkled throughout. 

“Why Don’t You Eat Carrots” ushers newcomers in with a low, curious drone before static noise launches the song into an abyss of panning radio transmissions. Bi-polar piano takes the reins, treading a thin line between dissonant and ecstatic before the track erupts into what could only be described as menacing festival music. The energy is that of twisted glee, as discordant notes, lethargic percussion and hazy horns maintain an alien atmosphere. A harpsichord furthers a medieval sense of malice. Things become psychedelic with echoed voices, as the track loses itself into a mesh of new sounds and callbacks. Listening to this movement feels like communicating with a being from another dimension. Eventually a melody breaks through that is matched by vocals, as a Zappa-esque instrumental appears. The groove is erased by canyons of sound that peak into growling tidal waves, quieting to the sounds of a laughing couple and continuous triangle. 

A fearful ambiance permeates through “Meadow Meal” as a series of experiments are conducted across several instruments, from whining strings, to echoed percussive cracks. Faust has created a musical patchwork of sheer terror here: it is some of the most immersive rock music to ever emerge. The fever dream ends with what sounds like a snake’s rattle before suddenly cutting to clean guitar arpeggios. Stunted vocal announcements and brainwashed chants turn things dark again right before the most addicting instrumental jam of the whole record with searing guitar and steady drums. The musical segments return to contemplative spoken word which is overshadowed by the sounds of a thunderstorm as the track concludes on gentle keys like a church organ. 

“Miss Fortune” is the final track and also the longest, taking up the whole of the B-side. It begins with watery keys as cymbals and guitar join in. The keys start to waver as a series of noise-bursts take command. The melodic, musical elements are almost entirely panned left while the noises hum in the right channel. The bass becomes distorted before the movement topples over into a furious crescendo. Piano bounces about as almost silly-sounding operatic singing enters alongside a melancholy key melody. This part is admittedly dramatic and goofy but is kept evocative by the strangeness of the progressions. The song moves into a surreal ballad with howls and shouts until reverb-soaked noise walls threaten to swallow the entire track with bits of electronic melody circling like sharks round a boat. This album sincerely has so much happening in less than 40 minutes that it is almost utterly overwhelming. After trampled piano melodies, electronic chirping and forever re-contextualizing dissonance, voices cry out in devilish accents, cackling like goblins. There are final distorted loops before suddenly cutting to arpeggios and clever vocal hocketing in which two voices share cryptic sentences. The album ends with organ weaving its way under the poetry, the voices finally coinciding to deliver one last message.

Faust’s efforts were not overlooked by their fellow musicians: the production and ambitious recording styles would go on to influence countless bands across kraut-rock, electronic music, experimental genres and even later post-rock. Faust created something alive with this album, though there are moments of sensory overload and gags that don’t quite land (goblin voices). Though there are supreme musical moments, they are treated more as intermediary pit stops on a journey through layers of impressive sound collages. There are handfulls of major label "experimental" bands with modern equipment that will never create something as provoking as Faust. It’s probably the best album to come out of the early days of kraut-rock, and it’s truly a one of a kind gem with a wholly unique personality.