Brian Eno – Discreet Music – 1975
I will listen to Discreet Music precisely the opposite of the way it was intended. Eno wanted it to be something that blends into the furniture. Not meant to be focused on. So, I’ve got my noise canceling headphones out and I’m giving it as much attention as I can muster. Which means I’m reading facebook, Twitter and various RSS fed news pieces while I’m doing so. I’ll get back to yhou in about 30 minutes when side one is over.
(Makes me want to pull out my old Jean Michel Jarre records….)
Okay. That was 30 minutes wherein I got to read a lot of stuff. It really is exactly what Eno wanted it to be. This is something you can play at the psychiatrist’s office or at the spa. Yeah, Spa. That’s what the entire first side is. Spa music. Like the world needs that. So, Eno invented New Age. Go figure.
Time for side two.
Three experimental Dadaist concerto variations on Pachelbel’s Canon in D. Needless. I mean, I get the experiment. The deconstruction of a well known and simple piece. But it does nothing for me but hurt my ears. If you read about Eno’s accident and lying in a hospital bed for weeks then you’ll understand why he made this. But I don’t want a technical manual to explain an album to me, thanks.
Side A: B
Side B: D
Grade: C
Review Number 442
