Fripp & Eno: The Equatorial Stars CD

 Fripp and Eno still shine together
Robert Fripp's subtle guitar weave around Eno's shimmering loops, vibrations and buzzes. This disc is restrained and contemplative; each new listening rewards you with new layers of texture. Perhaps it's because I'm not a kid anymore but these performances seem to have more intellectual nuance and liveliness than earlier Fripp/Eno ambient works. These are two of our finest musicians at the top of their game, individually and jointly. A worthy addition to your ambient collection.
Submitted by Delaware Dave (Powell, Ohio) 
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No  1 of 2 found this helpful.

 Stellar Tones from the Main Sequence
Eno - Talking Heads - U2. Composer, producer and 'reluctant' musician. Collaboration with Fripp dates to the early 1970s, and although there interesting reviews of this 2004 release (refer: Stylus, ground and sky, pitchfork), I believe this album could represent a true beginning for the pair, a reconciliation for these world-encompassing souls - equatorial stars -themselves. I say this because I have little affection for their previous work, with the exception of Eno's masterpiece APOLLO soundtrack (1983). With The Equatorial Stars, one has to speculate if the pair had based elements of these compositions on the astro-physical properties of the stellar bodies so named. Only four of the seven titles refer to individual stars, three are constellations; the album title is themematic - not literal, and plural not singular. This leads to the idea of the binary and more importantly a reference to the relationship between Eno and Fripp as artists and friends. Track 1 - Meissa. A binary system. The companion is fainter. The composition implies a disorder of sorts in the system; a happy one,...if you get the drift - off axis - weaving, waving (sozzled...). Not a 'tea-toter' evidently Lambda Orionis (Meissa, in Arabic...hic!). Track 2 - Lyra. A constellation full of binaries or multiples. Feathering, with a beautiful cresendo that defies description. Track 3 - Tarazed. Gamma Aquilae, the constellation of Aquilla. 'a terse plaintive melody played recurrently by Fripp against the humongous space of Eno'. Track 4 - Lupus. Consellation. Many binaries - a carnival. Track 5 - Ankaa. Alpha Phoenicis. (Whose entry in Whikipedia reads like a police record...)Ankaa has a small companion (...no matching description). Ankaa, however, is an 'old smoker' - heavy, leaden and due to die. Track 6. - Altair. Star, constellation of Aquila, 'a funky guitar rhythm that chops along'. Altair does 'chop along', young, fast and oblate, it completes a full rotation within ten hours. (One of a few stars for which a direct image of the surface has been obtained). Track 7 - Terebellum. Constellation in Sagittarius. Back to Earth. Why do I give this work five stars? I am an amateur astronomer, with the lights off, or our local star beaming through your window, this is the nearest audio experience to interstellar travel I can recommend. Andrew Mackenna, ChCh, NZ.
Submitted by rennieandandrew (Christchurch, New Zealand)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No

 Music for complete relaxing
With Brian Eno,s soundscapes and Robert Fripp on guitar the music for relaxation is complete. Just put yourself in your favourite chair and sail away in space. 55 minutes later you will land on earth again. A perfect cd for just relaxing in the dark.
Submitted by claesrunbalk (Gothenburgh, Sweden) 
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No  0 of 1 found this helpful.

Have you heard this album?