SOHOMAN

I was there - only one concert ever in Sydney. The earlier concert was cancelled due to equipment failure. Three men with machines - but there was movement and the light show was excellent. The CD took me right back to theevening. Just close your eyes and you are there as well. For me, essential. Found in a Hannover music store while cycling through Germany in 1999, never seen it before. James Fuller

Tapes from the vaults. By "Tangerine Dream". Would you believe?

Some old live stuff been born again?after seventeen years of silence. This is the "TD Product" we are facing here. Short album in terms of TD music, this work doesn't add anything great to their fantastic discography.

At best, some great music is being displayed here, like the gorgeous closing part of "Convention?". But still, this is not the best way to treat the fan. And I am quite a one, believe me!

What the hell pushed the band to release such old live recordings?

Were they in a desperate search for gold? Were the fans so anxious about getting another TD release? My humble answers to both questions is: NO.

Bearing in mind these considerations, one has to acknowledge/recognize that the songs featured are of very good texture. Being the ones from the "White Eagle" album or some other ones which came purely out of their sublime improvisation capabilities ("Ayers?").

The funny thing is to get a live version of a live track ("Logos Part One"). What's not truly funny, is that this one is being cut by two third. But the eight minutes played in this "Sohoman" album are extremely good. But is this really a surprise? As the closing "Blondi Parade" which is pretty impressive as well.

In terms of music, I would rate this album with four stars, but frankly: I don't like at all the attitude of the band with this release. Therefore, this is downgraded to three stars due to a rather commercial approach.

"Sohoman" is the first half of TD's 1982 Sydney concert. It contains material from the corresponding recent releases "White Eagle" and "Logos", and 2 improvised compositions not offically available before. While not explicitly mentionned, the source tracks have been overdubbed / tangentized. For this review, I will focus on the music only, not on the method used by the band.

"Convention of the 24" and "White Eagle" are good renditions of their studio versions from "White Eagle". "Logos Part 1" features indeed only the end of the first half of the corresponding track of the official live release.

Now for the novelties. "Ayers Rock" is the main interest of the record, it features fast energic pulsating sequences with "Commodore 64" chip-like passages. I do enjoy the electronic dark, tense atmosphere of this improvisation. On the opposite, "Bondy Parade" offers a much more lighter ambiance, as if you have escaped from danger and you were now driving towards sunlight. This tune could have well suited the epilog of an action movie. The name is taken from "Bondi Beach" in Sydney.

Although short, I recommend this release for 80's TANGERINE DREAM fans or for those who just want to discover new tracks. If you want to go deeper, the entire performance without overdubs is now released on the Bootmoon series as "Sydney - February 22nd 1982".