Page 6-Tuesday, February 7, 1978-The Michigan Daily 0no' s musical wizardry brilliant _ _ -"Oqqq By MIKE TAYL OR , RIAN ENO'S MUSICAL history is a rich one. After founding Roxy sic with Bryan Ferry in the early enties, he went on to work with ar- like John Cale, Robert Calvert, in Ayers, Robert Wyatt, Nico, and Roxy mate Phil Manzanera. In the They made two excellent albums though, 801 Live, a stunning showcase for Eno and Manzanera's work, and Listen Now, a studio effort on which Eno stayed mainly in the background. Most importantly, Eno hooked up with David Bowie. Together, the pair made two of Bowie's best albums, Low and "Heroes." Although Bowie Before and after Science Brian Eno Polyor Deluxe 2302 071 released. Then came Taking Tiger. Mountain (By Strategy), a bizarre trek through China; Eno's only straight- ahead rock'n'roll album, it also remains his most cohesive. Another Green World, which came out two years ago, showed a new, more mature Eno. The instrumentation had become im- peccable, the production sparkling, and the tunes, mostly instrumentals, were better than ever. And now there's a fourth album on Eno's solo list. Before and after Science combines the increased maturity of Another Green World, the intriguing lyrics and punch of Taking Tiger Moun- tain (By Strategy), and the aimless variety of Here Come the Warm Jets with a new element - deeper, fuller in- strumentation, into what may be Eno's masterwork. EACH OF THE album's ten tracks is superb. No wonder - Eno's reputed to have selected them after recording over a hundred songs. No two cuts re- semble each other, yet similar themes and feelings hold them together. More so than in any of his past work, Eno's vocals are just one of the many layers that make up each song. He's singing lower than before - perhaps Bowie's influence - and with unusual self-contrAl. Consequently, Eno's voice plays the same role as the various in- struments do in forming waves of sound. "No one receiving" starts the action off with a funky disco beat, certainly a new twist for Eno. His booming, inces- sant voice, flowing through layers of in- struments, propels the tune. Like most of Eno's work, the themes and con- struction are quite abstract, close aural counterparts to the modern paintings that fill our art galleries and museums: "KING'S LEAD HAT" and "Back- water" are fast tunes in the same vein as older songs like "Miss Shapiro" and "Third Uncle." But while "King's Lead a Otocess, Eno assembled a series of re- markable albums of his own, including thee "rock" records, two droning, but tiot unpleasant collaborations with ex- King Crimson leader Robert Fripp, and the avante-garde, pre-programmed ~iscreet Music. Last year, Eno brought it all togeth- r. With Manzanera he formed 801. NEWS FROM THE MAJOR EVENTS OFFICE We are very proud to announce that Steve Goodman will appear, in concert, with special guest, Jim Post, on Thursday, February 16, at the Power Center. Good- man, whose subtle humor and sensitive song-stylings have thrilled Ann Arborites .since his days at the Ark, causes unparol- lelled excitement whenever he appears. In a world beset with electronics, where laser beams and smoke bombs often sub- stitute for talent, Steve Goodman has built *o career simply singing his songs- one man and his guitar. While playing in his hometown of Chicago in 1971, he was "discovered" by Kris Kristofferson-and his career was launched. In 1972 Arlo Guthrie hod a world-wide hit with Steve's "City of New Orleans."' In 1975 he signed with Elektra/Asylum and has released three albums, his latest being "Say It In Private." With help from friends like Jimmy Buffett and John Prine, Good- man has laid down some of his own new songs, as well as some tunes by Hank Williams, Smokey Robinson, and others. Claiming roots that are a combination of country blues and Chicago urban blues, Steve Goodman has developed a singing and songwriting style that has set him apart from others in his field. In September, 1976, he sold out our Power Center. He's unique. He's good. Need we say more? Welcome back, Steve. Tickets are all $5.00 (reserved) and are available at the Michigan Union Box Office (11:30 to 5:30, M-Fri.). For more infor- mation, please call 763-2071. TIDBITS: Boz Scaggs' backing band is known as "Toto," and has an album due shortly on Columbia Records . . . Mitch Ryder (of "Detroit Wheels" fame) is on a comeback tour in Canada . . . Phil Walden, of Capicorn Records, has been meeting with Greg Allman and Dickey Betts, sparking rumors of a possible Allman Brothers reunion.... retained control over the production and most of the music, Eno contributed brilliant instrumentation and a few lovely melodies. He also encouraged Bowie to experiment with the Dadaes- que, rambling lyrics that Eno favors.. TO PERFORM HIS take-offs on real- ity, Eno enlists the best British rock musicians around, including four magicians on the bass, Percy Jones, Paul Rudolph, Brian Turrington, and Bill MacCormick, drummers like Phil Collins of Genesis, and guitarists Phil Manzanera, Robert Fripp, and Fred Frith. They may not all be famous, but they do the job better than any other rock musicians I know of. Eno's first solo album, Here Come the Warm Jets, was a startling collec- tion of surrealistic tunes, pre-New Wave punkers, pretty ballads, and one would-be Top 10 single, had it ever been Hat" is a blazing free-for-all (what else can you expect with Robert Fripp and Phil Manzanera playing on the same song?), "Backwater" is a polished, tightly-controlled piece. "King's Lead Hat" pays tribute to Patti Smith with the chaotic lines: Time and motion, time on time All I know and all I have is time And time and time is on my side. Two tunes, "Here He Comes" and "Julie With. . .", are right out of the orchestral splendor that characterized "On Some Faraway Beach" and "Some Of Them Are Old" from Here Come the Warm Jets."Here He Comes" is a sim- ple, extraordinarily pretty ballad; "Julie With.. ." has the same eerie beauty Eno contributed to "Warzawa," "Moss Garden," and "Neukohn" on Bowie's Low and "Heroes." "KURT'S REJOINDER" and "Spider and I" are closest to Another Green World in texture. A lush tale, "Spider and I" ends the album with a feeling of cosmic gloom. "Kurt's Re- joinder"sizzles with Percy Jones' frenetic bass attack. The words are rather peculiar, though: Celebrate the loss of one and all, all, all And separate the torso from the spine. The alkum's two instrumentals, "En- ergy Fools the Magician" and "Through Hollow Lands," are also close in spirit to Another Green World. The first is highlighted by a beautiful theme played by Enoon vibes, and the second is a simple, but intriguing little tune. But most impressive is a song quite unlike anything Eno has ever done before, "By This River." Written in col- laboration with Achim Roedelius and Mobi Moebius (Cluster), the cut features a sad piano and synthesizer arrangement. Eno's half-spoken, half- sung vocals make the song: Here we are, stuck by this river, You and I beneath this sky that's ever falling down, down, down, Even failing down. through the day, as if from an ocean. Waiting here always failing to remember why we came, came, came. I wonder why we came? You talk to me, as if from a distance. And I reply with impressions chosen from another time, time, time, From another time. It's Eno's glorious music and lyrics, along with the instrumental prowess of his friends, that makes Before and Af- ter Science a great record. If you'd like to see why. rock has a serious future, this one's for you. I