YES Pussyfooting!

Overall Album Score: 8.2 out of 10

This is Brian Eno's legendary first published work done outside of the Roxy Music (which he left after only the band's second album, For Your Pleasure). He teamed with King Crimson's guitarist Robert Fripp (an awesome guitarist) to make this revolutionary album.

Hearing this album isn't essential whatsoever, unless you're someone who has appreciation for history more than anything else. Rock aficionados usually don't underestimate the historical importance of Brian Eno (who later probably helped to directly influenced the most interesting prog bands to emerge in the mid-70s to the New Wave movement and onward), and No Pussyfooting is one of the premiere Eno inspirations!

Specifically, the Eno-synthscapes that are so revered in rock music ... this is the first time we ever get to hear them! (Unless you count some specific moments in the Roxy Music's first two albums ... but none of those are like this.) And, these synthscapes probably have launched what would soon become the New Age genre ... undoubtedly, any artist who makes "mood music" has a lot to thank Eno for! ... No Pussyfooting sounds like a mood music album ... except there's not a whole lot of mood on here. Yeah, this is cold noodling from the duo ... very very cold ... the music is emotionally unaffecting. But it's strangely interesting (if unnerving).

I don't very much like listening to No Pussyfooting if I'm paying direct attention to it ... I'd probably go crazy! Instead, this is much better if you're listening to it while doing something ... That's the only way I could take it ...

Anyway, just keep in mind that this isn't *enjoyable*. This is only for the seasoned music fan.

Overall Album Score: 8.2 out of 10 (Not an entertaining album, but something that you might want out of a historical curiosity. ... Even if you do get it, you'd probably only listen to it once and that's it.)

Average Song Score: 8.0 (There are only two songs on here, and they're both atmospheric but cold synth songs.)

Album Tilt: 7.5 (...I'm not sure what to score an album that's tons better if you don't pay direct attention to it than not.)

Artist Rating: 9.0 (Of course, this album is artistic by definition. That's its only purpose! ... Anyone who would listen to this album would only do so *because* it's artistic ... not necessarily for the assumption that they would enjoy it.)

Track Reviews

The Heavenly Music Corporation 8/10

This track starts out with a very calm and quiet buzzing of some peaceful synths ... and then, finally, after about two and a half minutes, we get a more of a higher-toned synth delivering a very passive melody. ... And then we finally get to hear a bit of Fripp! His lulling electric guitars, never very exciting in this album, are what makes the song interesting if that Eno's snythscape isn't enough to numb your brain! About five minutes into the song, we get some buzzing sounds, more synths and it all gets a bit louder. ... Yeah, and this all pretty much just goes on forever until the apocalypse ... that is, I guess, if the apocalypse will be in 21 minutes. Surprisingly, this isn't very effective mood music ... it's serene, but it doesn't exactly leave me feeling peaceful ... as if I were listening to Enya or somebody. ... No, it leaves me feel unnerved. I can't really get any sort of vivid image in my head when listening to this ... like I would later on in Eno's career when he would do Heroes with David Bowie. Yeah, this isn't exactly a fun song to listen to, but it doesn't get boring for me, either, although, this isn't something that I would want to listen to much after this. ... It's an interesting song! And there's something undeniably magical about it if it's only for the fact that this is the first Eno synthscape. I guess that would make this song a historical landmark of rock!

Swastika Girls 8/10

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz... *wakes up* Huh??! "The Heavenly Music Corporation is Over???" Oh... *rubs eyes* ... alright. Well, the second song on here (which, for some reason, is entitled "Swastika Girls") also doesn't give me much of an image ... but that's alright! The beginning of this, we get a rather interesting Eno synthscape that sounds rather tinny and sci-fi. Very slowly, we hear an guitar-sounding thing getting louder and louder. ... From somewhere, we start hearing a jingly (and very monotonous sequence) that sounds like a monotonous wind chime ... (indeed, though, if the wind chime had a more random quality, then this would probably be more effective as mood music, then!) ... Yeah ... It makes me fidgit in my seat when I pay close attention to it, so I think I'm just going to surf the 'Net until it's over. Au revior!

Surely you can think of something intelligent to say about this album considering that there are only TWO SONGS! Send them here, baby.

slb23@shaw.ca (Simon B.) received Sept. 17, 2004

First, a little story: about four years ago, I was in my favouite record shop (called Into the Music) and I saw that NO PUSSYFOOTING was there in the 'new arrivals' section for $7.00 on vinyl. I listened to it briefly, and thinking that is was mostly good (except the second side, "Swastika Girls", which I thought would be much harder to get into and like). I didn't buy it then since I didn't have much cash on me, and decided to go back a few days later. Surely enough, it was gone. But as I was leaving the store, I thought I'd check the Brian Eno section. I found a new, unopened copy of TAKING TIGER MOUNTAIN (BY STRATEGY) on vinyl for $6.50. I bought it, and have been listening to it ever since then.
SONG RATINGS:
1. The Heavenly Music Corporation (8)
2. Swastica Girls (6)
Album cover: (8)
Total album Rating: 22/30 (73%)

Bill.Haneline@Cardinal.com (Bill H) received June 20, 2005

No Pussyfooting has to be one of the best albums of all time. I cannot beleive that it was from 1973. I think about the music I used to listen to then and had no idea that Fripp & Eno had created beautiful music like this, hidden from my top 40 radio ears. Many years ago I discovered this and then Evening Star and was catapulted into the electronic music world.