The Catalogue
Encyclopedia
The Catalogue is a boxed set comprising eight album
s by Kraftwerk
that were released from 1974 to 2003. All albums are digital
ly remastered
, with most of the cover art
redesigned, including rare photograph
s in the liner notes
that were not part of each album's original release
.
and vinyl
format and was distributed as a promotional boxed set on compact disc. Copies were often sold on eBay
for high prices. An actual release date was not announced and the project remained unreleased for years, despite having a page on the Kraftwerk Web site during this time.
The individual remastered albums were eventually made available on compact disc in October 2009, while an 8-CD boxed set and heavyweight vinyl versions followed in November. Due to licensing restrictions imposed by Warner Music Group
, the albums Computer World, Techno Pop (formerly known as Electric Café) and The Mix have only been made available in the US
from Astralwerks Records as a part of the box set, or individually as imports. The collection may also be purchased in three different configurations from the group's Klingklang Shop; with a t-shirt, with a set of mouse pads or all three items together.
- Record Collector
"Yes, the remastering is a huge improvement. The sound shines like brand new—a punchier low end, crisper syn-drums, even more shimmering neon lights. And warmer human voices. Looking back, it's remarkable how concise these albums are, averaging around 40 minutes and seven songs each, as is the fact that such feats were achieved by purely analogue means. Even in 2009, compare them to tour-mates Radiohead
, and its debatable which band [is] truly the most forward-looking. —Mojo
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s by Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
that were released from 1974 to 2003. All albums are digital
Digital
A digital system is a data technology that uses discrete values. By contrast, non-digital systems use a continuous range of values to represent information...
ly remastered
Audio mastering
Mastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
, with most of the cover art
Cover art
Cover art is the illustration or photograph on the outside of a published product such as a book , magazine, comic book, video game , DVD, CD, videotape, or music album. The art has a primarily commercial function, i.e...
redesigned, including rare photograph
Photograph
A photograph is an image created by light falling on a light-sensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic imager such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are created using a camera, which uses a lens to focus the scene's visible wavelengths of light into a reproduction of...
s in the liner notes
Liner notes
Liner notes are the writings found in booklets which come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for vinyl records and cassettes.-Origin:...
that were not part of each album's original release
Release
- Media :* Film release, the public distribution of a film* Legal release, a legal instrument* News release, a communication directed at the news media* Software release life cycle, the public distribution of software code and support materials...
.
Contents
The albums included in the boxed set are the following:- AutobahnAutobahn (album)Autobahn is the fourth studio album by German electronic band Kraftwerk, released in November 1974. The 22-minute title track "Autobahn" was edited to about 3 minutes for single release and reached number 25 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and performed even higher around Europe, including...
(1974) - Radio-Activity - (German title: Radio-Aktivität) (1975)
- Trans Europe ExpressTrans-Europe Express (album)Trans-Europe Express is the sixth studio album by German electronic music band Kraftwerk. Recorded in mid-1976 in Düsseldorf, Germany, the album was released in March 1977 on Kling Klang Records. The album's themes were influenced by friends who suggested writing songs about the Trans-Europ...
- (German title: Trans Europa Express) (1977) - The Man-MachineThe Man-MachineThe Man-Machine is the seventh studio album by German electronic band Kraftwerk, released in May 1978. It contains the song "The Model" which was a chart-topping single in the UK in 1982....
- (German title: Die Mensch-Maschine) (1978) - Computer WorldComputer WorldComputer World is the eighth studio album by the German electronic music band Kraftwerk, released in May 1981. The album deals with the themes of the rise of computers within society. Critics see this album as a peak in the career of Kraftwerk, along with Autobahn and Trans-Europe Express...
- (German title: Computerwelt) (1981) - Electric CaféElectric CaféElectric Café is the ninth studio album by the electronic group Kraftwerk, originally released in 1986. In October 2009 it was re-released under its original working title, Techno Pop.-Background:...
(1986) - (here given its originally intended name of Techno Pop) - The Mix (1991)
- Tour de France SoundtracksTour de France SoundtracksNote: The 2003 Japanese CD release of this album also contains the video of the single "Tour de France 2003" as enhanced content.-Promotional version:...
(2003) - (now titled Tour de France)
Formats
As with previous Kraftwerk releases, the collection is distributed in two versions: English-language vocal tracks for international distribution and another (Der Katalog) with German-language vocal tracks. The boxed set contains eight CDs in mini-vinyl card wallet packaging, plus individual large-format booklets. On October 5, 2009, Kraftwerk released several remastered albums with redesigned artwork.Release
The boxed set was initially planned for release in 2004 on compact discCompact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
and vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
format and was distributed as a promotional boxed set on compact disc. Copies were often sold on eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
for high prices. An actual release date was not announced and the project remained unreleased for years, despite having a page on the Kraftwerk Web site during this time.
The individual remastered albums were eventually made available on compact disc in October 2009, while an 8-CD boxed set and heavyweight vinyl versions followed in November. Due to licensing restrictions imposed by Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
, the albums Computer World, Techno Pop (formerly known as Electric Café) and The Mix have only been made available in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from Astralwerks Records as a part of the box set, or individually as imports. The collection may also be purchased in three different configurations from the group's Klingklang Shop; with a t-shirt, with a set of mouse pads or all three items together.
Proposed second boxed set
Ralf Hütter suggested that a second Kraftwerk boxed set containing the band's first three albums would be released in 2010. At present time, there has been no official news regarding such a project or an amended release date.Reception
- “Finally, after cancellation and consternation Kraftwerk’s back catalog gets remastered and reissued. We think it’s—whisper—better than the Beatles.” *****- Record Collector
"Yes, the remastering is a huge improvement. The sound shines like brand new—a punchier low end, crisper syn-drums, even more shimmering neon lights. And warmer human voices. Looking back, it's remarkable how concise these albums are, averaging around 40 minutes and seven songs each, as is the fact that such feats were achieved by purely analogue means. Even in 2009, compare them to tour-mates Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
, and its debatable which band [is] truly the most forward-looking. —Mojo