Brian Eno is MORE DARK THAN SHARK

INTERVIEWS, REVIEWS & RELATED ARTICLES

Rolling Stone JULY 5, 2011 - by Barry Walters

BRIAN ENO: DRUMS BETWEEN THE BELLS

An album of poetry set to music might not be what the world wants from Brian Eno: Collaborator on some of the most-loved albums by U2, David Bowie, and Talking Heads, the veteran super-producer is also the father of ambient music, yet nothing hogs a sonic stage like someone talking. Enter British poet Rick Holland, whose concise, alliterative abstraction conveys an innate musicality. Playing most of the accompaniment himself, Eno surrounds a small cast of speakers (barring strong accents and precise diction) with sounds that recall Eno's career highlights. The mournful guitar melodies of Pour It Out and A Title evoke Another Green World's placid intricacies while simpler, piano-led tracks like Dreambirds are bathed in clouds of echo that suggest Music For Airports. The deluxe edition of Drums Between The Bells presents Holland's words in an Eno-illustrated hardback art book that features a second disc of instrumental variations. Combine them both for your own karaoke poetry slam.