hey internet, that's not ok that the first thing that comes up when looking for eno is the bloody english national opera. not that i know it.

In the course of revisiting my fave albums of 1975 I listened to Metal Machine Music again. And suddenly I hear bagpipes everywhere. Soaring and fading bagpipes. A symphony of Scottish folk music played in hell. And the sound of pinball machines. Somehow Lou Reed's exercise in guitar feedback reminds me of John Cage's concept piece 4'33'' (see also here and here). But whereas the listener is the only creative force on 4'33'', he is the assembler, the interpreter on MMM. Everyone can hear something different on MMM. MMM is a canvas for your brain. It is the proof that music is assembled in our mind. That there is no music except when we listen to it. That the world is our brainchild. Wasn't that the starting point for idealism? MMM is an I Ching oracle, a Rorschach blot, a succession of Tarot cards, a collection of tea leaves etc. It's your associations that matter. Lou Reed didn't give a shit about what he was doing there. He plugged in the guitar and waited for the feedback. He handed it over to the amplifier, to the machine.

The pauses in between the four movements are really quite unnerving. MMM refuses the idea of silence.

There is a German cellist touring the US with MMM in October. I like that idea of cello feedback.

The other albums Most people voted for Massive Attack's Mezzanine in the poll. Beforehand I thought it could well be my #1 of 1998 too. When I relistened to it though I was extremely disappointed. Only the first song Angel which sounds like the devastation of a bomb dropped in the dark (see also here) gave me the chills, the rest seemed totally flat and uninspired. I don't think my impression is due to over-exposure. There is something about this album which really puts me off. I feel that the density of the sound and sample layers hides an intrinsic emptiness.

An album which surprised me was Nada Surf's The Proximity Effect. This kind of power-pop still sounds extremely fresh. Lots of great songs (esp. Mother's Day with insightful and honest lyrics on rape to which I hadn't listened to before). Nada Surf are the better Weezer who come from LA as well and made similar tuneful good vibrations rock music. At least on their first release.

Almost a new discovery was the Silver Jews album American Water. D.C. Berman's funny, eloquent, poetic lyrics and his deadpan vocal delivery plus the laidback vibe of his simple but enchanting tunes make the Silver Jews the better Pavement in my book. Though I have to admit that this is the only Silver Jews I know. Steve Malkmus contributions in terms of singing and songwriting give this album more variety and make it even more loveable. My personal number three from 1998.

Next was Mark Hollis self-titled solo release which was #2 (ex aequo) in the poll. I hear the cries of a wounded deer set to a sparse almost classical instrumentation with lots of woodwind. This man knew when to stop making music. Only silence could top the brittle beauty of this great record which uses the human voice as an instrument and uses pauses and silence in an intriguing way to amplify the effect of the music. Only my #2 as I don't have the same personal relation to it as to my 1998 fave.

This album On November, 20th, 1998 there was a concert at the Frankfurt University (KoZ) where I saw Cat Power for the first time. There were three acts that night. It started with Quasi (Sam Coomes on keyboards and Janet Weiss who joined Sleater-Kinney later on drums) who made a lot of noise for a duo. The last performer was Elliott Smith. He seemed lonely and lost. In between there was Chan Marshall and two guys from the Dirty Three. Jim White on drums and Mick Turner on guitar. It was probably the most mesmerizing set I have ever attended. Chan hid behind her long pony and sang like in trance. She wasn't there, she was in her own world but it worked out. Mick Turner provided the connection to mother earth with his slow and thoughtful guitar play. I couldn't avert my eyes from Chan's long, brown hair and I was totally taken by her singing. Immediately after the show I bought their record Moon Pix which they had recorded in Australia earlier that year.

The first song, American Flag is the one I like less on the record. Apparently Jim and Chan had been waiting for Mick in the studio for four hours and had repeated playing that song over and over. I find it a little painful to listen to and it isn't as relaxed as the rest of the album.

With He Turns Down everything changes. The smooth, acoustic guitar and a dreamy flute are the perfect canvas for Chan's wonderful expressive voice. Nick Drake would have loved this.

No Sense is even slower. Chan sings

and despite the seemingly awkward pun it does touch me. This doesn't sound right but the song does, I swear to you.

Say is a little on the dull side. It features some thunder and it is okay in the course of things. Preserving the slack atmosphere.

The guitar on Metal Heart sounds like the morning dew on the rose petal of Chan's voice. Without the kitsch this description might enunciate.

Back of Your Head has a simple, innocent, lullabyish tune and lyrics hinting to an ominous experience Chan Marshall had with the other sex when she was much younger.

Moonshiner is a slomo blues on drinking. Romanticizing booze. I have problems to listen to the lyrics. I hope Chan has them too to sing this song. It's easier to just listen to the tune.

You May Know Him is the most religious of the songs. I see it as an interlude but it could well be more.

The grave piano ballad Colors and the Kids follows next. But it has some life-affirming lyrics

Cross Bones Style is the most hypnotic song. Again it juxtaposes a light, almost bright melody with lyrics alluding to a life-shattering experience.

Peking Saint, a short lo-fi guitar ballad finishes this album off. Not the greatest of all songs but a fitting end for this wonder of intimate, personal songwriting.

Further reading:

• Lyrics
• Guardian article on Meltdown festival by Patti Smith where Chan Marshall will perform Robert Mapplethorpe's The Coral Sea with Kevin Shields on June, 22nd (sold-out, I think)

Here is the overview of the series 40 years, 40 albums of which part XXVIII was this post.

Translation by me as I could not find the quote on the web:

What a lot of great releases in 1998. No way I can condense it to a top ten. It is a top fifteen then. In alphabetical order of course. No clue which album I will choose. As most of the times.

Wie konnte ich es nur so lange mit mir aushalten?