TANGENTS

An interesting idea - partly succeeding.

I am not at all a devotee of Electronic Music, the odd exception being a longtime preference for (selected) TD works. The sad reality is that the more I hear from the band, the less I appreciate what's on offer.

Whilst I am prepared to "endure" some of their longer tracks and just waiting for the "juicy" moments to come, I have always been tempted to get the software and edit the pieces to my liking. Herr Froese must have realized that I am not the only one and did the job himself.

Discs 1-3 contain excerpts from their earlier and more thoughtful works - ones I am very fond of - remixed in superb quality. Unfortunately, Herr Froese could not resist of interfering with the original material by overdubbing some tracks while removing bits that were an integral part of the originals. The end result is, shorter, more to the point excerpts and lesser musical value. Er, sometimes you just can't win... and I am holding onto the originals and will get that software some day. Still, discs 1-3 would make a good introduction to someone not familiar with TD.

Disc 4 is OST (soundtrack) territory and as such, totally forgettable in place of serious compositions.

Disc 5 contains tracks that I am not at all familiar with. At first (and last) listen, I am dealing with filler material here, hardly worth bothering with. The only exception is "Silver Scale" that would fit on "Tangram", or "Force Majeure". Elsewhere, the odd, interesting fleeting second just won't suffice.

Whilst here, I must add that some titles that refer to magnificent Australian landmarks, completely fail to capture the essence of such (yes, I live in Oz). This seems to be a recurring blemish on Froese's reputation for attaching an irrelevant tag on the latest tune recorded.

Discs 1-3 would probably deserve around 4, whereas discs 4-5 are barely qualify for 2.

Another example of where less material would have been more in overall effect.

Electronic prog came late for me. It was not until a few years back when I bought "Exit" by Tangerine Dream I realised how incredibly entertaining and fantastic the music can be. "Exit" is still my favorite electronic prog album and Tangerine Dream is by all means a vital if not essential part of the genre's birth and development.

Is a box set of Tangerine Dream really necessary? Well, that depends on ypu point of view, obviously. If you are starting out I would suggest one of the classic albums, which may be a bit easier to digest at first than a compilation of five CD:s. However, if you find you like Tangerine Dream and wish to delve further into their musical output I strongly suggest you buy this particular box. It may not showcase their entire career, which is a long one by now, but gives you all the essentials of their development from the beginning and into the 80's.

Being a somewhat more organic lover of prog I find that this box is all I'll ever need by Tangerine Dream. It covers everything from albums to soundtracks, the known and the goodies. It is a stunning box and one I cherish deeply.