Sfearical Sequence wrote:I went back and listened to Destination Berlin (mainly because I couldn't remember what "Wall Street" sounded like). Whoa, that's a tough listen nowadays. Thing about that album is (keeping in mind that it is a soundtrack), that it's more a bunch of themes than compositions. There is such a lack of depth and substance--completely superficial. What's more, they seemed to use only one rhythm pattern and the same two or three keyboard voicings thoughout. While the music may be suitable for purpose for which it was intended, it simply doesn't stand on its own, they way almost all other TD soundtracks do. And "Wall Street" is difficult to even try to take seriously.
i hate to bump such an old topic, and i'd hate to take anyone's post out of context. but i really liked the way you put it in this post. i think original soundtracks, by any artist, have a 50/50 shot at being good. they either need to be paired with their corresponding "moments", or they are just great compositions to begin with. but in this case, it was too simple and too "novelty". i think Wall Street was the strongest track on Destination Berlin, and i think it was decent enough whenever it was played live. it's good in that context. in terms of soundtracks, i don't normally like theirs. they can be pretty bland. Wavelength was tragic (movie and music). i still gotta hear Thief and Firestarter. i've heard good things. i loved Legend and Shy People (Dancing on a White Moon!!).
as for contributing my thoughts to the thread, their are some weak spots for me sadly. i'm even one of those freaks who thinks the Melrose albums were pure gold. i always have a great time with them. but despite the fact that i love a HUGE array of TD music, their are two studio albums that i cannot get into. i'm not one to just go "this sucks" and move on. i'd like to go a little deeper than that
Goblin's Club. well, Tyranny was good, and Mars Polaris was a good start to a new "era". but Goblin's Club gives me the weirdest vibe. like it was TD in some strange alternate dimension where they weren't themselves anymore.
1. Towards the Evening Star is great, and i can tell why it ended up on future releases. i really thought i was gonna enjoy this whole album from that point.
2. right after that is Darwin's Motel. this ended up on Cyberjam collection i believe, as it should. it ain't too bad at all. for unknown reasons, i was expecting the track to get a little more exciting. or maybe it should've been shorter. but it's got a very pleasant energy. and strangely i feel this about every track to varying degrees. i liked vocals for this and Evening Star. to be honest, this track has a cheap sound to it at the start. it progresses pretty well though
3. not too bad either! those "clanking" sounds that are used are my only complaint
4. Rising Haul isn't horrible for the most part, but that harp is so abysmal. and the snare drums are kinda bad
5. United Goblin's Parade. i remember hating this. the time signature rubbed me the wrong way. but when it picks up, it's got a "Talking to Maddox" vibe in it. and that's not a bad thing. i feel like this would work really well as a soundtrack. some days, this sounds ok. on other days, i just think it's bad. it's causing me inner conflict.
6. Lamb With Radar Eyes. this had some re-workings that i very much enjoyed. the one on Vintage Vanguard is a gem. but the original, i don't remember too much. but after hearing it just now, i suddenly didn't feel so "distanced" from the album.
7. Elf June. if i were to simply score it, it would be a 5/10. speaking of which, this article has incorrect info. apparently it's first appearance was in 2006, lol
http://www.voices-in-the-net.de/_elf_ju ... patrol.htm
8. Sad Merlin's Sunday. i really don't care for the first 2 minutes. after that, it has such a classy old TD sound. it's got some really odd pacing variation, but it works. the end gets weak unfortunately.
Forth Worth Runway One. hmm.....i don't think this should've been on the album
in the end, it's hard to say whether i enjoyed it or not. it's their most unbalanced album for me. but i guess even at their worst, they aren't too bad at all.
as for the second, Autumn in Hiroshima. a FAR better experience, but i'm very disinterested until about halfway through. now when you reach Oracular World, things get good. i like the Atomic Seasons albums, but this was the weakest entry for me.
6.5/10 overall.
now is Mota Atma a soundtrack or just a regular ol' studio release? if it's the latter, i guess i'll include that too. none of the tracks themselves are bad by any standard, but they shouldn't be together. they are all WAY too similar.
i'm not gonna hold anything against them in regards to unreleased soundtracks. they are very unimportant. they can have some hidden gems (streethawk, vampira, kneuss, Geradeaus), and some flops. and they are more often bad than good. Spasms and Vision Quest Jump to mind. maybe i'm remembering them wrong. "Jahreszeiten der Liebe" has some stunningly awful music.