Customer Reviews

Philip Glass - Songs from Liquid Days

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have been somewhat worried and embarrassed by my reaction to this album--I have played it almost daily since I bought the CD used in Record and Tape Traders over a year ago. My previous exposure to Glass had been listening to my son's orchestra rehearse and perform one of his compositions, which I enjoyed thoroughly. I also bought it because Paul Simon and Linda Ronstadt are among my favorites (I'm low brow). My initial reaction to Liquid Days was amazement and amusement. After playing it through a couple of times, I was hooked. For me it is a kind of religious experience. What seemed like flaws initially, like primitive voice quality in parts, peculiar phrases, absent transitions, began to sound absolutely right with repeated listening. I find myself humming and singing the songs in the shower, and they have even turned up in my dreams. That can't be normal, but it's a harmless addiction. I keep the CD in the car, and when the news is stressful, the traffic deadful, and even the NPR classical music station is too abrasive for my inflamed sensibilities, I pop Liquid Days into the CD player and "chill". I bought another copy of the CD from Amazon to give to my son's orchestra director, in gratitude for turning me on to Glass. I also took him to a Phillip Glass concert for his birthday and tried to get up my nerve to go backstage afterward to talk to "Uncle Phil", as the birthday boy referred to him. My nerve failed, sadly, but he's a local boy so I may get another chance. Meanwhile, I heartily recommend the album to those who are able to listen in moderation.

Phillip Glass' work from the 80's needs to be re-explored. This group of songs performed by Glass and some great voices, including Linda Ronstadt, still sounds like a journey to uncharted territories. My favorite cut is Changing Opinion, where a bit of white noise is heard by the singer/narrator and he tries to figure out where it is coming from. By commenting on itself it becomes a sort of hall of mirrors, just like Glass' fluid and reflective music.

Somehow, I've hung onto this CD for over fifteen years. I'll forget I even own it, find it, then repeatedly play it for a couple hours at a time.

If you don't like Glass's musical compositions, you'll definitely hate "Songs from the Liquid Days." If you appreciate Glass, then this creation is definitely worth your time and money.

You have lyrics by Laurie Anderson, David Byrne, Paul Simon, and Suzanne Vega. The words and music are a perfect match. You have the vocal stylings of Bernard Fowler, the Roches, Linda Ronstadt, and Douglas Perry. A couple of those names I'm not familiar with except for this CD. Regardless, the talent and power is inescapable.

I'm by no means a religious person, but listening to this creation is as close to a religious experience I imagine I'll ever have.

It's haunting. It's moving.

As I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening listening listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening listening listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening listening listening to Philip Glass listening to Philip Glass Glass Philip Glass Glass Philip Glass Glass I have to Glass I have to Glass I have to Glass I have to step back and wonder step back and wonder step back and wonder step back and wonder step back and wonder wonder step back and three-four-one-two-three-four as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening listening listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening listening listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening listening listening to Philip Glass listening to Philip Glass Glass Philip Glass Glass Philip Glass Glass I have to Glass I have to Glass I have to Glass I have to step back and wonder what all this one-two-one-two-three-one-two-three all this noise in my head means in my in my in my in my in my head Glass Glass Glass as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening listening listening to Philip Glass listening to Philip Glass Glass Philip Glass Glass Philip Glass Glass and why I can't just detatch as I sit here listening to Philip Glass listening listening listening listening as I sit her listening listening I am reminded Philip Glass Philip Glass three-four I am reminded Philip Glass as I sit here sit here sit her sit he one-two I am reminded of the sacred as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening listening listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening listening listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening as I sit here listening which nothing is as I sit here listening to Philip Glass Philip Glass Philip Glass one-two-one-two-one-two-three-four-five-six-seven as I sit here

On this wonderful disc Philip Glass has taken the format of the popular music record, with its track list of songs, and used it as the medium through which to explore the traditional compositional form of the song cycle with spectacular results. Following the conviction that some of the best lyricists are experienced songwriters, he has collaborated with pop composers by inviting them to produce lyrics around which he has created the most sparkling, innovatively arranged - and funky - songs you are likely to hear. They range from the enigmatic and introspective to the light-hearted and soulful. On first listening, the arrangements may appear suprising to the pop and classical enthusiast alike. However, this is music with staying power which amply rewards repeated listening. I can say this with the conviction of one who has owned this record for twelve years! The performances are first class and by some of the worlds finest artists. In fact, everything about this recording oozes quality from the excellent production values down to the design of the packaging itself. For anyone who is interested in progressive music, Songs from Liquid Days is a must. If you liked this record, check out the 'Heroes' symphony.

You won't hear it on your Top 40 station, because for pop music this collection is too arty or quirky. Your local classical station might only play these pieces under duress at the all-request hour during pledge week. What a shame! After 15 years, this disc still sees heavy rotation on my personal playlist. Anyone attempting to take this recording too seriously is making a mistake: these songs exist as a testament to the pure fun of collaborating with creative off-beat geniuses.

In this musical Road Trip, you'll find plenty of the motifs and rapid-fire rhythms and arpeggios that are characteristically Glass, but you'll also discover some lyrical melodies which will haunt you. You may even find yourself wondering at the miracle of language while the poetry rattles around your head.

Put away the cognac for this one; fix yourself a Singapore Sling, and be prepared to freak out both your pop- and classical-loving music friends when you push "Play" on this disc.

At first listen, this album is laughingly absurd. At second listenting, it is still absurd, but not so laughingly. After repetition, you will be disturbed to find that this poppish minimalist music grows and grows on you, despite its absurdity. Where is the buzz coming from? Why won't the kingdom open? What is love doing on the couch? This work is melodically similar to Mishima and The Thin Blue Line. And yes, triplets do abound. But this does not diminish the album. The vocals sound like they are straight off of the TV show "Whose Line is it Anyway?," but as corny as this might sound, it only adds to the mystery.

Glass evokes strong responses. I personally have enjoyed much of his music. It was a marketing muse, not an artistic one, that would pair Glass with a group of mostly talented and well-known pop songwriters.

This odd combination creates an inoffensive and unique listening experience. I can't think of another cd even remotely like it, and for that reason I keep it in my collection, and throw it on the cd changer as background music.

But the cd doesn't rise beyond the level of slightly quirky background music, and doesn't represent a high point in anyone's career. Paul Simon and David Byrne have written strong lyrics - they aren't on this cd. There isn't any passion on this cd; it seems routine for Glass, and a insignficant diversion for the songwriters. I wouldn't recommend AGAINST buying this cd - I only caution that it has the virtue of novelty (which is not insignificant), but few other virtues.

I owned this album on vinyl many years ago, but when I moved to CDs, I somehow forgot about it (horror). Recently I stumbled across it on a used CD, and now I can't imagine how I survived without it all those years. Yeah, it's got a lot of big lyricists and singers on it, including some of my musical heros, but in the end it's Glass's music itself that earns its permanent place in my heart. Like every other style, minimalism isn't for everyone; but personally I find that the combination of traditional chord progressions, Glass's arpeggiated continuos, the mixture of classical and modern instruments, and the touch of wackiness on this CD is exactly right. It may not be a "deep" CD, but then, sometimes you don't want to have to work too hard to listen to interesting music. When I listen to "Songs from Liquid Days", it feels like Glass et al. have written it precisely the way it should have been written. I've come back to this site to buy copies for my friends, from the opera singer to the technophile to the Kronos Quartet fan.

I'm surprised and disappointed to see the negativity in the previous reviews. I can only assume that the reviewers did not understand it. Glass has been moving, since the knee plays in Einstein on the Beach, into a world of song, where theme dominates the composition. This album is his first real attempt at creation of the form, which he later would go on to use brilliantly in 1000 Airplanes on the roof and Hydrogen Jukebox. People who listen to "classical" music may believe that there is no more to Glass than Satagrayaha, Aknahaten, and Einstein on the Beach. But that is not what Glass is. That is not even his best work. If you want Bernstein, don't buy a Philip Glass recording, and don't review it as if you knew what you were talking about. If you want Bach or Ludwig Van, don't bother. Schoenberg and Cage are compatible. This is an excellent recording, and makes an excellent introduction to the music of Philip Glass.