FORCE MAJEURE

4.5 stars

"Force Majeure" is certainly TANGERINE DREAM's best progressive rock-oriented opus. Second and last release of the intermediate period between the electronic Baumann and Schmoelling eras, the music displays more structured compositions, with floyd-ish guitar-driven melodies. As Steve Jolliffe left the band after the 1978 Cyclone Tour, there are no sung parts here. However Klaus Krüger is still present, his drums play adds dynamism to the music.

The title track is a progressive electro-rock 20 minutes long epic. It nearly has everything: melodic changes, punchy guitars and spacey sequenced synth passages. The aerial "deliverance part" near the end will become a concert favorite. A composition close to perfection... Unfortunately the finale sounds odd. A kind of baroque-inspired melody, similar to Wendy Carlos's "Switched-on Bach". Not very justified here. Nonetheless, "Force Majeure" is a TD classic!

"Cloudburst Flight" is a nice, melancholic tune featuring an interesting progression and a very good distorted guitar solo from Edgar Froese. The record closes with "Thru Metamorphic Rocks". This track can be divided in two parts: it starts with an aerial guitar passage and then "morphs" into a frenetic electronic sequence. This loop is one of the best from the german band: futuristic, wild and ahead of its time with its strange sound effects. However, it is a bit too long and repetitive as it does not feature enough variations to maintain interest.

Only little mistakes prevents this record from reaching the maximal note. "Force Majeure" is one of the best albums of TANGERINE DREAM, and the one to start with if you're more into space rock than electronica.

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