Track Listing

1. Tyger
2. London
3. Alchemy Of The Heart
4. Smile
5. 21st Century Common Man (Part 1)
6. 21st Century Common Man (Part 2)
7. Vigour

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12461 in Music
• Released on: 2008-02-26
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds
• Running time: 51 minutes

CD Description
Celebrated for their cerebral film scores and brooding instrumental albums, Germany's Tangerine Dream tried a new formula with 1987's TYGER, setting William Blake's poetry to music. Guest vocalist Jocelyn B. Smith trades her usual R&B style for a more studied approach. Sounding at times like Nina Simone, Smith's rich alto injects new life and passion into the words of the 18th century British poet.
TYGER's melodies are vintage Tangerine Dream--lush and expansive themes that pick up speed and morph into frenetic dance pop. As always, drum machines and synths abound. The tension between ethereal soundscapes and frenzied abandon creates a hypnotic effect, and perfectly suits Blake's vision of humanity's eternal dance between sin and salvation. Three original instrumental tracks expand on the Blake songs and round out the album.

Customer Reviews

TD - burning bright
This is one of TD's finest recordings, setting music to the words of a number of William Blakes' poems.

The title track is probably the weakest, and I tend to skip straight to "London" - a long track, and one of the best I've heard from the German electronic pioneers. It ends with a fine instrumental climax.

"Alchemy of the Heart" too is a long track, and entirely instrumental. Prominent is the beatiful keyboard skills on one-time member Paul Haslinger. Quality.

What Immortal Hand Or Eye Indeed....
This is a classic album, and what an idea-putting the words of Blake to music. The album oozes charisma and mystique. The eloquent words and the emotive music work in such harmony that it hard to belive that the words weren't written for the music. Just close your eyes whilst listening to "London" and imagine walking down the misty Victorian London streets on a damp autumnal evening-it comes as quite a shock as you open them to discover you aren't really there!

The instrumental "Alchemy of the Heart" simply makes the hair on my neck stand up-it's breathtaking complexity at the beginning and simplicity at the end both confuse and satisfy the listener. This piece could be a theme of doom and dispair and of victory and hope in equal measure.

The title track is the weakest as it is a bit repetitive but the words of Blake's immortal poem far outweigh the musical shortfall so don't let this put you off.

Has grown in stature over the years...

To get to the point, I disliked the voice here. Poetry or not, my hard old soul just wanted the music, of which there is much good, especially "Alchemy Of The Heart", the ending of which brings tears to my eyes still, it's so beautiful...

Listening again, there's beauty in the songs and vocals too, but it's still not the TD I like best. Still, there's much to be said for trying something different (even Cyclone..).

Sorry, cannot give it 5 stars, much as I ought to. Between this and "Underwater Sunlight", I'll always pull the latter from the shelf, although this one is probably the better, intellectual choice...