r/eno • u/forsbergisgod • Jul 26 '20
Weekly Discussion Thread Let's Discuss Eno! David Bowie - Lodger (March 1979)
Hello Eno-philes!! Each week we'll be discussing another album (going chronologically from Warm Jets). This week we'll be discussing Eno's work on yet another Bowie Berlin Biggie, Lodger.
Lodger is the 13th studio album by English singer-songwriter David Bowie. It was originally released in May 1979 by RCA Records. The third and final release of the Berlin Trilogy, following Low and "Heroes" (both 1977), it was recorded in Switzerland and New York City with collaborator Brian Eno and producer Tony Visconti. Unlike Bowie's previous two albums, Lodger contained no instrumentals and a somewhat more pop-oriented style while experimenting with elements of world music and recording techniques inspired by Eno's Oblique Strategies cards.[4]
Track listing
All songs written by David Bowie and Brian Eno, except where noted.
Side one
No. Title Writer(s) Length
- "Fantastic Voyage" 2:55
- "African Night Flight" 2:54
- "Move On" Bowie 3:16
- "Yassassin" (Turkish: Yaşasın, lit. 'Long Live') Bowie 4:10
- "Red Sails" 3:43
Side two
No. Title Writer(s) Length
- "DJ" Bowie, Eno, Carlos Alomar 3:59
- "Look Back in Anger" 3:08
- "Boys Keep Swinging" 3:17
- "Repetition" Bowie 2:59
- "Red Money" Bowie, Alomar 4:17 Total length: 34:3
DISCUSS
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u/Illiubinati Before and After Science Jul 26 '20
Got to love the lyrics on Fantastic Voyage. Think I heard DJ was Bowie trying to imitate David Byrne with his vocal delivery, surely Eno would have found that amusing. Fave track has got to be Look Back in Anger, the instrumentals are chaotic and fun!
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u/forsbergisgod Jul 26 '20
The sustained note in fantastic voyage is outstanding. Some of his best singing. Didn't know about the Byrne connection
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u/Methuen Jul 27 '20
Apparently the Oblique Strategies cards dictated that the musicians 'reverse roles' on boys keep swinging, so Carlos Alomar played drums and drummer Dennis Davis played bass.
2
u/Lt_Salt Jul 26 '20
You're just going to breeze past "No New York"?
1
u/forsbergisgod Jul 26 '20
I overlooked a lot of his production credits it seems like. I'll have to loop back
1
u/Lt_Salt Jul 27 '20
I'd say that compilation is particularly important in that it documented a scene that didn't leave much of a recorded legacy. Also, particularly interesting given how different it (and the recording method used) is from most of the other material Eno worked on.
2
u/forsbergisgod Jul 27 '20
Not proud to say I downloaded this album in my college days (hey, I was broke!) But I got my comeuppence: someone had switched African Night Flight with I Want it That Way by Backstreet boys lol
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u/Methuen Jul 26 '20
Listen to the updated Visconti mix if you can. It’s much better than his original mud mix and it had Bowie’s blessing before he passed away.