This track departs from the usual formula of the previous track and tries for a more complex rhythm and melody and it is driven by the guitar until the 3 minute mark when it settles into a rhythmic pattern. However, changing themes and patterns keep things interesting and the addition of the guest musicians provides a much fuller sound than in some previous albums.
There are some nice vocal effects in there too that sound similar to the 'Enigma' sound. This one has more of a softer feel that leans toward ambient.
Hand drums are used this time around too. A separate acoustic guitar plays a counter melody, then a saxophone comes in and takes over. Next an electric guitar solo follows and the drums seem organic at this point as they are more interesting now and not following a programmed pattern. This time it seems to be done as a full band mixed with the electronics.
It's an interesting take on the original that actually builds on it. It starts with an electric guitar solo supported by airy synths and no percussion. When the percussion does come in after a minute, it is at a medium-slow tempo. This track also features a romantic sax melody. It tends to teeter dangerously close to a new age sound, and you start to forget that this is an electronica album. The title track 'Tyranny of Beauty' comes next.
This track continues the slower, more pensive side of TD. This one is a bit better than the last track in that it isn't so new age sounding, but it still stays close to an accessible sound and is more driven by guitar in the middle, but gets too repetitive before it ends.
The last track listed is 'Largo' which is a cover of the popular Handel processional melody from 'Xerxes'. You'll probably recognize it when you hear it. If you doubted the 2nd half of this album was new age, you'll be more certain that it is now as it could just as well be Kenny G playing the sax. This is followed by a hidden unlisted track named 'Quasar'. This is a relatively shorter track placed here to end the album on a higher note with an upbeat track.
Even the electronic melody is better that anything else on this side of the album. At first, during the first 5 tracks on this album, it seems like a marked improvement that was helped with the additional personnel, and at times harkened back to a slightly more progressive sound from yesteryear, but the 2nd half of the album quickly declines in quality as it inches closer and closer to that inevitable new age sound.
With half of the album being great and the 2nd half just being mediocre or less, this ends up as another 3 star album. Let's try to ignore the band name, which is now newage oriented, and let's concentrate on music instead. I sometimes wonder why they have never tried to use proper drums, bit I think it's mainly because they liked the electronic mood given by drone drums.
It's a proper newage track. In the 90s I've had some interest in newage, and there was plenty of tracks kike this. In particular I remember a German duo, the CHI, making music like this, but also Bardens comes to mind because of the sax.
It has the same rhythm as the other, but the minor chords don't make it more dramatic. Just a bit boring. A so-so track with a 12 strings guitar taking the lead for a while. With "Stratosfear " the good old squared waves make a brief coming back into the TD sound. I don't know if the lead guitar is Froese or his guest, but Gradwool is mentioned as lead guitar on track 5, so it must be him.
Squared waves apart, this is what TD, now just the Froese family, were used to do in the 90s. It's like the clean guitar his waiting for some longhair metal vocalist to join. It doesn't happen. The mood is still newage. There's a lot of them in this track and not bad, I must say.
I think Latimer would have sounded great. Not a bad track at all. The title track is based on two chords: I don't have the "absolute ear", but I guess it's F minor-B. Interesting lead guitar but nothing special. I like it. A pleasant surprise at the end of an album with very few highlights. In summary, this is not bad, but as like as dozens of TD albums of the 80s and the 90s I wouldn't suggest a newbie to start a TD journey with this one social review comments Review Permalink Posted Monday, July 15, Review this album Report Review Probably the worst of all Tangerine Dream albums, and one of the worst things that I've ever heard - the mid-'90s were a real dark age for Tangerine Dream, and Tyranny of Beauty is its nadir.
The band certainly needed to move on from the dull muzak of the Private Music albums and Rockoon, but while I was very skeptical about TD music in the 90's.
Basically, TD in this period is more modern and commercial. In fact, after the Virgin era, the music of TD turned into one more accessible fo I have to say when I first heard this CD I was of the opinion that it was a mess Blues Classical Country.
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Tyranny of Beauty Review by Jim Brenholts. Track Listing. Edgar Froese. Birdwatcher's Dream. Little Blond in the Park of Attractions. Living in a Fountain Ren. Stratosfear
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