Can Live in Keele 1977
Can's Live in Keele 1977 arrives as a compelling entry in the band's archival series, capturing hypnotic grooves and avant-garde textures from a late-period lineup that critics say rewards close listening. Across the Keele show, Rosko Gee's bass reshapes the group's live dynamics, freeing Holger Czukay to orbit the set with otherworldly "waveform radio and spec. sounds," and creating moments that reviewers identify as standout live highlights.
Professional reviews frame the record as valuable live performance documentation rather than a polished studio statement. The single aggregated review awards a 78/100 consensus score across one professional review, noting the set's balance between mellow drift-rock passages and sudden, Godzilla-like sonic meltdowns. Critics consistently point to the extended Keele jams as the best songs on Live in Keele 1977, with “Keele 77 Eins”, “Keele 77 Zwei” and “Keele 77 Drei” emerging in commentary as the most arresting examples of the band's late experimentation.
While the performance will particularly interest collectors and long-term fans following Can's archival releases, reviewers also suggest the record documents a meaningful lineup change and its creative consequences. For readers asking "is Live in Keele 1977 good?" the critical consensus leans positive: a historically rich, sonically adventurous live document that adds depth to Can's catalog and rewards repeat plays for those drawn to improvisational, textural rock.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
Keele 77 Eins
1 mention
"A couple of the tracks from this show have been included on fan-made ‘best-of’ live bootlegs"— Tinnitist
Keele 77 Zwei
1 mention
"’76-’77 is the best of the Can live years (Keele included)"— Tinnitist
Keele 77 Drei
1 mention
"Through the series, you may hear familiar themes, riffs and motifs popping up"— Tinnitist
A couple of the tracks from this show have been included on fan-made ‘best-of’ live bootlegs
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Keele 77 Eins
Keele 77 Zwei
Keele 77 Drei
Keele 77 Vier
Keele 77 Fünf
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 2 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Can's Live in Keele 1977 is presented as a precious hunk of sonic material, a late-period document where hypnotic grooves and avant-garde textures collide. The reviewer's voice admires how Rosko Gee's bass addition frees Holger Czukay for otherworldly "waveform radio and spec. sounds," making passages such as "moontalk to a white continental telephone" memorable. If you wonder about the best songs on Live in Keele 1977, the reviewer points listeners to the couple of tracks from this show that made fan-made 'best-of' bootlegs, implying those jams are standout moments. Overall the tone treats the Keele performance as part of an essential live series that captures Can at a live peak, balancing mellow drift-rock with Godzilla-like sonic meltdowns.
Key Points
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The best song(s) are those included on fan-made 'best-of' Keele bootlegs because they capture the standout jams.
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The album's core strengths are hypnotic grooves, avant-garde textures, and the band's live telepathy.