Brian Eno - 1975 "Another Green World"

Another Green World is the third studio album by English musician Brian Eno. Produced by Eno and Rhett Davies, it was originally released by Island Records in September 1975. As he had done with previous solo albums, Eno worked with several guest musicians including Phil Collins, John Cale and Robert Fripp. The album marked a great musical change from Eno's previous albums. Using his instruction cards the Oblique Strategies for guidance, the album contained fewer lyric-based rock songs and had stronger emphasis on instrumental productions; many without the aid of guest musicians. The dark humour of the lyrics also changed to more dreamlike and obscure songs.
The album failed to chart in the United States or the United Kingdom. Another Green World met with high praise from several critics, while others suggested that the album was too great a departure from Eno's previous more rock-based material. Modern reception of Another Green World has been very positive; several critics and publications often place the album on lists of the top albums of all time. The title track was used as the theme music for BBC Two television's arts series Arena.

A universally acknowledged masterpiece, Another Green World represents a departure from song structure and toward a more ethereal, minimalistic approach to sound. Despite the stripped-down arrangements, the album's sumptuous tone quality reflects Eno's growing virtuosity at handling the recording studio as an instrument in itself (à la Brian Wilson). There are a few pop songs scattered here and there ("St. Elmo's Fire," "I'll Come Running," "Golden Hours"), but most of the album consists of deliberately paced instrumentals that, while often closer to ambient music than pop, are both melodic and rhythmic; many, like "Sky Saw," "In Dark Trees," and "Little Fishes," are highly imagistic, like paintings done in sound that actually resemble their titles. Lyrics are infrequent, but when they do pop up, they follow the free-associative style of albums past; this time, though, the humor seems less bizarre than gently whimsical and addled, fitting perfectly into the dreamlike mood of the rest of the album. Most of Another Green World is like experiencing a soothing, dream-filled slumber while awake, and even if some of the pieces have dark or threatening qualities, the moments of unease are temporary, like a passing nightmare whose feeling lingers briefly upon waking but whose content is forgotten. Unlike some of his later, full-fledged ambient work, Eno's gift for melodicism and tight focus here keep the entirety of the album in the forefront of the listener's consciousness, making it the perfect introduction to his achievements even for those who find ambient music difficult to enjoy. 

Track listing:

All songs written by Brian Eno.

   01 "Sky Saw"  – 3:25
   02 "Over Fire Island"  – 1:49
   03 "St. Elmo's Fire"  – 3:02
   04 "In Dark Trees"  – 2:29
   05 "The Big Ship"  – 3:01
   06 "I'll Come Running"  – 3:48
   07 "Another Green World"  – 1:38
   08 "Sombre Reptiles"  – 2:26
   09 "Little Fishes"  – 1:30
   10 "Golden Hours"  – 4:01
   11 "Becalmed"  – 3:56
   12 "Zawinul/Lava"  – 3:00
   13 "Everything Merges with the Night"  – 3:59
   14 "Spirits Drifting"  – 2:36

Personnel:

Credits adapted from Another Green World back cover.

"Sky Saw" Phil Collins – drums Percy Jones – fretless bass Paul Rudolph – anchor bass Rod Melvin – rhodes piano John Cale – viola section Eno - snake guitar, digital guitar "Over Fire Island" Phil Collins – drums Percy Jones – fretless bass Brian Eno – vocals, synthesizer, guitars, tapes "St. Elmo's Fire" Robert Fripp – wimshurst guitar Brian Eno – organ, piano, yamaha bass pedals, synthetic percussion, desert guitars "In Dark Trees" Brian Eno – guitars, synthesizer, electric percussion and treated rhythm generator "The Big Ship" Brian Eno – synthesizer, synthetic percussion and treated rhythm generator "I'll Come Running" Robert Fripp – restrained lead guitar Paul Rudolph – bass, snare drums, bass guitar, assistant castanet guitars Rod Melvin – lead piano Brian Eno – vocals, castanet guitars, chord piano, synthesizer, synthetic percussion "Another Green World" Brian Eno – desert guitars, farfisa organ, piano "Sombre Reptiles" Brian Eno – Hammond organ, guitars, synthetic and Peruvian percussion, electric elements and unnatural sounds "Little Fishes" Brian Eno – prepared piano, farfisa organ "Golden Hours" Robert Fripp – Wimborne guitar John Cale – viola Brian Eno – choppy organs, spasmodic percussion, club guitars, uncertain piano "Becalmed" Brian Eno – Leslie piano, synthesizer "Zawinul/Lava" Phil Collins – percussion Percy Jones – fretless bass Paul Rudolph – guitar Rod Melvin – rhodes piano Brian Eno – grand piano, synthesizer, organ and tape "Everything Merges with the Night" Brian Turrington – bass guitar, pianos Brian Eno – guitar "Spirits Drifting" Brian Eno – bass guitar, organ, synthesizer