Five years after the release of 1989's
pop
-oriented
Strange Angels
,
Laurie Anderson
returned with
Bright Red
, a
Brian Eno
-produced excursion into much darker territory.
and its predecessor, 1984's
Mister Heartbreak
, introduced a new level of melodic and rhythmic sophistication into the spare electronics of
Anderson
's early work, but
largely dispenses with that; instead,
Eno
provides a sound closer to his trademark
ambient
music (though it's still more melodically and rhythmically varied than, say,
Ambient 1: Music for Airports
) and
largely abandons singing for her earlier, more conversational spoken-word style. Thematically, the album is filled with images of disconnection, miscommunication, and fear, with the sly wit and deadpan humor of her early days almost entirely absent. The result is an album that's more to be admired than enjoyed, since (apparently by design) it's nearly impossible to make any sort of emotional connection with this music. Gossip hounds will enjoy combing
"In Our Sleep,"
a duet with then-boyfriend
Lou Reed
, for hints about their relationship. ~ Stewart Mason