Anthology, also called Anthology - 25 Years and Anthology 1968-1993, is a compilation double album by Krautrock band Can which was released in 1994. Several of the songs are presented in edited form. The first CD has the same track listing as Can's 1978 compilation Cannibalism 1.
Description Anthology covers the 25-year period of Can's career, presenting tracks taken from their studio albums, exluding Out of Reach, as well as early outtakes. Some of the tracks are edited down into more abridged versions.
Reception AllMusic contributor, Keith Farley, enjoyed the alternative versions of the original songs edited down into short-form highlights, but still considered the original albums to be the better places to hear them. an excellent introduction to the band's 25-year career. Pitchforks Joe Tangari commended the array of songs well-representing Can' discography, however, he lamented the omission of "Vitamin C" or "Sing Swan Song", which "would've made a better, more representative selection from Ege Bamyasi than the short edit of the chaotic 'Soup' that appears here".
Both Farley and Tangari agree on the prevalent "disregard for chronology or narrative". Tangari attributes the lack of chronology to the fact that some of the best Can's songs are relatively long, like in the case of "Future Days", released in 1973, being placed after "Half Past One", released in 1975).
Track listing
N.B. the re-edits on Disc One were originally done for the compilation Cannibalism in 1978. (*) The 2007 Remastered Edition uses the album versions for "Dizzy Dizzy", "Aspectacle" and "Below This Level" instead of the edits used on the 1994 compilation.
Personnel Holger Czukay – bass guitar (1968-1976, 1989), wave receiver & spec. sounds (1977), editing (1979), vocals Michael Karoli – guitar, electric violin, vocals Jaki Liebezeit – drums, percussion, vocals Irmin Schmidt – keyboards, vocals Malcolm Mooney – vocals (1968-1970, 1989-1991) Damo Suzuki – vocals, percussion (1970-1973) Rosko Gee – bass, vocals (1977-1979) Rebop Kwaku Baah – percussion, vocals (1977-1979)
References
External links Anthology at the official Can/Spoon Records site. Accessed 30 April 2008.