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Thread: Brian Eno, where to begin, what to get, what to avoid

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    Member Jerjo's Avatar
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    Brian Eno, where to begin, what to get, what to avoid

    Continuing my foray into ambient music, it occurs to me that I never have listened to Eno's solo stuff. So what is considered essential and what isn't?
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    Tribesman sonic's Avatar
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    The first 5 are essential. Another Green World is the all time classic and must-have Eno album. That being said, out of all those only Discreet Music is ambient.
    His big ambient albums are Music for Airports (1978) and
    Music for Films (1978).
    I would also recommend No Pussyfooting, an album he did with Fripp in 73. Also with Fripp - Evening Star. Both these albums are low key electronics albums that could qualify as early ambient music.
    Cluster & Eno and After the Heat, albums made with German electronics geniuses, Cluster, are also great.

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    For ambient (if I'm reading right, that's what you are specifically interested in) I can't honestly think of any of them that are bad.

    I have 3 of his ambient collabs with Fripp plus: Music for Airports, Music for Films, Discrete Music (actually, side 2 is kind of duff so you might want to avoid that one), Apollo, The Pearl, The Plateaux of Mirror and a couple others I can't think of right now.

    Music for Airports is a personal favorite of mine. As a chronic insomniac and lifelong apartment dweller, it has gotten me through a lot of long nights while not disturbing my neighbors!

    You might also want to check out some of Harold Budd's (frequent collaborator with Eno) solo stuff. The White Arcades and Abandoned Cities are excellent.
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    I think it depends on what type of ambient you like? A lot of Eno's work is ambient in the true sense of the word - soft, repeating piano notes repeated ad infinitum. If you're looking for something more melodic or something that works in a more "active" sense I think Sonic's recommendations are spot on. His four vocal albums are all stone classics but only the 3rd and 4th really have "ambient" moments on them. Still they're good enough that I'd recommend them to basically everyone, regardless of their taste. They're that good.

    Otherwise, check out the thread on Another Green World. AGW is probably the first one you'll want regardless but there is some good discussion in that thread.

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    Jerjo, you're in for a treat. That's all I'll say

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    Member Jerjo's Avatar
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    Actually, I like the ambient but am interested in the other stuff as well. Carry on.
    I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart

  7. #7
    `Thursday Afternoon' is the ambient thing taken to it's logical conclusion...taking advantage of the CD format, it's one long 60 minute piece, but endlessly fascinating

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    I agree with the Another Green World recommendation, one of my all time favorite albums by anyone.

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    Quote Originally Posted by sonic View Post
    The first 5 are essential. Another Green World is the all time classic and must-have Eno album. That being said, out of all those only Discreet Music is ambient.
    His big ambient albums are Music for Airports (1978) and
    Music for Films (1978).
    I would also recommend No Pussyfooting, an album he did with Fripp in 73. Also with Fripp - Evening Star. Both these albums are low key electronics albums that could qualify as early ambient music.
    Cluster & Eno and After the Heat, albums made with German electronics geniuses, Cluster, are also great.
    I agree with you. The first five are essential. They are the foundation for his solo reputation. I have not yet got around to Cluster/Cluster and Eno but it is on my radar. I would also add My Life In the Bush of Ghosts with David Byrne purely for the awesome "Regiment".

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    Yeah some of those collabs are pretty good. The second Cluster/Eno record "After the Heat" is really good. I always recommend Eno fans to check out Harmonia, particularly the two albums that they did WITHOUT Eno, as Eno clearly thought a lot of them and they really seemed to influence his own sound. I also dig "Wrong Way Up" with John Cale a lot but that's definitely not an ambient record.

    Apollo is another one that I think those new to his work should pick up, there are some really beautiful pieces there and more "melody" to interest those who aren't really interested in his more static (aka boring) stuff.

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    I think "Another Day on Earth" (2005) is pretty dang wonderful.
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    Most of his stuff is great- enjoy!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Beebfader View Post
    `Thursday Afternoon' is the ambient thing taken to it's logical conclusion...taking advantage of the CD format, it's one long 60 minute piece, but endlessly fascinating
    Another one in this category is Neroli (Thinking Music pt.4). Both great albums if you're into this kind of ultra-ambient stuff.

    The ones I have I would categorise as follows:

    Favourites:
    Discreet Music
    Ambient 1: Music for Airports
    Thursday Afternoon
    Neroli
    Apollo

    Slightly less favourite:
    Ambient 2: Plateaux of Mirror
    Ambient 4: On Land
    Music for Films

    So-so:
    The Drop
    The Shutov Assembly
    More Music for Films

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    Quote Originally Posted by Planechant View Post
    I think "Another Day on Earth" (2005) is pretty dang wonderful.
    A superb album, with some highly memorable tunes. I heard 'This' on the radio and headed straight to my nearest Borders (RIP) to get a copy - this was when Borders was still owned by the US parent and they stocked a lot of more obscure music and books. As soon as the UK company took it over they ditched all that stuff!

    I'm sitting here listening to 'Lux' at the moment whilst finishing off a short story I'm writing. it's working for me.

  15. #15
    I guess I grew up with Brian so I followed him through all of his phases. I love it all but to your recommendations... 1st 5 is a great place to start. Branch out into the Music for... series and Ambient collection. As already mentioned the album with David Byrne is great as is Fripp. My personal fave would be Evening Star with Fripp and solo Before and After Science and the Apollo album. At one point he had two separate box sets, one instrumentals and one with vocals, you can find them used on Amazon for around $50. that might be a good place to start.

  16. #16
    So far well covered, for me

    Best ambient - discrete music
    Best rocker - Here comes the warm jets

    H/m to his considerable collaboration efforts. Cale, Fripp, Cluster, Byrne

    I gotta go listen to more....

  17. #17
    Good discography

    http://music.hyperreal.org/artists/brian_eno/

    After reviewing full discography, I forgot quiet sun & Wyatt

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    Highly Evolved Orangutan JKL2000's Avatar
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    As far as the earlier, song based albums, Here Come The Warm Jets is probably my favorite, but it's always a toss up between that and Taking Tiger Mountain.

    I was reading an article about Roxy Music in an older issue of PROG that I somehow hadn't read, and it's hard the read the article because the photos are so distracting. Eno looks so weird with all his makeup, dyed hair, and outlandish clothing. They all look wild, but somehow Eno's the wildest looking.

  19. #19
    To begin better with his world famous classics: Another Green World, Before and After Science, Taking Tiger Mountain.
    Then try some of his ambients. Doesn't matter which one you'd like to listen first. If you're OK with his style of composing music, then go on...
    Aviod dull albums, like Ambient 3 or maybe Thursday Afternoon, which is mega-static. First collaboration with Harold Budd, called The Plauto Of Mirrors, is mediocre.
    His blend of post punk /electronic experiments, like Nerve Net, for example, are all for acquired taste.
    Last edited by gregory; 11-20-2012 at 07:57 AM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by gregory View Post
    To begin better with his world famous classics: Another Green World, Before and After Science, Taking Tiger Mountain.
    Then try some of his ambients. Doesn't matter which one you'd like to listen first. If you're OK with his style of composing music, then go on...
    I would agree with that part of the above. I think Another Green World and Before and After Science are his best. I personally also love his Robert Fripp collaborations No Pussyfooting and Evening Star. I think virtually all of his ambient albums are worthwhile.

    As a general rule of thumb, I would say: get everything he's done in the 1970's

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by Reach View Post
    I would agree with that part of the above. I think Another Green World and Before and After Science are his best. I personally also love his Robert Fripp collaborations No Pussyfooting and Evening Star. I think virtually all of his ambient albums are worthwhile.

    As a general rule of thumb, I would say: get everything he's done in the 1970's
    I used to always say "if Eno's name is on the album in any way, it's gonna be good"

    Obviously lots of great recs to absorb here Jerol. lol (I'll throw in a few different ones to muddy it up a bit more )

    Right now I'm listening to "Nerve Net" (1992). What a superb album! Of course if you're easily scared by some electronic "beats" ...well you'll miss out on some of his most incredible work. To all Eno fans: ignore at your own peril.

    There's also his colab album with J. Peter Schwalm called "Drawn from Life", which is another fave. I guess you could say it's like "chill" ambient. lol

    I also really dig his colab with Jah Wobble called "Spinner"...again a more modern (for lack of better term) approach to ambient music.

    ahhhhh so much good Eno. So little time.

  22. #22
    Highly Evolved Orangutan JKL2000's Avatar
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    Surprised more people aren't mentioning Here Come the Warm Jets. I love the warm (yet wacked) John Cale-ish, Fripp-laden, 801-reminding qualities of it.

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    ItalProgRules's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JKL2000 View Post
    Surprised more people aren't mentioning Here Come the Warm Jets. I love the warm (yet wacked) John Cale-ish, Fripp-laden, 801-reminding qualities of it.
    That's because the OP asked for AMBIENT recs.
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  24. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by Harbottle View Post
    A superb album, with some highly memorable tunes. I heard 'This' on the radio and headed straight to my nearest Borders (RIP) to get a copy - this was when Borders was still owned by the US parent and they stocked a lot of more obscure music and books. As soon as the UK company took it over they ditched all that stuff!

    I'm sitting here listening to 'Lux' at the moment whilst finishing off a short story I'm writing. it's working for me.
    Agree, ADOE is a stunning album.

  25. #25
    Highly Evolved Orangutan JKL2000's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ItalProgRules View Post
    That's because the OP asked for AMBIENT recs.
    But a couple of posts in he said: "Actually, I like the ambient but am interested in the other stuff as well." That's probably why people are mentioning Before and After Science and Another Green World, which I wouldn't categorize as "ambient." But for some other reason people aren't mentioning Here Come the Warm Jets, which surprised me because I always rated it as about Eno's best non-ambient album. Especially for fans of Phil Manzanera's better albums.

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