THE HOLLYWOOD YEARS - VOL. 2

This one is no better and is quite useless in terms of quality within the huge TD discography. On the contrary of the first volume of these years, there isn't quite a lot of good stuff available in here. It is actually one of the most boring TD album so far.

I have been quite generous with this great band, but to listen to this ocean of rather average sounds is quite unusual. "City Monk" can be outlined to tell the truth. But don't expect a jewel of music. This is frankly alien to this album.

If you are willing to listen to little disturbing stuff (or supermarket music), you can have a try with this album. But as a warning sign, let me tell you that there are plenty of better TD albums you could listen to. You shouldn't waste your time (which is priceless) nor money to grab this one. Useless is the only wording I can consider while listening to this "effort".

The bottom low is reached with the absolutely poor "Cool Ma Bell". The title is already an indication; but to endure such a track for about five minutes is quite a bad experience. How could this great band release such a track!

It is hard to define which track deserves a "good" mention in here. I wasn't confronted with such a musical desert with this band so far. And it hurts. A bunch for sure ("Dare To Change"). But I could almost name them all since most of them are pretty average (to remain polite).

Another exception is the moving " 3rd Angels Gate" that reminds us the great and aerial music that this band has offered to his fans for a long, long time. It prevents the one star rating on his own; as the atmospheric "Walking with a Mandarin" which is another good moment indeed. As if the good old days weren't completely gone.

The Froese duo was little inspired these times. Lots of soundtrack stuff and average albums (live or studio ones) were more usual than great works during that decade. Song writing was kind of business as usual and according TD standards (which are rather high) no albums deserved the four stars rating IMHHO.

Two stars for this second leg of these "Hollywood Years". I am generous on this Sunday afternoon.