[warning, over elaborate madman posting below,if you disagree, you can EFFOFF ]
Cyclone is one hellova brilliant LP, it was a shocker when I bought it in 78, as it was, on first listening (me is talking 'bout the two vocal led track$) more 'prograwk' than 'tangerine' ...butter, so what, when I first heard mad rigal meridian, I instantly loved its post poonk aggressiveness....the runaway train effect, the eerie overall 'feel'....excellent then, quite unique now....Cyclone is my favourite Gatefold LP of thee tangs from 1978.
Brilliant Album, I'm well aware of the circumstances surrounding its birth....no matter....another classic TD record.
Chris Monk wrote:A definite WTF moment when I first heard Cyclone. I didn't listen to it again for quite a few years. But then, in a bored moment with nothing better to do, I put it on the turntable and discovered it wasn't anywhere near as bad as I'd remembered.
These days I think it's a damned fine album. Pure TD gold.
Besides Madrigal Meridian I hated this album the first time I played it. I would only play side 2, always. Bought the cd and still played Madrigal only. About 7 years ago I played the whole cd and dug it. Its kinda like Tom Petty/Bob Dylan's music. I hated TP and BD back in the 70' and 80's. But after years of not listening and getting older, I love the music of Tom Petty. Still not so much for BD. For Cyclone, it took me all them years to listen and apprieciate the album.
bigmoog wrote:[warning, over elaborate madman posting below,if you disagree, you can EFFOFF ]
Cyclone is one hellova brilliant LP, it was a shocker when I bought it in 78, as it was, on first listening (me is talking 'bout the two vocal led track$) more 'prograwk' than 'tangerine' ...butter, so what, when I first heard mad rigal meridian, I instantly loved its post poonk aggressiveness....the runaway train effect, the eerie overall 'feel'....excellent then, quite unique now....Cyclone is my favourite Gatefold LP of thee tangs from 1978.
Brilliant Album, I'm well aware of the circumstances surrounding its birth....no matter....another classic TD record.
bigmoog wrote:[warning, over elaborate madman posting below,if you disagree, you can EFFOFF ]
Cyclone is one hellova brilliant LP, it was a shocker when I bought it in 78, as it was, on first listening (me is talking 'bout the two vocal led track$) more 'prograwk' than 'tangerine' ...butter, so what, when I first heard mad rigal meridian, I instantly loved its post poonk aggressiveness....the runaway train effect, the eerie overall 'feel'....excellent then, quite unique now....Cyclone is my favourite Gatefold LP of thee tangs from 1978.
Brilliant Album, I'm well aware of the circumstances surrounding its birth....no matter....another classic TD record.
you were never a punk, you're a French duke and you know it. Any photos you have are of Neil Armstrong.
tdream4ever wrote:Besides Madrigal Meridian I hated this album the first time I played it. I would only play side 2, always. Bought the cd and still played Madrigal only. About 7 years ago I played the whole cd and dug it. Its kinda like Tom Petty/Bob Dylan's music. I hated TP and BD back in the 70' and 80's. But after years of not listening and getting older, I love the music of Tom Petty. Still not so much for BD. For Cyclone, it took me all them years to listen and apprieciate the album.
and half out of 5
Still in awe over Madrigal Meridian
"Zero Tolerance on Cyber Bullying"
Rear Gunner Alipaul Reporting for Duty.
On guard duty to shoot all grizzlies on sight !!!
bigmoog wrote:[warning, over elaborate madman posting below,if you disagree, you can EFFOFF ]
Cyclone is one hellova brilliant LP, it was a shocker when I bought it in 78, as it was, on first listening (me is talking 'bout the two vocal led track$) more 'prograwk' than 'tangerine' ...butter, so what, when I first heard mad rigal meridian, I instantly loved its post poonk aggressiveness....the runaway train effect, the eerie overall 'feel'....excellent then, quite unique now....Cyclone is my favourite Gatefold LP of thee tangs from 1978.
Brilliant Album, I'm well aware of the circumstances surrounding its birth....no matter....another classic TD record.
you were never a punk, you're a French duke and you know it. Any photos you have are of Neil Armstrong.
Look everyone there's a lunar lander!
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Oui, je l'admets mon ami de Hemel, je suis un Duc français, né dans Clapton près de Calais : Le BigMoog de Compte dit les règles de Zeit et les landers lunaires. ..hmm Farfelu ! oh ! effum
Cyclone is an underestimated album, even by me. Didn't listen to it for years, almost hated it. But one moment I realised that it was a milestone in their career and I did like it from that moment on. It is a bit controversary, but the tracks are great. You have to learn to listen to it, but when you do that, it will be one of the better. Sure of that.
Surprised no one has mentioned the fantastic cover by Edgar, probably one of the best TD covers ever—the use of metallic spray over sand an glue (least that's what I think) gives it a real textured and weathered look that compliments the music perfectly.
Mac cuber transfer wrote:Surprised no one has mentioned the fantastic cover by Edgar, probably one of the best TD covers ever—the use of metallic spray over sand an glue (least that's what I think) gives it a real textured and weathered look that compliments the music perfectly.
Have always been one of my fave covers also - including the brilliant band photo on the inside of the gatefold LP-cover
Never liked the album. Since this is a "looking back" thread, I'll re-post some of my thoughts on the album originally posted several years ago.
Back in 1977 I saw Tangerine Dream play live in the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. I had previously read about them in the British music magazines that I purchased from my favorite record (remember those) store, "Moby Disk". The show was to feature a Lasarium light show. Who even knew what that was? Of course, by going to the show I was lucky enough to see a real classic concert. It was fantastic! I remember thinking at the time that I had always heard about "psychedelic rock" and was always disappointed to find that it turned out to be just rock music. Now this was what I thought was meant by the term.
I remember afterwards feverishly looking through the record stores for TD albums. It was my good fortune that the next album I found was "Ricochet". Of course, I was hooked. My next album was "Rubicon", then "Stratosfear". When "Stratosfear" came out I remember reading some reviews that indicated disappointment with it and indicated that it marked an attempt by TD to emulate Pink Floyd. I was a Floyd fan (still am) and didn't see that at all. To me, "Stratosfear" didn't sound at all like Pink Floyd. So imagine my disappointment when Cyclone came out. Apparently those critics were right! TD was trying to be an ersatz Pink Floyd. Oh, those terrible vocals and cheesy lyrics. I tried to like the long, non-vocal piece, Madrigal Meridian, but I found it to be terrible. Just a long repetitious sequencer. Not at all like the TD I saw live. Not at all like the TD live album. "Encore". Sad to say, I was ready to accept that TD had tried to "go commercial" and in so doing had lost themselves.
One of the good things about "Moby Disk" was that the clerks would attach a small cardboard review on the shelf with each new release. When "Force Majure" was released the clerk indicated that the real TD had returned. Thank goodness he did, because if he didn't I might have missed out on one of TDs best albums. Yes, they were back! I have been a loyal fan ever since.
Every so often I see people posting reviews of Cyclone indicating what a "great" album it is. I've gone back to it many times based on this, thinking perhaps I had previously misjudged it. Nope! Sorry, in my opinion this is their worst album. Its not that I think TD and vocals don't mix, because I have enjoyed every album with vocals since then. To me, the music on Cyclone is tired and uninspired. I note that I am not alone in this belief. Notice that none of the TD compilations include anything from this album.
epsilon75 wrote:A controversial release for many because of the lyrics but this album holds plenty of merit for me especially the IMHO superb "Madrigal Meridian".
Not to everyone's taste but not half as bad as was made out
I have to agree completely. "Madrigal Meridian" is a great track and is completely instrumental (which I think a lot of people tend to forget when they complain about the lyrics--fully 50% of the album is instrumental). In some ways, it presaged "Force Majeure." And, lyrics aside, "Bent Cold Sidewalk" is an exciting and energetic piece. In fact, the only part of Cyclone I never cared for is "Rising Runner" which amounts to only a tiny fraction of the whole album anyway.
Sfearical Sequence wrote:"Madrigal Meridian" is a great track and is completely instrumental (which I think a lot of people tend to forget when they complain about the lyrics--fully 50% of the album is instrumental). In some ways, it presaged "Force Majeure."
I've noticed that too. Especially, the "ascending" faux-outro really recalls the "descending" faux/real outro on FM.
The instrumental interlude on BSC is also wonderful. The rest of the piece I've gotten used to endure…
Rising Runner would be highly interesting from your usual prog band; from TD, it's just basic stuff. I find it hard to use adjectivs like "average", "boring", "excellent" on a similar scale for both TD and others! Eternal Critic syndrome.