Sunday, May 14, 2023

Johannes Schmoelling - Wuivend Riet. 1987 Germany


Much was made at the time when former Tangerine Dream member Johannes Schmoelling released his first album. "It's far better than anything Tangerine Dream has done... in years!" hyped the dealers of the day. I bit on that bait hard... ...and found myself on the boat ready to be cleaned and cooked. To my ears at the time, Wuivend Riet was no such great shakes at all. Boring and nothing like Tangerine Dream. Of course the label did their part too splashing Tangerine Dream's name on the front cover in a desperate attempt to generate sales. I think it was Rich at Rockadelic that let me bring a box to sell at his table in Dallas way back then. This was in it.

Ah - to be 23 again. No patience and you have it all figured out - right? I guess I still had that $5 still in my pocket, as that's what this copy cost me some 33 years later. Let's try this again, shall we?

OK - yea, I like this now. Schmoelling's classical training really comes out in his piano playing on Side 1. And Side 2 is definitely more experimental than anything Tangerine Dream had done since the early 70s. This isn't Berlin School sequencer driven sounds, nor is there a rock base here. Wuivend Riet is pure electronic music with an avant garde classical slant. Difficult listening for the general public honestly. Excellent late night sounds. +3 listen, though the base was skewed from the start.


Ownership: LP: 1987 Lifestyle. Single sleeve. Acquired as noted above at the Denver Record show a few weeks ago (2023).


1988; 5/14/23 (new entry)

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