“Fans of TD, and God knows there are a lot, avoid reading this column”
1 Transition 7:38
2 Ayumi's Loom 9:39
3 Outlook 3:15
4 Togetherness 7:23
5 Echo Of Light 4:32
6 Key Moment 4:54
7 Insiders 7:42
8 Nexuses 8:27
9 Glowing Vision 8:08
Eastgate 039CD
(CD/DDL 61:35) (V.F.)
(Light E-Rock, Ambient)
(Fans of TD, and God knows there are still some left along the new ones adding, avoid reading this column. It could be detrimental to your pecuniary, cultural and worshipful health...)
Hmmm...I don't know. I like Edgar! Except that sometimes he reminds me of an old poet who clings to his new poems without much conviction. He's like that poet who has an obligation to write and is looking for his words. And if he still has beautiful texts, he lacks breath for his music. You see me coming, unconditional fans of Tangerine Dream? May the force be with you! The strength to try to believe that everything Edgar does is great. Because I've been hearing rave reviews about this 4th season of The Five Atomic Seasons. I even read that it was the best. Hmmm... This is where I wonder if I've gone nuts! In fact, am I the only one to notice that Edgar Froese has deviated from the basic obligation that each CD should contain 54 minutes of music? Gone is the story around this project that had everything to become a lyrical work! Am I the only fan (yes, yes I am still a fan!) who sees and hears what Edgar does and writes?
Because Big Papa Froese falls asleep on his seasons. After 2 promising first ones, the one who was one of the great composers in EM field seems to die of boredom to meet his obligation to the Japanese patron. WINTER IN HIROSHIMA is of a platitude to sleep on the tail of a monkey. Divided by 9 tracks, the album unfolds in a single musical act. Nearly 62 minutes of soft music where nothing is really created. Reheated music that smells the Melrose years. And when something interesting happens, like on the languorous Togetherness and its very tortuous guitar, as well as on Insiders and its frenzied rhythm which agitates on a neurotic sequence, there is this damn female voice that always repeats the same tune, downgrading the music in the background. An intervention which appears in loops every 18 seconds. Ouach... How long it is! It takes away the taste of simply listening the album. And notice that we don't lose much. Nothing to hammer down the house actually. Vaporous synths, apathetic chords, sequences well aligned so that everything fits easily! It smells like New Age with a sweet structure that weakens with each intervention of this insipid voice. We are in full Melrose era, not the album, with a line of honeyed title which puts to sleep, and which tends towards insipidity. Titles with water of rose which makes feel that the Froese patriarch is fed up. I did not like it, but not at all! And that damn voice that keeps coming back annoys me so much that I couldn't get the CDs into my ears more than 3 times. Me, who makes it a point of honor to listen to each CD at least 5 times before reviewing...let's admit it's hard. And here it is fans enough said about WINTER IN HIROSHIMA!
Sylvain Lupari (November 9th, 2009) *****
Available at Groove nl