Eno Hyde

Could barely contain my excitement when I heard of this collaboration.  Brian Eno (Talking Heads, Roxy Music, King Crimson, etc., etc., etc.) teaming up with Karl Kyde (known by most as part of Underworld but please look up Freur).  I envisioned something along the lines of Eno's Berlin trilogy of albums from the late 70's with David Bowie intertwined with Doot Doot...



First of all, Hyde is no Bowie.  Not really in possession of an identifiable voice.  Yes, there were touches of Low, Lodger and Heroes, some Freur and a smidgen of Underworld, but "Someday World" is its own creation...



Simply one of the best tracks of the lot.  Sure wish we had a show like Jools' here stateside.  Plenty of layered synthesizers, a  multitude of rhythms and a boatload of studio effects are found throughout the record's forty-five minutes.  One reviewer called it,"...an excellent exercise in beat-conscious, electronic art pop."  I won't go quite that far but I will keep it digitally.  It's a more traditionally styled record, the songs averaging five minutes a piece, more radio-ready (yeah, like radio would play any of it).  One of the major drawbacks I had with it was once the guys hit on a working groove/theme they were too quick to roll it over into the next idea.  Too much genius at work...

"High Life" came out just a few weeks later and is more the dance/club-styled record with four of the six tracks close to nine minutes in length.  Hyde said the creative juices were still flowing after completing the album proper so why not put it out there, too.  I'll tell you why not......this is way too repetitive and ventures close to the period of Underworld where they lost me with this same drivel.  I obviously don't partake in the congruous pharmaceuticals for this Ibiza-style.  Will only keep the shortest selection, a jazz/funk workout...



Reminds me of Jeff Beck back in the day.

Both releases sniffed the Top 200 but had much better showings on the Electronic and Independent Albums charts.  "Someday World" even appeared on the Rock Albums chart!  Yeah, there's guitar on it, but rock?                  No way...