Brian Eno & David Byrne My Life in the Bush Of Ghosts (Remastered). Release Date : April 11, 2006 (Original release 1981). Label: Nonesuch. Rating: Classic. (Screw points. To each his own!) Basically, I am a bad music fan. My historical knowledge is scant at best, and of all things in the world, I never fully listened through this ground-breaking and mind-altering album, My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts, before receiving this review copy a couple of days ago. This album came about int he same sort of landscape as, in more modern times and as more of a modern reference point for those who are even less knowing of the past than I am, Radiohead's Kid A album did. After releasing really cool and odd, yet still 'safe' music for the times, a band (or pair of people) bored with convention decided to throw a major curveball. As a result - a lot of praise and a lot of criticism. The result is one of the most important albums of all time. I'm frankly quite stunned it took so long to remaster it this solidly, and add a few unreleased tracks to boot. I consider this true art because it's got a point to it that I can't discern or possibly understand. If it's over my head, it's likely just an exercise in wank, but also the craft of someone who truly believes in whatever he has behind said wank. And the significance of this recording cannot be denied. I now want to go pick up a crackly LP version of this album and play it just to see the comaprison - how important is the cleanliness to the sound? Does the static of vinyl help or hinder this weirdness? For all it's synths and the time period, there's very little distinctively-80's sounding electronics on this (aside fromt he fact that African and other various nationalities' imagery and sounds were ragingly popular at the time, though often in a somewhat Americanized, almost glorified fashion). There's some in "Moonlight In Glory" but not much elsewhere. They did a great job of creating something timeless. I am a far bigger fan of Side 2 than Side 1 - more ethereal and musical. You can clearly see how this was the forefathering of modern electronic music. Alternative at its most alternative. The Side 3 stuff (the previously-unreleased songs) are even more odd and directionless than the rest of it. Yes, it is possible for there to be B-sides to this type of album! Amazing. Is that Egyptian-styled synths on "Number 8 Mix"? What an ethnic thing. Song of choice : "Very Very Hungry" just has a wonderful tripping Max Headroom chaos. And the spaciness of "The Carrier" thrills me. -Andy Scheffler Elsewhere My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts website Published : January, 2007.