Tangerine Dream: Under Cover Chapter 1

Tangerine Dream are of course best known for their typically instrumental Electronica and New Age compositions. Over their several decades of activity, the group have released a great number of original works, with brief forays into songwriting. This particular release is unusual being the first release of only cover versions of various rock/pop songs by artists including REM and The Goo Goo Dolls.

Tangerine Dream: Under Cover Chapter 1


The release begins with the cover of ‘Cry Little Sister’ from the soundtrack to the 1987 film The Lost Boys, with a suitably brooding beginning which is idiomatic of the band’s style, developing into a 5:40 ballad which combines synths with layered guitars and typical backing vocals suitable for this setting. The later track ‘Precious,’ first performed by Depeche Mose is particularly notable for its clean production and accomplished alternative setting of the original.

Comparing the upbeat styles of say ‘Wicked Game,’ as made popular by Chris Isaak, with the Tangerine Dream cover of Kraftwerk’s ‘The Model’ reveals a vast difference between styles. The setting of ‘The Model’ is very influenced by the attempts of jazz performers to provide an ambient style of lounge music in years gone by. For readers familiar with the original, the great deviation from Kraftwerk’s version may alienate listeners, due to the great deviation from the mechanical-sounding and heavily programmed nature of the original. Meanwhile ‘Wicked Game’ employs a reinterpretation of the original in a similar style but with a clear influence from Tangerine Dream’s own music.

Having attended the band’s ‘Zeitgeist’ concert at the Royal Albert Hall, UK in April 2010, this reviewer did note the conspicuous conclusion to the concert with a cover of ‘Norwegian Wood’ by The Beatles. The recording from the concert appears as track 12 of this album, without doubt, one of the album’s highlights.

Despite professing to being a ‘Just For Fun’ release, originally conceived as the result of a bet placed by the band, several tracks from this release are particularly well executed and are a welcome addition to one’s musical library. With that said, the vast range of styles seen in this album may prove too different to the original releases for some listeners. Either way, this landmark Tangerine Dream release will remain an interesting side-note in the bands history for many years to come.

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