395. Ambient no. 1: Music for Airports - Brian Eno

I think Brian Eno is one of those names who conjures up more prejudice than most artists. Whilst not knowing much of his stuff (I have a rarely played copy of No Pussyfooting on LP), I instantly had a picture in my head of what to expect, and that picture wasn't a flattering one.

Ambient music is something I've never had much time for, literally and metaphorically. However, now I'm slightly older, having something calming and background-y is probably not a bad thing, and this album lives up to that. Eno himself said that it was an album that could be ignored or focused on, and work both ways. The gentle piano, and electronic effects on the opener are indicative of the rest of the album - indeed, it is hard to tell the tracks apart really. 

I think there can be a tendency to be a bit over-intellectual about these types of albums. Whilst Eno is clearly an intelligent man who thinks a lot about the sounds he is producing, at the end of the day it is not as abstract as I had expected. There are themes and devices that catch your attention, such as the haunting chorus overlaying the piano on 1/2, and then drift out. 

This album is not amusical, as I had feared. It is a bit of a strange one, and I can't say that I loved it. However, it is an album I could imagine listening to repeatedly, and developing some affection for. It certainly makes me more interested in listening to more of Eno's back catalogue, although not just yet. 

Chloe's album rating: 5
Chloe's favourite track: 1. 1/1
Olly's album rating: 6
Olly's favourite track: 1. 1/1

Next week we have 812. Better Living Through Chemistry by Fatboy Slim; that'll have a bit more energy.