THE HISTORY OF SOLAR MUSIC VOL. 4

Let's embark for another inter-galactic "Solar Music" adventure. Eroc is still the guardian of the "Solar Music" memory. Thanks to him, one can figure out how these representations could have been...

A mix of frenzy, grotesque, space-rock and sublime symphonic parts. This time, the listener gets two long versions of their masterpiece.

The Berlin version clocks at fifty five minutes and is rather conservative in its start. The grandeur of the work kicking at minutes five or so. I prefer to tell you beforehand (but maybe you know this already): I'm not really objective when I talk about this piece of music. Comparable to none except itself. Do you hear solar music?

Ambient moments, great keys and guitar combinations. They are all here. Even some weird vocal passages (around minute twenty). I won't say that the band innovated a lot in this version but the whole flows nicely and should leave the mature listener satisfied. This is a very good extended version, impeccably performed and even its length is not an obstacle to this joyful experience.

The last half an hour is especially well crafted. Synthesizers are exploding, guitars are roaring, some Doors and jazzy atmosphere for a while and Eroc as performing as ever in his great percussionist role.

The way the band is building the long and crescendo closing part is always a great musical moment for me. I am just fanatic about this. Four stars for this track.

The remaining of disk one is not extraordinary. Just average "Grobschnitt" music I would say. Typical band presentations (twice) for over twenty minutes. A bit too long IMHHO.

The second disk starts with several and forgettable short pieces. Some sort of a hors d'oeuvre for the Lünen version of "Solar Music" recorded in 1977. Again, a long one.

I have to say that it takes more time than usual to really start (about ten minutes). Actually, this is certainly not the best version I have heard. It seems that almost each ten minutes, the band switches between great and average inspiration. But this is how "Solar Music" has to be experienced. In this Lünen representation, the second movement is as good as it could be: these formidable guitar moments are so wonderful to re-discover.

But "Grobschnitt" will also deliver a too long middle section: another ten minutes featuring an ambient with repetitive sounds. OK for a while, but too stretched here. I wouldn't recommend this "Solar Music, Volume 4" to "Grobschnitt" newbies. For those ones, the first leg of these "Histories" is absolutely marvelous. This one is for veterans, I guess. Deep lovers of such an incredible moment of music history.

Yes, even if the last version is not top notch, there are still some parts during which I really get the shivers. Ah!!! "Solar Music".

As a whole, I would say that this work is a good one. Three stars. But, at times, heaven is reached as well. Just less than on other occasions. But how good it is to reach heaven...