Customer Reviews

Nerve Net

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

An album much maligned for what it is not rather than what it is, Eno's "Nerve Net" is a record deserving reevaluation. Admittedly not a masterpiece per se, it is a good record deserving of reevaluation. Certainly its reissue is as good a time as ever.

The history of the album is what drives opinion of it-- evidentally Eno had planned a vocal record, his first since 1977's "Before and After Science" (this year's "Another Day on Earth" is the album that eventually filled that criteria) to be called "My Squelchy Life". At some point, Eno determined this was a mistake, and "Nerve Net" appeared reusing some of this material. Far from an ambient album, the record is a foray into sort of looped rock music, and presages much of the late '90s techno/rock fusion.

The material on here works best when Eno coaxes great playing out of the musicians involved-- there's no doubt he knows how to construct a piece, but working in collaboration requires strong performance. Pieces like opener "Fractal Zoom" (with its upbeat drum loop and great bass under the synth driven wash), "Juju Space Jazz" (precisely what its name says it is) and "Distributed Being" (featuring an absolutely jaw dropping solo from Robert Fripp) are all among the best of Eno's non-ambient material. And yet, its quite an uneven album, for every great song, there's a less than intriguing piece like "What Actually Happened?" (with its irritatingly overprocessed vocal), spectacular misfire "Ali Click" (what sounds like a bad attempt at a rap) and the seemingly endless Lascaux Mix of "Web", which removes the Fripp guitar solo that was the highlight of the original track.

The remaster sound is superb (although admittedly the record is only thirteen years old, so this is a little necessary) and crisp, with a good balance. The liner notes include the lyrics and the CD includes two remixes. The "Fractal Zoom" remix brings drum loops and Eno's vocals up to the fore, making a much more enjoyable experience. The remix of "Ali Click" doesn't really do anything for me, but I really don't care for the piece at all, so this might not be fair. The reissue is packaged in a standard jewel case-- too bad, it would've been nice if it had matched the Astralwerks reissues.

Again, its not a masterpiece, its not ambient, and its not the pop album people were hoping for, but its well worth careful listening, there's quite a bit to get out of this one.

I was very put off by this album when I first bought it many years ago. I'm a fan of both Eno's ambient works and the first 4 classic electronic/pop albums he did. I'm not quite sure why I didn't like this one at first. I guess I've matured over the years and my tastes and horizons in electronic music have expanded. Anyone who dismisses this album after only one listen will be missing out on a very pleasurable, albeit slightly challenging listen. I would hasten to say that anyone who likes his very first album, Here Come the Warm Jets, should grow to like this one as well. I'm not comparing it stylistically to Jets, but it's similar in that it offers a variety of styles and sounds, some jarring, some repetitive and others that are just plain fun. Give it a chance.

The one you've been waiting for if you liked MY LIFE IN THE BUSH OF GHOSTS or some of Laurie Anderson's or Peter Garbiel's spacier, more abstract work. Frenetic and brilliantly structured.

This is a totally amazing hybrid album that mixes elements from all of Eno's previous works--ambient, vocal, rock--with a new sound for the 90s. Nerve Net could be considered his response to 1990's "Ambient" music by groups like the Orb. A must for fans of Eno and techno.

Note the supercrazy guitarwork by Fripp on some tracks, especially Distributed Being. Also, special guest appearance by John Paul Jones!

I have this cd for about ten years now and I still really like it. Mr Eno is the master of his unique sound, and he is very consistent in how to use it. On "Nerve Net" everything seems slightly warped and out-of-tune, yet ethereal, an ideal soundtrack for nighttime listening. Don't fall asleep though, some songs may lead to accidents - "What actually happened" brings on the feel of a harrowing rollercoaster ride through a dark and scary forest; "Juju Space Jazz" sounds like recorded on a boat rolling haplessly in the sea and may actually induce symptoms of seasickness, and the groove of "Ali Click" could lead to compulsive dancing. My only reservation is that some songs draw out a little, but this depends on the daily mood of the listener.

This isn't typical ambient Eno. If you're of the ambient ethos this probably isn't for you. If you're a musical explorer this is for you. It's chuck full of pulsating positively mesmerizing rythms that I find positively provocative. Ordinarily I listen to classical music, but when I'm in the mood for something completely different I listen to Nerve Net. It sends me to a completely different locale and I absolutely love it.

This album seems to have a permanent place in my CD changer; this is Eno's best album of the 90's by far (one of the few actually). A tad uneven at times but overall one of the most interesting pieces of modern music you will ever hear.

Like all of Eno's albums, Nerve Net is quite experimental. It differs from most of his other recent work in being much more rock-oriented and rhythmic. I give it four stars because it is a little uneven and the wide variety of styles don't hang together very well --- but there are some really great pieces on this album. My favorites are Fractal Zoom, Ali Click, and Distributed Being.

ENO DESERVES A LOT OF CREDIT FOR EXPANDING THE BOUNDERIES OF MODERN MUSIC. FROM HIS EARLY STUFF WITH ROXY MUSIC TO HIS PRODUCTION WORK WITH U2 & BOWIE. THIS MAY NOT BE HIS BEST{BEFORE & AFTER SCIENCE AND GREEN WORLD ARE 5 STARS}, BUT IT IS THE BETTER OF HIS MORE RECENT SOLO ALBUMS. ROBERT FRIPP IS A BLAST AS USUAL. AMBIENT FANS BEWARE: THIS WILL KEEP YOU AWAKE AT NITE.

while eno's best works sound as if they could have been made today, or even 20 years from now, a majority of this album has a definite 80s electronica sound. i understand electronica is now somewhat a derogatory term, and pulling from this genre does not help the albums cause. however, there are some good songs on here, and 1 or 2 gems that no Eno fan should miss out on. also, i find this album a good diversion from the majority of music in my library.

Recommended.