Holger Czukay - "Movies" Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, 1982/1979 (EMI)

My first introduction to the world of Can is Holger Czukay's first solo album "Movies."  It took me a decade before I heard my first proper Can album, but that is another tale.  I purchased "Movies," which came out in 1979, and I immediately compared it to the more well-known album by David Byrne and Brian Eno, "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts."  Both albums used found sound, such as the Byrne/Eno recordings all used vocals from other recorded sources.  It's a nifty slightly experimental album, but hearing "Movies" seems to me to be the real deal.   Recorded around the same time, I feel Czukay's approach was more light-hearted, with great swaps of humor, compared to the Byrne/Eno, which had a sinister quality.   Both were natural groove orientated music, but I find beauty in such pieces by Czukay such as "Persian Love" that I don't find in "Bush of Ghosts."

The Czukay narrative is that he records all the jams from Can recordings, and never turns off the tape machine.  He then cuts, slices, and like a film, edits the aural aspect of the work.  Here he adds outside sounds/voices to the overall mix.  It must be time-consuming work, because the music doesn't sound disjointed or crazed, but structured in a manner that is, of course, listenable, but also catchy.  It was pop music with strong melodies but filtered through Czukay's knowledge of 20th century contemporary classical music.  Stockhausen is a significant influence on Czukay, and he even studied under the great composer.  A remarkable album that never sounds dated.  A joy from the first cut to the last.

Philip Glass - "Songs From Liquid Days" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1986 (CBS)

There is the Philip Glass the opera composer and film track composer, but there is also Philip the songwriter.  "Songs From Liquid Days" is an album made in 1986, at the height of his fame/talents with respect to doing the perfection that is the "Mishima" soundtrack score.  Glass approached Paul Simon, David Byrne, Suzanne Vega, and Laurie Anderson to write lyrics to his set of music that are songs that stand by themselves and not part of an opera or any other project.  So essentially this is his first 'pop' album. 

"Songs From Liquid Days" is stamped inside my memory banks, and all I have to do is look at the song list that's on this album, and I immediately can hear it just by looking at the text.  Six long songs that are at times danceable,  but often hauntingly beautiful.  Glass is a great melodist, and the songs here are majestic, which is a great source of inspiration as the day turns into dark.  

It is also very New York City 1986, due that the lyricists were at their height of songwriting powers or reputation.  "Changing Opinion" is a fantastic Paul Simon lyric that is more of his observational works where he comments on the moments of the day.   I think in his own fashion, was trying to be a minimalist!   Laurie Anderson is also an observational writer, and this is one theme that seems to be running through all the songs.  The songs not surprisingly have a Broadway aesthetic.   Still, it's Glass' melodies that are the shining stars.  

Holger Czukay - "Movies" Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, 1982 (EMI)

It seems silly but I discovered the actual music by Can only in 2017!   On the other hand, I know Holger Czukay's solo album "Movies" since the early 1980s.   I also know his music and name due that he worked with David Sylvian around the same time that era.  "Movies" is a perfect snapshot when I lived in Hollywood, and listening to this album it brings back memories of my little studio apartment on Martel Avenue.   It's an easy record to get into, due that there is an endless groove among its experimental cut-ups and sound wise one never knows what is going to appear inside your stereo speakers. 

I don't know the history of this album, but I suspect that it was recorded during Can (the band he was in) recording sessions, due that all of the musicians are on "Movies."  It's very much a happy album, and it doesn't have the tension of sadness, but more of a beautiful exploration of the world through sound and rhythm.  There's a purity in its purpose, and my favorite cut is "Persian World," which features vocals from a radio station somewhere in that part of that world.  Czukay would do cut-ups of different cultures sound wise, and yet, both feet are on Western grounds.  The album is almost exotica territory in that it relays a sense of community and pleasure.  "Movies" is the inspiration for musicians like Brian Eno and David Byrne.   A great album.  

Brian Eno - "2: Vocal" 3 x CD Box Set

Brian Eno -  2: Vocal

3 x CD, Compilation, Box Set, UK, 1993

Virgin

This is a very good compilation of Eno’s vocal recordings in one package.  The essential aspect of the box set are the singles that never made it onto the official albums released by Eno.  “Seven Deadly Finns” and “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” are important early Eno recordings.  As well as the record he made with Snatch “R.A.F.   The rest of the songs  are pretty much available on his other albums, but I think the key thing here is the packaging.  One who is a fan will want the box set of his vocals as well as the Instrumentals package.  It is sort of like owning and controlling the yin & yang.   So this, basically is a great present for the one who doesn’t have Eno’s recordings.  But I think for the hardcore fan, they would be happy to have the original albums as well as trying to locate the 45 singles.  

If one is on a strict budget, I would settle for the instrumental set, because I think there is a great deal of unreleased or hard-to-find tracks in that package.  The Vocal box set is not that obscure with respect to finding the original albums and recordings. 

Also keep in mind that at first look one would presume that his package would represent the entire early albums, but this is not the case.   Getting the original albums are much more of a desire, because those albums are nearly perfect.  Including the sequencing of the songs, which flows beautifully as an album.  

So in the nutshell, good gift item for the person who needs to hear Eno, but for the fan, I would settle for the original albums.