Kraftwerk - "Tour de France" (2003, 2009)

A Kraftwerk album from the 2000s, who knows how that could end. All bands don't age with dignity. Had time caught up with the pioneers of the 70's and 80's electro, and passed by? Were they now just pathetic old men who tried to reproduce the sound of their youth, and make a few bucks on sentimental middleage people who as desperately tried to deny the passing of time? It could have ended like that, but it didn't. Kraftwerk delivers, maybe they no longer lead the music's development, but are absolutely at the forefront.

Kraftwerk succeeds in sounding just like Kraftwerk, but with a modern touch of the 2000s. Yes, it actually sounds just like one would think and hope that they would sound like today (OK, 2003 is not today, but in my world it's a modern album). The theme is of course the French bicycle race and the album was recorded in connection with the race's 100 year anniversary. Previously, Kraftwerk had released their records in a German and an English version, but Tour de France exists only in one version, and the band "sings" in English, German and French.

The song Tour de France was recorded in 1983 and released as a single. The album, which the song would be on, was however canceled due to one of the member's bicycle accident. The song is instead found on this record, in a newly recorded version. The album was released in 2003 under the name Tour de France Soundtrack, and in 2009 re-released, without the 'Soundtrack'. That's the version I have, and the songs are distributed over two records. If you like Kraftwerk, you'll probably like Tour de France. If you're not so familiar with the band, it's definitely a good album to start with. At least as good as the band albums from the 70s and 80s.


Tracklist

Side A
1. Prologue 0:31
2. Tour de France Etape 1 4:27
3. Tour de France Etape 2 6:41
4. Tour de France Etape 3 3:57
5. Chrono 3:20

Side B
1. Vitamin 8:10

Side C
1. aerodynamics 5:04
2. Titanium 3:21
3. Electromagnetic Kardiogramm 5:15

Side D
1. La Forme 8:41
2, regeneration 1:17
3. Tour de France 5:11