Like old boy, Georgie Washington, I too can not tell a lie. I will admit I was skeptical, very skeptical at first. Shit man, you’d be too. Have you ever heard Ambient 2: The Plateau Of Mirrors? Blargh! It’s terrible. It’s boring. It always reminded me of a smooth jazz key player practicing his major 7th chords whilst some fat disabled housewife moaned along out of boredom. (How long can you sit quietly on your ass, beauty queen?) This was around two years ago. I quickly hid the disc from any discerning eyeballs and feebly tried to wipe my memory clean. Nope. Nope. I guess it didn’t work; because I saw this today and just had to pick it up. Why? Well, I assumed that I might have missed something way back then. Ambient freaks are so apt to slobber all over Harold Budd’s knob. All of those middle aged honkies have to be on to something, right? It could have been a fluke. Just look at the Grateful Dead. But still, I owed it to myself to try. I was so glad I did. The Pearl is simply awesome. (However, I do stand by my shit stained prognosis of Ambient 2. Yuck.)
To me, that’s right - me, ambient music always had a special definition and purpose. That is ambient means simple, unchallenging, malleable music that can transform into whatever you wish it to be. Ambient music makes no demands on the listener. You may choose to listen actively and let it take you away, or you can allow it to merely exist. Ambient is just there. It’s…for lack of a better word, ambient. It’s music of reflection, introspection and dream; perfect recipe for a relaxing nap. Now, that may not sound all that exciting. But hey, that’s the point. The qualities of ambient music are both its best and worst aspects. It all depends on your state of mind, really.
This is what makes The Pearl such a stone cold killer. Pump it out of your speakers and relax, enjoy its timbres and melancholy melodies or just leave it on and go do something else. You don’t have to actually listen to it to fully enjoy it. Remember, the key term here is “unchallenging”. This is best exemplified by The Pearl’s linear notes, or I should say, lack of linear notes. Who the hell likes linear notes anyway? Speaking of heinous linear notes I hope we haven’t forgotten the atrocity that was Moby’s Play. Christ up above! 5 years later and I’m still having nightmares about his vegan/prisoners’ rights diatribes.
What Budd and Eno have delivered here are 11 achingly beautiful impressionistic sketches, sort of like a digital Eric Satie which is a very good thing. When I say sketch, I mean that quite literally, as each and every one of these songs sound exactly (let me repeat that – EXACTLY) like their titles. From the sparkle fish speak of “A Steam With Bright Fish” to the crushing melancholia of “Dark Eyed Sister” these all sound like they could be soundtracks to mildly colored sickroom drawings hanging in a cold, gray gallery. The things these guys do with their sonic textures are just amazing and enthralling to boot. I seriously feel as though as this stuff is straight out of my dreams, or deep thoughts. Take “Lost In The Humming Air” for example. The piano notes sound as if they never really existed, floating freely and promptly disappearing, all too much like our own meaningless mental activity. Each and every one of these songs have such a distinct character that I don’t feel I could ever do them the justice they deserve. Sound paintings need to be heard, not read about. You know what I’m saying? Good.
It’s all the more remarkable because it’s all just so deliciously simple. A single splash of gray on a septic white wall. My only complaint is that I would have liked to have heard a few lengthy explorations. None of these surpass the 5 minute mark. They’re all sketches, no vivid gargantuan paintings. This is, however, a minor complaint. Plus, there’s always Eno’s Thursday Morning.
If you’re interested in hearing some fascinating proto ambient as a genre sound art, get off of yer’ arse and rush to the record store. There’s a limited supply. Copies are selling like hotcakes. Just kidding. Don’t forget that you don’t actually have to listen to enjoy.
Reviews Index
To me, that’s right - me, ambient music always had a special definition and purpose. That is ambient means simple, unchallenging, malleable music that can transform into whatever you wish it to be. Ambient music makes no demands on the listener. You may choose to listen actively and let it take you away, or you can allow it to merely exist. Ambient is just there. It’s…for lack of a better word, ambient. It’s music of reflection, introspection and dream; perfect recipe for a relaxing nap. Now, that may not sound all that exciting. But hey, that’s the point. The qualities of ambient music are both its best and worst aspects. It all depends on your state of mind, really.
This is what makes The Pearl such a stone cold killer. Pump it out of your speakers and relax, enjoy its timbres and melancholy melodies or just leave it on and go do something else. You don’t have to actually listen to it to fully enjoy it. Remember, the key term here is “unchallenging”. This is best exemplified by The Pearl’s linear notes, or I should say, lack of linear notes. Who the hell likes linear notes anyway? Speaking of heinous linear notes I hope we haven’t forgotten the atrocity that was Moby’s Play. Christ up above! 5 years later and I’m still having nightmares about his vegan/prisoners’ rights diatribes.
What Budd and Eno have delivered here are 11 achingly beautiful impressionistic sketches, sort of like a digital Eric Satie which is a very good thing. When I say sketch, I mean that quite literally, as each and every one of these songs sound exactly (let me repeat that – EXACTLY) like their titles. From the sparkle fish speak of “A Steam With Bright Fish” to the crushing melancholia of “Dark Eyed Sister” these all sound like they could be soundtracks to mildly colored sickroom drawings hanging in a cold, gray gallery. The things these guys do with their sonic textures are just amazing and enthralling to boot. I seriously feel as though as this stuff is straight out of my dreams, or deep thoughts. Take “Lost In The Humming Air” for example. The piano notes sound as if they never really existed, floating freely and promptly disappearing, all too much like our own meaningless mental activity. Each and every one of these songs have such a distinct character that I don’t feel I could ever do them the justice they deserve. Sound paintings need to be heard, not read about. You know what I’m saying? Good.
It’s all the more remarkable because it’s all just so deliciously simple. A single splash of gray on a septic white wall. My only complaint is that I would have liked to have heard a few lengthy explorations. None of these surpass the 5 minute mark. They’re all sketches, no vivid gargantuan paintings. This is, however, a minor complaint. Plus, there’s always Eno’s Thursday Morning.
If you’re interested in hearing some fascinating proto ambient as a genre sound art, get off of yer’ arse and rush to the record store. There’s a limited supply. Copies are selling like hotcakes. Just kidding. Don’t forget that you don’t actually have to listen to enjoy.
DETROITROCK SAMPLER
HARDROCK SAMPLER
Early Soft Machine (1966-68)
5-Track
Popol Vuh
Kim Fowley
Grand Funk Railroad
Youske Yamashita and Tsutsui Yasutaka
Rob Thomsett
Queen