Description
Brian Eno – Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) – Compact Disc
Brian Eno’s Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy), released on November 1974, is a groundbreaking album that solidified Eno’s reputation as an innovator in experimental rock and pop music.** As Eno’s second solo album following his departure from Roxy Music, this record further explores his unique approach to songwriting, production, and sonic experimentation. The album’s blend of surrealist lyrics, layered instrumentation, and unconventional structures makes it a landmark in art rock and a precursor to Eno’s later work in ambient music and production.
Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) was created during a fertile period in Brian Eno’s career as he transitioned from his role as Roxy Music’s keyboardist and sonic manipulator to a solo artist with a distinctive vision. The album was inspired by a set of Chinese revolutionary opera postcards, with the title referring to a Chinese opera of the same name. This influence is reflected in the album’s loose thematic structure, which Eno described as a strange kind of nostalgia for the future.
The album features Eno as the primary creative force but includes significant contributions from musicians such as Phil Manzanera (guitarist from Roxy Music), Robert Wyatt (of Soft Machine), and others. Eno’s use of innovative production techniques and tape manipulation helped shape the record’s distinctive sound.
The album occupies a unique space between rock, pop, and experimental music. It blends catchy melodies with avant-garde elements, creating songs that are both accessible and challenging. Eno’s signature studio techniques, including layered textures, tape loops, and processed vocals, are prominent throughout. His approach to lyrics is equally unconventional, often employing surrealism, wordplay, and non-linear narratives.
The album also reflects Eno’s fascination with systems and chance in music creation, as evidenced by the title’s reference to his Oblique Strategies cards, a creative tool he co-developed to inspire new ways of thinking during the creative process.
Track Highlights
Burning Airlines Give You So Much More
The album opens with a whimsical, slightly off-kilter track featuring bright piano melodies and cryptic lyrics. The song’s playful tone contrasts with its subtly melancholic undercurrent.
The Fat Lady of Limbourg
A mysterious and atmospheric piece with jazz-inflected instrumentation, this track exemplifies Eno’s ability to create tension and intrigue through minimalist arrangements.
Third Uncle
One of the album’s most energetic tracks, this proto-punk anthem is driven by a relentless guitar riff and propulsive rhythm. It has been widely influential, later covered by artists like Bauhaus.
The Great Pretender
This track features Eno’s playful use of sound effects and looping, creating an eerie, hypnotic atmosphere that hints at his future work in ambient music.
Put a Straw Under Baby
A gentle, almost nursery rhyme-like ballad, this track contrasts its simple melody with cryptic and surreal lyrics.
The True Wheel
A standout track that builds on a repetitive, chugging rhythm, it combines a catchy melody with a driving, almost anthemic quality.
China My China
A quirky and rhythmically complex track featuring typewriter percussion and angular guitar lines, this song exemplifies Eno’s innovative approach to sound design.
Taking Tiger Mountain
The closing track is a haunting and meditative piece that ties the album’s themes together. Its restrained instrumentation and evocative lyrics leave a lasting impression.
The lyrics on Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) are surreal, fragmented, and often humorous, reflecting Eno’s interest in abstract and non-linear storytelling. Themes of technology, nostalgia, and political undertones are woven throughout the album, often presented in an oblique or cryptic manner. The songs feel like vignettes or dreamlike episodes rather than traditional narratives.
Upon its release, Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) received positive reviews for its originality and daring approach to songwriting and production. While not a commercial success at the time, the album has since been recognized as a seminal work in art rock and experimental pop. Its influence can be heard in the music of artists ranging from Talking Heads (who later worked with Eno) to David Bowie, whose Berlin Trilogy albums were heavily shaped by Eno’s production techniques.
Tracks like Third Uncle and The True Wheel have become cult classics, and the album as a whole is regarded as a masterpiece of forward-thinking rock music.
The album’s experimental approach to structure and production helped redefine the possibilities of pop and rock music in the 1970s. Eno’s work on Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) laid the groundwork for his collaborations with other artists, including David Bowie, Talking Heads, and U2, as well as his pioneering work in ambient music.
Eno’s use of unconventional tools like tape loops and the Oblique Strategies cards became key elements of his creative philosophy, influencing generations of musicians and producers.
Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) is a bold and innovative album that showcases Brian Eno’s genius as a musician, producer, and conceptual thinker. Its blend of surrealist lyrics, experimental production, and memorable melodies make it a cornerstone of art rock and an enduring influence on modern music. Whether you’re a fan of experimental rock or a newcomer to Eno’s work, this album remains a fascinating and essential listen.
Brand new, never played and still in the factory plastic sealed
Track Listing
Burning Airlines Give You So Much More
Back In Judy’s Jungle
The Fat Lady Of Limbourg
Mother Whale Eyeless
The Great Pretender
Third Uncle
Put A Straw Under Baby
The True Wheel
China My China
Taking Tiger Mountain
