Today (5/15) is Brian Eno’s 64th
birthday. To celebrate/pay tribute to
one of my complete and total musical heroes I have decided to make a quick list
of my favorite albums on which he appeared either as a producer or musician. As you will soon be able to devise from the
reviews below, I have very strong feelings for this man’s art. The album has always been my most beloved
medium and I truly think he was responsible either directly or through his
profound influence for many of my most favorites.
15.) David Bowie – Heroes (1977)
An
incredibly strong follow up to the masterpiece that was Bowie’s “Low”, Heroes
is a much more positive, outward looking effort. Probably the most German/ Krautrock
influenced of the so-called Bowie/Eno “Berlin Trilogy” this was appropriately
the only album of those three that was completely recorded there. This album is perhaps knows for featuring one
of Bowie’s biggest hits in the chill inducing title track, a song that is
easily in my top 10 recorded moments of all time and never seems to get old or
played out no matter how matter how many times I hear it. Everything about it is pitch perfect from the
amazing story about two lovers falling in love by the Berlin Wall, the insane
wall of sound backing track provided mostly by Eno, and just the pure emotion
projected by Bowie throughout. If you
are not moved by this song than you more than likely have no pulse. The rest of the record is fully of gems too;
the songs are a little more fleshed out than the fragmentary outbursts on the
first half of Low. “Beauty and the
Beast” is a great opener that should have been a hit, “Blackout” is an
incredible track that showcases some great paranoia reminiscent of the Station
to Station album and also points to the direction Bowie and Eno would go with
their next collaboration, the underrated Lodger. The second half of the record, much like Low,
is full of more experimental mostly instrumental tracks. Unlike the tracks on side 2 of Low, the songs
on the final half of Heroes, for the most part, are much more upbeat (save for
the menacing “Sense of Doubt” which sounds like it could have been on one of
Eno’s ambient records). Another thing
about Heroes that stands out is the always impressive guitar work of King
Crimson’s Robert Fripp who flew in from America to record all of his parts in
one day, which is beyond remarkable when you hear how incredibly singular his
leads are throughout. Heroes may not
match the spontaneous genius of Low but it remains a high benchmark for both
experimental rock music and gentle ambient music.
14.) Brian Eno – Ambient 1: Music for
Airports (1978)
Consisting
of four instrumental ambient pieces, this was originally intended as background
music for airports after Eno was stuck in a terminal for a long time and became
annoyed at the lack of attractive sounds.
This soothing album would be perfect for the stressed out traveler and
would make for the greatest airport experience ever if it were to actually be
used. The first piece is formed around a
haunting beautiful piano melody played by the great Robert Wyatt, the second piece
is arranged by vocal melodies which are repeatedly looped with each other
creating an almost choral trance like work, the third is a mix of the first two
tracks featuring lovely piano as well as soothing vocal atmospherics, and the
fourth and final piece is based solely around a synth. Like a lot of great ambient work this works
great as background music when you want to relax or if you are inclined to listen
with full attention it can be even more rewarding. Simply put one of the greatest ambient
records of all time and a touchtone for much of what came after in the genre.
13.) Roxy Music – Roxy Music (1972)
One
of the most assured, eclectic, over the top, boundary pushing debut albums of
all time; Roxy Music’s first record saw the original lineup’s initial foray
into what some later dubbed “art” rock. There
truly is no one single word or simple genre classification for this record. It is simply a blending of many different
styles that range from hard rock, 50’s doo-wop, jazzy interludes, prog, and
even lounge music. In many ways this
shows the band very much in their creative infancy and still trying to figure
out their respective places which leads to the all-over-the-place nature of the
record. The greatest thing about it is
that it somehow all works, as every song here is a complete and total winner. Eno’s “treatments” and layered synth work add
dense levels of sound throughout while Bryan Ferry’s vampire croon and piano
work consistently brings everything home.
While Roxy Music was always
Ferry’s band, Eno’s influence on their early records could never be denied,
just give a quick listen to the intro to “Ladytron” or the over the top cinematic
quality of “The Bob (Melody)” to hear some of Eno’s signature atmospherics in
full form. Perhaps the albums greatest
moment was the driving first single “Virginia Plain” (which was initially left
off the British version), the absolutely chill inducing synth work in the
middle “breakdown” of the song is proof positive of Eno’s genius even at this
early stage, hinting to everyone that the strange guy playing the tapes and
dressing in feathers was more than just another pretty glam rocker. It all started here and still sounds timeless
and ahead of its time, I can’t even imagine hearing this upon its release in
the early 70s and not feeling inspired, its life changing qualities have still
not dulled or diminished forty years after its release.
12.) Fripp & Eno - No
Pussyfooting (1973)
More
experiment than actual album, this first collaboration between King Crimson
guitarist Robert Fripp and Eno proved to be a dense, layered record that truly
sounds like nothing that came before it.
Using tape loops, delays, and of course Fripps incredible soloing with
some nice synth work by Eno this record balances what normally would be considered
simple soundscapes into deep dark pieces that recall both progressive rock and
what would become known as ambient in the years that followed. The original record consisted of two side
long pieces, the 20 minute "The Heavenly Music Corporation" was a
gentle piece that sounds similar to what Eno would do on his later ambient
records and predicts the “frippertronics” style of playing that Fripp would
incorporate greatly on his later solo work.
The second side consisted of the 18 minute long "Swastika
Girls" which was much more based on the looping system with some amazing
soloing on top, this almost sounds like some of the more experimental work of
recent acts like Animal Collective or Oneohtrix Point Never. Fripp and Eno would collaborate a number of
times in the future but this record was where it all started and proved to be
one of the most influential record of either artists career as well as an
incredibly mind blowing listening experience for anyone willing to take the
journey.
11.) Brian Eno/David Byrne - My Life
in the Bush of Ghosts (1981)
As
if Eno hadn’t broken enough ground by 1981, he and Talking Head David Byrne
released this innovative album that completely revolutionized the use of
sampling in modern record making. Not
only were the samples advanced for their time but this record is also one of
the funkiest things that either artist ever worked on. Drawling from African rhythms, world music,
and reggae this slightly resembles Eno/Byrne’s work with the Talking Heads but
the way the creepy samples play over top of the incredibly rhythmic beats was
completely like nothing else before or since.
10.) Brian Eno - Music For Films
(1978)
Comprised
of 18 short pieces recorded between 1975 and 1978 this is a good starting point
to the ambient world of Brian Eno. While
the longer tracks on albums such as Discreet Music maybe a bit tough to sit
through in one sitting (granted these were meant to be background music) this
album showcases enough variety between the songs to make it an easier
listen. This record is basically
comprised of short vignettes that were written for imaginary films and with
each beautiful piece you can practically envision a film sequence in your
head. While most of the record is
hauntingly beautiful and atmospheric there are some slightly off-kilter tracks
that add a nice edge of paranoia and conflict to the record. One of which “Alternative 3” really gives a
nice sense of dreary suspense. If you
are new to ambient music and are looking for some extremely interesting
instrumental work for your collection I couldn’t recommend this album more.
9.) Devo - Q: Are We Not Men? A: We
Are Devo! (1978)
While
most people remember Devo for their massive 1980 hit “Whip It” and probably
associate the band with the synth pop explosion of the early 1980s, what needs
to be known is that Devo started as an almost minimalist, skeletal rock
band. While some keyboards are thrown
around on this record, they are mostly used for color while the guitars, as
well as some incredible bass lines, mostly drive the sound. The songs here are
all uniformly great as well, played in that “we might not ever get another
chance” way that a young band recording their debut album usually has. Produced and paid for by Brian Eno (Devo had
not yet secured a record deal at the time of the recording) this record is
filled with quirky left-field experiments that still sound fresh today. I actually prefer their brilliant cover of
The Stones "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" to the original. Other highlights include "Gut
Feeling/Slap Your Mammy" which was used in the Wes Anderson movie The Life
Aquatic, as well as the energetic/paranoid album opener "Uncontrollable
Urge". "Mongoloid" which
is one of the creepiest songs Devo ever cut is another highlight. Although Devo continued to do some
interesting work after this record, nothing they did even comes close to this
level of greatness. This is a strange
kind of masterpiece that really could never be equaled.
8.) U2 – The Unforgettable Fire
(1984)
U2's best and most underrated effort,
1984's The Unforgettable Fire is a complete sonic masterpiece thanks to the
landmark production of Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. While the first three U2 records are all
indeed well produced efforts, nothing could have possibly prepared the world
for the ambient and avant-garde sonic onslaught of this record. While Eno and Lanois deserve a lion-share of
credit for this transformation, the band deserves a lot of kudos for having the
balls to change direction and push their sound forward this much at such a
critical point in their career. With the
success of War and the subsequent Under A Blood Red Sky EP and Video, U2 were
poised and on the complete verge of superstardom. Apparently Island records initially weren’t
very thrilled with U2's new choice of producers and the new atmospheric sound
but after the single "Pride (In The Name Of Love)" came blasting out
of the speakers I am sure all worries were ceased. U2 takes on the new sound with an incredible
bunch of songs. The opener "A Sort
Of Homecoming" is possibly the most beautiful and haunting song U2 ever
recorded, in my opinion it is their best track and sets up the rest of this
record perfectly. Next comes the
aforementioned "Pride" one of the biggest singles of the decade that
set U2 up for the arena rock success they encountered with The Joshua
Tree. The third track "Wire"
takes the hard rocking style of War to an entirely new level; it is by far the hardest
rocking track on this album and one of the greatest U2 songs ever, showing how
great of a rock band they can be when they are in the mood. The title track is next and is yet another
highlight, a total epic with a monster string section and some rather dramatic
production effects by Eno. "Bad" is obviously another high point for
the band, a tale of heroin abuse set to a minimalist guitar lick and some great
echo effects that still stands as one of the greatest live U2 tracks ever. The album closers with three more numbers of
classic U2, closing out the best album they have ever recorded front to back,
thanks in much part to the production of Eno/Lanois. While many would chose The Joshua Tree or
Achtung Baby over The Unforgettable Fire, and they are all great records, there
is just something about the mood of The Unforgettable Fire that makes it such an
undeniable classic and it lacks the over the top messianic complex that plagues
some of their later work. Few bands have
made a bold leap like this and completely succeeded the way U2 did here,
absolute perfection.
7.) Brian Eno – Before and After
Science (1977)
Following
the formula of his masterpiece Another Green World by splitting the record with
both standard pop songs and experimental ambient material, Before and After
Science is another slice of completely essential Eno. The rock songs are extremely poppy here with
both “Backwater” and “King’s Lead Hat” both resembling what would be known as
“new wave” in the years following this release.
The groove based tracks like “Kurt’s Rejoiner” are simply beyond words
featuring the amazing fretless bass playing of the always-great Percy
Jones. The ambient material is all
strong as well and more avant-garde than the tracks on Another Green World. All in all, this is one of the least cohesive
efforts that Eno has ever released but the sheer quality and strong variety
makes this one of his very best albums.
This also features one of my favorite Eno tracks in the dream like
“Julie With…” one of the most stirring examples of Eno’s genius ever put to
tape, even better when played on headphones right before a slumber. Pure magic.
6.) Brian Eno - Taking Tiger
Mountain (By Strategy) (1974)
While maybe
not as intoxicating as Here Come the Warm Jets or as completely beautiful and
groundbreaking as Another Green World, Eno's second album is still a weird,
strange journey and a complete masterpiece.
This features some of the most rocking, hard-edged work Eno would ever
release as well as some of the most lighthearted and strange. The highlight of the harder-edge stuff of course
being the proto-punk romp "Third Uncle" with its stream-of-conscious
lyrics and surreal imagery it is a true Eno classic (also brilliantly covered
later by Bauhaus). Another dark highlight is the menacing “The
Fat Lady of Limbourg” which features some amazing brass work by Roxy Music’s
Andy Mackay. The title track and album
closer is one of Eno’s most pure moments, an achingly gorgeous ballad with a
soaring sing-along chant that closes the album in a grand fashion. The rest of
the record is equally as compelling especially tracks like "The True
Wheel" and "Burning Airlines Give You So Much More" which show how
fun Eno's music could be at times.
Actually fun is a perfect word to describe this off-the-cuff record, it
is by far the most joyous and gleefully strange album Eno would ever release
and remains a total high water mark for experimental music.
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5.) Talking Heads – Remain In Light (1980)
The
Talking Heads indisputable masterpiece, 1980's Remain in Light remains a
startling and uncompromising opus.
Incorporating everything they planted the seeds for on their first three
records, this is truly the ultimate culmination of everything they have worked
towards. Mixing everything from world
music, African rhythms, post-punk, hard driving funk, and new wave they created
a dense structure of sound that truly stands alone as one of the greatest
albums ever created. While the single
"Once in a Lifetime" is now a staple it truly is the most
light-hearted and non-representative track on the album, as every other track
has a much darker undertone. Producer
Brian Eno was practically a fifth member of the band by this point, co-writing
every song as well as adding backing vocals, percussion, keyboards, and bass
playing. His input is extremely important
on this record, especially his use of various samples and loops that would
prove to be extremely influential in the decades that followed. Perhaps it was inevitable, after an album of
this magnitude that the band would break with Eno after this record, they pushed
their experimentation and creativity to the limit here and it shows. Few albums are as consistently rewarding, groundbreaking,
and as dense as this. Also this is a
record that should be experienced in one sitting, from start to finish as its
whole is most definitely more than the sum of its parts. Especially in how the aggressive rhythms all
eventually lead up to the amazing Joy Division-esque album closer "The
Overload" that has the true stamp of Eno through and through. All in all this is a total classic that just gets
better with every spin.
4.) Roxy Music – For Your Pleasure
(1973)
Roxy
Music’s second record (and last with Eno) is a towering powerhouse of a record,
completely and ridiculously ahead of its time with shades of avant-garde noise
experiments, almost proto-punk rock-outs, and beautifully haunting
atmospherics. Everything about For Your
Pleasure screams "art" but as with all of Roxy Music's early records
there is a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor found throughout. This is truly early Roxy Music at their
creative peak, from the ridiculous outfits on the inner cover (Eno looks like a
stunning drag queen), to the creative tension that drove epics such as the
truly disturbing "In Every Dream Home A Heartache". This is easily one of the most out there all
over the place masterpieces to ever hit turntables. Unfortunately, as previously stated, this
would be Roxy Music's last with Brian Eno who drove most of their crazy
experimentation in the early years and although Roxy would go on to make
incredible records without Eno their two records with him were unlike anything
before or after. You can actually hear
the tension between band leader Brian Ferry and Brian Eno on tracks like
"The Bogus Man" which twists and turns to try and find a direction,
it never truly gels but the song takes you on a hell of a ride before finally
collapsing at the end. That track
encapsulates everything that was going on with the band at the time, Ferry
wanted to take the band in one direction and Eno in another. While Eno left and Ferry eventually took Roxy
Music in his own great direction this album truly shows the promise of what maybe
could have happened if they stayed together.
What a glorious mess they would have made.
3.) David Bowie – Low (1977)
The
beginning of a peerless 3 album collaboration between Bowie and Eno, this
record can almost be seen as two separate EPs merged into one mind-blowing
record. The first side consists of fairly
traditional rock songs, but in no way conventional or unadventurous, and the
second side consisting of mostly instrumental ambient material. Despite the fragmented nature listening to
this entire thing in one sitting is still the best way to experience it; there
is still nothing that sounds quite like it.
Not even Bowie’s previous album (the absolutely perfect “Station to
Station”) or any of Eno’s previous work could fully prepare the listener to the
sonic onslaught that this record provides.
The only thing that could be called a direct inspiration is perhaps the
German band Neu. While Eno didn’t
actually produce this (it was co-produced by both Bowie and Tony Visconti)
Eno’s mark is all over this thing.
Besides providing great backing vocals, his incredible synth work
saturates everything here. At times
providing texture and at other times attacking your ears like sonic
razorblades, his work with the synths and the moog provide some of the most
influential sonic touchtones that would completely shape the sound of pop music
in the following decade. While a lot of
credit for the sound of the record does indeed deserve to go to Eno I still
have to give Visconti some major props.
Just check the intense drum sound throughout this entire record (especially
during the beginning of “Breaking Glass” which also boats one of the records
greatest lines “"you're such a wonderful person...but you got
problems"). While Bowie and Eno
went on to complete two more excellent records together in the late 70s, Low
still tops them all and may be the single greatest record Bowie ever recorded.
2.) Brian Eno – Here Come the Warm
Jets (1974)
Eno's
first solo record after his split from Roxy Music is the most glam oriented he
would release as well as being one of his best.
Unlike some of his contemporaries in the glam scene Eno always had a
large chunk of extreme experimentation in his DNA that made his records stand
out among everything else. This album
features great guitar work by the likes of the great Robert Fripp and Roxy
Music's Phil Manazera, as well as Eno.
Eno treats all the guitars through tape loops and synths resulting in
some of the most profoundly interesting guitars sounds ever put to tape (this
is well before technology allowed for easy effect pedals). Also the lyrics are amazing on this, total
stream-of-conscious out there stuff as songs like "The Paw-Paw Negro
Blowtorch" and "Baby's On Fire" would indicate. This is easily one of the most ahead of its
time groundbreaking records, even today more than thirty years after its
release this still sounds incredible fresh and original. Although Eno has done some of the most
evocative work of any artist or producer in music history he has only topped
his solo debut in very few spots, this is that good of an album. If taken at face value Eno’s solo debut could
be seen as his most accessible foray into pop accessibility but once you give
it a true listen you will find this monumental effort to be anything less than
one of the greatest albums ever made. Taking what could be simple pop songs and
turning everything on its head this album is full of springing surprises from
otherworldly sounding guitar treatments and insane synth outbursts. This album never ceases to completely leave
you on the edge of your seat, one of the most consistently unexpected and
intriguing experiences ever put to tape.
It is impossible to pin point every highlight but I have to say that
Robert Fripp’s guitar solo on “Baby’s On Fire” is pure face melting awesomeness
and is completely worth the price of admission alone. Or the strange carnival sounds during the
later verses in “Blank Frank” or the epic album closing title track, each song
is a focal point. Every sound on this
record is manipulated in such a way that it truly does sound like the nothing
previous, the attention to detail is great too, check this thing out on
headphones to hear every nuance and prepare to be dazzled.
1.) Brian Eno – Another Green World
(1975)
To put it briefly, an absolute masterpiece and the
total reason why so many (including myself) hold Eno is such high regard. Not only is this Eno’s best record, but also
easily one of the greatest recorded achievements of all time. A stunning collection of mostly instrumental
tracks (only 5 of the 14 songs have vocals) featuring some of the most
beautifully minimalist music ever put to tape as well as some of the most
experimentally complex. Another Green
World is the beginning of Eno's transition from simply making eccentric rock
records to strictly releasing instrumental ambient music. This album is the perfect mix of those two
worlds resulting in Eno's masterpiece and his complete magnum opus. From the audio paintings of "Little
Fishes" and “The Big Ship” to the absolutely stunning "St. Elmo's
Fire" (probably my favorite Eno song and one which features my favorite
guitar solo of all time played meticulously by Robert Fripp) this album covers
so much ground while keeping a sparse, airy quality resulting in one of the
most enjoyable atmospheric records ever.
As stated previously this is not as "rock" oriented as his
first two albums but this is far from an easy listening experience as Eno is
still willing to take many chances. The
albums opener, "Sky Saw", is probably the most ragged opening with a
scratching guitar riff sounding like it is coming from the gates of hell, then
transitioning into more calm territory taking you on a audio journey through
the mind of one of the world's most important musical figures. For the most part this album concentrates on
mood over style and you will find yourself uplifted beyond belief at the utter
beauty found within these dream like tracks.
Listening to it again now I still get the chills after hearing the
record for what has to be my 1000th time, it simply never grows old
and retains every bit of intrigue and excitement all these years later.
