Out of Reach in Bloomington, MN

All but unknown to most but the most hardcore
Can
fanatics, 1978's
Out of Reach
is one of the group's rarest albums. This is due in large part to the fact that bassist
Holger Czukay
left the band before the recording sessions, and drummer
Jaki Liebezeit
has a greatly reduced role, leaving most of the rhythm duties to percussionist-come-lately
Reebop Kwaku Baah
. As a result, many fans don't consider this a true
album. They have a point, and there's no doubt that this is not one of
's better albums. However, it's not an album to be dismissed outright. As on the group's proper swan song, 1977's
Saw Delight
, new bassist
Rosko Gee
largely leads the group, and his
jazz
-inflected playing is marvelous, especially on the centerpiece improvisations
"November"
and
"Serpentine."
On the down side, he should never have been allowed to sing: The inept
"The Pauper's Daughter"
is saved from being
's worst-ever recording only by the even worse
"Like Inobe God"
on side two.
themselves have disowned this album, making it the only
music not reissued on their
Spoon
label in the '90s. ~ Stewart Mason