6. Phallus Dei – Amon Düül II
Krautrock was a major force in the prog world throughout the late ‘60s and well into the mid-to-late 1970s, and perhaps no group personified the genre better than Amon Düül II. This brilliant 1969 prog rock album is jam-packed with strange, chanted vocals, extremely avant-garde arrangements, barrels of sonic exploration, and tribal-sounding percussion.
And that’s just on the opening track, “Phallus Dei" - an over-20-minute extended jam that makes for quite the listen, especially on headphones. This is an enthralling listen as well as an auspicious debut for the Krautrock genre alongside the next album on our list.
5. Monster Movie – Can
A seminal debut album from Krautrock's most influential group, Can was known for building fascinating, snaking grooves that are both hypnotic and quixotic. The group brought wholesale improvisation to the world of rock music – building on the work of psychedelic rock pioneers and notable jazz greats.
This album’s exploratory style – as well as the group’s improvisational chops – are typified by enticing opening track "Father Cannot Yell," which is one of the best opening songs on a debut album of all time, as well as the thrilling closing track "You Doo Right.” Can wouldn’t quite hit their stride until vocalist Damo Suzuki joined the group in 1970, but this prog classic set the stage for the incredible strides the group would make over the course of their career.