When I was revisiting this album for the 1001 albums, my first thought was that it wasn't hugely different from the first, self-titled album (not a slight on it, as I love that album) which is also featured on the list. I always wonder at them putting albums in the book that feel like a retread of previous entries, rather than putting in something a bit different.
Having given it a couple of listens, I realised that it differed in a number of ways:
1. While the first album was a glorious collision of glam, 50s-style rock n roll, electronic noise, theatrical art rock and a number of other styles... this album takes those elements and presents them in a less fractured, more integrated way.
2. The album has longer-form songs, with big build-ups on tracks like 'Strictly confidential' and the majestic, twisted 'In every dream home a heartache'
3. I didn't notice it at first but the songs generally aren't divided into verses and choruses, they just repeat around and round, building to climaxes or exploding into instrumental/solo sections.
The albums starts with a bang with "Do the strand" and takes you on a journey from there. The clash of musical personalities between Bryan Ferry and Brian Eno created two great albums, but then Eno grew tired of the creative friction, and perceived restrictions on his creativity. He split from the band to go out and do his own thing, and given the breadth and quality of his work since then, it would be hard to argue that as a bad thing.
No comments:
Post a Comment