http://www.invisible-face.com/pics/collins_sessions/session_eno_music.jpg
A thread in which we discuss Eno's own work in this period (ie, not Devo/Talking Heads/etc.): Before and After Science, Music For Films, Music For Airports, Cluster and Eno/After the Head and the like.
There are many a thread on Eno, but not much on this era, which features a sound he has, frankly, long since abandoned: the rhythm section filled out by Percy Jones' fretless bass (held over from Another Green World), shimmering washes of the Yamaha CS-80 polyphonic synthesizer, often supplemented by delicate piano or voice, with long echo chains and liberal use of his EMS Synthi treatments.
I've always been extremely fond of Before and After Science (particularly the languid second side), most of Airports (love "2/2," actually), and am increasingly a fan of his work with Cluster, which often feels like some sort of unstable compound.
But I just recently had a change of heart regarding Music For Films, finding it more interesting and complete-sounding than I'd previously given it credit for -- "Sparrowfall," "Events in Dense Fog," and others. Whatever else you think of it, Eno's impressionism is certainly more compelling and richly detailed than what countless others have since attempted (BoC, etc.).
What say others here on this cherished board?
― Naive Teen Idol, Tuesday, 4 September 2007 15:53 (seventeen years ago)
Search everything, destroy nothing. I can't offhand think of anything he did during this period that isn't of interest.
― Zelda Zonk, Tuesday, 4 September 2007 15:56 (seventeen years ago)
All good, without exception
― Tom D., Tuesday, 4 September 2007 15:57 (seventeen years ago)
(everyone beat me to it)
Search: All Destroy: None
― stephen, Tuesday, 4 September 2007 16:06 (seventeen years ago)
Yea I generally pick up any Eno material from this period (early 80s stuff too) whenever I encounter it in record shops.
― Mark Clemente, Tuesday, 4 September 2007 16:11 (seventeen years ago)
Music For Films II is probably the lesser work of this era.
― sleeve, Tuesday, 4 September 2007 16:12 (seventeen years ago)
I listen to this era of Eno more than any other music. Not because it's my favorite (although I like it a lot), but I put it on almost every night while reading before going to sleep, or when I want sound coming out of speakers but I don't feel like being pushed/pulled around.
― flamingrev, Tuesday, 4 September 2007 16:41 (seventeen years ago)
It's a good point -- unlike even his work at the dawn on the 80's (Apollo, which I enjoy), this period particularly sits in the subconscious quite well. Personally, I think it has something to do with the gear he was using (CS-80, EMS) and the limited choices it afforded him. Considering the aleatory nature of so much of Eno's music, there's a notable...confidence to his work during this era that never really returned, for better or worse, once he began working with Lanois a few years later.
Aside from a few weird quirks on the first album (sitar?), I find that the Cluster and Eno albums get increasing fascinating to my ears as the years go by -- as noted above, there's an extremely unstable element to their becalmed-ness that rewards repeated listening.
― Naive Teen Idol, Tuesday, 4 September 2007 18:56 (seventeen years ago)
s: music for airports d: his work w/ cluster (the harmonia sessions are decent)
haven't heard the others
― am0n, Tuesday, 4 September 2007 18:58 (seventeen years ago)
Incidentally, for those Cluster and Eno hataz -- don't be put off by the sitars and tablas on that record, S: "Schon Hande," "Fur Luise" on the first album and "The Belldog" and "Broken Head" on the latter.
― Naive Teen Idol, Tuesday, 4 September 2007 20:32 (seventeen years ago)
i haven't listened to music for films in a while but i remember being very impressed by it when i heard it first. not sure how much the fact that those movies don't exist played a role in my appreciation. it didn't harm, that's for sure. did any film director ever pick up on those imaginary soundtracks? i would love to see a film by someone like jim jarmush or maybe david lynch.
― alex in mainhattan, Tuesday, 4 September 2007 20:48 (seventeen years ago)
can't think of any films offhand but they were used frequently on radio & TV.
episode three of carl sagan's 'cosmos': http://www.users.bigpond.com/cosmic_voyager/
― Milton Parker, Tuesday, 4 September 2007 21:03 (seventeen years ago)
I had a piece of vinyl called 'Standard Library' or something which had a selection of late 70's Eno tracks on it, with descriptions of the mood of each piece, clearly intended as a general soundtrack resource for TV and film. .
― moley, Tuesday, 4 September 2007 21:22 (seventeen years ago)
did any film director ever pick up on those imaginary soundtracks?
I know I've heard some in movies... but I can't remember which and now it's going to drive me crazy!
so OTM about "Belldog" and "Broken Head", two of my favorite Eno tracks ever.
Also search his collaborations with Snatch around this time, on the B-side of the "King's Lead Hat" single and I think on a Snatch record also.
― sleeve, Tuesday, 4 September 2007 21:43 (seventeen years ago)
"Before And After Science" is great. The rest is all OK if you are trying to get to sleep.
― Geir Hongro, Tuesday, 4 September 2007 22:05 (seventeen years ago)
Or, perhaps, put on in the background as Eno intended. Though Geir, I commend you to listen to Music For Films -- I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by how melodic so much of it is.
― Naive Teen Idol, Tuesday, 4 September 2007 23:27 (seventeen years ago)
The Bang on a Can version of Music for Airports is really good.
― Rock Hardy, Wednesday, 5 September 2007 00:03 (seventeen years ago)
I don't like it personally, doesn't do enough with the material.
Incidentally, for those Cluster and Eno hataz
Such strange misguided people exist?
― Tom D., Wednesday, 5 September 2007 12:42 (seventeen years ago)
Well, I don't see much outside value in it, but I have "Music For Airports" and I keep it for its effect on sleeplessness. It's perfect for that use.
― Geir Hongro, Thursday, 6 September 2007 08:53 (seventeen years ago)
However, "Low" and "Heroes" also belong with Eno's late 1970s work, and Those two are obviously definitely a search.
― Geir Hongro, Thursday, 6 September 2007 08:54 (seventeen years ago)