The Driftwood #36: Music Reviews

Mother Earth’s Plantasia, subtitled “warm earth music for plants and the people who love them,” is exactly such. Composed by synthesizer pioneer Mort Garson, the album uses an early synth called a Moog. The Moog, as pictured below, was the first commercial synth, which differs from modern synths in the fact that it’s a giant room-sized cabinet. Mort got his pretty early on from the instrument’s inventor (whose last name really was Moog), and he quickly fell in love with its sound. He translated what he knew from classical arranging and conducting to the crazy new tech, which Plantasia showcases in full effect. The album has such a brilliant and bright sound, which has an almost protective aura to it. Its highs are very high, and it never breaks its feeling of sanguine freedom. There’s something about the nature aesthetic partnered with the bright, “bloopy” sounds of the synth that plants a big smile on my face every time. If you ever find your own houseplants being particularly sad, maybe throw this record on for them. Who knows? Maybe you’ll like it, too.

The Man-Machine (1978)
by Kraftwerk

Kraftwerk is a German electronic and synth-pop band that was created in 1970 and is recognized as one of the groups that laid the groundwork for electronic music. The band is still actively touring 50 years later, including one of the founding members (now in his 70s) who continues to share fundamentally important music. The Man-Machine (1978) only contains six songs, creating a 36-minute album, but has been one of Kraftwerk’s most popular works. This band is known for their robot-like performances as well as the formal attire (suits and ties) worn during their shows that contribute to their rigid aesthetic, which matches their eccentric sound. My favorite song from this album is “The Model” because it has a catchy beat in addition to the refreshing composition that completes the glimmering album.

I have personally watched several of Kraftwerk’s live sets on YouTube, including one of their first performances from 1970. I thought it was interesting that the electronic beats were all produced from musical instruments, not synthesizers. Kraftwerk was one of the first bands to create this type of eclectic music, and I noticed the crowd that attended this performance had vastly different reactions: from completely intrigued and enjoying it to looks of shock and confusion. I thought it was extraordinary to see a video that showcased the roots of some of today’s most popular genres such as electronic, techno, house music, and synthwave.