Springtime in Nagasaki

First, the essential information:Title - Springtime In Nagasaki (Part I in "The Five Atomic Seasons")Composed by - Edgar Froese and Thorsten QuaeschningNumber of Tracks - 6Running Time - 54:04Produced by - Edgar FroeseWhat we have here is an album that is certain to attract Tangerine Dream fans of all generations and partialities. As I've listened to this album more often over the past few months, I've noticed that the music is a clever blend of the so called "Classic Era" TD and the material they've been releasing for the past decade or so. Indeed, the first half of the record is quite suggestive of the albums released in the early 80's. Those who enjoyed the music on "Tangram", "Logos Live", "Hyperborea" and "Poland" will surely be satisfied by the first 3 sections of this album. If you prefer the albums of the 90's and early 2000's, on the other hand, I think you'll be thoroughly impressed with the second half of this album a bit more. In any case, a true fan of Tangerine Dream will discover an abundance of music to enjoy here.The music plays continuously for slightly over 54 minutes and not a moment is wasted. This is the most inspired and ambitious projects TD has produced in the last decade. The six "movements" fallow each other so well, I'm curious to know if this was conceived as one symphonic-style work or if this was an after thought during recording. Although the album has six tracks, the liner notes indicate only two compositions: "Navel of Light" and "Persistence of Memory". This is a result of these two compositions being divided into three movements each, hence, six total tracks.I genuinely enjoyed the way Froese and Quaeschning took their time in introducing each motif and progression with the music. Like many of TD's early albums (i.e. Rubycon, Phaedra, Stratosphere) there is no hasty attempt to amaze the listener. Instead, they begin with gentle and sparse synthesizer patterns with minimal percussion, repeated in mid tempo and gradually build from there. In the liner notes it is stipulated that Edgar Froese composed the first half of the record, while Thorsten completed the second. I think this explains why the first three movements contain many of the same characteristics as the TD albums of three decades past and why the second half sounds far more modern in its sound and structure.The first half of "Springtime in Nagasaki" reminds me of music one might hear in a documentary about the Japanese wilderness and vast mountain ranges. I can just picture the views one might have from atop mount Fuji or mount Inasa, staring at the landscape thousands of feet below. I can imagine wide aerial views of the crystal clear streams and the dark green forests that are so prevalent throughout the northern and southern regions of Japan. Those are the feelings and mental images I get when listening to the first three movements of this album. TD capture the essence of Japanese scenery and culture without ever sounding as if they're trying to be artists they're not. There are no overtly Asian-sounding instruments, motifs, sound effects or any other embarrassing gags that other Western artists are guilty of in trying to create Eastern- influenced music. No, TD simply employs all of their tried and true techniques in creating an authentic and unique musical design that bares all the classic hallmarks of an exceptional album from Tangerine Dream, all the while being able to create musical quotient that successfully conjures up images of old Japan.The second half of the album is composed much more like recent TD releases, as well as sounding quite a bit more international. In fact, only a few of the Japanese/Eastern themes are retained during the final three tracks of the album. The remaining music sounds not entirely unlike the kind one may here in any European nightclub or lounge cafe. The instrumentation is also considerably different. Thorsten Quaeschning introduces some sparse, though intoxicating, guitar chords along with a small horn section to accompany the already pulsating beat and sequenced keyboard rhythm that leads off the second half of this record.In relation to everything discussed above, I really think Springtime in Nagasaki is a delightful edition to the long and varied musical catalogue Tangerine Dream have accumulated during a career that is swiftly approaching the 40- year milestone. This isn't anything I can think of to criticize here. Froese and Quaeschning obviously delivered full attention to this project and didn't take their stellar reputation for granted. I also feel that this is a stunning debut in what is a five- album project TD has termed "The Five Atomic Seasons". That TD is even attempting to create such a large undertaking is a very revealing indication of the vast creative forces that Tangerine Dream still posses. Being the proud owner of four out of the five albums in this entire project, I can safely say that the installments that are to come will not disappoint you. This album reflects all that I have come to love and respect about the music of Tangerine Dream over the years. For those of you that have been fans for even longer than I, there's no question you will listen with fond memories of past albums, as well as with curiosity for what will come in the future.

The glory days of Tangerine Dream are long past. In the 1970s and through the mid 1980s, they were an amazing phenomenon. Nothing to compare them to, three guys, each seated before and surrounded by a huge pile of analogue and later digital and analogue synthesizers, sequencers, etc... each album was a "must have" if you were into them. Since the late 1980s, and the departure from the group of key original members, that has changed. Gone are the wild improvisations and the unique creative chemistry among band members. It ceased to be a band, per se and everything until very recently was pretty much composed by the lone surviving founding member, Edgar Froese. Much of TD's output has had almost a smooth jazz sheen to it that I dislike profoundly. The addition of Kenny G like saxophone parts add to this perception and ruin the music for me. Now I love saxophone in the hands of a Coltrane or a Jr Walker, but this is not anything like that.This CD, "Springtime In Nagasaki", part one of the "Five Atomic Seasons" project, (commissioned by a man who actually survived both atomic bombings, I believe) rises to some of that former glory on some tracks. No sappy saxophone on it, which is great and some moments of the themes approach the grandeur of yore. Not a bad listen at all. Also in the series is "Summer In Nagasaki", "Autumn In Hiroshima", "Winter In Hiroshima" and "The Fifth Season". All worth having as well.I will always love Tangerine Dream for what they created back when they were new and young - Their live shows rarely ever come to the US anymore, mainly England and their home country of Germany. but they still perform many pieces from their classic era in concert... although you do have to suffer through some sappy and IMO totally unnecessary saxophone passages. If you ever DO hear of them coming here GET A TICKET! Like with the Grateful Dead, it's the Live Concerts where they really happen the best.