Raum - A Review

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Hipgnosis
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Joined: Thu Feb 26, 2009 2:56 am

Raum - A Review

Post by Hipgnosis »

Hi,

Tangerine Dream
RAUM 2022

I'm probably not the right person to review this album, but I will try.

The hard thing to say, is that in this version of the group it might not know, or understand what Edgar Froese did with his music, and that (possibly) his experiments were to help create ideas that helped develop music into a very classical format, that was very pretty, enjoyable, and special. It's really hard to figure out which album is better, than any other, when one looks at over 45 years of Edgar Froese, and his own solo albums, to realize that ... all this music was not about the instrument. It was about the music and how you could make it "live" and expand that VISUAL, something that this version of Tangerine Dream does not seem to have, although in this album,, I'm starting to feel like they are trying hard.

My thoughts are that music for them, is about these instruments, and although this album makes what appears to be a stronger effort to extend the musical moments, I think that there are too many times when it is not about the "climax" or the sheer beauty of the moment, but simply a different sound or instrument supposedly illuminating something or other, which, of course, none of us is capable of seeing or learn about. I suppose that it becomes a sound for sound's sakes, and while that is fine for an exercise, is this what you want for "music"?

Of all the pieces in this album, I think the 2 longer pieces flow the best, and give us a nice palate to work from, although I could easily say that for me, visually, this is somewhat too "cubistic" in the sense that I do not feel that the whole really comes together, as it always "resolved" with Edgar at the controls. And it is interesting that in one piece, named "What You Should Know About Endings" ... is probably a take on that, but again, for me, it seems like there is no "resolution" to some of the pieces of music, and I think that is what I miss the most. You and I kinda want to walk through the story, and live with it, and having that feeling, instead of what I like to call "invisible music", makes for material that seems to be more enamored with the equipment, than they are with the story in the music itself, but I imagine that some folks will state that I'm just an old timer and can't appreciate the "nothingness" in so much music today. I'm not sure about this, because it would not explain my ability and love for experimental film and theater I have been a part of and the music I love that so stretches your imagination as to almost make it impossible to even discuss it ... you gotta live it! It's what the "improvisational" (the best ones) are all about ... creating new moments, and it has nothing to do with the tools or the music ... it has to do with the MOMENT. And it is something that we remember well for a long time, because there are times when the feeling and freedom comes alive ... and then some!

I do not dislike this version of Tangerine Dream. But it is really difficult to place one of these pieces next to something like STRATOSFEAR, and then not see the vast difference between what I would consider "cinematic music" to material that is not necessarily visual or cinematic for me at all ... where are we going with this, what is our "trip" for us to stick together, and I think that this is the part that I feel the most, and the sad side of it, is the ending or RAUM with the violin, basically playing what I might think of as a sad theme to the end, in what for me, is a completely different "space" (it is the translation of the title, btw) which is very nice, but not a "movie" that we can live along with like we did for so long ... with more ... no ... much more ... and then ... even more ... even if it was the addition of the drums, or a guitar ... you had the feeling of always getting higher, better and stronger ... and this time, it is a different space, pretty much telling us ... this is all we have, and know how to do. Maybe what we need now is a couple more guests adding to their show and quality of their material. It has been said that some of this material is not ready for prime time playing, but perhaps with a little more help it gets easier to do and put together, if the vision to distribute the material around is available, and I wonder if that is what is missing here ... the same members doing it all, and not capable of sharing it to help develop it further, but that is (for me) more a memory of past Tangerine Dream days, than it is a likely possibe reality.

The album has some nice things in it, no doubt about it, although my thoughts are ... how does this show itself as strong, and beautiful next to so many things, and all we can say is ... it's a different time and a different space, and not the same. I suppose that this version of Tangerine Dream is trying hard to put their feelings in the right place to create something of value and perhaps it will stand up for many of us, although its sound is very "modern" and not quite as cinematic as Edgar Froese's moments were, and if .. a HUGE if, is that these folks need a mentor like Edgar to help elevate what they have ... they have the tools, there is no doubt about that, but what one does with them is the issue, and result of the work. I kinda like to use "stories" in these moments, because that is something that all of us can live with and enjoy in many ways (instead of limp noodle lyrics!) ... and it is the very fabric of the history of music that we remember the most.

I can't say that I will play this album as much as many of the others, specially the Live material that I am so fond of in the last 20 years of Edgar's life ... it was fantastic, loving, caring, and the imagery of the work is so strong, as to make me cry, many times ... and I miss that. Well, there may be hope yet, I did listen to the title of this album 6 times now, and it is staying with me some ... I'm enjoying it a bit more than I have any of the versions since Edgar Froese left us.

If you are into Tangerine Dream, at least you will know that this is another manifestation of the idea that it was in the first place. And though I will state that this is not as cinematic as I am used to, at least the title cut makes a very strong effort at it, and I guess that we should consider than a far out touch and movement, which makes this album better and worth it.

The pieces are:

Continuum - 7:12
Portico - 6:43
In 256 Zeichen - 19:10
You're Always On Time - 8:10
Along The Canal - 5:31
What You Should KNow About Endings - 6:57
Raum - 14:55

It is a VERY GOOD ALBUM!
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