On this day, 46 years ago, Kraftwerk released their iconic album The Man-Machine or Die Mensch-Maschine as the original german pressing was called. The Man-Machine is Kraftwerk’s seventh studio album and was released on 19 May 1978 by their own label Kling Klang. A further refinement of their mechanical style, the album saw the group incorporate more danceable rhythms and less minimalistic arrangements. It includes some of Kraftwerk’s best known singles ‘The Model’ and ‘The Robots’.

In Germany the album peaked at the 12th position in the Offizielle Album Top 100 and reached the 26st position in the German Offizielle Top 100 year-end album charts. The first German pressing was on red vinyl.

In the UK the albums took a slow start, peaking at the 9th position of the UK Albums Chart only 8 months later in February 1982, making The Man-Machine Kraftwerk’s band's second highest-peaking album in the United Kingdom since Autobahn (1974).

The Man-Machine was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) on 15 February 1982, denoting shipments in excess of 100,000 copies.

The Man-Machine is the first Kraftwerk album to have Karl Bartos co-credited as a composer along with Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider. Emil Schult co-wrote the lyrics for 'The Model'. AllMusic described the album as "closer to the sound and style that would define early new wave electro-pop", and noted its "feel of a divided concept album", with some songs (such as the title track and 'The Robots') exploring the science fiction-esque links between humans and technology", and others (such as 'Neon Lights' and 'Metropolis') celebrating “the glamour of urbanization.

The artwork for the cover was produced by Karl Klefisch, based on the work of the Russian suprematist El Lissitzky. The back cover image is an adaptation of a graphic from Lissitzky's book for children About Two Squares: A Suprematist Tale of Two Squares in Six Constructions.[9][10]

Reviewing the album in 1978, NME stated: "The Man-Machine stands as one of the pinnacles of 70's rock music", adding that "the sparsity of the lyrics leaves the emphasis squarely on those robot rhythms, chilling tones and exquisite melodies."

AllMusic wrote that the album is "less minimalistic in its arrangements and more complex and danceable in its underlying rhythms" than the group's previous works, and noted its "tremendous impact" on subsequent synth-pop artists.

In October 2009, a remastered edition of the album was released on CD and digitally by Mute Records (EU) and by Astralwerks (US) United States, followed shortly after by heavyweight vinyl editions.

DISCOGS

On this day, 34 years ago, British post-punk band Wire released their 7th studio album Manscape (15.05.1990). It was produced by David M.Allen (who, amongst others, produced various albums of The Cure and The Sisters Of Mercy's First Last And Always) and introduced even more the use of electronic instruments than on Wire's previous albums. Almost all bass and drums were sequenced and even-though Wire drummer Robert Gotobed co-composed all tracks on this album he didn’t join them on stage during the 1990 promotional tour.

Upon release the album was received with mixed feelings by music critics mainly because Wire pretty much abandonned the whole rock-band setup switching primarily to synthesizers but, according to some critics, lacked to put them to great use.
The original vinyl release has a significantly different running order and omits "Life in the Manscape", "Stampede" and "Children of Groceries".

Manscape UK Vinyl Version (STUMM 80)

1. "Patterns Of Behaviour"
2. "Goodbye Ploy"
3. "Morning Bell"
4. "Small Black Reptile"
5. "Torch It!"
6. "Other Moments"
7. "Sixth Sense"
8. "What Do You See? (Welcome)"
9. "Where's The Deputation?"
10. "You Hung Your Lights In The Trees / A Craftsman's Touch"

Manscape CD version (CDSTUMM 80)

1. "Life in the Manscape" – 3:28
2. "Stampede" – 4:35
3. "Patterns of Behaviour" – 4:33
4. "Other Moments" – 3:50
5. "Small Black Reptile" – 3:14
6. "Torch It!" – 7:31
7. "Morning Bell" – 4:22
8. "Where's the Deputation?" – 3:51
9. "What Do You See?" (Elvander, Gilbert, Gotobed, Lewis, Newman) – 6:47
10. "Goodbye Ploy" – 3:50
11. "Sixth Sense" – 4:19
12. "Children of Groceries" – 3:03
13. "You Hung Your Lights in the Trees/A Craftsman's Touch" – 10:03

All tracks written by Bruce Gilbert, Robert Gotobed, Graham Lewis and Colin Newman, except as indicated.

DISCOGS

Pennsylvania's "aggro-punk" duo, MALICE MACHINE have unleashed their long-awaited new album, Act Of Self-Destruction.

Act Of Self-Destruction introduces the band's original concept of "aggro-punk". Inspired by their song "Corpse Painter" from their previous album, Chemical Violence, the duo have meshed the harsh electronic synth, bass, and drum assault of aggrotech with the rebellious, raw energy, and to-the-point aspects of punk.

As with their previous releases, Act Of Self-Destruction remains lyrically bleak, dark and foreboding, Tracks like "Delete Me" offer an inward-looking perspective of feeling useless or dejected while others such as "Hyena" criticize society and its leaders for the destabilized world they perpetuate. In any case, the songs on Act Of Self-Destruction speak of the darkest parts of the human psyche and the world around us.

MALICE MACHINE is unleashing their unforgiving message upon the frenzy of their wicked musical sense. With this album, the band feels it has found its identity.

Act Of Self-Destruction is available on all major digital outlets including Bandcamp and Spotify.

open.spotify.com/artist/4U2jdWgtr4Ii4lJx5EQJX5

Today it’s exactly 27 years since ago Nine Inch Nails released their The Perfect Drug (Versions) EP! It was released by Nothing Records/Interscope on 13 May 1997 and bears the NIN caltalog number HALO ELEVEN.

The title song was originally written for the David Lynch cult film Lost Highway (1996) and appeared for the first time in early 1997 on the soundtrack with the same name which was produced by Trent Reznor himself. The soundtrack album included original filmscores written by Trent Renzor, Barry Adams and Angelo Badalamenti, as well as songs by, amongst others, David Bowie, Marilyn Manson and Rammstein.

Musically the song was very influenced by the late 90s Drum and Bass hype and was most successful in Canada where it peaked at the 2nd position in the regular ‘Single Chart’ as well as in the RPM Rock/Alternative Chart. In the US the single peaked at 17th position on the Billboard Hot Single Sales.

Until today however, the song was never performed live by the band.

Later Trent Reznor would state in an interview on BBC1 radio that The Perfect Drug is one of his least favourite songs he ever produced.

Besides the single, The Perfect Drug - Versions EP featured remixes by Nine Inch Nails, Meat Beat Manifesto, Plug, Spacetime Continuum and The Orb. The original version of The Perfect Drug however was only included on non-US releases.

The music video for this single was directed by Mark Romanek and inspired by the illustrations of 20th century artist Edward Gory. Besides Trent himself, the video also features his bandmates Charlie Clouser, Danny Lohner and Chris Vrenna.

The Perfect Drug (Lyrics)

I got my head but my head is unraveling
Can't keep control can't keep track of where it's traveling
I got my heart but my heart's no good
You're the only one that's understood
I come along but I don't know where you're taking me
I shouldn't go but you're wrenching, dragging, shaking me
Turn off the sun pull the stars from the sky
The more I give to you the more I die
And I want you

You are the perfect drug
You make me hard when I'm all soft inside
I see the truth when I'm all stupid-eyed
The arrow goes straight through my heart
Without you everything just falls apart
My blood just wants to say hello to you
My soul is so afraid to realize
How very little there is left of me
And I want you

You are the perfect drug

(Take me with you)

Without you everything just falls apart
It's not as much fun to pick up the pieces

Songwriters: Charles Clouser / Chris Alan Vrenna / Daniel Patrick Lohner / Trent Reznor

"The Perfect Drug" Versions (CD-Single)

DISCOGS

Today it’s been 37 years since Electronic Body Music ensemble NITZER EBB released their equal legendary debut album That Total Age (11 May 1987) on Mute Records. It was produced by Phil Harding. That Total Age was preceded by the singles Murderous (November 1986) and Let Your Body Learn (April 1987) while the third and final single to be taken from this album, Join in the Chant, followed in August the same year. The latter single would probably become one of the band's most known musical anthems and reached position 9 on the US Dance Charts of 1987.

That Total Age is considered to be one of the most important and influential Industrial / Electro / Electronic Body Music albums until this day.

The symbols on the cover of the album stand for "Force is Machine", "Visions of Order", and "Muscle and Hate".

That Total Age was released in many various versions like single 12” LP, double 12”, cassette album and CD.

That Total Age (LP) Mute Stumm 45 (UK)

1. "Fitness to Purpose" 5:00
2. "Warsaw Ghetto" 3:47
3. "Violent Playground" 3:46
4. "Murderous" 5:40
5. "Smear Body" 5:40
6. "Join in the Chant" 6:05
7. "Alarm" 3:41
8. "Let Your Body Learn" 2:48
9. "Let Beauty Loose" 2:24
10. "Into the Large Air" 4:13

That Total Age (CD) Mute Stumm 45

1. "Fitness to Purpose" 5:03
2. "Violent Playground" 3:49
3. "Murderous" 5:43
4. "Smear Body" 5:49
5. "Join in the Chant" 6:05
6. "Alarm" 3:41
7. "Let Your Body Learn" 2:48
8. "Let Beauty Loose" 2:24
9. "Into the Large Air" 4:13
10. "Join in the Chant" (Metal Mix) 5:16
11. "Fitness to Purpose" (Mix Two) 4:56
12. "Murderous" (Instrumental) 5:04

DISCOGS