| Revision as of 21:00, 9 July 2008 editJ Milburn Bot (talk | contribs)Bots36,626 editsm All Music Guide has now been rebranded to Allmusic← Previous edit |
Latest revision as of 12:47, 20 December 2024 edit undo77.21.6.137 (talk) →Comparison with Ambient 2: swapped album order in first sentence as "former" otherwise refers to the wrong album. |
| (90 intermediate revisions by 60 users not shown) |
| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
|
|
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}} |
|
{{Infobox Album <!-- See Misplaced Pages:WikiProject_Albums --> |
|
|
|
{{Use British English|date=November 2016}} |
|
| Name = The Pearl |
|
|
|
{{Infobox album |
|
| Type = studio |
|
|
| Longtype = |
|
| name = The Pearl |
|
| Artist = ] and ] |
|
| type = studio |
|
|
| artist = ] and ] |
|
| Cover = Budd_&_Eno's_The_Pearl.jpg |
|
|
|
| cover = Budd_&_Eno's_The_Pearl.jpg |
|
| Released = 1984 |
|
|
| Recorded = |
|
| alt = |
|
|
| released = August 1984 |
|
| Genre = ] |
|
|
| Length = 41:58 |
|
| recorded = |
|
| Label = ] |
|
| venue = |
|
|
| studio = Grant Avenue Studio, Hamilton, Ontario |
|
| Producer = ]/] |
|
|
|
| genre = ] |
|
| Reviews = *] {{Rating-5|4.5}} |
|
|
|
| length = 42:59 |
|
| Chronology = ] |
|
|
|
| label = ] |
|
| Last album = '']''<br/>(1982) |
|
|
|
| producer = {{ubl|]|]}} |
|
| This album = '''''The Pearl'''''<br/>(1984) |
|
|
|
| chronology = ] |
|
| Next album = '']''<br/>(1986) |
|
|
|
| prev_title = Abandoned Cities |
|
| Misc = {{Extra chronology 2 |
|
|
|
| prev_year = 1982 |
|
| Artist = ] |
|
|
|
| next_title = ] |
|
| Type = album |
|
|
|
| next_year = 1986 |
|
| Last album = '']''<br/>(1984) |
|
|
|
| misc = {{Extra chronology |
|
| This album = ''The Pearl''<br/>(1984) |
|
|
| Next album = '']''<br/>(1985) |
|
| artist = ] |
|
|
| type = studio |
|
}} |
|
|
|
| prev_title = ] |
|
|
| prev_year = 1983 |
|
|
| title = The Pearl |
|
|
| year = 1984 |
|
|
| next_title = ] |
|
|
| next_year = 1985 |
|
|
}} |
|
|
{{Extra chronology |
|
|
| artist = ] and ] |
|
|
| type = studio |
|
|
| prev_title = ] |
|
|
| prev_year = 1980 |
|
|
| title = The Pearl |
|
|
| year = 1984 |
|
|
| next_title = |
|
|
| next_year = |
|
|
}} |
|
}} |
|
}} |
|
'''''The Pearl''''' is an ] by ] musicians ] and ], which was released in 1984. This album is similar to Budd and Eno’s previous collaboration ''Ambient 2/]'', consisting mostly of subtly treated piano textures, but this time with more pronounced electronic treatments and nature recordings. This album was produced with ], who is also credited on the front cover. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
'''''The Pearl''''' is the second collaborative ] by ] and ], released in August 1984 by ] and produced by Eno and ] in ]. ''The Pearl'' is similar to Budd and Eno's previous collaboration, '']'' (1980), consisting mostly of subtly treated piano textures, but with more pronounced electronic treatments and nature recordings. The album has been well received by music critics, and is considered by some as a landmark work in ambient music. |
|
==Critical Reaction== |
|
|
The album was well received by critics. Ned Raggett, writing for ], stated: {{cquote|Acting in some respects as the understandable counterpart to Ambient 2, with the same sense of hushed, ethereal beauty the partnership brought forth on that album, The Pearl is so ridiculously good it instantly shows up much of the mainstream new age as the gloopy schlock that it often is... Another key point is how Budd truly captures what ambience in general can and does mean. "Against the Sky" is a strong example — it can be totally concentrated upon or left to play as atmospherics and is also at once both truly beautiful and not a little haunting in a disturbing sense. Other highlight tracks include the deceptively simple title track, as serene a piece of music as was ever recorded, and the closing "Still Return," bringing The Pearl to a last peak of beauty.}} |
|
|
|
|
|
|
==Track listing== |
|
== Production == |
|
|
''The Pearl'' was recorded in ] in 1984 by ], ], and ].<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine|last=Prendergast|first=Mark|date=December 1986|title=The Sound-Painted World of Harold Budd|magazine=Sound on Sound|url=http://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/the-sound-painted-world-of-harold-budd/1448}}</ref> The trio shared a house during the recording sessions and worked on the record seven days per week. The music was recorded over two weeks, and then it took 8-12 months to finish production and decide which tracks worked best together.<ref name=":0" /> The group had no set approach to working beyond looking for and capturing unique moments; such as "Lost In The Humming Air", on which Budd improvised to humming noises by Brian Eno played on a ] and recorded in one take.<ref name=ES&CM/> In the case of "Dark Eyed Sister", Budd recorded it at a small studio beforehand and sent to Eno to develop further; this, according to Budd, was the "extreme version" of how they worked.<ref name=ES&CM/> Eno made most of the decisions on aesthetics, spending hours working solo and recording pieces at different speeds.<ref name=":0" /> Pianos in the studio included an acoustic piano, as well as ] and ].<ref name=":0" /> For treatments, the group used a ], CS-80, Casio CT-200, Casiotone 202, a ] Pro One, ] ], ] Harmonizer, and an ] 250 plate reverb.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=ES&CM>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/the-life-of-brian/3396|title=The Life Of Brian (Part 1): Harold Budd|first=Chris|last=Everard|date=October 1984|magazine=Electronic Soundmaker & Computer Music|pages=28}}</ref> |
|
#"Late October" – 4:38 |
|
|
|
|
|
#"A Stream with Bright Fish" – 3:54 |
|
|
|
==Comparison with ''Ambient 2''== |
|
#"The Silver Ball" – 3:26 |
|
|
|
Budd believes both ''Ambient 2'' and ''The Pearl'' are similar in terms of sounds and timbres, and those similarities were conceived even during the onset of production.<ref name=":3">{{Cite magazine|last=Goldstein|first=Dan|date=July 1986|title=The Serpent and The Pearl|magazine=Electronics & Music Maker}}</ref> The former album was produced effortlessly, and the duo thought they could produce similar music again with ease.<ref name=":3" /> However, production on ''The Pearl'' was more challenging.<ref name=":0" /> Budd attributed this to naivety as a musical duo for ''Ambient 2'', and explained that their musical language had matured since then, making production more difficult for ''The Pearl''.<ref name=":0" /> In this sense, Budd believes ''The Pearl'' is more "cohesive" and "focused" than ''Ambient 2''.<ref name=":0" /> He feels the conflicting emotions and "artful confusion" in the music make it more complicated and therefore more interesting to listen to.<ref name=":3" /> |
|
#"Against the Sky" – 4:46 |
|
|
|
|
|
#"Lost in the Humming Air" – 4:49 |
|
|
|
== Critical reception == |
|
#"Dark-Eyed Sister" – 4:36 |
|
|
|
{{Album ratings |
|
#"Their Memories" – 2:54 |
|
|
|
| rev1 = ] |
|
#"The Pearl" – 3:07 |
|
|
|
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref name="Allmusic">{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r82823|first=Ned|last=Raggett}}</ref> |
|
#"Foreshadowed" – 3:54 |
|
|
|
| rev2 = '']'' |
|
#"An Echo of Night" – 2:22 |
|
|
|
| rev2Score = A−<ref name="Cheistgau"></ref> |
|
#"Still Return" – 4:11 |
|
|
|
| rev3 = '']'' |
|
==See also== |
|
|
|
| rev3score = B+ ({{Rating-Christgau|hm2}})<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tomhull.com/ocston/nm/get_gl.php?n=brian+eno|title=Grade List: Harold Budd|website=]|first=Tom|last=Hull|date=November 12, 2023|access-date=November 12, 2023}}</ref> |
|
*] |
|
|
|
}} |
|
*] |
|
|
|
Contemporary reviews were positive. ''Electronics & Music Maker'' felt ''The Pearl'' had more unity than ''Ambient 2'', and enjoyed the peculiar mix of Eno's melancholia and Budd's optimism.<ref name=":3" /> '']'' described how the album generates oceanic imagery, such as galleons at the bottom of the sea, waves on a deserted beach, and fish swimming silently.<ref name=":0" /> |
|
*] |
|
|
|
|
|
*] |
|
|
|
Retrospective reviews have also been positive. Ned Raggett, writing for '']'', stated that "''The Pearl'' is so ridiculously good it instantly shows up much of the mainstream ] as the gloopy schlock that it often is".<ref name="Allmusic" /> ] wrote that "These eleven pieces are more circumspect and detailed, and while they do slip into decoration they're the most intellectually gratifying (and emotionally engaging) music Eno's put his name on since ]".<ref name="Cheistgau" /> A more critical review from '']'' described ''The Pearl'' the as "overly tasteful abstraction that eventually proves tedious" and a decorative, "musical equivalent of a ]".<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Dalton|first=Stephen|date=October 2005|title=Harol Budd & Brian Eno: The Pearl|magazine=Uncut}}</ref> |
|
*] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
''Ambient 2'' and ''The Pearl'' are often discussed together by critics in retrospect as landmark works in ambient and both Eno and Budd's repertoire.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Dayal|first=Geeta|title=Harold Budd|url=http://4columns.org/dayal-geeta/harold-budd|access-date=2021-10-05|website=4columns.org}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=2014-02-25|title=Harold Budd: the composer with no urge to make music|url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/feb/25/harold-budd-ambient-composer-interview|access-date=2021-10-05|website=the Guardian|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Jazz|first=All About|title=Robin Guthrie and Harold Budd: Mirror Images article @ All About Jazz|url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/robin-guthrie-and-harold-budd-mirror-images-by-john-kelman|access-date=2021-10-05|website=All About Jazz|date=2 August 2007 |language=en}}</ref> In 2014, '']'' wrote that the albums earned them the title "godfathers of ambient".<ref name=":1" /> '']'' called the albums "some of the most beautiful music to come out of the early days of the genre".<ref name=":2" /> '']'' wrote that ''The Pearl'' built upon the sounds in ''Ambient 2'', and described it as "slow motion cocktail jazz through a padded wall and earmuffs"<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Henderson|first=Dave|date=December 2000|title=The Pearl|magazine=Q}}</ref> '']'' described Budd and Eno's collaborations as evoking tension "between gentleness and threat, between intimacy and uncertainty, between the thrill of a hint and the human desire to see the whole picture".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Harold Budd: Wind In Lonely Fences 1970 - 2011|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/18889-harold-budd-wind-in-lonely-fences-1970-2011/|access-date=2021-10-05|website=Pitchfork|language=en}}</ref> |
|
|
|
|
|
== Track listing == |
|
|
|
|
|
{{tracklist |
|
|
|all_writing = ] and ]. |
|
|
|headline = Side one |
|
|
| title1 = Late October |
|
|
| length1 = 4:42 |
|
|
| title2 = A Stream with Bright Fish |
|
|
| length2 = 3:55 |
|
|
| title3 = The Silver Ball |
|
|
| length3 = 3:23 |
|
|
| title4 = Against the Sky |
|
|
| length4 = 4:46 |
|
|
| title5 = Lost in the Humming Air |
|
|
| length5 = 4:02 |
|
|
}} |
|
|
|
|
|
{{tracklist |
|
|
|headline = Side two |
|
|
| title1 = Dark-Eyed Sister |
|
|
| length1 = 4:39 |
|
|
| title2 = Their Memories |
|
|
| length2 = 3:52 |
|
|
| title3 = The Pearl |
|
|
| length3 = 3:08 |
|
|
| title4 = Foreshadowed |
|
|
| length4 = 3:47 |
|
|
| title5 = An Echo of Night |
|
|
| length5 = 2:26 |
|
|
| title6 = Still Return |
|
|
| length6 = 4:19 |
|
|
| total_length = 42:59 |
|
|
}} |
|
|
|
|
|
==Personnel== |
|
|
*Brian Eno – composition, production |
|
|
*Harold Budd – composition |
|
|
*Daniel Lanois – production |
|
|
*] – cover art, design |
|
|
*Christina Birrer – photography |
|
|
|
|
|
== References == |
|
|
{{Reflist}} |
|
|
|
|
|
==External links== |
|
==External links== |
|
*{{Discogs release|id=58148|name=The Pearl}} |
|
*{{Discogs release|id=58148|name=The Pearl}} |
|
|
|
|
<br>{{Brian Eno}} |
|
|
|
{{Harold Budd}} |
|
] |
|
|
|
{{Brian Eno}} |
|
] |
|
|
|
{{Authority control}} |
|
] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pearl}} |
|
|
] |
|
|
] |
|
|
] |
|
|
] |
|
|
] |
|
|
] |
|
|
] |
|
|
] |
|
|
] |
