Tangerine Dream - Green Desert (1986)

Artista: Tangerine Dream

Álbum: Green Desert
Año: 1986
Género: Progesivo electrónico ambiental/ Krautrock
Duración: 38:29
Nacionalidad: Alemania

Lista de Temas:
1. Green Desert
2. White Clouds
3. Astral Voyager
4. Indian Summer

Alineación:
- Chris Franke / percussion, VCS3 synth, PRX II rhythm controller
- Edgar Froese / Mellotron, guitar, Solina strings, Mini Moog, phaser

Y vamos con más Tangerine Dream porque Alberto no descansa y nos trae otro disco de estos electrónicos alemanes, en un disco grabado en 1973, y remixado en 1984 y que salió a la luz en 1986.

Y éste es el comentario del disco en manos del propio Alberto:

Volviendo al teclado (de la PC) para reseñar "Green Desert", me preguntaba que habrá pasado por la cabeza de Tony para solicitar estos discos de Tangerine Dream por chat, porque sin menospreciar el buen gusto del cabezón chatero, dentro de la extensa discografía de TD hay discos muchísimo más digeribles que estos y de una calidad musical increíble, tal el caso de "Cyclone", "Stratosfer" o el doble en vivo (este último una obra de arte) pero bueno, gustos son gustos decía una vieja, que se chupaba los mocos.
Vayamos a la placa en cuestión, generalmente estos chicos alemanes en esta época no editaban discos de más de cuatro tracks y siempre conservando el concepto de incluir uno o más tracks de más de 10 minutos, el disco comienza con el track que le da nombre al disco, un extenso tema de casi 20 minutos con una intro en teclados muy atmosférica que da paso a una guitarra con mucho vuelo, este concepto musical lo podemos encontrar también en obras de Pink Floyd, Jarre o Mike Oldfield, cosa que no hace más que potenciar el grado de influencia que ejercieron estos germanos en la comunidad artística de ese entonces, este disco fue grabado en agosto de 1973 pero vió la luz recién en 1986 y no pregunten por qué, ya había corrido mucha agua bajo el puente, o sea quizás vino a completar la discografia de TD o bien a dar un pantallazo de lo que ocurría en esos años. Fue por ausencia de Peter Baumann que este trabajo fue completado en 1986 por Edgar Froese.
Astral Voyager es un fiel ejemplo de lo que mencionaba en el comentario de Atem respecto a las influencias, por cuanto a partir de ese frenesi sencuenciador sin dudas un tipo como Jean Michel Jarre desarrollo toda su exitosa carrera musical. Un gracias a Tangerine Dream en los créditos de sus discos hubiera sido suficiente.
Podríamos decir que TD fue siempre una banda under y seguramente nuestra afirmación no estaría tan descolgada, es más, aún hoy no creo que exista tanto público conocedor de TD, si le preguntaramos a un fanático del progresivo seguramente tampoco podría decirnos, de toque, tres de los mejores álbumes de los alemanes. Cosa curiosa aún cuando sabemos que este grupo fue fundacional para todo lo que vino despues, llamese ELP, Oldfield, Kraftwerk, Vangelis, Jarre, Alan Parsons, etc.etc.
Cabeza de Moog ,un espacio gestado con la intención de compartir sonidos, hoy más que nunca comparte sonidos, y en la escuelita de Moe, donde no es necesario llevar delantal, una materia más que incluye a Tangerine Dream como tarea para el hogar.

Alberto

Y ahora, algunos comentarios en inglés y al disco:

Proghead's doubts are actually very justified as there are too many doodlings having been readjusted for the release of these tapes. But unlike Him , I enjoy the music on it very much as I have no doubt that this music has origins of the mid-70's (maybe not 73 though) but somewhere around Stratosfear , Cyclone , Ricochet , Force Majeure era. No matter how shady the origins of those tapes , this is certainly the best album released ( in 86) by TD since the start of the 80's ( although I have not heard everything , nor do I wish to) and I consider it a very worthy album.

Sean Trane

This was the great lost Tangerine Dream album, the missing link between Atem and Phaedra that languished in the vaults fom 1973 to 1986, when it was finally unleashed on to a waiting world. Except...Edgar Froese could not resist tinkering with the original tapes, so there are quite a lot of overdubs featuring equipment that wasn't around when it was first recorded. Whether the 80s gloss was strictly necessary is a matter for debate, but there is no doubt that this is an excellent TD album whatever its provenance.
There are two unique aspects to this album; it's the only one which Froese and Franke recorded as a duo (Force Majeure is also a Froese/Franke work, but features additional musicians) and it's also the last to feature Chris Franke playing drums. The real treat for TD fans here is the title track, which is built round a lengthy duet with Froese on guitar and Franke on drums. Franke may not have been in quite the same league as Jaki Liebezeit or Christian Vander, but he could really play and on this piece he builds up to the kind of feverish rhythm that Popol Vuh's Daniel Fischelcher did so well. Froese is in full on blues raga mode, and the whole adds up to a spellbinding piece of space rock on a par with Force Majeure. The second half of the album doe not quite live up to the first - I suspect that Froese and Franke were road testing their shiny new synths and wondering 'what does this button do?' a lot of the time. White Clouds is propelled by an almost motorik rhythm and Astral Voyager gives the sequencer a bit of a work out, but while they are pleasant enough neither track really goes anywhere. Indian Summer is a big improvement, a near ambient piece of the kind of electronic atmospherics that TD did so well.
This album is recommended to fans of Stratosfear and Force Majeure - as others have noted, it doesn't really sound like a transition between Atem and Phaedra, but this could be explained by the absence of Peter Baumann (who left TD for a few months in 1973 to travel round Asia with his girlfriend). The title track deserves 5 stars, the rest of the album 3.

Chris Gleeson

Tangerine Dream have a very large back catalogue and we sometimes feel a bit disoriented by the lack of creativity which gains the two last decades. The band didn't success to renew their own style with consistence, preferring more mainstream & conventional synth sounds. Re-issued during the 80s, "Green Desert" represents a good breath after many indulgent albums. The album was originally written in 1973 and it reveals some of the most TD innovative materials. It's the first time the band uses their famous electronic arpeggios (in the mysterious and majestic ambient "Astral Voyage"). The title track is one of the most amazing TD compositions and negotiates a link between their most accessible electronic synthesis and their first attempts in "abstract" experimental contributions. The track begins with a deep moody "sustained" drone, then concentrates on a spacey guitar solo accompanied by technical drum parts and electronic effects. "White Clouds" features luminous, dreamy-like synth chords covered by "helicopter" drums. "Indian Summer" uses the same environemental ambience with a similar electronic material. Only linear, elegiac tones with no "hypnotic" pulsations. This album is without doubts very commended for beginners despite that it doesn't reach the musical level of the three previous efforts.

Philippe

According to the liner notes this was recorded in 1973 between "Atem" and "Phaedra" with the sole purpose of it being a taster for Richard Branson's "Virgin Records" label. It worked as they were signed to a 5 year record deal. The money the received was used to invest in new equipment and they promptly made "Phaedra" with it.This particular recording was set aside until Froese dug it out of the archives in 1984 and added some new material while re-mixing the rest. So yes it has that 80's flavour for good reason. Froese was prone to do things like this, he did it with some of his solo albums to the dismay of many fans.The mellotron is one of the victims when Froese starts to mess around in the recording studio with older material. I guess he likes the more modern sound. I cry sacriledge ! Anyway this is a very good record in my opinion regardless of what Froese did.
"Green Desert" is the side long opener which opens with sounds that drone and hover as other spacey sounds come and go. Drums start to beat slowly after 4 1/2 minutes. Guitar comes in a minute later and mellotron 7 minutes in. I like this a lot. Drums get louder and start to dominate as the guitar stops. Drums also stop before 16 minutes as it turns spacey. PINK FLOYD comes to mind after 18 minutes. Amazing tune !
"White Clouds" opens with drums and synths and again the synths a minute in remind me of FLOYD. The tempo picks up. There are some added jungle sounds which remind me of Froese's "Epsilon In Malaysian Pale" album. Cool song. "Astral Voyager" has lots of sequencer sounds that pulse as other synths join in. "Indian Summer" is the only track that i'm not totally into yet. Synths chords come and go in a rhythm as other sounds come in.

John Davie

This album IS another great feature of the huge and great TD discography.
Some sort of a lost gem of the seventies, released much later (but who knows!). The music which is experienced here is just SUMPTUOUS, GORGEOUS and MARVELLOUS.
The title track is a pure beauty from second one to the latest. An absolute masterpiece to be honest. This is quite an astonishing band! Having released so many good albums out of an impressive range (over twenty so far).
Chapeau. Hats off. These are the only words that reflects my genuine feel about TD.
I wouldn't argue of when the original work was "invented" or released. The only aspect which is worth mentioning is that this album is just EXTRAORDINARY. The beautiful musical landscapes, the impressive wall of synths (still very much proggy during the first two pieces of music).
I am just found of "Green Desert" and "White Clouds". Much more than any songs from "Tangram" onwards. But of course, I'm fu**ing biased by all means. I am just deeply in love with these inhuman but so enjoyable beats. And "Astral Voyager" is just excellent.
Should this be compared with some lost jewel??? Oh dear! Yes!!!
This IS absolute wonder and joy. A glorious TD album. Maybe one of their best which can definitely compete with "Rubycon". Which is my all time fave from this great band.
The music proposed here is so WONDERFUL, it is so HUGE. Damned!!!
This is worth six stars or near. Just listen to the wonderful beauty of "Indian Summer". An outstanding number, a passionate release, a miracle of a melody, an endless refreshment, an absolute beauty.
What else can I bloody say?
This is an ENORMOUS prog release. No words as in my old time fave "Genesis", no great guitar as in my old time fave Floydean times, no crazyness as with Crimson, no dementia as with Tull, no such a complexity as my dear "Yes". More than this.
This album is just a MASTERPIECE. And you know that I am quite reluctant to give a five star rating. "Indian Summer" is a piece of music I can enjoy for HOURS. Listening to it in some kind of a loop.
WONDERFUL. GIANT. MIRACLE. ESTUPENDO. FANTASTIQUE. UITSTEKEND. EXTRAORDINAIRE.

ZowieZiggy

Conjecture aside this is a 1986 release with an old feel to it. " Green Desert" starts off with a 5 minute drone, something familiar to Atem maybe? Who cares, it has an awesome mood before Edgar Froese's menacing lead guitar kicks in very Floydian in sound and the songs gradually builds to a trademark TD climax before some lovely synthesiser sounds play out this nineteen minute beauty. " White Clouds" is a typical 80's sounding song although the haunting synth and frenzied percussion gives it extra mph. ' Astral Voyager' is very pleasant to the ears and " Indian Summer" is without doubt from the Encore material tapes of 1977 ( near enough) or Cyclone's " Madrigal Meridian". I'd stake my life on it :-). A very satisfying album and a necessary member of your Tangerine Dream catalogue.

Chris S.

Looking at the other reviews it seems that this album is very controversial, Somebody says that it's effectively the lost masterpiece recorded in 1973 and released only 13 years later, other says that it's just 80s stuff. Probably it's both the things.
The title track is a side-long one, as it was usual for TD in 1973. It starts very spacey and without rhythm, like it's coming from the pink period. Let me say that I immediately loved this track. After some averagely good and sometimes not so good things released in the 80s, with some relevant exceptions mainly in the live albums, we finally have something that's not too far from Zeit. Another clue that this comes effectively from 1973 is the drums and the guitar entering slightly after about 5 minutes. In the old years 5 minutes was the average time until the theme has a significant change in TD long tracks. Also the floydian mood of the guitar (reminds me to Obscured By Clouds) dates this track to 1973. Wondering why this track hasn't been released actually, I think possible that Froese has considered it too "Floydian". Guitar leaves after 5 minutes more for drums and spacey sounds while the keyboard background is smoothly changing. Any doubt about it? It might have been edited before being released, but it surely comes from the 70s. Very Pink. At minute 16 it returns where it started but the love of Froese for Saucerful of Secrets is back again. I really have no doubts about the year of the first recording.
I'm less sure about "Whìte Clouds". The soundscape is not so different and it has something that reminds me to Encore. However this is another very good track.
"Astral Voyager" is closer to Phaedra than to Atem and the title is the most spacey thing that it has. I love this track as I love the whole album, but here I have a doubt about this having been composed later to fill an album too short. Well, if this is a filler I'd like to have a compilation of fillers of this kind. The whistling sound in the second half of the track reminds me again to Encore.
"Indian Summer" is fantastic. The background storms behind the succession of keyboard chords with the bass on the third or fifth then the flute...(of course electronic) is clearly reminding to Encore again. Also the track's title does.
So I think that the original recordings may have been edited and/or overdubbed a little, but those are tracks coming from the 70s. They make me feel a sentiment of regret for the great music that TD have been able to give us in that period. This is probably not at the same level of Atem and Phaedra, but is very close to both.

Luca