Customer Reviews

Goblins' Club

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

While this is probably an improvement over the mediocrity that seemed to settle in on Tyranny of Beauty and Turn of the Tides, this is hardly a top notch album from the band that once sat at the forefront of electronic music. While there is less of an emphasis on drum machine and the pop sound of previous albums of the 90's, it still none the less contains a similar, layered up-tempo feel that marks where TD has settled over the last several years. Listen to the clips for yourself, they'll give you a good idea as to just how "new" or "mature" this CD compares to recent works.

If you loved Tyranny of Beauty, Turn of the Tides, and Rockoon, you'll love this. If you loved the TD of Tangram, Exit, or Underwater Sunlight it might be best to stay away.

For any one who cares, I'm a big TD fan and as one of my fellow reviewers here has stated, I fall heavily into the pre '90s era fan group. Lest anyone think I'm here just to have a go at TD, I urge you to read the reviews I've posted here on a selection of TD's other albums. Anyway...

To get it out of the way, my one star is for "Elf June & The Midnight Patrol", which is extremely nicely composed; a bit of a classical edge to it and mercifully free of the tiresome rhythms TD have felt obliged to ruin their sound with in the past 7 or 8 years.

Reading the other reviews of "Goblin's Club" the word that sticks in my memory for how to describe this album is "pleasant". Pleasant? and it gets 5 stars. For 5 stars I want an album to move me, creatively and emotionally. TD used to have the power to do this; listen to "Rubycon", "Phaedra", "Poland" right up to "Song Of The Whale" on "Underwater Sunlight"... I defy anyone to tell me in all honesty that this album moves them... but then I guess it takes all kinds.

Maybe I'm getting old, but I like to think that I approach any music with an open mind; it's more difficult with TD because a) I know what they're capable of and b) I'm passionate about the band, to the point that I eagerly await each new release, hoping that they'll rediscover their passion for sound. It seems I'm to be continually dissapointed.

While this is a negative review, I hope it encourages people to look at the TD back catalogue and discover what made TD great and above all else innovative...

I have owned this CD for quite some time, but when it appeared on the "recommendations for you" page I felt strongly enough about it to submit a review. I have a large collection of Tangerine Dream and this one is my favorite. Edgar and Jerome Froese do some of their best work here. "At Darwin's Motel" is a beautiful piece.

Recorded in late 1996, this album does not differ from all previous studio recordings of Froese family. The same recipe for compositions, the same drums, the same synthesizer passages. If only they were good enough to redeem the music. This is more of the same, and then some. You will be much better off if you buy a good compilation with tracks from 1992-2000 rather than collecting all albums, like yours truly, who has a compulsive disorder of buying everything for collecting purposes.

Just like previous albums (the symmetry is getting scary here), "Goblins Club" includes one good track, with the rest being mere fillers. Starting with 'Towards the Evening Star', the album gives you hope that something changed. Now, some vocalize is present, both male ('Towards the Evening Star'), and female ('At Darwin's Motel'). Interesting addition for those who like me prefer to treat vocals like yet another instrument, instead of focusing on the lyrics. The first track does have a distinct atmosphere, and is mercifully short. 'At Darwin's Motel' is almost as good, although a little too long. With unintelligible, squeaking female voices, it's indeed amusing enough, although a little cheesy at times.

Then again the Froeses enter shallow waters. It seems they have very little to say nowadays. 'On Cranes' Passage' is a guitar-driven theme. Fine, I like to listen to a good Froese guitar solo - but I do like to get something more than a simple rock rhythm with always the same synthesizer passages, repeated ad nauseam. 'Rising Haul in Silence' is simply infantile with anemic acoustic-like drumming in the front. Minutes pass, and we arrive at 'United Goblins' Parade'. Like a bad harlequin romance, this reheated cheddar of a tune is painful to listen to. Why is this music so shallow? After 8 minutes of 'Lamb with Radar Eyes', I am stiff from an advanced case of brain hemorrhage caused by severe boredom.

'Elf June and the Midnight Patrol' starts good, like a classic composition of one of the old masters, however, when the same thing is repeated over and over, I just wonder. It might have been so much better. Alas, we should be grateful that this track found the way to the final production, for if I were to select one track for a good compilation of the decade, 'Elf June and the Midnight Patrol' would undoubtedly be there. Unfortunately, the album ends with a long composition, 'Sad Merlin's Sunday'. I even refuse to comment. It's beyond redemption. After listening to "Goblins Club", I stopped buying newest albums of the Froeses as they came.

Tangerine Dream's album "Goblins Club" dates from 1996 (the latest re-release by TDI is just a change of cover, by the way). Two things are immediately obvious on listening to it: the first is how Jerome's contribution has begun to mature; the second is how little of the material now relies on the guest musicians to carry it off. While quite a number are credited, their contributions to the final result seem to be quite minor. A glance at the credits shows that Jerome is listed as the main composer of most of the music here, suggesting that his father, Edgar, is maybe taking more of a back-seat role in the artistic direction department.

Sadly, none of the tracks on this disc really stand out as anything unusual. That said, this remains an example of fairly solid studio workmanship that is just not quite up to Tangerine Dream's live achievements. Sadly, too, I think the standard of the material drops gradually the further into the disc one goes, so that by the end, one's ears are a little tired from the overall lack of sonic variety. The pace drops steadily, as well, and the CD ends with a long, drawn-out ballad ('Sad Merlin's Sunday') which has some nice moments-if you're still awake to hear them-but which isn't really strong enough to close the album out. Maybe one needs to play the disc in smaller chunks, or experiment a little with the CD player's programming features?

Highlights? Well, 'At Darwin's Motel' has some lovely vocals (soloist not credited! Shame! ) demonstrating once and for all and beyond all doubt should anyone still have any, that Tangerine Dream have now fully integrated the (wordless) singing voice into their sound world. And very nicely too. 'On Crane's Passage' features a nice mix of percussion voices, while 'Rising Haul in Silence'-an inappropriate title, if every there was one-could be nominated for the best drumming on the album. It also has some good sampler sounds in it and features a jolly little tune in the best Tangerine Dream tradition. 'Lamb with Radar Eyes' is probably the track which stands up best to repeated listening, though, with its constantly changing minimalist rhythmic patterns, classic Dream chord progressions and its mix of novel synthesiser voicing and guitar work. At over 8 and a half minutes, it's also longer than most of the other tracks, too.

Overall, I'd say that this disc is more interesting for what it suggests about the future directions of this band, than for what it actually delivers. What it does deliver is worth hearing, though, so rather than wait around for whatever the future does hold, you might want to give this a listen now!

Tangerine Dream's album "Goblins' Club" dates from 1996 (the latest re-release by TDI is just a change of cover, by the way). Two things are immediately obvious on listening to it: the first is how Jerome's contribution has begun to mature; the second is how little of the material now relies on the guest musicians to carry it off. While quite a number are credited, their contributions to the final result seem to be quite minor. A glance at the credits shows that Jerome is listed as the main composer of most of the music here, suggesting that his father, Edgar, is maybe taking more of a back-seat role in the artistic direction department.

Sadly, none of the tracks on this disc really stand out as anything unusual. That said, this remains an example of fairly solid studio workmanship that is just not quite up to Tangerine Dream's live achievements. Sadly, too, I think the standard of the material drops gradually the further into the disc one goes, so that by the end, one's ears are a little tired from the overall lack of sonic variety. The pace drops steadily, as well, and the CD ends with a long, drawn-out ballad ('Sad Merlin's Sunday') which has some nice moments -- if you're still awake to hear them -- but which isn't really strong enough to close the album out. Maybe one needs to play the disc in smaller chunks, or experiment a little with the CD player's programming features?

Highlights? Well, 'At Darwin's Motel' has some lovely vocals (soloist not credited! Shame! ) demonstrating once and for all and beyond all doubt should anyone still have any, that Tangerine Dream have now fully integrated the (wordless) singing voice into their sound world. And very nicely too. 'On Crane's Passage' features a nice mix of percussion voices, while 'Rising Haul in Silence' -- an inappropriate title, if every there was one -- could be nominated for the best drumming on the album. It also has some good sampler sounds in it and features a jolly little tune in the best Tangerine Dream tradition. 'Lamb with Radar Eyes' is probably the track which stands up best to repeated listening, though, with its constantly changing minimalist rhythmic patterns, classic Dream chord progressions and its mix of novel synthesiser voicing and guitar work. At over 8 and a half minutes, it's also longer than most of the other tracks, too.

Overall, I'd say that this disc is more interesting for what it suggests about the future directions of this band, than for what it actually delivers. What it does deliver is worth hearing, though, so rather than wait around for whatever the future does hold, you might want to give this a listen now!

Goblins Club is an absolute fantastic album! "Lamb with radar eyes", "Rising Haul In Silence","at darwins motel",towards the evening star""on cranes passage" "elf june and the midnight patrol" they are all magnificent tracks! and the title track "united goblins parade" are suberb. :-) "sad merlins sunday" is the only weak track on this release. Thanks Edgar & Jerome & Linda.

I find it difficult to describe exactly what makes one Tangerine Dream CD better than another. I can say that out of my TD collection, this is the one that is worn out from being played so much. Towards The Evening Star" really sets the mood of the CD. The piece "At Darwin's Motel" is my favorite track on the album, one of those that seems to grab something inside of me. This incarnation of the band is my favorite by far (and I have been a fan since the Rubycon days). Buy it!

Tangerine Dream's musical direction seemed to be somewhat scattered after Paul Haslinger left the band in 1991. By 1996, TD had been comprised of Edgar Froese, his son Jerome Froese and on-again off-again member Linda Spa.

The music, although well structured and performed, seems to be a bit passionless and contains less of a "techno" element than their previous year's release, Tyranny of Beauty.

The album does have some memorable songs (Sad Merlin's Sunday is excellent), but overall it seems to leave the average TD fan a little flat.

It's worth a listen every now and then, but TD has done much better things before and after this release.

This album was recorded by TD in 1996 and it is one of their best albums, IMHO.

Their discography is immense and tastes are differ. My favourite albums are "Le Parc" (1985) and "Underwater Sunlight" (1986). This album by Froese, Father & Son Ltd. sounds most close to the music of that period. There are many session musicians involved in this record - you would hear the sounds of "live" electric guitar, even Russian balalaika and acoustic harp, live choruses and the keyboards playing of beautiful female collaborator of TD - Linda Spa. So the music here is both dynamic and meditative, light and lively.

Such tracks as "Towards the Evening Star", "At Darwin's Motel", "Lamb With Radar Eyes", "Elf June and the Midnight Patrol" are real hits.

And I think that this optimistic mood of this record TD could never catch since that time. Music in their later albums (Dante project) seems to me more heavy and much less developed and melodic than here.

To "Goblin's Club" you would return many times.

P.S. This CD was re-released in Europe with the different cover art in 2004, so - search the Web and you will find new edition.