23-04-2022, 11:31
ROGER ENO ~ The Turning Year
![[Image: artwork-440x440.jpg]](https://linkstorage.linkfire.com/medialinks/images/85aae693-4430-4cf2-9c0e-b4dc482576c5/artwork-440x440.jpg)
I am already familiar with a few of these tracks so had a pretty good idea of what to expect. Roger Eno is a master of minimalism without going entirely naked; somehow, while exercising restraint - no wait – revelling in it, he manages to infuse his work with warmth and heart. I do SO love the strings, and when they appear, they are very beautifully placed.
There are some tracks that move me more than others but there are other delights too which are not immediately obvious. On my second listen, for example, I noticed on “Hymn” that what he’s doing is letting each phrase reach its full extent, so to speak – at the millisecond before it stops resounding, he plays another – at least that how it strikes me, so I found myself really hearing and appreciating the completeness and body of each ending note. This may seem the glaringly obvious construct of ambient music in general, I suppose, but it hadn’t quite sunk into my consciousness, or perhaps I had never really articulated it to myself! Thinking about it – I guess if you wanted to explain ambient to anyone, that piece would be a perfect example. I also like that behind most of these, you hear the occasional pedals and breathing – the mechanics of the whole business. Keeps it all real.
No idea how he manages to strike such a fine balance between delicate and earthy, but he does. The feeling this album gives me is of simple yet fine, unadorned architecture – honesty, depth and style without pretension. Loads of respect for this Eno – not to say I have none for the other, far from it, but there’s something about Roger’s work that sits well with my soul.
Lastly – as you may have noticed, I like words and this whole album brings to mind one word in particular - I do not know why – it just does! Must be the associations that follow and is likely also influenced by the mood in the few clips I have seen. That word is petrichor – the smell of wet earth – and expanding to mist, ancient stone, an open fire, flagstones, the scent of cedar, tweed, a lamplit cosy room, and so on. Not sure any of the above will make sense but saying it anyway! Could probably take a few lessons from Roger - in trimming things back - maybe - one day. LOL!
Largely piano/keys driven by Mr Eno with synths now and then and string section by Scoring Berlin. Entirely instrumental and definitely on the endless list!
My favourite remains the title track, but I’ve posted that before, so here’s another …
"Hope (The Kindness of Strangers)"
I am already familiar with a few of these tracks so had a pretty good idea of what to expect. Roger Eno is a master of minimalism without going entirely naked; somehow, while exercising restraint - no wait – revelling in it, he manages to infuse his work with warmth and heart. I do SO love the strings, and when they appear, they are very beautifully placed.
There are some tracks that move me more than others but there are other delights too which are not immediately obvious. On my second listen, for example, I noticed on “Hymn” that what he’s doing is letting each phrase reach its full extent, so to speak – at the millisecond before it stops resounding, he plays another – at least that how it strikes me, so I found myself really hearing and appreciating the completeness and body of each ending note. This may seem the glaringly obvious construct of ambient music in general, I suppose, but it hadn’t quite sunk into my consciousness, or perhaps I had never really articulated it to myself! Thinking about it – I guess if you wanted to explain ambient to anyone, that piece would be a perfect example. I also like that behind most of these, you hear the occasional pedals and breathing – the mechanics of the whole business. Keeps it all real.
No idea how he manages to strike such a fine balance between delicate and earthy, but he does. The feeling this album gives me is of simple yet fine, unadorned architecture – honesty, depth and style without pretension. Loads of respect for this Eno – not to say I have none for the other, far from it, but there’s something about Roger’s work that sits well with my soul.
Lastly – as you may have noticed, I like words and this whole album brings to mind one word in particular - I do not know why – it just does! Must be the associations that follow and is likely also influenced by the mood in the few clips I have seen. That word is petrichor – the smell of wet earth – and expanding to mist, ancient stone, an open fire, flagstones, the scent of cedar, tweed, a lamplit cosy room, and so on. Not sure any of the above will make sense but saying it anyway! Could probably take a few lessons from Roger - in trimming things back - maybe - one day. LOL!
Largely piano/keys driven by Mr Eno with synths now and then and string section by Scoring Berlin. Entirely instrumental and definitely on the endless list!
My favourite remains the title track, but I’ve posted that before, so here’s another …
"Hope (The Kindness of Strangers)"
"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us." ~ Bill Watterson
