SOUNDSCAPE (E)

The Japansese guitarist and keyboardist Tadashi Goto wrote the music for Soundscapes in 2000 and 2001 during his stay at the university of Newcastle in Australia. The music may be categorized as jazz-rock. The atmospheric opening is beautiful, but the inevitable drum machine sets the tone. The second track World Update as well as the third one Lapstone comes close to the music UK made on their album Danger Money (1978). Furthermore influences of bands like Casiopea can be heard throughout the album. For me personally the drum machine is a handicap, because I don’t like the sound of it and some of the music is too much jazz and fusion for my taste. The playing on the keyboards is excellent, sometimes sounding like Eddie Jobson (UK) or Keith Emerson. However, the guitars play a minor role. Goto uses a broad spectrum of sounds which makes this album absolutely interesting. The compositions are quite typical of the genre, but not really exceptionally good and for the most part very 'busy’ with hardly a moment to catch one's breath. Goto only slows down in a part of the title track and then his music sounds a bit more symphonic. The Keith Jarrett-like piano solo in Swan Song is also quite cool. Solos are rare, it’s more about soundscapes - hence the album title - and melodies. Soundscapes surely is an album for fans of keyboard music, especially if they love the more jazzy sound!