Brian Eno - 1: Instrumental
3 x CD, Compilation Box Set, UK, 1993
Virgin
The completest that is in my DNA core needs this box set of instrumental cuts from Eno. Even though I have some strong doubts about his instrumental work in the long run. Discreet Music and the instrumental parts of Another Green World are masterpieces, but everyone has their peaks and valleys, and although Eno’s work in general is very successful with the music world, I find it a tad conservative.
It is hard to criticize his work, because it is alway well-made and brilliantly played, but I find the concept or thinking behind the pieces not that strong or consistent. Although not spoken, and perhaps this is totally from my perspective, I just don’t think he is challenging himself in the long run. Which is a weird thought when you look at his career on a piece of paper or computer screen, but the first two Roxy albums, and of course the first four solo albums were such a great force, almost a kick in the stomach feeling - where things can never be the same anymore. But alas, Eno has been dishing out the same material at least in style for a long time now. There is no doubt that he is border-line genius and often hysterical in his work as well in interviews, but as an avant-garde artist he’s not out there like Christian Marclay or Rutherford Chang and I think someone in his field of interest should be really cutting-edge.
Of course as an artist he should listen to his inner-voice, but as a listener I am often disappointed with the later results. Especially the signs of his brilliance from the first Roxy Music to the Obscure record label releases, and now he produces Coldplay…
But still, this instrumental box set which came out in 1993 is an impressive package. If you are a hardcore Eno fan you would need to own this.
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