SPRING TIDINGS - 15TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

Do Not Get Lulled

Warning! Expectations set too low, too sweet, will be rudely intersected with menace, darkness, and complexity. In this 15th Anniversary Edition of "Spring Tidings" from veteran German symphonic progressive quintet POOR GENETIC MATERIAL, a "simple" rearrangement becomes a new album.

Something quite different.

And Another Thing!

I'm fighting temptations right and left. For instance, due to the title "Spring Tidings" I'm tempted to dismiss the symphonic progressive twists and turns and tempo changes and shifts of mood and ever-changing terrain of keyboard richness/guitar textures/complex rhythm section replete with accomplished drumming and hard-charging bass lines- 'well, that's to be expected.'

And then regarding the lyrics, which if you wish to stay sublimely unaware and lazily entertained Do. Not. Read.- but if you take the bait and do a little mental work, well then, the temptation is to write a 15 page paper (with references, typed, double-spaced) on all the allusions, ideas, and themes which emerge.

Because the lyrics, like the music, push the listener into quite unexpectedly dark and dangerous terrain- "Spring Tidings", my a$$!

No Spring Picnic

Or is it just me- here as I write this in actual spring, in KS, USA, on a chilly, wet, dark-hued day with the threat of flooding in the forecast- just the mood I'm in, or am I seeing, reading, hearing multiple levels of music and ideas and experiences- which by the way strike me as a brand-new entity from the original 2006 version of "Spring Tidings"?

But I Will not Yield!

To temptation, that is. No, I doubt if you read album reviews for an in-depth look at the compositional machinations of skilled high-level musicians in mature stride, or for an incisive review of the poetic and lyrical aspects of emerging themes within the text given- the water/sea/rain/solitary drops/puddles/sweat/rivers...the views on life and death, the shadow aspect of living and dying in the psyche...

Wait, damn it, there I go, giving in!

To Further Complicate Matters

For simple minds like mine, that is- there are now THREE versions of "Spring Tidings"! The 2006 original, the newly minted vinyl edition with six tracks in a different order; and the CD version with eight tracks- and all of these to one extent or another, 'different'.

In a way this is emblematic of one of the motifs suggested by this album- set to gorgeous, lush symphonic progressive music, nearly impressionistic lyrics suggest that springtime represents something much deeper and darker and more subjective than any romanticized notion of flowers blooming, birds singing, and new life springing up.

Three versions of many possible versions, any one of these possible, any number of them to be found somewhere at some time- and hopefully one of these will be a hopeful, lustrous springtime that represents a true "city of light...the city to end all night."

My Rating

Four lustrous stars- an "Excellent addition to any progressive rock collection"- and one that may be be experienced (in three versions!) over and over again.

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