Tangerine Dream - Lamb with Radar Eyes

2004 double disc release of two live albums recorded in 1997 in one package. CD1, "Valentine Wheels", was recorded at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire and includes "Poland", "Stratosfear", "Le Parc" and "Waterbourne". CD2, "Tournado", comes from Kattowitz and includes "Towards The Evening Star", "Firetongues", 220 Volt (Big Volt Version)" and "Girls On Broadway". Album Description

Reuse, recycle, repeat...

Time was when Tangerine Dream's concerts would be platforms for the band to showcase new ideas to the fans, as well as places for the band members themselves to experiment with new ideas in a live improvisatory setting. Judging from the contents of this release, which bring together the former "Valentine Wheels" and its partner "Tournado" (which features the second half of another concert from the same tour), Tangerine Dream concerts in the 90s were just an excuse to trot out the same tired old tunes before an audience happy to play 'spot the golden oldie'!

Time was when Tangerine Dream's live recording releases used to be carefully honed creations, providing fresh material for fans new and old to savour and admire. Sadly, this album dates from the years when it seemed like it was all too much effort to craft anything new from the endlessly recycled material. Maybe Edgar and Jerome had finally succumbed to commercial pressures? Maybe they'd seen the burgeoning bootleg market that profits so handsomely from their labours and decided it was time to cash in themselves?

Whatever the reasons, though, this set presents nothing new (or even anything particularly interesting) for the long-time fan. The ten numbers of the former "Valentine Wheels" span the band's output all the way from "Sorcerer (1977 Film)" to "Oasis" but it is all played in such a uniformly lacklustre way that anyone who knows what the band used to be capable of in live performance can only be bitterly disappointed by this release. Even 'Stratosfear 95' limps home with no great show of enthusiasm. Textures are also so muddy that my ears were definitely tired by the end. What a shame! Maybe you had to be there...?

The "Tournado" disc is something of an improvement on its partner. The music featured on it consists entirely of tracks from their 90s albums, mostly from "Rockoon" and "Goblins' Club" but with additional items from "220 Volt Live", "Tyranny of Beauty", "Turn of the Tides" and "Oasis" thrown in.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the stage line-up of Edgar and Jerome Froese, augmented by guitarist Zlatko Perica and percussionist Emil Hachfeld are clearly more at home with this material than with that of the vintage set contained on the companion disc. It is a great improvement on the other two CDs featuring material from this same concert tour, "Dream Encores" and "Ambient Monkeys". (Four albums from one concert tour; is this milking it, or wot?) Even so, this release is more likely to appeal to someone who was at one of the 1997 tour concerts who fancies a memento of the occasion, rather than to regular collectors of Tangerine Dream's music of the last decade. Perica's distinctive style of virtuosic guitar-playing adds some new twists to familiar numbers, but there is simply not enough new material here to warrant purchasing if you already have "Rockoon" and "Goblins Club", or even "Dream Mixes".

If you're new to 90s T-Dreaming, though, this could be a good place to start, giving a fair overview of the band's music making of the 1990s. And if you then like what you hear here, you need to go out and buy "Dream Mixes vol 2, Timesquare", "The Dream Mixes" and "220 Volt live" for more of the same ilk. May 2, 2008

Live Versions of Some of the Best

Great Live versions of some of the TD best! This CD would be a great introduction to Tangerine Dream's music. If you know someone who has never heard their music and would like to get them familiar with it, this CD would be a great place to start. December 28, 2007

A Great Buy And A Most Buy For Tangerine Dream Fans

This incredible live 2CD set is actually the live 1997 recordings "Valentine Wheels" and " Tournado". Edgar and Jerome Froese's multi-instrumental virtuousity ascends to dynamic heights as they perform gems including "Poland", "Warsaw In The Sun", "Stratosfear", "Dolphin Dance", "Le Park", " Beach Theme" and the glorious "Lamb With Radar Eyes", "Touchwood" and ultimately " Towards The Evening Star". Over two hours worth of myriad keyboards, riveting guitar and mystical sounds. This great father and son combination are not only musically supreme; they are also spiritual humanitarians, vegetarians, pacifists and environmentalists. Wonderful music executed by multi-talented musicians. January 19, 2007

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