Reviews (page 2 of 7)
Eno's output is so varied and vast. It's wonderful to listen to something of his that I haven't before and have it exceed already high expectations. Listened to this on repeat today, just an incredible album.
The more I hear it, the more I realize that Eno works wonders on my soul. I do think Another Green World is more my alley (I do enjoy his ambient stuff), but this is brilliant as well. (9/10, 5/5 on this scale)
This album was a great surprise. I am generally not that much into the groups and musicians typically associated with Eno, and I've never really listened to his own music. However, I really enjoyed this album, from the more rock-oriented tracks on the first part, to the ambient melodies that came later. I liked pretty much everything about it, and will be adding it my Tidal library.
I was blown away by this record! Incredible variety of songs. You can hear why he and Byrne/Talking Heads eventually became such tight creative partners. Clever songwriting, very layered production, beautiful sounds. This album is underappreciated honestly. Must listen #176.
"Here we are, stuck by this river, you and I, underneath the sky that's ever falling down... down... down.... ever falling down..." Listened to B4? Yes Tracks Already Saved on Spotify: 2 - King's Lead Hat, By This River Standout Tracks: No One Receiving, King's Lead Hat, By This River, Julie With..., Spider and I Ambient musician Brian (3 letters) (97/100)
I’m shocked by how much I enjoyed this album! Normally Brian Eno doesn’t quite do it for me but this one was great. It makes sense why he did so much great work with Talking Heads as well. Fun new wave even though it cools off by the end
I first heard my buddy Ryan Ellison play this record at his place at the Camfield apartments in Greeley. There was a lot of Eno geeking out going on in that friend group around that time. It's about 15 years later, and I still love this record. Brian Eno has made a lot of experimental music, and sort of invented ambient music, but there are 4 records that he made in the 70's that are more accessible and straight-forward "pop/rock". This is the 4th one. He famously recorded a trilogy of albums with David Bowie in Berlin in the 70s ("Low", "Heroes", and "Lodger") that followed a format of Side A being energetic pop songs, and Side B being more experimental ambient songs, and this record follows that format as well. I love those Bowie records, but I think this record is the best version of that template. When I say this record is "straight-forward", that's a relative term. Side A has lots of energy, but it is weird. "No One Receiving" and "Kurt's Rejoinder" have the oddest rhythms and the bass guitar(?) sounds like a bullfrog with indigestion. "Backwater" and "Kurt's Rejoinder" seem to talk about death and decapitation in abstract ways, but just kind of jauntily bounce along and don't dwell on it. Then there's the slinky creep of "Energy Fools the Magician". The side ends with "Kings Lead Hat". This song absolutely slaps. Eno pulls out all the stops. This is a four-on-the-floor beat, a catchy chorus, and he does this falsetto thing at the end of the third verse that sounds like he's trying his darnedest to sing his heart out. Why? "Kings Lead Hat" is an anagram for Talking Heads. This is his audition to join the band- which he does, as producer on their next record, "More Songs About Buildings and Food". Then on to Side B. This side is so beautiful and serene. It starts with "Here He Comes", a song that feels like it could have been a #1 hit single on a distant planet. It's ready for that mixtape you're making for that cool person you're trying to impress. The next three tracks flow together smoothly, like the bodies of water described in "Julie With..." and "By This River". Then there's "Spider and I". Just like the title track from Eno's album "Another Green World", this song feels like a peaceful moment. It's perfect, you want it to last forever, but it's over a little too soon. Every time I hear this song I always have to hear it a second time. It's said that Eno was worried about repeating himself after "Another Green World". Instead he was able to pull together many of the sounds he had developed over the past 5 years and make a succinct statement. I know there was much more that went into the making of this record (100 songs edited down to 10; Oblique Strategies- don't get me started!), but here's how I see it. Although "Low" and "Heroes" were released before this record, he had this album concept in his mind 2 years prior. This record seems like a state of the union, you're hearing where he's been, the best version of what he's doing now, and where he's going.
A bit on the fence with this. I wasn’t fussed by the first half of the record but love the second half. It’s somewhere between a 4 and a 5 for me. I’ll give it a 5 to make sure I come back and listen again in the future.
I'm generally a huge fan of Brian Eno, particularly his songs (as opposed to ambient works). He's got a real ear for the unusual and yet compelling. I also really like his work with David Byrne.
I rate King lead hat a 3 star because its not really for me but the instruments are good and the singing is good. I rate by the river a 5 star because its calming and the singing is good. I rate Spider and i a 3 star because its not really for me but the instruments are good and the singing is good.
Do you want to listen to some music that has a lot of electric guitar? Well in King's Lead Hat you can! I rate this song a ⭐⭐⭐. I kind of recommend this song. Do you want to listen to some music that has some nice calming piano? Well in By This River you can! I rate this song a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. I highly recommend this song. Do you want to listen to some music that has some nice calming sounds? Well in Spider And I you can! I rate this song a ⭐⭐⭐⭐. I recommend this song.
So unexpected it needed back-to back listens to understand. What a delight.
Jævlig bra, hørte masse på da mens eg gikk permisjonsstien i fjor sommer
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
The Man!
This album was not what I expected at the beginning, but then it became very much what I expected by the end.
God I love Brian Eno
First track is alright. Tracks two and three are incredibly annoying. However, once the album gets to Energy Fools the Magician and especially King's Lead Hat, the record gets incredible and never stops being so. A very easy 4.5/5. On the higher end of that, so I'll give it the 5. Maybe I'll come around to those more oblique tracks another day.
I frigging love Brian Eno, this might be my favourite of his albums (that are under his name anyway). Unlike most folks, gauging from reviews here, I strongly prefer the first half of the album. But I can see how to second half works as a transition to a lot fo his later work.
I've never listened to a Brian Eno album before today, but I'm already reasonably familiar with his style, given that he's produced so much music I do know, most notably quite a few Bowie albums. But listening to a pure Brian Eno album is a whole different experience, and I mean that in the best way possible. The diversity and contrast on this album sounds fantastic, and coupled with Eno's beautiful slick production, there really is nothing to dislike about this album.
Arguably, the peak of Eno's solo rock albums. Despite being often forgotten, "Before and After Science" has a kind if maturity that his previous albums lack. It was recorded in the brief period between his work with Bowie in Berlin and his later work with the Talking Heads (who are name checked on this album, in anagram form). The Oblique strategies that he used to spark creativity was really hitting its stride by this time. Working with musicians from Can, Cluster, as well as Robert Fripp and Phil Collins, Eno brought healthy experimentalism along with a lot of accessibility, at least if you're willing to put the time in. Like Bowie's album "Low", "Before and After Science", as two distinct sides, one bordering on pop music and one resembling his later ambient works. The album takes some time to fully appreciate but it's worth some effort.
Eno‘s music always has a fantastic texture/quality to it. Quirky pop mixed with fantastic production
A highly diverse album with very metaphorical lyrics, yet mostly somewhat understandable or at least thought-provoking for the imagination. Sonically, it contains many details that were experimental at the time but can now be heard even on mainstream albums. The first Brian Eno album I listened to as part of this project, and it's a true masterpiece.
The perfect companion piece to Another Green World. Such a beautiful record.
While side A is great, it's side B that's truly gets me going on Before And After Science. It's a goodbye to Eno, the rock musician, and a welcome to Eno, the avant/ambient mastermind. This album is the definition of best of both worlds.
Goofy cool
4 - great producer album. Cool soundscapes. Favorite songs: by this river and backwater
I've had like 3 Eno touched albums in the last month (this, Roxy Music, and Bowie's Heros) and the more I know about him, the more I really appreciate his style and influence. This album is is basically two halves. 1 half 70s pop, 1 half dreamy soundscape. While the beginning is fun, with King's Lead Hat being particularly notable, the second half is really inspirational. Like nothing I've heard before, but at the same time nostalgic and incredibly well produced. It starts with Here He Comes, but really, Julie With... and By This River are the stars of this album. Great listen.
1977. Art rock, art pop, avant-pop, experimental pop
Phenomenal, trailblazer, unique.
Fell in love with this the first day it was released and the love has not diminished. 5 stars
The perfect synthesis of Eno's art-rock "before" and ambient "after," a masterful bridge of musical alchemy where quirky complexity dissolves into ethereal expansiveness.
Brian Eno just is always very fun to listen to
ScIeNcE rUlEs Alrighty I got the two Roxy Musics featuring him, and Bush of Ghosts, and Warm Jets, and the Airport one & Green World. I even listened to his collab with Lanois, Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks, of my own volition, and *loved* it. The exciting thing: I still have no idea what I'm getting into here- such is the guy’s creative restlessness. At first I thought “Here He Comes” was just Eno’s take on yacht rock, but the modern-sounding guitar and harmonies elevated it on a subsequent listen. Holay there are some beautiful moments in this ("By this River") This may come on top for solo Eno releases for me. In the past, his rock-y tracks took a back seat to the ambient ones, but here I didn't really have a preference between the two. HL: “Spider and I”, “By This River”, “King’s Lead Hat”, “Backwater”, “Here He Comes”, "No One Receiving" November 14, 2024
My first experience with Brian Eno (other than albums he's produced for other artists). Some of the first tracks in the first half were enjoyable and I can see how they influenced other people like The Talking Heads, and I also liked the style of the lyrics. The second half leans more towards ambient music and it's the part of the album I enjoyed the most, there are parts of it that are quite moving. Favorite songs: No One Receiving, Backwater, King's Lead Hat, Here He Comes, Julia With, By This River, Spider and I Would I listen to it again? Definitely, I enjoyed this first listen and I feel like going more in depth with this album. 9/10
Words cannot describe how much I love Brian Eno and his music. Not only did the man cultivate an entirely unique sound in the '70s, but he's widely considered a forefather of one of my favorite music genres, ambient. I've always enjoyed the precursor to this album 'Another Green World' for that exact reason with its bold fusions of art rock and slow transition into pure ambient in its second half. This album however ditches most of those ambient sounds in favor of these lyrically cryptic and kooky art rock tracks. Admittedly this "regression" in sound turned me off this record initially, but 'Before and After Science' has done nothing but grow on me in the past few years. It even grew on me just a liiiitle bit more with this most recent listen. This album, like many of Eno's works, is beyond life itself. It doesn't feel of this planet. The percussion is so wayward, the songs violently shift in tone and atmosphere blasting you into these textured environments that may very well re-structure your brain matter or what have you and give you a new-found perspective on life. And no, I'm definitely not exaggerating! The song 'Backwater' is the grooviest thing here and is unabashedly catchy - and I have no idea what it's even about! 'King's Lead Hat', an anagram for "Talking Heads", is another catchy highlight that sounds a bit too much like David Byrne and company on the 1980 Eno-produced 'Remain in Light'...another absolute classic. I love the cacophonous and glitchy keyboard sounds that send this track off - that particular portion does not sound like something from '87...let alone '77. The best song here has to be 'By This River', but god it's so sad. I almost hate listening to it because it makes me picture the happiest place I can ever be in only to realize, usually once the song is over, that I'll never get there, as this painting is too perfect to manifest in this miserable world. And that humming at the end always gets me. I mentioned Eno sort of strays from the ambient sounds of his previous record here but a song like 'Through Hollow Lands' is one of his greatest ambient works and I love the way it seamlessly fades out and then into the closer 'Spider and I'. I don't know what it is about this closer but the image of Eno and his little spider friend sailing away paired with those towering synth waves moves me like very few songs do - IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL. God, I love this album. Eno's '70s works in general reignite this child-like wonder and sense of hope within me. And this is not even Eno's best...in fact, I'd go as far as to say there are two of his albums that are better than this - if you can even believe that.
I love me an early Ol’ Sourpuss album.
One side of post-punk gems, quite incredibly released at a time when punk itself was barely just born + one side of very "ambient" songs, soothing and evocative = an absolute masterpiece. There is not a single dud in that wonderful record, which sees Eno using his singer-songwriter chops one last time before embarking on his 100% instrumental adventures for the next thirty years or so. The middle section of the album (rocker "King's Lead Hat", ballad "Here He Comes", and the two slow and gently minimalistic cuts that follow, "Julie With..." and "By This River") truly reaches iconic heights. Yet each track before and after said section, either with vocals or instrumentals, shines with its own muted, poetic light. *Before And After Science" is very much a swan song for Brian Eno. And what a swan song it is. Number of albums left to review: 51 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 409 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 238 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 303
Отлично! Моя музыка!
I reeeeally enjoyed this. The descent from the more energetic songs at the beginning into the meditative ones at the end was really impressive; I feel like I didn't notice a jarring shift while listening and then all the sudden I was at the last song and listening to something completely different from where I started. By This River is probably one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard also. Fav tracks: No One Receiving, By This River
Great, this album has been a constant companion since I first bought it in 1990. I love it.
Very nice.
For me personally, rhe lows in this are extremely annoying, repetition being one and experimental bits being another. But the highs are incredible and beautiful at times. Overall
Eno will introduce and repeat a musical idea that shouldn't work, and then it does. Highlights: Backwater, King's Lead Hat, Julie With, By This River, Spider And I
So cool and pretty, glad he's not just a crossword clue anymore
Great stuff.
Brian Eno is a legend. I can see his influence on the talking heads specifically in this album. The album was a journey for sure but the ambient soft songs were my favorite on this.
I’ve always had this idea that I like Brian Eno because he’s had a hand in music that I adore, but I haven’t really taken the time to listen to him. This album does not disappoint. I love (almost) everything thing about it. Also, today is his birthday! Happy birthday Brian Eno!
This is my second Brian Eno album to review, after Here Come The Warm Jets (3 stars). I’m not terribly familiar with Eno’s work as a musician, so I wasn’t sure what to expect on this album. This album wound up being a really pleasant surprise. I enjoyed the Avant-pop sound of this album, and I felt like it was really accessible and easy to listen to. The album was musically varied, but still had a very cohesive sound. There was a little bit of everything here: funkier songs with more emphasis on percussion and bass, up-tempo songs with more focus on pop-driven synthesizer melodies, and even some guitar playing that sounded like a preview of what was to come with new wave music. I enjoyed the songs that focused more on synthesizer melodies, like “Backwater,” but “No One Receiving” and “King’s Lead Hat” were fantastic as well. Brian Eno’s talent as a producer and arranger is really evident on this album, but he’s also incredibly proficient at all the instruments that he plays on this album as well. Eno’s vocals are really great too, and I especially loved his style of rhyming on “Backwater.” This album was really great from start to finish, and it’s going to be an album that I’ll revisit several times, and I know that each time I do, I'll discover something new about it.
💖 backwater 🗣️ 9️⃣
Great album. Listened 3 times today. Keeping on the phone for at least a while.
This is pretty perfect for me. Sort of a weird art-pop-experimental record with lots going on in a great way. Its simple and complex at the same time. Brian Eno is the boy like, I’m more familiar with his ambient stuff and the records he’s helped produce, but everything he does is gold (from what Ive heard anyway, his back catalogue is ridiculously big). You can hear his influence on Bowie, Talking Heads, etc., and I’m sure Roxy Music wouldve been a much better band if Bryan Ferry wasnt such a dickhead and let Eno do his thing. Ive already listened to this a few times and itll be on repeat for a while yet. Superb
I had to sit and contemplate it briefly, but I think this project is really cool. The first half harkens back to Eno's more energetic rock/pop efforts, and the second half bridges into more future synth/ambient territory. I'm not as big a fan of that first half, but the transition into "Julie With..." is absolutely chilling, and followed by the lovely but dark "By This River". Everything Eno touches turns a shade of gold, and this is no exception.
genius
The first half is good, the back half is great. Unlike some other artists who keep popping up, every Brian Eno album is a welcome sight.
I'm a big Eno fan, but somehow I've never heard this. And it's so good, one of the few albums on here I listened to twice. Just immaculately produced and tuneful and whimsical and somehow not as dark as his other work but still breathtaking.
I’ve seen him in liner notes everywhere, but now I get it.
Fourth and last of the 70s Eno pop albums and maybe the best. Side two gets let’s pop but so atmospheric and great. He’s simply the best.
I loved this I can't believe I haven't listened to Brian Eno before
Not sure why this is one of my favourite albums but it is. It's so quirky and low key without fanfare or technical brilliance. It's lowkey pop really. Not even that groundbreaking but it seem it's the way Brian does things- this album means a lot to me and always hits the spot when I play it so will alwys be a solid 5*****
Jævlig bra, hørte masse på da mens eg gikk permisjonsstien i sommer
Loved this album - this will be in my permanent rotation.
I don't know how popular of an opinion this is, but I think this is Brian Eno's masterpiece. So much more coherent and pleasing to the ears than "Another Green World". A fantastic blend of pop and ambient. Gotta be a 5/5.
This was a pretty cool album. I like the experimental style.
Amazing sound, huge variety of musical flavor in one album. Kings Lead Hat sounds exactly like a Talking Heads track
5/5. A very weird album but so very catchy. There is a sense of New Wave and Glam Rock here but also Ambient thrown in. None of the songs make any sense and there isn't a pre-established concept, just songs with no concept. They somehow still create a world inside Eno's mind that feels so real, I want to have whatever he's having. The first half are some pretty upbeat pop/rock songs. The second half is starting to become my favorite with its slow and brooding ballads, quiet and dark. Overall, there is a lot to like from this one, high 4 but I'll give it the 5.
Psychedelic and ambient while still having some of the vocal sounds of the 70s. This album flows very smoothly from front to back. The guitar on "Julie With" is beautiful and haunting as it flows into the piano of the next track. The second half of this album is so calm and different than the first half but still tied in so well. This is great music and wonderful art.
Peak Eno where he balances ambient with his subversion of pop .
5* because Brian Eno.
Holy moly
This is a transition album between Brian Eno’s earlier rock based work and his later ambient work. This album is all over the place. It starts with rock based post-punk but as the album progresses, transitions to more experimental music with hints of the electronic and ambient themes that would define his legacy. There are even shades of country music and symphonic pop throughout. Overall, this was an incredibly expansive album.
It started strong and just kept getting stronger, absolutely NAILING the landing. This was a delight, and the type of Eno record I was hoping to discover.
I do agree after listening to this that Eno is at a Zenith between his traditional sound and his Ambient experiments, and it sounds great.
Great material.
I love how groovy it is and how the songs all have a different feel to them
It’s got punch. And ambient music.
The second half is really rather lovely. It just lifts you up and floats you away. By the end of the final lullaby I was completely relaxed. And it works surprising well with the daftness of the first half. Like you’re loosening up with jokes and a good old sing song first.
I was immediately drawn in and as I was finding the album losing its luster just a bit, it switched gears and kept me in.
Brian Eno surprises me yet again by being excellent. I quite liked the more upbeat first side of the album but it really shines in its soothing mellow second side. I felt great listening to it and want to listen again.
Another fantastic art pop record by Eno. He's certainly matured a lot since Here Come the Warm Jets and Another Green World with masterful production techniques in repetitive (modeled after krautrock) yet beautiful melodies and a confident voice that can play many roles depending on the mood. Our first few songs are simple pop songs, but do what they do marvelously and in different ways. Those synths are multi-layered and gorgeous. Many tracks like "Kurt Rejoinder" and "King's Lead Hat" show the influence Eno would have on David Byrne's music. This quickly changes as we get into dark ambience with "Energy Fools the Magician". It's a bit out-of-place before the high-energy "King's Lead Hat" but serves as a nice break and forecasts what's to come. The whole second side carries on this calmer moodier vibe reminiscent of his ambient works, but confined to short (non-traditional) pop structures. "Here He Comes" serves an amazing blend between the two styles, still very accessible and loud but peaceful. The last four tracks tone down the volume into sparse bright arrangements. It's probably his most consistent album excluding that small misplacement (that serves a better purpose though). The pieces aren't as shocking or memorable as Another Green World, but I'd still this is more proof that cements him as of the greatest producers.
JESS, sitä hyvää. Melkeinpä rakkaaksi muodostunut levy, jonka tietenkin löysin teininä, kun katsoin Cuarónin leffan Y tu mamá también, jossa soi By this River. Levyhän on helppo romantisoida hetkeksi, kun rock-nero muuntautui ambient-jumalaksi.
"Before and After Science" is the fifth solo studio album by British musician Brian Eno. Art rock, art pop and experimental pop. Yep. Eno collaborated with a bunch of musicians from the UK and Germany (Fred Frith-Henry Cow, Phil Manzanera-Roxy Music, Phil Collins, Paul Rudoplh-Hawkwind and members from Can, Soft Machine, Fairport Convention, Free and Cluster). Eno wrote over 100 songs for the album in a two year period settling on ten. The album is noted for its pop and rock side one and ambient and pastoral side two. It was his last foray into rock as a solo artist in the 70's as that ambient side two took over. "No One Receiving" begins the album with guitar; it's funky with great percussion and polyrhythmns by none other than Phil Collins. I can see the direction Eno would direct The Talking Heads in the next few years. Isolation. Space travel. Technology. "Backwater is more upbeat. Danceable. Horns. Eno rapping to an extent. The highlightlight of "Kurt's Rejoiner" is the analogue delay bass used by Hawkwind's Paul Rudolph. Synthesizers. Mystery. Intrigue. The only single and really rock song is "King's Lead Hat." It's an anagram for Talking Heads. Look that up. An ode to new wave. Cool synth. I think science vs.non-science and nature vs. Science. "Here He Comes" kicks off the ambient side. This is softer, slower and pop. It's has nice vocals. About a boy floating thought the sky trying to get to a different time. "Spider and I" ends the album in a dreamy, atmospheric and very ambient way. Church organs. Another song about a boy and the sky. This time he's dreaming about being carried away by a ship. I liked this album quite a bit, both sides. The polyrhythmnns, the creativity, the atmosphere. The music fits the lyrics with the first rock and pop side towards understanding science (before) and the second ambient side towards going away from science (after). I'd say this is my favorite Eno album but I like his first three albums as well. All worth a listen and owning.
Thanks to my uncle, who was/are ahead of his time, I was fortunate enough to hear this either when it came out in '77 or soon thereafter. It's a masterpiece and after so many years, you can hear its (and Eno's) incredible influence on generations after. Thanks, Carter!
I’m more familiar with Eno the producer than the artist. But from this listen you can absolutely hear the incredible producing talent in his own work. A lot of Talking Heads, a lot of Bowie, and it is all great.
Most of this sounds like it could have been on a Roxy Music album but the last 3 songs sound like what I expect from Brian Eno. Both styles were great.
One of my favorites so far. The avant-garde rock of the first few songs is great, with ‘Backwater’ and ‘King’s Lead Hat’, which sound similar to The Beatles and Talking Heads, respectively. I love the more ambient stuff, specifically - well, everything, but ‘Julie With’ is my favorite. This album brilliantly shows Eno’s genius and I’m excited for the 4 other albums from him.
Art rock for weirdos. 5 stars.
Þessi plata er gamall vinur sem ég hef ekki hlustað á í að mér finnst ca. tvo áratugi. Hún nær mér ekki alveg eins og þá, merkilegt nokk, en góð er hún samt. Splæsi í fullt hús.
Eno! Ooh what to do? Not a sausage to do. Bags of fun, and so much inventiveness, I love it. By This River is gloriously beautiful. Spider and I is also gorgeous, extremely reminiscent of his work on Bowie's Low in the same year. I maybe don't love this album as consistently as Warm Jets or Another Green World but I still love it. All of Eno's albums in the 70s are fabulous.
There are too many things that I love about this album to put into this review, so I’ll focus on just a few. First, there’s the separation of moods between the two sides. Side one overall is more pop-driven and upbeat, while side two (beginning with “Here he Comes” for you CD people) is almost a mix of Eno’s ambient side with his vocal side. One thing that isn’t brought up as much as it should be is Eno the lyricist. His lyrics, rather than being about something concrete, usually paints an image to go along with the music. The absurdity of “Backwater” and the futuristic images in “No One Receiving “ matches the music in such a way that makes you wonder what came first in the writing process. This album has the sense of being more crafted rather than written. Eno himself stated how much of a bad musician he was, technically speaking, to the point where he had to label the keys at times in order to play the right notes. He does have the producer’s gift of having a good ear and a good sense of what fits into a track, however. Another easy 5 stars here!
While Eno was involved with so many acts I enjoy (Bowie, Talking Heads, U2, Fripp, so many more), it took me a while to appreciate his solo work. This is definitely one of his best, although I know he's an acquired taste. Favorite tracks - King's Lead Hat (anagram for Talking Heads - nice how Eno even sings like David Byrne on this track. The lyrics are absurd but sound great, like "All I know and all I have is time and time and tide is on my side." Great track), No One Receiving (sounds like it would be right at home on a David Bowie album - great bass and drums on this track, Percy Jones on bass (Brand X and a great session player) and Phil Collins on drums - the guy who wrote the review for this in the 1001 albums book was like "Phil Collins?" This song is a great reminder of how good a drummer Phil Collins was, especially in the 70s), and the trio of Here He Comes, Julie With..., and By This River (these tracks just take you floating away). I don't know if I would have said this 25 years ago, but these days Eno's song-based solo albums are all an easy 5 for me.
10/10 I’ve heard one of Brian Eno’s albums before but I had no idea he’s made more than just awesome ambient all the cool prog and electronic is so nice I mean come on, the man worked with Robert Fripp! I have to love him! anyway, I obviously love this album I see no reason to give this anything other than a 10/10
Amazing
Ambient art. Brian Eno is brilliant. One of the most talented people in the history of music.
Classic Eno album - not as good as his first three albums but still 5 star of course.
Another excellent album from Brian Eno. The mix of upbeat songs and more atmospheric tracks, tied together by the tasteful and unique arrangements and rhythms, makes listening to this album a very enjoyable experience throughout.
Great album, love this creative period from Eno
Absolute classic. Proper songs, but with a fresh approach to sound that makes them pop through as something both familiar and different. Some tracks are surprisingly funky (\"No One Receiving\", \"Kurt's Rejoinder\"), and often catchy (\"Backwater\", \"King's Lead Hat\"). When I was about 14, I borrowed from the library a compilation of Eno's 73-77 song-oriented albums. I did not get it at the time, but since have learned to love the tangential approach to song-writing. I still love this album every time I listen to it.
Caynt beat it, thinking of Bobby Burvant
I liked this album quite a lot. Some songs were better than others, but this is definitely one of the better albums I've heard so far. By This River is my favourite song off this album, with Through Hollow Lands a close second.
One of my all-time favorites. Expected ambient and was puzzled by this. Quickly grew on me and has remained amazing.
This is one of my favorite albums of all time. I downloaded it in college after becoming obsessed with ambient music. I didn't understand it at first since it is clearly NOT ambient, but it grew on me over the years.
New favorite in there
I really liked this. I will definitely be coming back to this album!
The comparisons to Bowie's "Low" are clichéd enough, but for my money this album has an even better "poppy"/not-as-experimental A side than Low. And that would mean this album is pretty great.
Super dope
First, few songs... i like this. By this river played - OMG! 5 STARS!!! this so calming, im gonna cryyyyy lol also spider and i huhuhu is this a deaf anthem ang gandaaaa
I like its weirdness. Definitely prefer the before side. some great musicians here.. i can hear how influential this has been. I’m glad the generator introduced me to Eno’s solo stuff. You never quite know what you’re gonna get
Good. But need to be in the mood
I understand why people would not like this album, and yet I’m charmed by it. I grew up listening to different phases of Eno, but only began to understand his life’s work after seeing the Eno film that came out in 2024. Now I appreciate him even more. That film shows how he dedicated his life and career to play—a playful approach to sound and music. That comes through clearly on this album from 1977. The first half is goofy, but charming with that background knowledge. And the last few songs show his early ambient side. I get that others might hear it and think “ick” 😆 and that's a reminder to me that everyone has their individual associations with songs, artists, and albums that make them more or less open to the music. This one was a treat for me.
(5/7) fairly interesting stuff
Not something I'd usually be into. The album really grew into itself and I feel I grew into it as well. The deeper into it I got the more I found myself wanting to take a few moments to really enjoy what I was hearing for the first ever time, not something that happens a lot. Review: 8.4/10 Favorites: Energy Fools the Magician, King's Lead Hat, Here He Comes, Julia With..., By This River,
I prefer Glam Eno over Art Eno, but I still really liked this one. Really loved King's Lead Hat.
Really good, and mostly new to me. I start going into Shake It Up during Kings Lead Hat every time. Had to have influenced The Cars.
Eno has always been able to catch my feelings and steer them in fun ways, and this is another good example. Has the ambient tracks and some more upbeat ones to go with it, it's a pretty fun journey
By This River an absolute classic but the rest of the album is consistently really good without blowing me away. RYM: Y (#492) Saved a song: N
I really liked this one. You can hear Eno responding to the punk moment without making a punk record. It's playful and quirky and immediately engaging. I really wish we had gotten more of this kind of album from Eno.
Enos most complete rock-centric album. A lot of fun.
# Album Name: Before And After Science # Artist: Brian Eno # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Wow, about time. The first Eno project i have connected with. Strange but hypnotic in places. I think i prefer this style over his later ambiance stuff. # Top Tunes: no one receiving / backwater / Kings Hat / Here he comes / By this river # Would I listen to it again? Yes
Listening to this album keeps making me think of David Bowie's "Heroes", both in the quieter second half, and the distinctly different vibe of the whole album. And I have say, I prefer this over "Heroes", personally. I have a hard time putting my finger on exactly why, but this feels more cohesive of an album. Or maybe the quirkiness matches more what I appreciate. I don't know, maybe I need to relisten to that Bowie album. Anyway, I like this...a unique and very listenable album that doesn't sound like anything else I know.
A nice sound scape
6/11/26. Enjoyed this one, a bit eclectic and then dives into more ambient styles toward the end, kind of Radiohead like but before their time.
Unusual, artsy, but also really pretty at parts.
Brian you’re cool. I honestly thought this was great. Wasn’t too serious and really experimental for a late 70s album. I did feel like it didn’t all fit together though. Quite similar to a talking heads sound with some Bowie and Beatles inspiration.
Cool early 80’s sound.
4 out of 5. Liked this album much more than I expected!
That had a great atmosphere
This took me by surprise. The first few songs didn't really hit me one way or the other, but at some point it snuck up on me.
What a versatile album, a cross between experimental rock with ambient moments. Genius really
I prefer the serving half.
Today’s Eno is getting a solid to high 4 from me. If the whole record followed the sound of the second half it’d be pushing a 5, some stunningly beautiful and unique stuff here. The first half is good but less enjoyable than similar cuts on Warm Jets for me.
Some cool tracks to start: "No One Receiving" and "King's Lead Hat" sound like the Talking Heads (the latter song title is an anagram for the band), while "Backwater" is catchy and fun. The last couple of songs were more on the experimental side, and didn't quite fit in with the other tunes.
Lots of variety, never knew what Eno sounded like before now, assumed he only existed in the form of drawn out synth tones and NYT crossword answers
Enjoyable listen, very unique for something from the 70s 4*
Unique music that is begging for a relisten. The instrumentation and the vocals come together somehow to a surprising extent.
8/10
It's a widely known fact that Before and After Science is Brian Eno's last conventional rock album, but something I don't see talked about is how the cover also reflects that. A stark, black and white illustration of Eno on a black background. Reeks desolation and coldness, like how huge explosions and supernovas are depicted in media. The music also depicts that well. I know it has mostly to do with the fact that Eno was getting more and more into the ambient side of things, but most songs here sound like a farewell of sorts. Especially side B, which combines the breathtaking sounds of ambiance with the sparse brand of rock, to create an intimate cradle of nostalgia for our hearts to play in. Side A is very much ahead of its time, with a combination of new wave, proto-punk, and an artsy side of rock to reel in the casual listener. You come for the A side, but stay for the B-side type of album. To come back to the cover, or rather the packaging, the original LP also came with four simple prints of empty rooms and a mountain chain, that evoke a feeling of emptiness, but also a sense of happiness and contentment. That's the power of true art right there.
The highlights are brilliant, where he combines rocking out with experimentation with synths, mucking about with rhythms and different sections within songs. But the second half was ethereal to the point of snoozy. I enjoyed it enough when it was good and I generally think he's a cool and interesting artist to dig into and just let the music do its thing. He's a master of making music to sit in that space between active and passive listening. It keeps you company enough that you can listen and engage but also doesn't distract too much to have it on while working or reading and not feel like you're multitasking.
It has Talking Heads vibes so I guess a bit ahead of its time. I respect Brian Eno’s experimental approach to music.
Emo has a very unique voice. Very weird. Very good.
Expected a full ambient album from brian eno but it was rocky sounding with pitadas of ambient Really nice
Not my favorite Eno album but it's still really good
This sounds like it might be experimental, don’t mind that. Pioneer of ambient eh. I enjoyed it more than I guessed but it really wasn’t like I expected. Some really cool songs and can see how it was groundbreaking. 4/5.
Great
Ambient music mit einem Hauch 70er Progressive Rock. Erinnert stellenweise an Alan Parsons. Angenehm zu hören. 4/5
eu de verdad me gustó muchoooo. cuatro estrellas y media. me guarde como tres canciones empezó re arriba y después fue bajando a melodías más melancólicas. ame
Dang, a lotta people involved here. You really hear the seeds that would eventually grow into Eno's collaboration with the Talking Heads too. In fact, I'd say this was a Talking Heads record if I didn't know any better (at least for the first half). That's a compliment if anything. I wasn't expecting to speak highly of Eno given what I've already heard of his on this list, but here we are. The second half gets more dreamy, reflective and instrumental-laden, exuding a strange beauty in its moodiness. Definitely a tale of two sides here, but both shine in differing ways.
3.5/5. Not my personal favorite Eno record but there’s still quite a few great cuts on here. It’s actually an example of an album that I would say is back-loaded in that most of the songs I really love are in the second half such as the beautiful sounding “Julie With…” or “by this river.” I mostly preferred the slower, more spacey and ambient cuts on this one. The more art-rocky cuts mostly came off as slightly weaker than those found on Brian Eno’s “Another Green World.” Still worth the full listen though IMO.
when the song is beeping and booping >>
Was alright, bit mental in places...
Die Wundertüte Brian Eno hat mal wieder zugeschlagen... und getroffen.
Embarrassingly, I hadn't listened to other Eno albums all the way through before this. I can definitely see how he's influenced so many others. I've always loved the song 'By the River.'. Overall, solid album.
Will be honest, I’ve not given Brian eno as much attention as he deserves. This was a great opportunity to actually listen to his music, and you won’t be disappointed. Track two is an absolute earworm.
Hot damn! I do love some Brian Eno. I hadn't actually listened to this one. I don't think it's bumping Warm Jets or Another Green World off their status as the favorites, but I bet I'll be be picking up a copy of this one. King's Lead Hat is great fun. Definitely slowed down towards the end, still good stuff.
Es el disco donde Brian Eno pasa de su glam punk al ambient entre el lado y lado
Not a big enough fan. But thay was pretty good
This is #day603 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's my third record from Brian Eno already. I guess I'll always prefer the art/avant-pop/rock side of him over the more ambient direction, which this album leans toward for the most part. That said, "King's Lead Hat" is an obvious standout, along with a few others. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day604.
This is a really good album. Lots of variety and every song is well done, even if not every song is to my taste. 4.0/5.0: Great
loved the first half, was a bit bored by the second half
Thd more I listen to Brian Eno, the more fascinated I am.
Album feels like a survey of what Eno had done to date and will do in the near future. A wide ranging and very effective mixture of moods and song types. Will return.
This is my first listen to 1970s Brian Eno…. I hear, of course, his later influence on Talking Heads, but the up-tempo tracks had me thinking of The Buggles, Devo and early XTC as well. I look f forward to exploring this one further, and will definitely pick this up on CD or vinyl.
Brian Eno is a real pistol. This record starts off with disco, then turns into a banger of a Talking Heads song by the end of side 1. What a disservice that his music isn't talked about more in mainstream discourse.
7.5/10 As with previous Eno albums I still struggle to connect emotionally to the songs. However, other than that it does tick all the boxes for me. It's diverse, with the first half being quirky and exciting (the Talking Heads vibes are cool) and the second half atmospheric and feeling more like a journey through various musical landscapes. The production is amazing. Highlights: Backwater Spider and I King's Lead Hat Through Hollow Lands
I didn't expect the songs to be so conventional, so to speak. I was definitely expecting something more ambient. But Wikipedia states that it was his last foray into rock before the avant-garde and ambient stuff. To me it basically shows that this guy could do anything. Damn fine album.
sounds amazingly modern for when it was released. It still has some retro synth, but it's used in more modern ways. Pretty rad, I can see why it's so influential
4.0 Ok, this is weird. Two Brian Eno Albums back to back. I listened to this on the day it dropped for my review and enjoyed it. Here he comes and Kings lead hat were standouts. There is great musicianship throughout. I went to listen to it the next day and its wiped from Spotify. Same with here come the warm jets. I wonder if he pulled it himself or Spotify took it down. It looks like Brian is anti war and supports the Palestinian people. By sounds of it Spotify takes the opposite stance on those subjects
First side of the album was between meh and annoying (King's Lead Hat) for me, but second side was very strong. The run from Here He Comes to Spider And I was incredible. Always something to take from Mr Eno's music. Mad that Ambient 1 came after this!
Never been a fan of Brian Eno, so I came in expecting to dislike this album. However, it certainly threw me for a loop. Interesting throughout, and shares some similarities to talking heads at times.
I get how important Eno's work in the 70s was, and that this is a transitional moment for him; I just don't love it quite as much as I do some of his stuff.
Spider and I está bien bonita ue :’)
I love Eno and this one shows why.
I can't believe i have listened to this sooner, very groovy.
unqiue art rock album
A little of everything and mostly good
This was a pleasant album to listen to. I don’t know if it is something I would listen to regularly, but I’m glad I listened to it now. 4 stars.
I enjoyed the 1st half, 2nd half got too boring (unless specifically looking for that vibe)
I really have been sleeping on Brian Eno. “King’s Lead Hat” is a banger.
The exact same wacky, complex mood that made me fall in love with Low (Bowie, 1977). Which makes sense, because Eno had a big part to play in that record too. But the similarity is uncanny. Spider And I and Through Hollow Lands are straight off Low's B-side. And the biting bass guitar, meandering semi-otherworldly vocals, a blitzed-out percussion part with some really strange mixing... One issue, though, is that in the midst of trying to make something "cool" and "hip", Eno has neglected the most important aspect of music: catchiness. Very few of these songs have singable/hummable melodies. Even after listening to King's Lead Hat and By This River (arguably the two tracks with the best melodies/hooks), I couldn't even begin to recite them back. That's not a sign of longevity, of star power, even if ahead-of-your-time-ness might be. Backwater is an instant highlight. The synths, bass, and lead guitar all have extremely active parts that complement each other in a flurried wall of sound. And the result is like something an alien marching band would play. It's so strange. I'm not one of the aliens, but dammit, I'm still enjoying it. Another standout is King's Lead Hat, which features some juicy high synths throughout that continue the "otherworldly" mood. Also, it's just a straight-up rocker. Hard to go wrong there. The tracks on either side, Energy Fools The Magician and Here He Comes, are fine by themselves but mostly serve as less-interesting buffer zones for the main event on side 1. By This River, despite being in a lull zone in the album, stands out for its pretty keyboard part. Julie With is intensely reminiscent of something Rick Wright would compose for early Pink Floyd. 4/5 Key tracks: Backwater, King's Lead Hat, By This River
Brian Eno is a name that I have always been familiar with but never knowingly listened to. I'm very happy for that to have changed I absolutely loved this album. Playlist Track: King's Lead Hat
It feels a bit strange to finally arrive at one of Brian Eno's solo albums after hearing so much else he's worked on throughout my life. That includes two of my favorite Coldplay albums (plus their painfully overlooked song "A L I E N S"), a U2 album I quite like (The Joshua Tree), the collaborative project he did with Fred again.. and no fewer than five Book Albums I've listened to so far (More Songs About Buildings and Food, Achtung Baby, Roxy Music, Low and "Heroes"). That said, I'm so used to seeing Eno's name in a producer/writer context that the idea of him functioning as a singer on an art rock/pop album never really crossed my mind until I put Before and After Science on. It ain't bad, either! He's obviously not the most extraordinary vocalist out there, but his voice gets the job done most of the time and doesn't get in the way of the music's exceptional writing/production. The album's rich textures also lay down some solid groundwork for his pivot into ambient music – I'm quite excited to eventually give Music for Airports a spin! Highlights: No One Receiving, Backwater, Energy Fools the Magician, King's Lead Hat, Julie With, By This River, Through Hollow Lands
1. Commence par une guitare funky pour poursuivre sur des expérimentations au synthé, très envoûtant. La partie rythmique très sympa. 2. Les paroles sont excellentes. La musique moins ma came. 3. burger cruising on the ground ground ground. Génial de sortir ça en 77 punaise. 4. respiration expe dans l’album, bien 5. okkk mid 6. incroyable, il fait ce qu’il veut ce génie 7. effet sur la voix très cool un peu triplé comme ça, le reste du son est ok sans plus 8.tres sympa, le son transporte sah 9.tu regardes une tour géante dans ta ville, et tu ressens le son. 10.sympa Dans l’ensemble très agréable. Beaucoup de styles différents, ce qui rend l’album très agréable et diversifié. 3.5+/5
it's so dreamy
Still sounds like it could have been released yesterday.
On sens vraiment l’influence qu’il a eu sur les premiers albums de Talking Heads quand on l’isole sur un album solo.
Un ottimo album, sonorità che ricordano The talking heads. Diverse canzoni ispirano una malinconia da grande città che non riesco a spiegarmi.
A good mix of uptempo electronic dance tunes and some dreamy ambient quieter mood pieces. Like this a lot. 4
'Back to silence back to minus / W/ the purple sky behind us.' Like Another Green World, Before and After Science contains songs, real, fun, bright, & light songs, w/ meaning and heartbeat in 'em. The master of ambience has his final foray into the music that must've made him, that must've been the answer to all his boyish questions & fears: forward-thinking pop music, the kind that sweeps you off your feet and holds you closest. B/c there is a sense of farewell on this record, especially the core of 'King's Lead Hat' & 'Here He Comes,' a sense that the boy has grown up and is moving on: 'The boy who tried to vanish / To the future or past / Is no longer alone / Among the dragonflies.' Saying goodbye w/ him, I'm unexpectedly moved.
A fine fine album. The ambient stuff he did later I’ve always been a fan of, but these earlier albums, with actual songs, have been faves as well. Not sure we need 5 of his albums on the 1,001, but this one is a gem.
Better than Coldplay
I have this, but remember liking it less that the other 70s Eno albums. Solid Eno, maybe not as good as the previous two, but up there. 4 Heard before? Yes Owned: Yes 46/180 (25%) Will I get: Already have
Before and After Science feels like a culmination of everything Eno had done up to this point. Rather than going further into the abstract sonic soundscapes of Another Green World, this album pulls on what came before during his more heavily tinged art and glam rock years. The result is an album that balances upbeat pop (King’s Lead Hat) with more brooding, atmospheric numbers (Julie With…). It’s another great record in a long run of essential albums from Eno in the 70s (more so when you include his output with Roxy Music) and the last time he’d really make music like this before moving fully into pioneering ambient.
I’ve never listened to much Brian Eno. I liked the first few. The production is great.
Listened to this like 3 times, but was too distracted to give it much dedicated attention. I appreciated the variety of sounds here -- lot of influence on downstream artists. No One Receiving sounds so much like Talking Heads circa Remain in Light that its uncanny. And I guess for that matter a through-line could be traced to some LCD Soundsystem work as well. Backwater is undeniably catchy. Kurt's Rejoinder is creepy but bright -- makes for an interesting exploratory voyage of sorts. King's Lead Hat is a kooky jam. Appreciate the slogginess of Julie With (something in the bass tones employed makes me think vaguely of Thundercat). And Spider and I is a pretty closer made spacious by the synths. For me this is the softest of 4s.
Sounds a lot like Talking Heads in the first half. Definitely sounds like Eno in the second half with the spacey ambiance. Something about By The River made me feel very introspective. Thanks, Brian.
ENOOOOO Really loving the first song. If you just played this to me without me seeing what it was I 1000% would have said it was Talking Heads. Something on the second song annoys me but I can’t put my finger on it. The long synth notes on Kurt’s Rejoinder is sweet and dreamy. Julie With… has some Floyd ambiance to it. V pretty. This was a delightful album. Got very ambient towards the end but in a good way.
Eno is so good and I’m so happy I know that now!
First time hearing this and I loved it. In different moments could hear many of my favorite bands, and it kind of reminds me of what I want Pink Floyd to sound like when I forget what Pink Floyd actually is.
I liked this album. This was my first time listening to this album and this musician. Although I think I heard the name Brian Eno before, I don't actually remember any of his songs before hearing this album. I definitely could see where the music was starting to lean towards a more avant-garde and ambient style in the second half of the album. That being stated, I really liked "Here He Comes"
Very interesting
Although I rate Brian Eno more for his production and collaborations, this is one of my favorite solo albums. It’s a bit of a journey in that it starts off a little dodgy and gets infinitely better. By the end, ‘spider and I’ it’s awesome!
Nice chords that linger on for a while, and good dynamics throughout the album.
I’m a big lover of Brian Eno Mk 2 and his ambient stuff. It’s just the kind of music I like to drift off to sleep on a night or have on in the background to relax to. Being retired never tried working along with it but I’m sure, as others in work have testified, it would serve a purpose there. That’s not to say that his music is simple. It has many layers and complex in a lot of ways. As you would expect from a man who has a brain the size of a planet. I have dipped my toe into his earlier work but never this one. I don’t dislike his more rockier early music but never was interested enough to add any to my collection. There’s something about Brian’s singing voice which spoils things for me. I’m a lot happier when he’s just producing sounds. As regards this album it does begin with a lot of his singing but even that eventually begins to soothe as the album reaches its end with bits of ambience creeping into the music. A little taster of what was to come. 4/5 9/1/26
Not an Eno I know well, but as with any Eno - really interesting stuff. I will try sometime to dig into the full discography. This was a great reminder to do it!
Apart from the last 3 songs this would have been a 5. I was genuinely shocked to see the date this was published, it felt SO modern, almost like an early form of acts like Tally Hall or Lemon demon, genuinely shocked.
Solid
This is a bop. Eno is a genius
Really liked the first half. You could hear the Bowie and the David Byrne. I'm trying to like the ambient music more, and I almost got it. Overall, though, worth a second listen. That's a 4-star.
A little slow at times but just the right level of weird
Weird and wonderful
More Roxy Music than Apollo, you can still hear what he was shaping into on this album. A very good listen.
Well, that was something.
Weird one for Eno. I guess this is his "rock" album? Music is mostly solid. A lot of really interesting moments on the front half that have a rock/funk/soul feel going on. I find that his vocals never really fit what I'm hearing though. They just always sound... wrong somehow. Back half is more what I expect from Eno. I'll probably spend a little more time with this to be honest. Here He Comes, with its twangy country sound is probably the only song I'd skip on future listens.
After back to back one stars this was like an oasis in the desert. My third Brian Eno album and maybe my favourite so far. Top Track - By This River
I always avoided Brian Eno because I thought he was pretentious rubbish for 6Music dads. I was either completely wrong or I’ve become a 6Music dad. Either way, this is just fun slightly weird pop music. Will check out more of his discography. I still hate Roxy Music.
Eno is a legend, and his production is wonderful here. However, I have never cared for his voice. If it was Bowie singing these songs it wouldn't 100% work, as the vibe is more low key than Bowie typically is, but I would probably still like them more. As such, I actually prefer the ambient pieces on this album to the popier tracks. Still a great album all things considered. *Heard before
An interesting album, I liked Backwater, King's Lead Hat and Spider And I the most.
3.5/5
Solid combo of Punk, glam rock, and more ambient tracks.
I've not listened to much of Brian Eno pre ambient works stuff, it sounds remarkably similar to Depeche Mode. I rather enjoyeed King's Lead Hat. Good album, enjoyed the songs
Really enjoyed this: had a nice mix of weird and chill music. Could see why it would not be everyone’s cuppa tea, but it was great for this sick rainy Monday spent making linoprints.
I was skeptical because new wave typically annoys me, but I have to admit that this album was some unique and special.
I know Brian Eno always says he's "not a musician", but maybe we should be calling BS on that. This album is cool and fresh (even though it's like 30 years old. I especially like the mellow second half.
It grew on me! The first side wasn't my favorite. Can't pinpoint why, but it definitely is quite different than what I usually listen to. Music that is too "happy" also doesn't speak to me that much. Although on a relisten I can appreciate it more But the second side, I loved it. I listened to it late at night, while I was drawing, and I was somewhere else immediately. Melacholic, nostalgic, I'm not sure... Just beautiful.
I prefer the roxy music -> warm jets side of eno and this album sounds closer to that then ambient stuff I don’t really care about. I listened to it when in the bath and it sounded like drifting into the night 4/5
Ich steh ja auf diesen verdrogten 70s-Sound, auch wenn das hier eher nach dem Comedown nach dem Trip klang. Tolle Entdeckung!
Surprised to see a structured eno project and at that maybe the best one yet. It does evolve into the more spacey ambient stuff I know him for in the last 3 or 4 tracks but they are so incredibly pretty that I cant dare to take anything away from them. But it has real songs. Actual songs with a framework. Mind blowing. I even saved an early song thay had kinda a punk edge to it. Not expecting that in the slightest. Still not perfectly my thing but im try happy woth this one. Happy to be wrong about things every once and a while
"King's Lead Hat" is excellent. The rest of the album did not capture my attention much (especially the songs near the end that have little energy) but I can see why some people would like it. Also, this is the No New York guy. That has to be worth something
Weird energy but I’m here for it! Listened twice, better on the 2nd run. Better with headphones too, to catch all those crazy sounds. 7.5 / 10 Best track/s: Backwater, Kings Lead Hat, Here He Comes
I adore Brian Eno and the mystique / unpredictability associated with his works. This is one of the weirder records he's put his name to, with a disorientating, off-kilter thread accentuating what you could otherwise describe as a relatively conventional experience by his standards, in terms of the songs generally following defined structures and possessing 70s pop-like sensibilities. It feels like a refinement of the first phase of his career into a creative apex, with his subsequent shift towards ambient music hinting that he also felt as such. The bass guitar is up to all kinds of wizardry throughout, the piano playing is completely deranged at points, and the distorted vocals / anxiety-inducing synth work entwined with some juxtaposing optimistic tones ensures that Before and After Science lives in my head rent free.
I’m a big Eno fan so…I’ve always had a soft spot for this early stuff. It wears the time pretty well still.
Thoughts before listening: One thing I have learned from this project is that not ALL of Brian Eno's music is weird ambient soundscapes. He does that quite a bit, but he has tackled other genres to great effect. I especially like his glam rock album for instance. That being said, the cover of this album is making me think we're in for some ambient soundscapes. Review: So this is a pop rock record and not the ambient sound I was expecting. Its pretty good. Basically avant-garde pop music with a bunch of textures layered on top. This had to have been a big influence on the new wave bands that were starting to form around the time of this release in the late 70s. Mix something like "Kurt's Rejoinder" with some punk rock attitude and you basically have Devo. Then there is "Here He Comes" which has a bit of a country feel to it and reminds me of what would come to be called alt-country. It feels like Eno is basically laying out the blueprint for future alternative music on this album. Definitely a pleasant surprise with this one although the slow second half does kind of lose my interest. Still though, its 4-stars.
Brian Eno at some point must have realized his strengths lie primarily in composition and soundscapes and production, not in songwriting. That fact is mirrored in this album, as it's definitely the stranger, more sonically experimental songs that shine whilst the more conventional pop-rock tracks just really fall quite flat.
MDR. Juste incroyable. Oingo boingo vibes.
Decent variety. My favourites were King's Lead Hat, Here He Comes and By This River.
Such a full delicious sound
The Good: There was science applied, and we all like science The Bad: Not knowing which part of the science was before, and which part was after… The Ugly: The damn album cover… I promised myself I would not judge… but damn, that’s ugly! Never having heard of this album before, yet knowing who Mr Eno is, I was a little worried about title, thinking this was going to be another experimental type album. What a relief! Maybe it has something to do with me just going through a “all music from the ‘70s is awesome” phase, but this was a joy to listen to. At times, closing my eyes, I wasn’t certain if I was listening to a Brian Eno album, or a Talking Heads album… maybe there is something I don’t know and I should read up on the intrawebs all the secrets about this album, but I can’t be bothered with that today. So, 4* as I know I will want to sit back and listen to this album again some day!
o último mais puxado prum rockzinho dele. é bacana demais, gosto muito. dá pra ver que ele bebeu bastante da fonte do bowie de quando trabalharam juntos, mas sem deixar de dar seu toque eletrônico!! eu gosto. here he comes eh BOA DEMAIS COMO PODE PORRAAAAAAAAA gosto mto de spider and i também, acho uma ótima música pra finalizar o album
Love all of Eno's early albums, but if he re-recorded them today with anyone other than himself singing they'd be 5s. Absolutely worth checking his whole history, but my favorites with his hand on them are My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, Talking Heads Remain in Light, and Bowie's Low, Heroes, and Lodger - plus the invention of Ambient Music as a recording category.
I liked the sound a lot. Would listen again
This was a really pretty album with really cool instrumentation. It definitely felt kind of experimental
Really enjoyed this! Solid 4 as I’m leaving room for more of a masterpiece and this one feels like it straddles two sounds so you’re either going to want to listen to Side A or Side B.
01) No One Receiving - 8,0 02) Backwater - 7,5 03) Kurt's Rejoinder - 7,5 04) Energy Fools the Magician - 8,0 05) King's Lead Hat - 9,0 06) Here He Comes - 8,0 07) Julie With... - 7,0 08) By this River - 7,0 09) Through Hollow Lands - 7,0 10) Spider and I - 8,0 TOTAL: 7,70 (77/100)
He has some Talking heads moments
Brian eno is really good. I’ve never really been blown away by a song on first listen quite like by the river. Almost want to give the album a 5 for that but I don’t think I liked the rest quite as much
This album was a breath of fresh air. "Ocean music" is exactly how I would describe it. The first track is quite funky but then quickly evolves into a more experimental ambiance type ride. I found Backwater to be a really funny song. It's so upbeat and happy and positive......as they're stranded in a raft in the ocean and dying trying to keep their minds off things. Some of the tracks are so unusual and just interesting. Experimenting with some really weird sounds/tones/notes that is almost offputting but strangely enjoyable. Such as in King's Lead Hat when it sounds like he's just slamming on the piano. Hard to describe really because this album has so many different elements. It's smooth, it's ambient, there's some rock/pop elements but overall just a really fun, relaxing album to listen to. Spider and I is probably my favorite track on here, it's so chill.
This was pretty good! I really enjoyed the sound of it.
3/4
interesting album and definitely has its moments, but ultimately it's a light like for me, and not a love. i was more enamored with the heavier moments on here than the more ambient stuff, which i found a bit dull in comparison. it's definitely a mixed bag of an album, but i found i didn't really appreciate the full mix.
The first half was flawless. Backwater and King's Lead Hat were probably my favorites. By this River instrumentals would fit perfect on the Minecraft soundtrack. The second half I didn’t enjoy as much. But I’m sure it’s the more influential half as he starts wading into ambient territory. Really torn between 4 and 5 stars. Rating: 4.5
Another Eno Album! One of Rock’s great chameleons…a great trip of an album.
Have listened about 5 times and whilst I have enjoyed it - its a surprisingly poppy/ accessible - nothing has really stayed with me or made its way on to a playlist.
The album seems the crossroads between his art-pop and ambient philosophy. 'My Life in the Bush of Ghosts' was the major leap forward in terms of his ambient composition. 'Another Green World' has some of his best early ambient experiments (especially the title track) and I don't think Before and After Science ever matches that, but as an album it certainly maintains a higher quality than it's predecessor. So - an album of consistent quality, a bit haphazard, but some nice glimmers of what was to come, standing as an excellent body of work within it's own right.
Album has great points but sometimes it sounds like engeneering experiment and a non music for listener. Maybe I will return to the record later. Album has already gave me good moments but I also can get why such a nerd music had no commercial success.
In love with his music ever since I heard this. That doesn't mean it's good. 4/5
83% Best: No One Receiving; King's Lead Hat; Here He Comes; By This River Must-Hear? Sure
The best Eno album for me it seems to sit astride musical paths taken by many soon after the album release was recorded. I do prefer the popish Eno.
Solid. Surprising!
4.4
It's the guy from every third NYT crossword! I don't know that I've ever actually heard him, but I think I'm going to be exploring more. I appreciate his sense of melody and the meditative quality of much of the album.
Brilliant tones, voice, invigorating and relaxing music. I must revisit
Can deffo see how this same man produced Remain in Light. Really liked the instrumentals. Kings Lead Hat is such a bop – could be The Fall.
Sad in a pretty way, which I like.
Un álbum importante para el desarrollo del ambient y la electrónica pero que también mezcla elementos del art rock. Aún sin ser un disco de Bowie, este podría considerarse dentro de la trilogía de Berlín. Muy recomendable. 4/5
‘yeah i produced “remain in light” how’d u know?’
Begins a high three, Ends a low five, I know just What to do with you.
Chill.
this is the type of album i'm doing this project for. It's so artistic and creative and unique. One of the first albums i had on this list was Eno's "another green world" which I think is a more complete album but some the ways he intertwines lyrics with harmonies on this record is quite special. By this River is an amazing tune. Has all the markings of a great track and should be in the same conversation as the greats of the 60/70's.
Good
I’ve listened to a lot of Brian Eno over the years, but while I enjoy his ambient work, his band/vocal work has illuded me. Before and After Science changed that for me. I really dig what Eno is doing on this record. Before and After Science seems to hint at Eno's growing interest in ambient, as many songs are softer or evoke very peaceful, spacey, ambient textures. Eno marries his vocals to the music beautifully. I'm going to have to listen to more Eno from now on.
1. Packt es mich? (4) ➤ die stimme ist sehr beruhigend und nicht besonders vielfältig. Dafür sticht aber die Melodie und der Klang der Lieder noch mehr hervor. Es wurden schöne Atmospheren geschaffen 2. Kreativität & Ideen: (3,5) ➤ Es gab besondere Klänge, diese haben sich aber auch oft wiederholt, das finde ich aber nicht so schlimm 3. Wohlfühlfaktor: (4,5) ➤ sehr entspanntes hörerlebnis, ich hätte zu manchen songs einschlafen können aber im Positiven, die songs haben mich quasi eingedeckt 4. Genre & Offenheit: (3) ➤ auch wieder etwas was ich normalerweise nicht so oft höre aber definitiv spannend und interessant, sehr künstlerisch 5. Zugänglichkeit: (4) ➤ habe zwar mal wieder länger gebraucht und habe es nicht ganz am stück gehört, am ende des albums war ich trz kurz traurig das es schon vorbei ist (Optional) Text & Hintergrund: ➤ tbh. ich habe die Texte nicht so ganz verstanden, weiß nicht ganz ob es an meinem Englisch lag oder ob es einfach nonsense war Gesamt: 19 / 25 → ⭐ 3,8 / 5 Sterne Kommentar / Lieblingssong(s): Kings Lead Hat, Here he comes, Through Hollow Lands
I like Brian Eno but, at first, I really didn't like this album. However, as it when on, it turned into something I very much enjoyed. The first couple of tracks are the weakest on the album. They border on annoying. From Kurt's Rejoinder onwards though, the album really picks up. Ending with a series of beautiful, soft songs.
One of those few albums that gets better as it goes on (highlight run: from King's Lead Hat til the very end). The first track instantly reminded of Talking Head, and what do you, they showed up later on! I wonder how the circle of influence was between them and Eno. (Also, TIL: Eno produced Remain in Light, and I'm sure he produced others as well.) Really really good, in any case, and I can't help but mention how magical By This River still remains a million listens later (forever thankful to Y Tu Mamá También for introducing it to me some 6-7 years ago.)
Really enjoyed listening to this album as it had passed me by when first released. Original and diverse it is packed full of brilliant sounds and thought provoking lyrics. Almost 5 stars !
I can see the influence this had on artists to follow (and contemporaries) like Peter Gabriel, post-70s King Crimson, Talking Heads, etc. Eno and Adrien Belew sound identical to me. Overall, Before And After Science is very approachable and interesting music. I liked it! Liked Songs Added: King's Lead Hat
Once again, Brian Eno sounds to me like Berlin age Bowie, but weirder. No surprise here. Good record.
אלבום מצוין! מאוד מעניין ולעתים קצת איטי במיוחד השיר הראשון לא משהו שיר מועדף - Backwater
One of Eno's most curious releases. An Art Rock album he made right as he was coming up with the concept of "ambient music". There are plenty of ambient moments here, intercepted by song that call back to his earlier, more glam-inspired works. Key tracks: Backwater By This River Spider and I
cool
Wut...
The album that gave us classic NYT Crossword clue ambient musician Brian.
Woah, I had no idea! I really enjoyed this one, it was really interesting. But had this album came six months ago I don’t know if I would have been able to get through it.
Eno captures otherness with his lyrics and music.
I loved the back half a lot more than the front, but instrumentally this whole album is a treat. Eno is one of those artists that makes you want to use words like "soundscape". Favorite tracks: Julie With, Spider and I.
Interesante eh
Most of it kinda washed over me until By This River, and then I just restarted it and for some reason it just clicked? I'm not sure why, but it did the trick. Nice lyrics, soft, but the instrumentals also have a really weighty feel to them, if that makes sense. Definitely worth a listen, I'm not much on the melancholic stuff but this sticks out.
Brian Eno seems to have two modes: Renn Faire weirdo who will show you magic tricks while singing songs about fairy tales, and stuffy, nerdy, ambient composer who is really into synthesizers. I have also learned that one is not necessarily better than the other, and that in both cases, sometimes he can journey up his own ass a bit too much, but other times, he just cranks out some of the most beautiful music known to man. It has nothing to do with whether he’s being serious or pretentious or goofy, or even if you particularly prefer one version of Eno over the other. It just depends. Before And After Science seems to find Eno stuck between these two lands pretty distinctly, moving between clownish and professional, rock carnival to dead-pan piano odes. It’s mostly a 50/50 split, but there’s elements of both men on both sides. Sometimes, the goofy rock carnival songs blow me away; other times, they make me groan and roll my eyes. Sometimes, the ambient tracks feel too lowkey and more like experimental sketches than honest-to-god compositions; and sometimes, I am crying on my bedroom floor feeling the beautiful of the universe. But through it all, I appreciate that this includes all of Eno’s range in one place. I think seeing that range makes for a stronger record overall somehow, because I can feel the stretching, even when he’s falling short for me personally. Sure, I may ultimately think Side B is stronger, and if I owned a vinyl copy would mainly stick to playing that side, but I admire that I’m able to see his multifaceted nature all in one spot. This record has some of his strongest art rock songs *and* some of his strongest ambient songs. It’s like he figured out how to go balls-to-the-wall in his weirdness (great for art rock) while also still not figuring out how to deconstruct synth music to the point where it’s just ambient drones (which makes for accessible piano ballads). It also has some of his weakest efforts on both fronts, but because I can see a diverse vision, I almost am more forgiving of what feels like over-ambition on both ends. To me, this diversity creates an extremely balanced album, and while it lacks the overall consistency of Warm Jets, I think there are songs on here that will stay with me way longer. It feels like the perfect transitional record, with a variety of dishes I can explore for years.
Brian Eno is a legend and I really wish his music was more accessible to people.
The album kicks off with a strong Talking Heads vibe: rhythmic, quirky, and full of life. But after the first handful of tracks, it slides into more familiar Eno territory, or least what I'm familiar with at this point: ambient, atmospheric, and experimental. It’s a good blend, though I found myself more engaged with the front half. Still, an interesting listen that shows both sides of Eno’s creativity.
Good stuff! I can see why ppl have this reverence for Eno.
First time through this didn’t capture me the way other Eno albums have, but after further listens that changed. The first side is great chaotic fun and clearly foreshadows the work he’d do with Talking Heads. Side two is less memorable but still rather pretty. I would say I’m becoming an Enophile, but apparently that’s a wine connoisseur. Something which I am not.
Interesting album! Interesting, more than truly enjoyable esp. the quirky and Talking-Heads-esque first half. The second half is the opposite, enjoyable, and actually still interesting as early "ambient", which Brian Eno invented if I'm correct. A great musician and producer. Could have been a 3 purely based on my enjoyment, but gets an extra star because of the wider importance of Brian Eno.
I love this album. Ambient, funky, beautiful music. Eno is always interesting and forward thinking.
Another album I’d never heard in its entirety that was an excellent surprise. What a solid, pleasurable album. Very Eno.
This album is very much two sided. It begins with Talking Heads-esque pop songs and transitions into super mellow ambiance that felt like I was floating in water. I really liked it. Favorite songs were Backwater, King’s Lead Hat, Here He Comes, and By This River.
This was surprisingly hooky and poppy for what I know of Brian Eno, while still having interesting and experimental touches. Pretty cool.
Perfect album to listen to on a hungover Sunday. The ambient section of the album really allows to enter his world and his fairytale-like story telling brings you along with him
Always hear about Brian Eno and how influential he is. A real soundscape here!
Loved it, grew and grew on me - bit of Mick Jones (BAD not clash I think) in there
Artistic and definitely an experience. I'm not sure I loved it, but I sure didn't hate it either.