Ash Ra Tempel - 'Friendship' (Manikin Records)
Mike Reed | USA | 03/05/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Decent 2000 reunion effort between two of krautrock's most noted players.What's it been now,like nearly thirty years since Ash Ra Tempel main man/guitarist Manuel Gottsching and synth pioneer Klaus Schulze has played on the same record?Good things come to those who wait.'Friendship' is good,having three lengthy tracks to it."Reunion"(30:40)is a nicely done laid-back progressive piece that picks up the pace a bit halfway through."Pikant"(21:40)is probably considered to be world music and the title cut "Friendship"(26:30)is a good chance for Gottsching's guitar playing to show off it's soundscape capabilities.A should-have."
A reunion without the golden oldies
cprog1 | Kenner, La. United States | 04/09/2002
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Klaus Schulze and Manuel Gottsching have played together after Schulze left Ash Ra Tempel (later condensed to Ashra), so I'm not sure why the "Reunion" name. I've also seen criticism for using the name Ash Ra Tempel since Hartmut Enke didn't participate and the music doesn't sound anything like those heady "Krautrock" days of the early 70's. Musicians grow though, and here they don't attempt to re-hash their old music, but make something new. A basic description of what you'll get then is late 90's Schulze rhythms (indeed, one sequence used here also appears on Schulze's own "Live @ Klangart, CD 1) over which Manuel Gottsching plays various guitars, which isn't a bad combination on any day. It literally sounds like what you'd expect if you crossed Klaus Schulze with Manuel Gottsching. Warm ambient synths, bubbling sequences, percussion, and all manner of guitar. 3 long tracks, but nothing stays in play for too too long before they move to something else. The 2 also did a concert together, captured on "Gin Rose Live", which is more of the same (not at all a bad thing). Both of these albums are worth a listen."
