The electronic landmark the Maker called gutless and spineless
Released in the UK on 20 February 1974, Phaedra became Tangerine Dream's international breakthrough. A contemporary hostile review, alongside chart results with their dates.
The verdict at the time
Lake opened with the headline "Eat more shit – 100,000 flies can't be wrong" and dismissed Phaedra as "gutless and spineless, devoid of inspiration, imagination or plain old-fashioned funk."
USA#196Billboard 2001974 · Original release periodChart source ↗
UK#15Official Albums Chart1974-04-20 · Original release periodChart source ↗
Europe · Germany#96Offizielle Deutsche Charts (GfK Entertainment)1974 · Original release periodChart source ↗
European positions are listed by country. Later chart entries are labelled separately.
Sources & context
One critic's opinion, summarised from Melody Maker's April 1974 review by Steve Lake. The album is now regarded as a cornerstone of electronic music and the Berlin School sound, cited by Rolling Stone, Prog, The Quietus and countless ambient artists as a seminal influence.
