Laurie Anderson Strange Angels CD

Live Recording

Personnel includes: Laurie Anderson (vocals, keyboards, percussion, programming); Scott Johnson, John Selolwane (electric guitar); Gib Wharton (pedal steel guitar); Kenny Kosek (violin); Hugh McCracken (harmonica); Tom "T-Bone" Wolk (accordion); Alex Foster (alto saxophone); Lenny Pickett (tenor saxophone); Earl Gardner, Laurie Fink (trumpet); Steve Turre (trombone, conch shell); Robby Kilgore (keyboards, bass); Mike Thorne (keyboards, programming); Dave Lebolt, "Blue" Gene Tyranny (keyboards); Mark Egan (bass); Bakithi Khumalo (fretless bass); Sue Hadjopoulos, Manolo Badrean (percussion); Eric Liljestrand, Ian Ritchie (programming); Nana Vasconcelos (percussion).
Laurie Anderson's third proper studio album, coming over five years after 1984's Mister Heartbreak (1986's Home of the Brave was a film soundtrack), is a near-total departure from anything she had done before or, indeed, anything she did after. The most purely musical of Anderson's albums and the one on which she does the most actual singing (though her trademark deadpan spoken-word passages are still present and accounted for), Strange Angels seems to be Anderson's idea of a straightforward pop album. Of course, given Anderson's pedigree, this is not Whitney Houston territory; the closest parallel would be Joni Mitchell's more experimental, post-Mingus work: pretty but chilly, with a certain emotional distance even on the most immediately appealing songs (in this case, the thrilling "Babydoll" and the dreamy title track). There appears to be no underlying concept to the album, although the lyrical themes of three of the songs are explicitly taken from 19th century American literature. The musical arrangements are remarkably complex and feature cameos from not only Anderson's usual collaborators (Adrian Belew, David Van Tieghem, etc.) but also a motley crew ranging from jazz vocalist Bobby McFerrin to session keyboardist Robbie Kilgore. As a result, the songs are sometimes a little too busy, but Anderson manages to remain the center of attention throughout. An album on which longtime Anderson fans tend to be divided, Strange Angels is a perfect introduction for anyone who might find the deadpan surrealism of Big Science or United States I-IV a bit much. ~ Stewart Mason
1989's STRANGE ANGELS, Laurie Anderson's first studio album since 1984's MR. HEARTBREAK, is something of a change from her previous records. For the first time, the majority of the songs are actually sung (or at least talk-sung), not spoken, and they reveal Anderson to have a fine, smooth singing voice. Her odd, customary story interludes are not omitted. They are merely shorter, integrated with the songs rather than existing in the vacuum between them.
Long associated with the New York avant-garde scene, Anderson often works with her friends from the art set. Such artists as David van Tiegham, Anton Fier, Lenny Pickett, and Bobby McFerrin all perform on STRANGE ANGELS. The album's highlights include the keyboard/vocal combination of "The Dream Before," a sad song about Hansel and Gretel. Anderson imagines the fabled children after their infamous witch episode. Living in Berlin and unable to relate to one another without an adversary, history simply passes them by. The peaceful "Hiawatha," a spaciously-produced song, references Elvis Presley while gently proclaiming "Starlight, starbright, we're gonna hang some new stars in the heavens tonight."