In 1984 ROIR, then a cassette-only record label, released a LIVE cassette-only European concert tape by EINSTURZENDE NEUBAUTEN ("Collapsing New Buildings"). E/N's "2 x 4" has become a classic, receiving both lavish praise ... more »from the press and commercial success from its legions of fans (over 20,000 cassettes sold). AVAILABLE NOW ON CD (REMASTERED). Since 1980 these conceptual avant-garde anti-artists have released over twenty recordings on labels such as Mute, Some Bizarre, Rough Trade, Thirsty Ear, Homestead, Etc. Their newest studio recording "Ende Nue" has just come out in Germany on Rough Trade and will be released in the U.S. by Nothing Records early in 1998 in connection with an extensive U.S. tour. OF THE 1984 "2 X 4" RELEASE: "FAR AND AWAY THE MOST LISTENABLE RECORDING FROM THE PREMIERE NOISIESTS. ALMOST AS RIVETING AS SEEING THEM IN PERSON." ROCKPOOL 85' "NO ONE MAKES A MIGHTIER OR MORE EXHILARATING NOISE THAN GERMANY'S EINSTURZENDE NEUBAUTEN. THEIR MUSIC WITH IT'S HYPNOTIC PERCUSSIVE RIFFS AND SONIC SQUALLS, HAS REAL FORM & SUBSTANCE. NONE OF THE NEUBAUTEN STUDIO RECORDS HAS QUITE MANAGED TO CAPTURE IT'S OVERWHELMING LIVE SOUND. THIS ALBUM ADDRESSES THAT PROBLEM." Kurt Loder- Liner Notes/1984« less
In 1984 ROIR, then a cassette-only record label, released a LIVE cassette-only European concert tape by EINSTURZENDE NEUBAUTEN ("Collapsing New Buildings"). E/N's "2 x 4" has become a classic, receiving both lavish praise from the press and commercial success from its legions of fans (over 20,000 cassettes sold). AVAILABLE NOW ON CD (REMASTERED). Since 1980 these conceptual avant-garde anti-artists have released over twenty recordings on labels such as Mute, Some Bizarre, Rough Trade, Thirsty Ear, Homestead, Etc. Their newest studio recording "Ende Nue" has just come out in Germany on Rough Trade and will be released in the U.S. by Nothing Records early in 1998 in connection with an extensive U.S. tour. OF THE 1984 "2 X 4" RELEASE: "FAR AND AWAY THE MOST LISTENABLE RECORDING FROM THE PREMIERE NOISIESTS. ALMOST AS RIVETING AS SEEING THEM IN PERSON." ROCKPOOL 85' "NO ONE MAKES A MIGHTIER OR MORE EXHILARATING NOISE THAN GERMANY'S EINSTURZENDE NEUBAUTEN. THEIR MUSIC WITH IT'S HYPNOTIC PERCUSSIVE RIFFS AND SONIC SQUALLS, HAS REAL FORM & SUBSTANCE. NONE OF THE NEUBAUTEN STUDIO RECORDS HAS QUITE MANAGED TO CAPTURE IT'S OVERWHELMING LIVE SOUND. THIS ALBUM ADDRESSES THAT PROBLEM." Kurt Loder- Liner Notes/1984
CD Reviews
Keine angst!
01/23/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Probably the best early live recordings (80-83) from the only band that matters. This disc captures the true essence of E.N. Remastered and available for the first time on CD."
True "industrial" - groundbreaking
simpcity | 06/13/1998
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This live album is what "industrial" music is really all about. E.N. are the true pioneers of industrial music before it's mergence with techno. Not for the musically squeemish. I find this album still thoroughly enjoyable, even 10 years later. If you enjoy REAL industrial music, buy this album."
A MUST HAVE FOR FANS
J. Brady | PAWLEYS ISLAND, SC United States | 02/11/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW IF THIS KIND OF THING IS FOR YOU OR NOT. FOR THE UNINITIATED, EINSTURZENDE NEUBAUTEN IS , AT LEAST ON THE SURFACE, WHAT WE USED TO CALL "INDUSTRIAL", BEFORE THE TERM WAS CO-OPTED AND CORRUPTED BY THE LIKES OF MINISTRY AND NINE INCH NAILS. LABELS ASIDE, EN THEMSELVES HAVE GONE FROM MAKING VERY PRIMITIVE, ABRASIVE, SOMETIMES DOWN-RIGHT DISTURBING "SONGS" ( I HASTEN TO USE THAT TERM, THESE RECORDINGS DO NOT FOLLOW THE BASIC "VERSE - CHORUS -VERSE -CHORUS - BRIDGE- CHORUS- FADE" STRUCTURE OF FAMILILAR ROCK N ROLL )ON THEIR EARLIER RECORDINGS HEARD HERE, AND HAVE EVOLVED INTO SOMETHING QUITE UNIQUE; A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS WHO TAKE FOUND SOUNDS AND INCORPORATE THEM INTO MUSICAL PIECES THAT RANGE FROM SEMI- CLASSICAL, AMBIENT, SOMETIMES DANCE-ISH ( BUT CERTAINLY NOT WHAT I'D CALL DANCE MUSIC - IT IS SIMPLY OFTEN VERY RHYTHMIC ) AND SOMETIMES APPROACH WHAT I WOULD CALL TRADITIONALLY ARRANGED "ROCK" MUSIC. I PERSONALLY PREFER THE EARLIER, MORE FREE FORM RECORDINGS. THEY ARE FOR THE MOST PART HEAVILY PERCUSSIVE, USING HAMMERS, PIECES OF METAL, HUBCAPS, ETC TO FORM THE BASIS OF THE RHYTHMS OF THE PIECES. THEY ALSO FEATURE VOCALS THAT ARE ENTIRELY GERMAN, SOME SPOKEN, SOME WHISPERED, SOME CHANTED, AND SOME SCREAMED. I CAN ONLY SAY THAT FOR ME, "2 X 4" INFORMS SO MANY EMOTIONS - IT IS QUITE A ROLLERCOASTER RIDE, DESPITE ( OR MAYBE BECAUSE OF ) ITS SHORT LENGTH. I HAVE PLAYED THIS FOR MANY OF MY FRIENDS WHOM I CONSIDERED TO BE OPEN-MINDED ENOUGH TO ENJOY THIS. THE REACTIONS RUN FROM "THAT IS AMAZING, WHO IS THAT?" TO " MY GOD, WHAT A DREADFUL RACKET, WOULD YOU PLEASE TURN THAT OFF?" AT ONE HALOWEEN PARTY I HOSTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO I PROGRAMMED A FEW EN SELECTIONS INTO THE BACKGROUND LISTENING , AND ACTUALLY HAD A FEW GUESTS TELL ME "THAT SCARES THE HELL OUT OF ME." BLIXA AND CO WOULD HAVE BEEN PROUD. IN PARTING I CAN TELL YOU ONLY ONE THING, IF YOU LIKE EN AND DON'T HAVE "2X4" I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT."
Industrial life
simpcity | 10/02/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Well, two Seinsucht's for the price of one - that alone should justify the purchase of the premiere Live industrial album.
Like many, I had purchased this on tape, and like many I wore that tape out letting it cycle thru over and over again. It's only eight songs, short of fifty minutes - skimpy for a cd.
But the songs capture the feel of live performance. I saw them in Myrtle Edwards Park (with the Burlington Northern freight trains roaring past) in Seattle's epic free concert, and nothing was really canned.
While not entirely impromptu, it was certainly immediate. 2x4 is the best intro to Neubauten, and ROIR was right to simply reproduce the original cassette."
Track Listings (8) - Disc #1