Brian Eno - Another Green World (Album Review)

 

Brian Eno - Another Green World

(1975)

My copy: 2018 remastered reissue by Astralwerks. 

Dreamt up in 1975 as Eno’s third full-length solo (ish) release, Another Green World was the first of Eno’s projects to truly push his music into a category of its own. With his prior work sticking more closely to prog and psyched-out pop/rock, Another Green World stands out for its gentle but firm synth experimentations. Utilizing the talents of high-profile friends such as Phil Collins, John Cale and Robert Fripp (among others), Eno has created a nearly timeless evocation of musical curiosity. 

Two bass parts clash under the siren-esque pulsing guitar blasts on “Sky Saw,” with a further mix of unique instrumentation building an otherworldly introduction to Eno’s vision. There are stellar dynamics as John Cale’s viola whines in delicate syncopation with all else, eventually panicking in the end as everything fades away. The fretless bass pokes about on “Over Fire Island” as layered drums stumble. Synths wash over the track, melting into a thick syrup of texture. “St. Elmo’s Fire” is the most evocative track with dancing piano and eclectic percussion. Eno’s vocal melodies are at their catchiest here, as Fripp descends into a blistering solo that is tasteful enough to not feel totally outdated. The synth sounds are utterly intoxicating across the whole record as they blur like a peaceful sunset. 

“In Dark Trees” is as atmospheric as its name suggests, with wailing guitars offering guidance through the ominous synths and arranged percussion. Oozing synths roll out the carpet for the bittersweet, curious melodies of “The Big Ship” before the sauntering saloon piano rattles away on “I’ll Come Running.” There are various guitar experiments, with perhaps the most interesting coming in the form of the percussive “castanet guitars” played with mallets on “I’ll Come Running.” The title track is a brief introspective interlude to close the A-side.

Drowned synth clashes with electronic atmospheres on “Sombre Reptiles,” which embraces hazy, dreamy sounds. “Little Fishes” is playful and emotive, like looking inside the mind of a small child only to hear woozy synths and clattering keys; it is surely one of the most creative short works on the album. Self described “choppy organ” sets the rhythm on “Golden Hours” where subtly is the main draw. All instruments cleverly avoid any breakout melodies, as new layers build to reveal Fripp’s most compelling solo yet: an erratic spasm in the vein of jazz that perfectly accommodates Eno’s vocals. The only tragedy is that the song fades before Cale’s viola can truly get comfortable. 

“Becalmed” again suits its title, with mellow piano and synth wrapping around the listener like a palette cleanser ahead of the primal screeches of “Zawinul/Lava.” Eno is still totally reinventing the sound of his record this late into the tracklisting, perhaps partially due to his “oblique strategies” concept in which different recording challenges were issued via randomly drawn cards. “Everything Merges With The Night” is the most straightforward addition, it finds elegance in simple acoustic guitar and bass mirroring the vocal melodies as piano and electric guitar sprinkle accents over top. Then, when you’d most expect a calm resolution, the final track is instead a tense dark ambient piece, ending the record in total uncertainty. 

Eno’s pop genius cannot be understated. He has pioneered many writing and recording techniques and is likely the most deservedly influential musical figure of his time, with his impact reaching even far into the 21st century. Another Green World is truly one of his peaks, utterly annihilating the landscape of traditional pop and gifting the world with an LP that still sounds futuristic to this day. The only dated aspects are the overuse of fade outs and a slight penchant for over-complicated solos via Fripp. Regardless, Another Green World should and will receive continued praise for generations.