“Before And After Science” by Brian Eno - album review

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TJR says

He’s made it there or thereabouts into my Top 30 album chart 3 out of the last 4 years, so he must be doing something right. As seems to be on trend, the album has two distinct halves, split between the uptempo cerebral pop of side 1 and the more contemplative slowcore of side 2. On the former, Eno stands alongside Talking Heads this year at the forefront of what will become the new romantic era of the early 80s, and you can easily hear the roots of Japan, Heaven 17, Spandau Ballet and all that lot. The first side is generally the more engaging, with fine tracks such as “No One Receiving”, “Backwater” and “Energy Fools The Magician” especially standing out. My favourite track is from the low-key side 2 though – “By This River”, which finds Eno in collaboration with the Berlin duo, Cluster, with whom he had delivered a full collaboration LP just a few months earlier. The trio of Eno, Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Dieter Moebius sound magical together – I shall need to check out their previous LP methinks. Somewhat thoughtfully, Brian hums the 4th verse allowing you space to add your own lyrics. How chilled is this guy?

The Jukebox Rebel
04–Mar–2016

Tracklist
A1 [03:52] 7.1.png Brian Eno - No One Receiving (Brian Eno) New Wave
A2 [03:43] 6.1.png Brian Eno - Backwater (Brian Eno) Cerebral Pop
A3 [02:55] 6.5.png Brian Eno - Kurt’s Rejoinder (Brian Eno) New Wave
A4 [02:04] 6.8.png Brian Eno - Energy Fools The Magician (Brian Eno) Film Score / Incidental
A5 [03:56] 5.7.png Brian Eno - King’s Lead Hat (Brian Eno) New Wave
B1 [05:38] 5.2.png Brian Eno - Here He Comes (Brian Eno) Pop
B2 [06:19] 6.7.png Brian Eno - Julie With … (Brian Eno) Songwriter
B3 [03:03] 7.9.png Brian Eno - By This River (Brian Eno, Hans-Joachim Roedelius, Dieter Moebius) Moodcore
B4 [03:56] 5.3.png Brian Eno - Through Hollow Lands (for Harold Budd) (Brian Eno) Moodcore
B5 [04:10] 5.1.png Brian Eno - Spider And I (Brian Eno) Moodcore

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