And Then So Clear

#2: Brian Eno - Another Day on Earth. It's a closely guarded secret in the music industry that there are actually three Brian Enos: Invisible Eno, Pop Eno, and Ambient Eno. Invisible Eno is, ironically, the one who's probably had the greatest impact on the populace as a whole, as he's the one who helps other artists (including U2, David Bowie, and Talking Heads, to name a few) make the best albums of their careers. Few people may recognize his contribution, but should really give him a hearty "thank you" should they run into him.

Pop Eno is actually the original Eno from whom the other Enos were created. After his stint in Roxy Music, he went off on his lonesome to make beautifully twisted songs that sounded almost Radio-friendly if you weren't listening too closely (or reading the titles to songs such as "Baby's on Fire" or "The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch").

Then, of course, there's Ambient Eno, who--classical composers aside--not only helped to launch the genre but also came up with what I believe to be the best definition of what it's about: music that rewards both passive and active listening.

For the most part, these three Enos are not usually seen together. Most music fans who aren't prone to OCD have probably been exposed to Invisible Eno without realizing it (after all, how many bazillion people own a copy of The Joshua Tree?), but may not be aware that he has his own, extensive catalog. Sometimes Pop Eno lets Ambient Eno pop his head in for a few tracks, but Ambient Eno has never returned the favor.

Until this album.

In the past, the one clear indicator that an Eno album had been crafted by either Pop or Ambient Eno was the presence or absence of vocals. If there was singing on it, it was Pop Eno; no vox, Ambient. In my experience, this suited the fans of the two, visible Enos just fine, as they almost always preferred one over the other (to the surprise of no one, Ambient Eno is my fave).

Another Day on Earth, though, is a curveball: it is, essentially, an ambient album with vocals. And not the vocals one would normally associate with ambient--harmonic choirs, chanting, or wordless phrases--but actual lyrics. But it's the way that the vocals are treated that shifts them toward the ambient realm. Eno's one big weak spot has always been his voice: he doesn't have much of a range and his delivery is as emotional as a Cray-2. On this album, he compensates for this by treating his vocals as just another instrument.

As cliché as that reads, on this album it's absolutely true. The treatments are pervasive and obvious, as his vocals are pitch-shifted, phased and layered throughout. None of which would matter that much if he hadn't crafted music to support it. As usual, the album's production is excellent and the music is languid and somewhat mechanical-sounding without feeling sterile or cold.

It's not for everyone--and chances are the more you like Ambient Eno may have more than a little bearing on how much you enjoy this album. For me, there was only one album that I liked better.

Next: What it is.