853 Brian Eno - Another Green World (1975)

 853 Brian Eno - Another Green World (1975)


Studio Album - Art Rock




About the Act:

Brian Eno is from Sussex, England. He started his musical career as a synth player in Roxy Music but left because he didn't like Bryan Ferry. He then made some solo albums before pioneering Ambient Music (it was he who coined the phrase). He has created his own stuff, produced lots of high-profile albums, composed the opening sting for Windows '95 and despite this claims to not be a musician. He also indulges in other art forms, particularly installation art.


About the Album:

This was Brian's third studio album, and according to sources, is the start of his exploration into ambient music. It was very well received by critics.


My History with this Album:

I have a copy, but have paid little attention to it.


Review:

There are 5 songs and 9 instrumentals, and as I listened I could hear shades of Talking Heads and Robert Fripp and David Bowie and other things... all of which happened later, and most of which have a connection here. Specifically, Robert Fripp did some production for Talking Heads and David Bowie, and as for Robert Fripp - well he is playing guitar on several tracks of the album. Other guests include Phil Collins on drums an John Cale on Viola.

It's weird, mostly in a good way. The production is the thing here, and the creation of strange noises using instruments and other sound sources. Don't get me wrong, it is not non-musical, but it is not entirely musical, and almost entirely unusual. Given the year (1975) some of the creation of effects here must have been breaking new ground, and like a good magician, there is no limit to the lengths Brian will go to to get the effects he wants, although sometimes I suspect that accidental discovery by experimentation was as important as intentional crafting. 

A lot of it is quite gentle, and atmospheric. This has led some sources to talk about this being the start of Brian's Ambient music, however the way it is put, from 20-20 hindsight, seems to imply it is an intentional move. That's not how these things happen, and at this stage Brian was simply exploring. Towards the end of the album it gets quite sleepy.

There are songs, and some of them are less on the weird side. The lyrics are apparently a stream of consciousness thing, with no apparent intent or message. That's OK.

The fly in the sticky honey here is the disjointed nature of the album. I respect the exploration, and the innovation, but while it is interesting, it could have had more intent as an album, and as such feels like a pile of sketches by Salvador Dali, that are unsorted and unfiltered.


7/10


Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/6uoeezh45SYEb8lcT8gDTY

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiN-7mukU_REEMA2ajxLRVAN9RWUlVRK1

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Another_Green_World


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