Albums by this artist

Good Morning Story (1999)

Holger Czukay

Good Morning Story

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» JONATHAN COHEN | SENIOR EDITOR

Holger Czukay Good Morning Story Tone Casualties, 1999 RiYL: Can, Tortoise, Stereolab, DJ Shadow

Depending on what publication you read, Holger Czukay is nothing less than the father of post-rock, the inventor of sampling and the missing link between the experimental music of the late '60s and today. The truth is, he's probably some of each.

As a co-founder of late '60s/early '70s German experimental rock act Can, Czukay employed playing styles and techniques that were years ahead of their time, including fusing live rock and studio instrumentation, and taping hours of jams and splicing them together to create a track. Such innovations have remained profoundly influential, coloring everything from DJ Shadow's mesmerizing cut-and-paste collages to Tortoise's rhythmic instrumentals.

Now in his 60s, the jolly Czukay remains Can's most active member. On this solo set, which features old band mates Irmin Schmidt, Jaki Liebezeit, and Michael Karoli, he uses the digital recording technology that did not exist in Can's day to create six tracks of sonic overload. "Invisible Man" updates German avant-storytelling for the new century, blending a deep, dubby Jah Wobble bass line, Czukay's chunky guitar licks and various bizarre narrations into an eye-opening sonic shake. Elsewhere, snippets of old-school Can rhythms are recast as backing for Czukay's fantasy tales: a trip to the market on "Good Morning Story" and unintelligible chantings on the futuristically funky "Dancing In Wild Circles."

Czukay really indulges his love of electronics on "Atlantis," a jumpy, schizoid digital buffet. The twenty-two minute album closer "Mirage" doesn't impress, but overall, Good Morning Story is so sharp and fun that it actually beats some of today's avant-rockers at their own game.

JONATHAN COHEN | Jonathan Cohen co-created Nude As The News with his Indiana University mates Troy Carpenter and Ben French. When not traversing the globe for business and pleasure, he holds down the fort as a senior editor for Billboard in New York. Stop him and he just may ask, "what for lunch?"