{{Infobox album | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Albums --> | name = Faust IV | type = Album | artist = Faust | cover = FaustIVcover.jpg | released = September 21, 1973 | recorded = The Manor, Oxfordshire,<br />England, June 1973 | genre = Krautrock | length = 43:37 | label = Virgin | producer = Uwe Nettelbeck | prev_title = Outside the Dream Syndicate | prev_year = 1973 | next_title = Faust V | next_year = 1975 }}'''''Faust IV''''' is the fourth studio album by the German krautrock band Faust, released in 1973 by Virgin Records. The album is included in the book ''1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die'', where it is described as a "krautrock classic".<ref name="DimeryLydon2010">{{cite book|author1=Robert Dimery|author2=Michael Lydon|title=1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition|date=23 March 2010|publisher=Universe|isbn=978-0-7893-2074-2|page=297}}</ref>
The album was the last to be released by the original line-up of Faust. Following its completion, the band recorded a fifth album, sometimes referred to as ''Faust V'', at the Manor Studio in early 1975, but Virgin Records rejected the tapes and dropped the group from its roster.<ref>{{cite web |title=Faust V – Unreleased Album |url=https://www.boo-hooray.com/pages/books/4676/faust-v/unreleased-album |website=Boo-Hooray |language=en |access-date=2 November 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Faust's Lost Album V + TV footage |url=https://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2006/11/fausts_lost_alb.html |website=WFMU |date=13 November 2006 |access-date=2 November 2025}}</ref> The group disbanded shortly afterwards.
Faust did not return until 1994, when a new incarnation of the band, led by founding members Jean-Hervé Péron and Werner Diermaier, released ''Rien'' on Table of the Elements.<ref name="Mills">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/rien-mw0000180934|title=Faust – Rien review by Ted Mills |website=AllMusic |publisher=RhythmOne |access-date=2 November 2025}}</ref>
== Background == In 1973, Virgin Records head Richard Branson was seeking an avant-garde act to complement the label’s roster. Impressed by Faust's prior work, Virgin offered the band a new recording contract and released ''The Faust Tapes'' at the budget price of 49 pence, a marketing gamble that sold over 50,000 copies in the UK and made Faust briefly successful.<ref>{{cite news |last=Leigh |first=Michael |title=Faust – The German Experiment |work=Melody Maker |date=June 1973 }}</ref> The commercial surprise of ''The Faust Tapes'' provided the budget for ''Faust IV'',{{Citation needed|date=November 2025}} which would become both their final album for Virgin and the last recording by the original line-up.
Following the success of ''The Faust Tapes'', Faust relocated from their self-built studio in Wümme, near Bremen, to The Manor Studio in Oxfordshire, England, to record their fourth album. Jean-Hervé Peron claimed the album was recorded at the same time Mike Oldfield was recording ''Tubular Bells''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Breznikar |first=Klemen |date=2011-05-08 |title=Faust {{!}} Interview {{!}} Jean-Hervé Peron {{!}} “One of the famous unknowns” |url=https://www.psychedelicbabymag.com/2011/05/faust-interview-with-jean-herve-peron.html |access-date=2025-11-17 |website=It's Psychedelic Baby Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> The closing track "It’s a Bit of a Pain" had previously appeared as the B-side to the single "So Far" in Germany.
== Critical reception == {{Music ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref name=Huey>{{Cite web|last=Huey|first=Steve|title=Faust IV |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/faust-iv-mw0000102835 |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=2 November 2025}}</ref> | rev2 = ''Pitchfork'' | rev2Score = 9.4/10<ref name=Pitchfork>{{Cite web|last=Leone|first=Dominique|title=Faust IV |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/10728-iv/ |website=Pitchfork |date=3 October 2007 |access-date=2 November 2025}}</ref> | rev3 = ''Spin'' | rev3Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hermes |first1=Will |date=December 2007 |title=Reviews |journal=Spin |volume=23 |issue=12 |pages=117 |publisher=SPIN Media LLC |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3jk52QtJvGoC |access-date=2 November 2025 |issn=0886-3032}}</ref> | rev4 = ''Record Collector'' | rev4Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Faust IV review |url=https://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/album/faust-faust-iv |website=Record Collector |language=en |date=9 March 2015 |access-date=2 November 2025}}</ref> | rev5 = ''Mojo'' | rev5Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Faust IV reissue review |magazine=Mojo |date=July 2013 }}</ref> | rev6 = ''The Quietus'' | rev6Score = positive<ref>{{cite web |title=Faust – Faust IV Reappraised |url=https://thequietus.com/articles/15040-faust-faust-iv-review |website=The Quietus |date=20 March 2014 |access-date=2 November 2025}}</ref> }}
''Faust IV'' was released in June 1973. In 2007, ''Pitchfork'' described it as "a subtle dismantling of rock structure, where beauty and absurdity coexist without hierarchy." The review highlighted the contrast between the opener "Krautrock" and the song "Jennifer," calling the latter "further proof that the band were capable of writing actual songs."<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Leone |first=Dominique |title=Faust: IV |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/10728-iv/ |access-date=2025-11-17 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</ref> ''AllMusic'' stated the album "comes off as more a series of not-always-related experiments, but there are more than enough intriguing moments to make it worthwhile."<ref name="Huey" /> ''Spin'' described the record, as the band's "handsomely failed attempt to sound normal," and noted the opening track "Krautrock" as "hypnotic guitar-drone".<ref name=":0">{{cite journal |last1=Hermes |first1=Will |date=December 2007 |title=Reviews |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3jk52QtJvGoC |journal=Spin |publisher=SPIN Media LLC |volume=23 |issue=12 |pages=117 |access-date=2 November 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |date=August 2013 |title=Faust – Faust IV review |magazine=Uncut}}</ref>
''Record Collector'' described "The Sad Skinhead" and "Jennifer" as a "sabotaged mixed bag of defaced whimsical ditties," while noting the album "a still-intriguing snapshot of a band about to implode under its extreme internally combusting weight."<ref>{{cite web |date=9 March 2015 |title=Faust IV – Record Collector review |url=https://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/album/faust-faust-iv |access-date=2 November 2025 |website=Record Collector |language=en}}</ref>
== In popular culture == Madlib sampled "The Sad Skinhead" in 2013 for his album ''Rock Konducta, Pt. 1'' on the track "Far Faust".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Far Faust by Madlib - Samples, Covers and Remixes | WhoSampled |url=https://www.whosampled.com/Madlib/Far-Faust/ |accessdate=6 April 2023 |website=WhoSampled}}</ref>
==Track listing== '''1973 Original LP''' {{Track listing | headline = Side one | title1 = Krautrock | length1 = 11:47 | title2 = The Sad Skinhead | length2 = 2:43 | title3 = Jennifer | length3 = 7:11 }} {{Track listing | headline = Side two | title1 = Just a Second | length1 = 3:35 | title2 = Giggy Smile / Picnic on a Frozen River, Deuxieme Tableau | length2 = 7:45 | title3 = Läuft...Heißt Das Es Läuft Oder Es Kommt Bald...Läuft | length3 = 4:28 | title4 = Run | length4 = 3:40 | title5 = It's a Bit of a Pain | length5 = 3:08 }}
The published track listing contains a number of errors. Track 5, "Giggy Smile / Picnic on a Frozen River, Deuxieme Tableau" is incorrectly listed as "Picnic on a Frozen River, Deuxieme Tableau". Track 6, "Läuft...Heisst Das Es Läuft Oder Es Kommt Bald...Läuft", is incorrectly listed as "Giggy Smile".<ref name="discogs">{{cite web |date=1992 |title=Faust – Faust IV |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/422024-Faust-Faust-IV |access-date=2 November 2025 |website=Discogs}}</ref> "Run" is incorrectly listed as "Läuft...Heißt Das Es Läuft Oder Es Kommt Bald…Läuft".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Wilson|first1=Andy|title=1974: Faust: Faust IV|url=http://www.faust-pages.com/records/faustiv.html|website=Faust Pages|accessdate=3 August 2018}}</ref>
'''2006 Faust IV CD EMI reissue'''<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/release/faust-iv-uk-bonus-cd-mr0001075489 | title=Faust IV [UK Bonus CD] | publisher=AllMusic. Rovi Corporation | accessdate=October 21, 2012}}</ref> {{track listing | headline = Disc 1 | title1 = Krautrock | length1 = 11:48 | title2 = The Sad Skinhead | length2 = 2:36 | title3 = Jennifer | length3 = 7:13 | title4 = Just a Second (Starts Like That!)/Picnic on a Frozen River, Deuxieme Tableaux | length4 = 3:35 | title5 = Giggy Smile | length5 = 7:46 | title6 = Läuft...Heisst Das Es Läuft Oder Es Kommt Bald....Läuft | length6 = 8:07 | title7 = It's a Bit of a Pain | length7 = 3:08 }}
{{track listing | headline = Disc 2 | title1 = The Lurcher | length1 = 7:51 | title2 = Krautrock | length2 = 11:44 | title3 = Do So | length3 = 2:33 | title4 = Jennifer | length4 = 4:49 | title5 = The Sad Skinhead | length5 = 3:21 | title6 = Just a Second (Starts Like That!) | length6 = 10:32 | title7 = Piano Piece | length7 = 5:58 | title8 = Läuft...Heisst Das Es Läuft Oder Es Kommt Bald...Läuft | length8 = 4:14 | title9 = Giggy Smile | length9 = 5:55 }}
Tracks 1. - 3. of Disc 2 were originally recorded for the John Peel Show on BBC Radio 1, first transmission date March 1st 1973 <ref>From the CD Cover of the EMI / Virgin 2006 release</ref>
==Personnel== *Werner "Zappi" Diermaier – drums *Hans Joachim Irmler – organ *Jean-Hervé Péron – vocals, bass *Rudolf Sosna – vocals, guitar, keyboards *Gunther Wüsthoff – synthesizer, sax
===Sound and art work=== *Kurt Graupner – engineer *Uwe Nettelbeck – producer, cover artwork *Gunther Wüsthoff – cover artwork
==References== {{Reflist}}
== Bibliography ==
* {{cite book |last=Stubbs |first=David |title=Future Days: Krautrock and the Building of Modern Germany |date=7 June 2018 |publisher=Faber & Faber |isbn=978-0571346639 |edition=Main |language=English}}
==External links== *[http://www.faust-pages.com/records/faustiv.html ''Faust IV''] at faust-pages.com. *[http://www.faust-pages.com/index.html News of ''Faust IV'' re-release] at faust-pages.com. *[http://www.discogs.com/Faust-Faust-IV/release/223802 ''Faust IV'' Virgin Records (V2004) LP release] at Discogs.
{{Faust (band)}}
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Category:1973 albums Category:Faust (band) albums Category:Virgin Records albums Category:Albums produced by Uwe Nettelbeck