I’ve been doing my homework again, in preparation for Steven Wilson’s new album. This time around I’ve tried out Talk Talk’s Spirit Of Eden, another of the touchstone albums SW has referenced as an influence on his new music.
Here’s my take on Spirit Of Eden as a first time listener:
https://momentstransition.wordpress....-of-eden-1988/
Wonderful record. For newbies, i'd recommend all three of the last (and by far best) Talk Talk albums - The Colour of Spring, Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock (and to a lesser extent Mark Hollis' solo album). Utterly beautiful ... all of it. Music to make your heart swell.
Spirit of Eden was released in 1991 and has influenced practically hundreds of more or less important acts who themselves again informed developments in general rock music from then on, most of them to a rather more significant extent than Steven Wilson. The album's formal status as a landmark work in experimental pop/rock is academically established 26 years on issue. It doesn't need approval from any 'Steven Wilson'.
"Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
"[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM
I'm sure its older than that , I remember loving this when I was at school. 1988? 1987?
Oh, of course - my mistake. I bought Spirit of Eden on the day of its release here in Norway, in 1988! Laughing Stock came in '91.Originally Posted by revporl
29 years ago, and it still sounds fresh and different.
"Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
"[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM
I bought this the year it came out after reading a glowing review in Keyboard Magazine. Its a quiet and subtle masterpiece. It has a hazy, dreamlike quality to it. And I agree with the above that it was a landmark album long before Mr. Wilson.
If you like this album then you may want to check out David Sylvian's "Secrets of the Beehive" from the same era. Both albums stood apart from what was going on at the time.
I know it very well.
"Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
"[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM
I figured you did,it was more directed to the uninitiated ;-)
That's fine, but you haven't answered the truly crucial question, possibly the only crucial question: is it prog?Oh, of course - my mistake. I bought Spirit of Eden on the day of its release here in Norway, in 1988! Laughing Stock came in '91.
29 years ago, and it still sounds fresh and different.
I also got this when it came out - I would have been twenty at the time - inspired by a review in the free magazine they used to give away in HMV record shops that described it as 'an engrossing modern head album'. And on initial listens I just did not get it - too far outside my listening experience, which was quite limited.
Those initial listens must have planted a seed, though. When I randomly pulled it out again for a spin six months later I was blown away. Fair to say that for me this was one of those rare albums that permanently changes the way you think and feel about music.
I agree about its importance and singularity, of course. I suppose one of the things which sets SoE apart from most "deviant" rock releases of the time is the fact that the band behind it had undertaken a truly radical morphosis in such a short span of time. They were a refined group to begin with, of course, and excelled with each release - yet SoE appeared like a kind of manifestation of transcendence. Having discovered progressive rock in the 80s I always felt most then-current attempts at it rather laughable; either bland "neo" or hopelessly naive and amateurish efforts at forgetting or ignoring the ongoing evolutions in modern popular music (and I was not yet exposed to more advanced developments, such as the so-called pronk bands or artcore). On hearing SoE, however - I instantly realized that I was listening to something altogether entirely different and special. I remember one of the big names in the Norwegian music press at the time equalled it to "Soft Machine or King Crimson's Islands encountering Miles Davis' Bitches Brew"; at the time I knew little of the latter, but although I still see the analogy as somewhat far fetched, there was a certain faint logic at play.
Japan/Sylvian had morphed themselves, of course. Although I always respected him (and them), I never connected too much and didn't become a huge enthusiast. I saw him live on a number of occasions and would agree that he's an eloquent performer and an idiosyncratic voice.
"Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
"[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM
W-v-w-Vattuzplok aniveis?
"Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
"[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM
I'm losing you here, help
I've tried, many many many times, as many of my "heroes" mention it as a reference, to like it, but....zero, it doesn't speak to me at all.
There are countless progressive bands that eventually went from prog to pop, and with dismal for our ears results. But the other way round, a commercially fully successful pop band to turn suddenly progressive, I think it could be a unique case this Spirit of Eden.
^sort of a reverse Genesis ;-)
Scott Walker started out very pop and starting in the late 70s started going further out there with every release. His 1984 release, "Climate of Hunter", while still somewhat of a " pop" record, was his last that had any resemblance to a main stream release.
His next ,"Tilt" , departed completely from his previous work and every subsequent release has gotten further out there and he's pretty much abandoned vocals.
^ This kind of progession seems easier for solo artists - e.g. Buckley's Lorca or Mitchell's Mingus, a long way from where they started.
One thing I love about the album
Is that it was a really early "computer" album edited together. Very little was written and then it was pieced together in a very crude and time consuming way.
And still it has that " warm" and "organic" feel to it. A really good album to kill all digital/analog discussions.
It's apparently about the musicians... Who knew?
// Mattias
This is the more intimate listening of the lot as I'm getting older.
^ The Hollis solo record from '97? Absolutely. While I wouldn't necessarily say it's "better" than those last two TT records, it had in effect moved on from there - and into something strangely reminiscent yet altogether really quite different still. Of course, it's a fully acoustic album; keys are pipe organ, harmonium, some low accordeon and even melodica - or produced through a harmonica. This was a revelation that year, the same as Robert Wyatt's tour-de-force comeback Shleep. I always read them as somewhat kindred spirits a generation apart.
Hollis' solo remains the one album of his making to which I've listened the most. And I still do on occasion, much to the same listening impact. SOme lament his Retirement from music, I personally see it as one of the most cunning traits of his day. A brilliant mind he was.
"Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
"[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM
Very interesting thread... I've never really listened to Talk Talk, but will check out Spirit of Eden to see what I've apparently been missing.
I was going to mention Scott Walker. It was with his four songs for The Walker Brothers' album Nite Flights where he just decided, let's go for broke and kill the MOR audience, so you get material like 'The Electrician' and 'Fat Mama Kick'.
It certainly had the desired effect...rumour has it his solo Climate Of Hunter was the worst selling album Virgin had ever released at that time. I love it.
"The Electrician" is such a bizarre song... Quite eerie, at least IMO.
Tilt has some very interesting stuff on it as well. Not good for listening to alone at night, unless you want to be thoroughly unsettled. But again, that may just be me.
Yes... so intimate like a late evening discussion with a close friend over a bottle of wine... In hindsight, you sense him preparing his retirement in this album.
As far as the creative process is concerned, Talk Talk (together with producer Tim Friese-Greene) were merely doing what Miles Davis and Teo Macero had done with Bitches Brew some twenty years earlier: record and then edit / assemble afterwards. Same approach.
Spirit is a wondrous album, as is Laughing Stock (which I prefer).
"Dem Glücklichen legt auch der Hahn ein Ei."
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks