TAKING TIGER MOUNTAIN (BY STRATEGY)

Brian Eno's second album, Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) sheds much of the punk attributes that the previous album, Here Come The Warm Jets had, but retains much of the same feeling. The band is fairly static on this one, and mostly features the guitars of Phil Manzanera, giving this one a sound similar to 801. Eno's wordplay on this album is in fine form, making songs like Back In Judy's Jungle, The Fat Lady Of Limbourg and of course Third Uncle, a joy to listen to. The music here is more sparse than the previous album, often giving it an eerie tone. And it works. For the Eno initiate, start with the early albums, they are much much better than his later output. 3.5 stars, rounded up.