RUBYCON

This Tangerine Dream album sends me directly to sleep; perhaps that is what it is intended to do. It certainly isn't progressive rock! What I hear reminds me of Meddle from Pink Floyd ("One of These Days" and "Echoes" comes to mind especially) and "The Waiting Room" from Genesis. Yes, the musical textures and technology may have been unexplored at the time, and this album no doubt influenced another generation of music, but that doesn't entreat an audience with me. This album can really be soothing, and I can see it is doubtlessly a great work to those who enjoy this form of music. Seriously, if prosaic were nickels, this album would be Scrooge McDuck. Perhaps more intelligent musical critics can hear things I cannot, but for me, this is one of the most boring albums I have ever heard.

"Rubycon (Part 1)" Haunting, dramatic synthetic sounds wash through the listener's ears in the beginning. Bird-like sounds enter some time later. At just over seven minutes, a low repetitive rhythm comes in.

"Rubycon (Part 2)" Meandering and ghostly sounds make up the bulk of the first five minutes of the second part. Another repetitive electronic rhythm enters. Later, oceanic sounds pervade with more B-movie horror sounds.