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Jun 13, 2022 Web Exclusive By Matthew Berlyant

Since their actual debut album, 1968’s appropriately titled Delay 1968, wasn’t actually released until 1981, 1969’s Monster Movie was the world’s introduction to CAN. Initially released in an edition of 500 copies on the Music Factory label, it was quickly picked up by Liberty in Germany and United Artists in the UK and elsewhere in Europe. Eventually, it was reissued on their own Spoon label in 1980 and has been the subject of many subsequent CD and now vinyl reissues. This follows the worldwide 2014 reissue on black vinyl by following it up with the first colored (blue in this case) vinyl release of this monumental album.

Featuring American singer Malcolm Mooney, who would soon depart after this, this album is perhaps underrated by some fans who prefer or only know their early ‘70s work with Damo Suzuki or perhaps even some of the subsequent records. Revisiting this “monster” shows that this would be a mistake as CAN knew what they were doing from the onset, not surprising for musicians (keyboardist Irwin Schmidt and bassist Holger Czukay) who studied with Karlheinz Stockhausen and who also happened to feature Jaki Liebezeit, widely considered the best free jazz drummer in Europe at the time.

While side one shows a heavier almost garage punk side that they’d soon abandon, it proves that even early on, they were adept at styles they aren’t that well known for. In fact, if side one closer “Outside My Door” appeared on one of those “the road to punk” type playlists or compilations, it shouldn’t surprise anyone. Side two, however, taken up entirely by the 20-minute monster “Yoo Doo Right,” was more a harbinger of things to come and is one of CAN’s great side-long pieces, even rivaling the later “Hallelujah” on 1971’s Tago Mago or “Mother Sky” from 1970’s Soundtracks. (www.spoonrecords.com)

Author rating: 8/10