Faust IV

Faust were uniquely German; and, in all likelihood, were the antithesis of the aesthetics of British prog rock. In fact, Faust's raison d'être had more in common with post-modern art than anything remotely romantic; however, their relative success (courtesy of Virgin Records) was tightly tied to the progressive era. Their first two albums for Polydor, both produced by Uwe Nettelbeck, were instant krautrock classics, though not easy listening by any stretch. Richard Branson signed the band to his Virgin label and released The Faust Tapes album for a ridiculously low price (that of a single, 49p). Coupled with a tour of the UK with Henry Cow (and Peter Blegvad from Slapp Happy in tow), the album sold a reputed 100,000 copies. Their next album, IV, was recorded under the auspices of Virgin's The Manor Studio and offered more of Faust's music to progressive audiences. The album's opener, the relentlessly churning grind of "Krautrock," is a brazen tribute to their Teutonic sonic heritage; it's simply astonishing. "The Sad Skinhead" offers reggae, but not really, just as the beauty of "Jennifer" hides something more sinister underneath. "Giggy Smile" breaks open with a classic riff, yet quickly dissolves into frenzy before returning to the same riff, albeit sideways. Throughout, the album explores composition and musicianship with a healthy dose of revisionism, with the band's unique brand of psychedelia in equal measure. Like Neu!, Faust's legacy would attain mythical status in the ensuing decades. This however was their final release, as they would break up in 1975 after aborted sessions at Giorgio Morodor's studio in Munich.