Is there anyone around that has had more of an influence in modern music than Brian Eno? Back in the 70s it was a BIG DEAL that a guy that fooled around with electronics and tapes was considered a “musician” when Eno did that for Roxy Music. Since then, he created what is now called “ambient” music, and his touch on albums by bands such as U2, Coldplay and Talking Heads is legendary. His solo and collaborative albums have been extremely influential through the years, and this latest one with Karl Hyde is almost a throwback to his earliest recordings.
Eno returns to singing as well as bringing in various synthesizers, electronic ditties and toys, as he teams up with Hyde who supplies lyrics, voice and guitars. There’s a whole band feel, though as you get guests like Fred Gibson/dr-b, John Reynolds/dr, Georgia Gibson/sax, Andy Mackay (HEY! An ex-Roxy!) and various and sundry other cameo artists that supply things like “Ooh” and “Shine.” The songs themselves have an exciting and full wholeness to them, and feel like a return to Here Come the Warm Jets o pieces like “The Satellites,” the upbeat “Strip it Down” and catchy “Witness.” A fresh feel akin to Tiger Mountain is felt on “A Man Wakes Up” and some fun Middle Eastern sounds permeate “When I Built This World.” Moody and pensive electronics still weave in and out akin to Another Green World (one of the top 10 important pop albums of all time, by the way)while disc comes back on “Daddy’s Car.” Witty, irreverent and clever and on his game vocally, this is the Eno that EVERYONE likes!
Warp Records