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Faust's weakest album

Chet Fakir | DC | 10/18/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This is Fausts first album which was originally pressed on clear vinyl with a clear plastic cover with an X-ray of a fist in the center of the record, marvellous packaging. You can't do that with a CD I'm afraid. Unfortunately the packaging was the best thing about the record. The album consists of three "songs" that sound more like tape and improvisation collections rather than compositions. Now that formula worked very well on "Faust Tapes" but "Faust" simply doesn't have the wit, charm and focus that made "Faust Tapes" so good. To be fair there are occasional moments of brilliance, but I'm afraid I find much of this album to be scattershot, unfocused, oftimes annoying, and ultimately boring. Rather than writing songs or compositions on this album Faust primarily sound like stoned hippies experimenting/playing about in the studio. It may have been groundbreaking or "amazing" in 1971, today without benefit of chemical amusement aids it sounds very self-indulgent and messy. This album really hasn't dated well. I would recommend "So Far", the afore-mentioned "Tapes" or "IV" before this one."

Confounding...but charming

J. Holmes | yokohama, japan | 10/10/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Faust's sound is never easy to describe. perhaps it's one of the reasons that they have remained as one of the great mysteries of the german rock world. taking the basic pattern of rock and roll music of the times, and adding alot of really experimental touches to it (tape manipulation, studio effects, strange instrumentation), Faust entered onto the scene with this debut that is just as weird and confounding as it was when it was first released. these three songs represent a playfull and devilish sense of humour that makes me imagine the band mixing in the studio thinking, "this'll really mess with the heads of the listener, won't it?! heeheee." but there is alot of talent and a genuine musical scope hidden in all the silliness and mystery. perhaps fans of modern media manipulators like Negativeland or the Residents might be interested in leaning an ear towards the Faust back catalogue."

Faust - self-titled (Polygram Int'l)

Mike Reed | USA | 04/07/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Originally released in 1971,as this was Faust's very first record.Top of the line krautrock here. This self-titled opus is a sure vintage trademark recording of it's genre. Track listing is the freaky "Why Don't You Eat Your Carrots?"(9:35), "Meadow Meal"(8:05) and "Miss Fortune"(16:36). Maybe too weirded out for some. For you completists, this pressing is a later release of their self-titled debut, but if there are any fans that don't have this title on CD or vinyl, check out the domestic 2-on-1 CD put out by the Collector's Choice label, Faust-'Faust/So Far'(see my review). Highly recommended."