Thursday, January 24, 2019

The 1984 Listening Post - Laurie Anderson - Mister Heartbreak

Laurie Anderson - Mister Heartbreak


#27
February
Laurie Anderson
Mister Heartbreak
4.75 out of 5


Highlights:
Sharkey’s Day
Gravity’s Angel
Excellent Birds


This one is going to be a challenge.  It’s not available as a release in and of its own. However all but one track are included on Talk Normal: The Laurie Anderson Anthology and, if you will indulge me, 1984 seems to so replete with mediocrshit that I need to hear something familiar. That said, I haven’t heard this record since Eric (!!!!) got it. And he played it quite a bit. 
Every single time someone says, “Sun’s coming up” I always follow it up with, “Like a big bald head”. 
Hearing it again for the first time in decades…it’s still as fresh and exciting as it was back then. The next step from the brilliant Big Science, this is what an artist does with just a little more money. She uses it to broaden her palette without compromising her vision or her art. I almost wish the songs were cut just a bit shorter but that’s just cuz I wish there were more of them. 
It’s a shame that “kokoku” is not available to stream, I am struck hearing it again on YouTube how close in relation to much of Big Science it was but in this case it’s as though that record traveled to East Asia and came back a little more wise and a lot more confident. 
If not for the meandering indulgence of “Blue Lagoon” I would’ve given this a 5. Convince me and I will succumb to the pressure. 

This record screams 80s experimental world music influenced east village art rock. Which is what it is. 

No link. It must be cobbled together. Sorry. You can listen to it here, though. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqRt6tBnX-0&list=PLijPiy4xM0hdxPf2XUIVnuo_o2mPsSet0

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