ANOTHER GREEN WORLD

No, the word "fantastic" is just not going to cut it. It is definitely revolutionary, although that does not sound like the focus. "Deep" may be the word, even though that's not the case for all tracks on this record. The least I can say is that the record, in general, is beyond amazing, and that's what counts, I suppose.

I happened to be one of those people on whom this record was only growing for some time. I can't recall to any memory of this album being dormant or boring. Actually, this album is nearly full of life. It started working on me on the second or third listen, starting with, probably, 'Little Fishes' or 'Becalmed'. That is because I used to have this habit of skimming through an album by skipping some tracks and excerpts of other tracks. That was wrong. 'Sky Saw', the opener, should be the first thing you have to listen to. If you ask me what is my personal favorite, then I can't tell you right now. I'm tired of classics that I have heard dozens of times. 'Becalmed' used to be my biggest favorite and it needs to be absorbed with your ears from the very start to the very finish, because the combo of the wind with the tinkling piano notes and the rich, almost crystalline synth sounds were capable of getting on my deepest senses. Actually, it is 'Spirits Drifting' that really clicked with me first, and that's how I concluded that it is a must-hear, because those synths can affect your psyche beyond words. And the beauty of these ambient tracks is that they are short, yet sufficiently long for personal satisfaction. It is another world indeed. You are not here. You are there.

If you like ambient and pop separately, get this album. If you also want these styles in a homogeneous mixture, get "Before and After Science".

Ratings/comments (if you have to ask):

1. 'Sky Saw' - **** (my stepbro said your head can go dizzy on this one)

2. 'Over Fire Island' - ***** (Phil Collins' musicianship growth is in progress and that coda is such a buzz !)

3. 'St. Elmo's Fire' - **** (sounds like a cheap song, yet it's adequately built)

4. 'In Dark Trees' - ** (Not for me. Maybe it's for you.)

5. 'The Big Ship' - ***** (One of the rare cases where ambient can really have an energetic drive. Go ahead and dare to label this as "space-rock".)

6. 'I'll Come Running' - **** (I kind of dig that lightweight British humor in this catchy "pop" song.)

7. 'Another Green World' - ***** (One of the must-hear melodies from Bobby Fripp. I can imagine Eno riding a motorbike in another, completely green, world)

8. 'Sombre Reptiles' - **** (Somewhat entertaining and menacing.)

9. 'Little Fishes' - *** (Yeah, I can actually imagine gold fish veering through water. This is very pure music; it certainly tastes like water.)

10. 'Golden Hours' - *** (Somewhat catchy and a little bit funny, yet dark.)

11. 'Becalmed' - ***** (This is my golden nugget here.)

12. 'Zawinul/Lava' - ** (One night I perceived this as five-star material. Seriously. It probably works as a kind of a dark lullaby.)

13. 'Everything Merges With the Night' - *** (The synth guitar sound and Eno's vocal timbre are the highlights here.)

14. 'Spirits Drifting' - ***** (No pressure. I just think those synths are some of the best things since sliced bread. When was the last time sliced bread made you feel different?)

Stamp: "I like it."