Soil Sample #3: Brian Eno - Ring of Fire

Between 1990 and 1997, Warner Bros. Records in the US had the smart idea of releasing a series of 25 promo singles for artists signed to the label who had upcoming or current releases. Called Soil Samples, most of these were split 7" singles featuring two or more artists and many were also pressed on coloured vinyl.

The enticing thing about these singles was that they featured exclusive songs, some of which were recorded during the sessions for their latest album; an interesting way of promoting an album with a song that wasn't featured on it! It appears that many of these recordings have yet to make there way onto any other releases, making them some of the less well known collectable items.

Anyway, here's Soil Samples #3, released to promote Wrong Way Up by Eno/Cale and an album by House of Freaks (who I know nothing about). Eno and Cale each contribute a solo song - John Cale with the serviceable instrumental track Shuffle Down to Woodbridge, whilst Eno turns in the highlight, a haunting reverb heavy cover of Ring of Fire.

Relaxing on a Sunday Morning With The Eno Brothers

Relaxing on a Sunday morning with the Eno brothers.

It's significant that Roger's name is first, as it was his piano compositions that sparked the collaboration for each track.

Lovely.

Eno, Anderson, Oke - Dokument#2

Brian Eno with Laurie Anderson and Eve Oko.

Enjoyable avant garde nonsense, including Eno reciting the line "frozen desert lollipops" in a tone of voice that Chris Morris would approve of.

500 vinyl copies only, with no digital version. Rate as hen's teeth and already for sale as 8 times the original price.

Music for the Sea...

Sunday morning and I'm relaxing to the new Eno album.

Even though there's vocals - Peter Serafinowicz and a cover of the Velvet's I'm Set Free - this is  some of his most beautiful ambient work to date.

Wah Wah

A great, sprawling, double album with some wondeful half-songs, sounds and ideas. I love this album.

Another Green World

"Tim, can I borrow your Eno record?"

"Can you Borrow it? You've still got it from last time. I've given up trying to steal it back."

No, not me, but a scene from Richard Lowenstein's cult classic 1986 movie, Dogs in Space. This was my first introduction to to Eno's Another Green World. Tim's copy of the album gets appropriated by one house mate as his music of choice whenever he brings a new girl back to the house – we then get to hear that sleazy electronic sounds of Skysay throbbing through the walls as he entices yet another victim into his lair, which becomes an ongoing theme throughout the film.

Is it my favourite Eno album? Well it was - and then it wasn't - but now it is again. I've started listening to it a lot over the last few months. The perfect halfway point between Rock and Ambient music - with both styles sitting comfortably alongside each other. The album stands up as arguably Eno's finest achievement and one of the great (sort of) rock albums.