REPEAT REPEAT

Peter Baumann flirts with the modern New Wave style on this record: actually, he sounds like many of the New Wave/Synth Pop bands of the early 80's. However, his tracks here are not really catchy and accessible: the compositions are well made and quite structured, but we feel a very typical German coldness, characterized by emotionless lead & backing vocals and straightforward repetitive keyboards & sequencers. This album is thus full of sequencers in the New Wave style of the 80's. There are many discrete sequenced keyboards sounds. There are also some good electric guitar notes. The album title is well chosen: "Repeat Repeat". Do not expect another Tangerine dream's "Ricochet" here! This record is DEFINITELY different from his previous "Romance 76" album. The best track is definitely "Playland Pleasure", being quite more catchy and addictive than the other ones: one even can recognize in it some elements inspired from the Tangerine Dream's "Stratosfear" album!!

It's amazing how easy it is to" sell your soul to rock n roll" , here is a proggy example. When Baumann merged with Froese and Franke, they made some of the greatest modern music ever : Phaedra, Rubycon, Ricochet, Stratosfear, Encore etc...and arguably was the most creative incarnation of the Dream. But he decide to augment his fame and fortune by going solo and catering to the poppier New Wave trend that was taking off at the time. Where Kraftwerk and Telex really took electronic pop to a seriously interesting level, others failed miserably: Blancmange, OMD , Gary Numan and a slew of other lesser knowns. But even if left uncompared to his T dream work, this is pretty weak stuff , with tinny synth sounds, wobbly arrangements , somewhat mechanical delivery and just uninspired tunes that aren't even good pop, that deserves little praise and even less positive ratings. the only reason he is here is his past association. In the meantime, Kraftwerk and Telex are not invited to our beloved site. The good news is that he didn't repeat and sailed into a new age label ownership career that pays for the bills , I guess. I've tried to listen to it in various states of meditative acceptance but to no avail. Only the presence of John Tropea gave me reason to smile. Nein, Danke. 2 stern sterns