Monday, January 6, 2020

The 1986 Listening Post - Philip Glass - Songs from Liquid Days

Philip Glass - Songs from Liquid Days



#281/1406
July 1 1986
Philip Glass
Songs from Liquid Days
Genre: What the actual fuck?
2.25 out of 5


Highlights:
Lightning


At some point in the mid 80s, if you, like me, were in college in New York, specifically acting school, you were, no doubt, going to be exposed to Philip Glass. If you were in film school, too. He was the shit for a couple years there. Between the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s production of The Photographer, which I saw because my dance instructor was in it and the movie Koyaanisqatsi, Glass was everything. 
And then someone decided to make him into…what, exactly? A Popular recording artist?
In a way it was a triumph for the art kids like us. I mean, dammit, Philip Glass was on Saturday Night Live, dammit!
But…why?


This sounds like Philip Glass. Triplets repeated, pulsating rhythms, and really dumb lyrics. 
Like stupid lyrics. Which doesn’t work on the opening track but DOES on the “Lightning” because it doesn’t sound like Philip Glass, it sounds like Glass approximating Jean Michel Jarre, who should sue. 
Janice Pendarvis, whom I served with on the SAG board, is stellar on that track. But...umm…Linda Ronstadt? I know she’s up for almost anything, but this is not right for her. 
The rest is bad Glass Opera and I have lived long enough to be able to say: No. 





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