Search - Tangerine Dream :: Journey Through a Burning Brain

Here we go again...

Steve Benner | Lancaster, UK | 10/09/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It seems that hardly a year goes by nowadays without Castle Music releasing yet another assemblage of old recordings by Tangerine Dream. This three-CD affair is the latest (2002) in a long line of compilations of music from the premier German synthesiser/electronic rock band's so-called 'Pink' and 'Blue' years. "Journey Through a Burning Brain" is at least an honest anthology, however; for once, Castle have released a collection that consists only of entire tracks drawn from Tangerine Dream's main catalogue discs, without any tampering or tinkering with things (other than some skilful remastering in places). The whole set contains no shortened extracts of longer tracks, as well as no 'previously unreleased', or 'live version' material of dubious quality to entice long-term fans to splash out just to acquire the odd new track or two - a praiseworthy move indeed. Anyone with a complete set of Tangerine Dream releases already can rest assured that there is nothing at all new for them on this set.The first CD consists of seven tracks offering just over an hour of material drawn from the band's first four albums with Ohr Records (and originally recorded between 1969 and 1973 - the 'Pink' years). Each album is represented in approximately equal parts (ironically, 'Journey Through a Burning Brain' is not included) and rather nicely segued in places, too.The second discs pairs the two great live albums "Poland" and "LiveMiles" which together frame the band's later 'Blue' years (1983 - 1987). It presents the final live concert given by the great Froese-Franke-Haslinger line-up (Berlin, August 1987) sandwiched between two tracks ("Poland" and "Horizon") drawn from the 1983 Warsaw concerts. Between them, these tracks comprise an hour of some of the finest music Tangerine Dream has ever produced. (And for all my comments about welcoming this as an honest collection, I can't help thinking that it is a shame that the opportunity to restore "Barbakane" to the full glory of its vinyl incarnation - which so far remains unavailable on CD - has been passed over yet again.)The final disc offers a collection of tracks from the remaining albums from the Blue Years - "Le Parc", "Underwater Sunlight" and "Tyger" (relax, it's only the instrumental and bonus tracks) - with a single track from "Green Desert" ('White Clouds') thrown in for good measure (and proving once and for all just where this album really fits in the scheme of things!) Once again, the selection is well chosen, and nicely mixed up, providing a satisfying and balanced programme to the disc.All in all, this set does a good job of providing the beginner to Tangerine Dream's music with a highly representative (and enjoyable) selection of tracks from two periods of the band's history. Despite the fact that none of these discs are actually full (there is easily room for another ten minutes' worth on each) this must still rank as just about the best compilation of music from the Pink and Blue Years currently available. Although why they don't just rebox the whole darned lot and have done with it, I shall never understand."