I have to admit that I really don't like Rockoon (the album)...

_________________
A new cosmic address for the Master Dreamer...

Absolutely love Le Parc. I can remember buying the vinyl release back in 1985 as soon as it came out and still remember finding it superb on the very first playing. I was delighted to have a similar experience with Underwater Sunlight the following year.

Give Le Parc another chance and it might grow on you.

I think the only TD album I own that I really can't face playing ever again would be Ambient Monkeys

Yeah, It's the one I never listened to and I sold it a while ago.

I've never listened to it, either. Knew about it, saw that almost nobody liked it and kinda forgot about it until now. It's probably the most forgotten and less popular TD album ever. I'm gonna have to get it right now just to see what everybody's talking about on "not liking it."

And now that we're on the subject of "entire albums we're not fond of", I have to say that the soundtrack "Three O'Clock High" is one which definitely falls into this category. Probably the only one, in my book. It seems so rushed, and that's too bad. It was the case where just when a track began to get inspiring, it abruptly ended or stopped. Not every track, but unfortunately most of them suffer from that. It kinda kills the consistency and the mood. Something that didn't happen, for example, with "Heartbreakers", "Catch Me If You Can" or "Dead Solid Perfect", in my opinion. Three soundtracks I loved even when they followed the same structure, with many short tracks and strange and abrupt changes that are not of everybody's taste. But to me they didn't feel rushed even though they were. No falling consistency there, no cutting in the middle of nowhere, and most important: they felt like they were really following a story. It didn't matter if you had seen the movie or not. That was the difference. Also, no matter how short the tunes were on any of those soundtracks, they were something you could always hum because you could remember them. In Three O'Clock High they're all really forgettable, except maybe for one or two (but out of 22)... On a final note about this soundtrack, I don't know if it still is, but there was a time when it used to be VERY expensive. That was a big no-no.

Agreed. Purple Haze is rather embarrassing, with the drum machines and all.

I have always loved Go To The Head Of The Class from Three O'Clock High. What do you think of Sylvester Levay's tracks? For me, those tracks are better than the TD compositions.

took the advice and gave le parc another spin at weekend, eyebrows were raised, maybe tastes do change as you get older, not as bad as we remembered, still not one of their best but not dire, as said earlier.

steve/lisa

_________________
stand on hills' of long forgotten yesterdays'

Oh, yup. Go to the Head of the Class is very good, but it was not something new. There's a track in "Miracle Mile" that sounds almost the same.

EDITED: Listened to all of Sylvester Levay's tracks again. Yes, I liked them. I don't think they're actually better than the TD's compositions, but they're not bad, either. Unfortunately they all suffer from the same situation: They're not given enough time to fully develop. Loved Jerry's Decision, though.

Very interesting, thoughtful post, Donofrio. It is a long time since I listened to THREE O'CLOCK HIGH, but I think your thoughts are spot on. I recall only two tracks on this soundtrack album I liked, and I'm sure one of them was "Go To The Head Of The Class"! As Edgar Froese once said, TD maybe did too many scores back in the 80s and Chris Franke is quoted as saying that sometimes the quality wasn't necessarily there.

For the record, my favourite TD film soundtracks -- in terms if consistently great music throughout the album releases as opposed to isolated great tracks surrounded by mediocrity -- are Sorcerer, Thief, Firestarter and Miracle Mile.

And also for the record, here is my candidate for the worst TD track title ever (not necessarliy chosen by the band, I hasten to add!): "At The Head Nurse's Office", from the DEADLY CARE soundtrack album. I say worst, it might be I mean just funny

Hehe! Just a little off topic, rigel: Your nickname, that's actually my real name. Very good choice.

Well, Three O'Clock High was composed before Miracle Mile, so Go To The Head Of The Class was new in 1987.

Yes, Jerry's Decision is good, and The Fight Is On is also given time to develop, at almost 5 minutes.

You're right. I almost forgot that "Miracle Mile" was only a Froese/Haslinger release, where as 3 O'Clock... still had Franke in it. Got confused and thought Miracle... still had Franke and that it had been before 3 O'Clock... Miracle... has a lot of tracks that sound very Franke-esque, in my opinion.

In spite of a couple of decent tracks, much of Turn Of The Tides and Tyranny Of Beauty was drivel to me. Jerome's influence immediately after those albums was crucial as he seemed to bring new energy and ideas into TD's sound.