(Krautrock/Experimental) Holger Czukay [1988] Radio Wave Surfer (1991 EU Virgin CDV 2651), FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

After the enjoyable but rather overworked Rome Remains Rome, Radio Wave Surfer was something of a back to basics album for Holger Czukay. All the tracks were recorded live, either at Can's studio or in concert. The sleevenotes add: "Recorded with only one stereo mike. No mixes necessary. All pieces carefully edited. Music played in teamwork spontaneously. Recomposed by Holger on various hilarious nights." Aside from Czukay, the music is performed by former AFN announcer Sheldon Ancel as lead vocalist/MC, and ex Can colleagues Michael Karoli (introduced as the walking guitar) and master drummer Jaki Liebezeit (the live animal act).

Tracks 1 - 7 form a kind of imaginary radio broadcast, including words from the show's sponsors and some extremely eccentric lyrics. Ancel has great fun with the bizarre songs and stories, while Czukay, Liebezeit and Karoli create a superb musical backdrop featuring the kind of near telepathic interplay that was a feature of Can's best albums. At times there are brief snatches of psychedelic space rock that recall the glory days of Krautrock, although there are no lengthy jams or freak outs here. Everything is extremely tight and, as it says on the cover, carefully edited.

The second half of the album features some concert recordings, the first again featuring Ancel and the remainder voices and music from Czukay's beloved short wave radio. Again, the musical backing features three quarters of Can at the top of their game and updates the classic Krautrock sound. At one point Czukay even whips his French Horn out (I hope that no ladies were present) and blows it in his inimitable style.

This is an odd album in many ways, but it rewards careful listening and is full of the kind of details that can be found on Czukay's best recordings. Not the best album for the newcomer to czukay's solo career - Movies or On The Way To The Peak Of Normal are more immediately accessible - but a strong entry into one of the most intriguing back catalogues of any artist on the archives. Recommended.

Exact Audio Copy V0.99 prebeta 4 from 23. January 2008

EAC extraction logfile from 31. July 2010, 10:09

Holger Czukay / Radio Wave Surfer

Used drive : TEAC CD-W516EB Adapter: 1 ID: 0

Read mode : Secure
Utilize accurate stream : Yes
Defeat audio cache : Yes
Make use of C2 pointers : No

Read offset correction : 685
Overread into Lead-In and Lead-Out : No
Fill up missing offset samples with silence : Yes
Delete leading and trailing silent blocks : No
Null samples used in CRC calculations : Yes
Used interface : Native Win32 interface for Win NT & 2000

Used output format : Internal WAV Routines
Sample format : 44.100 Hz; 16 Bit; Stereo

TOC of the extracted CD

Track | Start | Length | Start sector | End sector
---------------------------------------------------------
1 | 0:00.00 | 1:06.35 | 0 | 4984
2 | 1:06.35 | 4:26.50 | 4985 | 24984
3 | 5:33.10 | 3:39.72 | 24985 | 41481
4 | 9:13.07 | 2:38.00 | 41482 | 53331
5 | 11:51.07 | 0:49.73 | 53332 | 57079
6 | 12:41.05 | 1:23.55 | 57080 | 63359
7 | 14:04.60 | 2:13.32 | 63360 | 73366
8 | 16:18.17 | 5:36.03 | 73367 | 98569
9 | 21:54.20 | 3:20.67 | 98570 | 113636
10 | 25:15.12 | 1:50.55 | 113637 | 121941
11 | 27:05.67 | 3:42.03 | 121942 | 138594
12 | 30:47.70 | 1:42.37 | 138595 | 146281
13 | 32:30.32 | 2:22.43 | 146282 | 156974

Range status and errors

Selected range

Filename C:\Holger Czukay - Radio Wave Surfer.wav

Peak level 97.8 %
Range quality 99.9 %
Test CRC AD1DB90F
Copy CRC AD1DB90F
Copy OK

No errors occurred

AccurateRip summary

Track 1 accurately ripped (confidence 8) [4A237256]
Track 2 accurately ripped (confidence 8) [05B595E8]
Track 3 accurately ripped (confidence 8) [580518A5]
Track 4 accurately ripped (confidence 8) [636A8FBC]
Track 5 accurately ripped (confidence 8) [894929B1]
Track 6 accurately ripped (confidence 8) [03E84ABC]
Track 7 accurately ripped (confidence 8) [E0961A60]
Track 8 accurately ripped (confidence 8) [D2F0B278]
Track 9 accurately ripped (confidence 8) [3EACE69C]
Track 10 accurately ripped (confidence 8) [D627E2CD]
Track 11 accurately ripped (confidence 8) [F365F917]
Track 12 accurately ripped (confidence 8) [3AC7C440]
Track 13 accurately ripped (confidence 8) [AC8AC420]

All tracks accurately ripped

End of status report