Customer Rating: 
Summary: A nice mix of quirky pop tunes, prog rock and moody instrumentals
Comment: This 1975 album is my favorite of Eno's "rock" records and the contemplative, moody soundscapes really made it work for me. Overall, Another Green World presents a nice mixture of Eno's quirky pop tunes, gloomy instrumental tracks and a few instrumental pieces that feature some great playing by Phil Collins (Genesis, Brand X) and Percy Jones (Brand X).
Along with Brian Eno (guitars, synthesizers, electronic effects, keyboards, percussion and vocals), the personnel listing on this excellent 1975 release includes a few prog luminaries such as Phil Collins (drums and percussion), Percy Jones (fretless electric bass) - they play on two vaguely jazz-rock flavored pieces including Sky Saw and Over Fire Island and a mood piece entitled Zawinul/Lava, while Robert Fripp (King Crimson) contributes some great guitar work to St. Elmo's Fire, I'll Come Running, and Golden Hours. There are a host of additional musicians including guitarists, bassists, drummers and a few string players - most notably John Cale (viola).
The 14 tracks on the album are fairly short and range in length from 1:34 to 4:00. My favorite tracks include those that feature Phil Collins and Percy Jones - they were a great rhythm section and their contributions are reminiscent of their work with Brand X - in fact, a few themes would turn up on the 1976 Brand X debut Unorthodox Behaviour. In addition to the more adventurous pieces, Eno is also capable of creating simple and melodic songs as well that feature vocals. In large part however, this is an instrumental album.
Although the ensemble work is very enjoyable and Eno's voice is pleasant enough on his quirky pop pieces, what makes this recording so interesting are the gloomy mood pieces that just feature Brian Eno. Armed with an arsenal of synthesizers, treated Hammond organ, piano, various pieces of percussion, and "desert guitars, electric elements, and unnatural sounds", Eno creates massive soundscapes that are presented in miniature - that is, the arrangements impart the scope and grandeur of a much larger composition, yet are fairly short. Unfortunately, I think that the shortness resulted in at least a few of the tracks sounding unfinished. It really is not too noticeable though - the tracks seem to blend into one another.
This remastered effort features good sound quality but very little in terms of extras.
This is the Eno album for progressive rock fans and possibly even a few electronica fans. In that I like both styles of music, I found that Another Green World appealed to me on a number of levels. Highly recommended.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Groundbreaking...
Comment: Brian Eno seemed so nerdy and techno and so unlikely as a member of Roxy Music in support of tuxedo clad Brian Ferry. Then he stepped out on his own with releases like this and "Taking Tiger Mountain." For those who know him later as the composer of minimalist instrumental material, this will come as a surprise. "I'll Come Running," for example, is pop tune heaven. Great marriage of the dawning technology of the age and plain old hummable pop music.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Another Great Work
Comment: Where Eno's debut album was kind of a rough DIY affair with mixing that was often rather muddy (loved it just the same) and "Taking Tiger Mountain" showed growth in the areas of song writing, performance and production (loved it even more than "Jets"),"Another Green World" is a giant step forward in the areas I just mentioned. Impossibly mature and focused, B.E. really hit his stride with this one. Sprinkled among the songs with vocals (I'd call these conventional pop songs but they're really anything but that), we also get a taste of the kind of music Eno would become renowned for- ambient.
It begins with "Sky Saw", seemingly an instrumental then in the last minute or so Brian sings a few surrealist lines. It features viola work by John Cale and damn if that thing doesn't sound just like you'd imagine a 'sky saw' would sound like. Brilliant. A short and sweet instrumental "Over Fire Island" follows. One of Eno's most beautiful and evocative songs "St. Elmo's Fire" comes next with some splendidly tight, jagged, slightly distorted guitar provided by Mr. Fripp. The lyrics to this song are some of Eno's finest poetry. Two instrumentals, "In Dark Trees" and "The Big Ship" come next. "Trees" features some nice echo-y percussion along with its dark melody. "Ship" features more of Fripp's wonderfully expressive guitar. "I'll Come Running" is one of the standout tracks here. For some reason, I've always felt that this might be a parody/homage? of his ex-band mate Bryan Ferry's material. The 'oh oh oh oh oh oh's' sound very Ferry to these ears. Following "Running" is another cluster of short and lovely instrumentals,"Another Green World", "Sombre Reptiles" and "Little Fishes", all of them very appropriately named. The excellent vocal piece "Golden Hours" explores the slippery notion of time and how we relate to it. I love the last line "putting grapes back on the vine". "Becalmed" is another sweet instrumental with a title that perfectly describes the feeling of the piece. This one is a bit more New Age, a bit less ambient than most of the instrumentals on the disc. The instrumental "Zawinul/Lava" was inspired by ex-Weather Report co-founder/keyboardist Joe Zawinul and the song magically evokes flowing hot lava. The final vocal track "Everything Merges With The Night" is heavenly. The music and lyrics are subtle and fine. "Spirits Drifting" closes the album in ambient bliss.
If you like what you hear on this CD, you might also enjoy David Bowie's "Low" which Mr. Eno contributed a great deal to.
Customer Rating:
Summary: One of Eno's Best
Comment: Not as good as TAKING TIGER MOUNTAIN, but why quibble? It's still better than most of what's out there, from the period in which it was released to today.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A True Classic
Comment: This is a real one-of-a-kind classic, groud-breaking album that stands the test of time. Never trite (like this review).
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