VALENTINE WHEELS, LIVE IN LONDON

A well rounded Tangerine Dream quasi-retrospective live album which the casual listener should have no difficulty appreciating. If nothing is gleaned from this, then Tangerine Dream's mark of electronic music is just not your cup of tea. The ten selections flow seamlessly into and out of one another giving this 1997 performance at The Shepherd's Bush Empire a marked continuity that will even satisfy those with more esoteric affections for the band moving through many moods while delivering some delicious suprises. Perhaps the biggest treat is an excerpt from their 1977 soundtrack from the movie Sorcerer in the form of the frantic Betrayal which is evident from the audience's enthusiastic reactions which can also be heard when the main theme from 1976's Stratosfear is played and at other arresting points of the concert recognized by aficiados.

The mid-section of the performance, which has been conjugated into the one continuous piece, has a more dramatic, moody tone to it after the prodigious intro featuring a couple of compositions from the '84 Poland album cleverly positioned around a more upbeat section entitled Silver Scale resolving itself into two 'Dream classics, the 1995 rework of Stratosfear with plenty of spaced out guitar and Dolphin Dance from 1986's Underwater Sunlight with an excerpt from 1985's Le Parc ( LA-Streethawk ) before culminating with guitarist Zlatko Perica closing off with more resplendent Floydian guitar pyrotechnics on Beach Theme from the Thief soundtrack in colourful splendour.

The whole essence of Tangerine Dream is captured here in this 60 minute performance with a wealth of pulsating synths, sequencers and programmed percussion in true 'Dream form. One of the more facile and straightforward live albums that doesn't require the listener to be too familiar with previous work. Fans of more developed full-scale Tangerine Dream compositions might also even some redeeming qualities throughout this enjoyable Tangerine Dream live performance as well. A lower priced release with an alternate cover concept adorned with a colourfully decked out Gecko was released in 2005 by Noble Price which makes this superb live recording even more worthwhile.