736 Brian Eno - Taking Tiger Mountain (1974)

 736 Brian Eno - Taking Tiger Mountain (1974)

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.

About the Album:

This was Brian's second studio album.

My History with this Album:

None

Review:

I'm sure Brian poured his heart and his soul into this album, but I find myself not really caring. I think it is entirely understandable that there will be some albums in this list, and right now it feels like a long list, that I find it hard to dredge up an opinion on. I'm tired, I confess.

It doesn't help that the vocals are delivered in an extremely flat way, on purpose I believe, kind of pre-dating Kraftwerk's The Model and Gary Numan's Are Friends Electric in being robotic. Somehow those two are iconic, whereas this is just laconic.

Musically, yes it is unusual, I mean this is Brian Eno, and what's more Robert Wyatt of Soft Machine is involved. That means it would be unexpected if it sounded mainstream. Apparently he was developing his Oblique Strategies cards (an interesting way of randomising creative juxtapositions). It sounds a bit like some David Bowie stuff (Brian did produce three of David's albums). It has elements of Wonky Pop, in that some things are a little out of tune. The production seems unusually flat for Brian Eno, to be honest, a bit ragged and lacking in conviction.

The most interesting thing (for me) are the words. There is a running theme of the Far East and espionage. Some of the words are quite witty and funny. You see I did actually listen. 

5.8/10


Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1IMbtEVdtaFz0PPiq4brLZ

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCF93A3601AC09CE0

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taking_Tiger_Mountain_(By_Strategy)



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

944 Manu Chao - Próxima Estación Esperanza (2001)

Image
 944 Manu Chao - Próxima Estación Esperanza (2001) Studio Album - World Music About the Act: Manu Chao is a French-Spanish musician of Spanish descent who grew up on the outskirts of Paris. In the mid-80s he was in a Spanish/English rockabilly group called Hot Pants. In 1987, with his brother and cousin he founded the band Mano Negra, combining punk and world music influences and playing on the Paris Metro. This band took off and had 4 studio albums. In 1995 Manu "went solo", forming the band Radio Bemba Sound System to be his backing band. The punk elements were less prominent, but he started to make music that "replicates the sound of street music and bar scenes from a variety of cultures". He has been really popular in parts of Europe.  About the Album: This album was Manu Chao's second studio album as a "solo" artist. In Spanish, the name means "Next Station: Hope", after a real station on the Madrid Metro. The album reached top 10 slots ...
Read more

840 Various Artists - The Best of Girl Groups Volumes 1 and 2 (1990)

Image
 840 Various Artists - The Best of Girl Groups Volumes 1 and 2 (1990) Compilation (double) - Girl Group (Soul/Bobby Soxer/Do-Wop) About the Album: This is a highly acclaimed compilation in 2CDs by Rhino Records. It's the sort of thing that in this country you might expect to see at 3.99 in a Garden Centre. My History with this Album: None Review: There are not many multi-artist compilations in this series for reviewing. There is not information about it on Wikipedia, but the reception seems to have been positive. It is choc-full of hits with a smattering of lesser-known songs, and it's hard not to imagine Grease or similar situations - girls with cardigans and white socks, listening to the juke box while sipping milkshakes in the drug store. On one level it's a fun collection of songs that you could use to feel nostalgic, or as the music for a themed party. On another level it's kind of like a cultural artefact. I feel honour-bound to describe it, even though if I drop ...
Read more

843 Chambers Brothers - The Time has Come (1967)

Image
 843 Chambers Brothers - The Time has Come (1967) Studio Album - Psychedelic Soul About the Act: The Chambers Brothers are an American Psychedelic Soul band from LA, who were formed in 1954 and are still going. They were at heart four brothers, but I think they have now all left the band.  About the Album: This was their debut album (12 years on from forming as a band), and it spawned their most successful single Time Has Come Today. My History with this Album: None. I had never heard of the Chambers Brothers before this list. Review: I am not an American, nor a Social Historian, but I think I can accurately claim that in 1960s America there was a certain separation between the Black community and other communities. As a result of this, and for marketing reasons, the idea of music that was created with a Black audience in mind was an actual thing. I'm not sure if today we would be quite so sure about what constitutes "Black Music", but then, I think, they were generally q...
Read more