Big Science [Enhanced, Original recording remastered]

Laurie Anderson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 17, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced, Original recording remastered
• Label: Nonesuch
• ASIN: B000QCU9QW
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #13,147 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #70 in Music > Miscellaneous > Experimental Music

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Big Science prompted trendy early-'80s art students to plug in their synthesizers and start their own postpunk performance-art-cum-rock-&-roll projects. The album actually produced a hit single in the form of "O Superman." That track and "Let X=X" are the two best-known things from this album, which is a condensation of United States, Anderson's four-and-a-half-hour performance-art piece. The entire show is available as United States Live, a four-disc box set. Big Science, however, presents the cream of the crop. Although a lot of Anderson's shrill non sequiturs seemed annoying at the time of her breakthrough, she predicted techno music years before it happened. Still, as rock critic J.D. Considine pointed out, her creations are often closer to theater than to music. --Bill Holdship

Product Description

Critics lauded the sonic experiments of this NY performance artist, and the UK gave her an unlikely hit when O Superman shot to #2. Here's the 1982 Warner Bros. LP that followed: O Superman; Big Science; From the Air , and the rest of these songs full of tape loops, found sounds and other ahead-of-their-time elements. Bonus audio and video, too!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Note From Nonesuch Records, August 7, 2007

By 

J. Berman "Music Lover" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Big Science (Audio CD)

While we feel that the remastering of Laurie Anderson's Big Science dramatically improves the sound quality of the original CD, there was indeed a small omission: the first of two wolf howls that introduces track 2, "Big Science," is missing in the master used for the initial production run of the reissue. This error has since been fixed. Anyone who purchased the CD with the 'truncated' introduction to the title track may return it to us and we will send you the corrected version free of charge. Please see the product description above for more details.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic!, April 25, 2001

By 

Brian A. Wolters (Cabot, Arkansas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Big Science (Audio CD)

Having been a fan of different and "alternative" music, I was intrigued when I first saw the videos for "Sharkey's Day" and "O Superman" on MTV. I was just blown away. So, I went out and picked up my first Laurie Anderson album, Big Science. I was simply amazed at the quality and consistency of this album. I wanted to hear O SUPERMAN first, but when I started with FROM THE AIR, I didn't stop until the album was over. Mesmerizing is the best word I can think of in describing this album. While the lyrics may seem loony, they are actually very intelligent and thought provoking. One of the most haunting songs is BORN, NEVER ASKED. There is a line in that song that says, "What is behind that curtain?" This just underscores the simple yet fascinating aspects of Laurie's lyrics. I just never knew that I was "always falling when I was walking." If you didn't know that, then you must own this album. In fact, everyone should. This is simply a magical piece of art.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An American minimalist music classic, July 22, 2007

By 

Paul Allaer (Cincinnati) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Big Science (Audio CD)

When "Big Science" was originally released in 1982, it was one of the most unexpected successes of that year, not only as an album, but also generating one of the most unlikely top 10 singles ever with the 8+ min. "O Superman (For Massenet)". Certainly the video helped it make a success, but there was more than that.

Now, 25 years after the original release, comes the remastered and upgraded version. "Big Science" (9 tracks, 41 min., plus bonus materials) starts off with one of its best tracks, "From the Air", a threatening piece from the perspective of an airline captain. The beautiful title track follows, with its slow yet mesmorizing tone. Other highlights for me on the album are of course "O Superman", which still sounds as intruigingand hypnotizing as it did 25 years ago (I still lived in Belgium then, and can attest that this was a genuine hit single there and in many other European countries), and "Let X = X", another minimalist masterpiece. Some of the shorter tracks, such as "Sweaters" and "Walking & Falling" doen't really catch on for me, but it doesn't diminish the overall classic status of the album.

I had this on vinyl but never got the original CD issue, so I don't know how much the audio differs or improves, but regardless I think the audio quality of this remaster is great, so I'm not certain what the complaint about that could be. The bonus materials on the enhanced portion of the CD are skimpy but nice: the video for "O Superman" and an audio file for for "Walk the Dog", which was the B-side of "O Superman". Even though the song is certainly not "essential", it's too bad that it wasn't added onto the regular audio portion. Laurie Anderson also provides some nice liner notes. Overall, I am very happy that I finally got this in my collection, and this album is a true classic of American minimalist music. Highly recommended!