Search - Tangerine Dream :: Green Desert

Studio floor sweepings; barely worthy of release

Steve Benner | Lancaster, UK | 05/05/2008

(1 out of 5 stars)

"This album, it is claimed, was due to be Tangerine Dream's fifth release for the German record label, Ohr, in 1973. Before it could be handed over for release, though, the band signed a deal with Virgin, recorded the music for "Phaedra" at the Manor, Shipton-on-Cherwell, and the rest, as they say, is history. The original "Green Desert" tape, recorded in August 1973, was not prepared for commercial release until 1984 and to be perfectly honest, I don't really understand why Edgar Froese ever gave his approval to its release even then. By the time of this release, much of the material on it had already seen the light of day incorporated into more fully worked out and developed pieces, and this album sounds like little more than sketches for later works (mostly of the "Stratosfear" era). Credited to Franke and Froese alone (Peter Baumann being off on walk-about at the time) I suspect that sketches may be what much of this disc actually is and that the whole thing is something that was simply rushed to market by a record company eager to cash in on a hungry public's demand for early Tangerine Dream music. OK, just call me an old cynic, if you like...



Anyone who knows any of Tangerine Dream's mid- to late-70s albums will recognise much of the material on this disc, although it clearly dates from an earlier period. The technology in use is still rudimentary, and the playing style owes much to the style prevalent on "Alpha Centauri". You may also feel that one channel has dropped out on your amp, too, as there feels to be so much missing most of the time! And with a total playing time of just 38 minutes, it's hard to give any recommendations for the disc at all. Sorry, guys!"

Back to the Archives

Mr. Richard D. Coreno | Berea, Ohio USA | 11/06/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This is a very intriguing release; the numbers were recorded in 1973 and not released until 1986 after being remixed by Edgar Froese.



The standout is the title track, as Froese again demonstrates his expressiveness on guitar with a solo that drives the soundscape for nearly five minutes. White Clouds, Astral Voyager and Indian Summer are interesting due to the synthesized noises that weave around the keyboard-driven melodies.



While difficult to definitively rate the work in the vast TD catalog, it is an accessible album for those wishing to hear the band for the first time."

A new beginning (after four albums)

R. Westfall | Albuquerque, NM USA | 01/18/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I certainly am no expert on Tangerine Dream; however, I have heard the two albums previous to this, Atem (1973) and Zeit (1972). Although this release may contain embellishments from the 1980's added on, the basic demo tape itself is probably still a major change from what the band had done before. What it has in common is passages of music with gradual change, but the instrumentation is somewhat different, using sequencers and other synthesizers for the first time. Though probably not as developed as the following albums (Phaedra, Rubycon) would be, it is still interesting in it's own right and recommended for fans of Tangerine Dream in general."