Search - Laurie Anderson :: Bright Red

Anderson Walks A Tightrope on Bright Red

Lunatic Muse | El Paso, TX | 03/24/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Ten years after recording her most optimistic album, "Mr. Heartbreak", Laurie Anderson released the brooding, haunted "Bright Red". The name itself seems bitingly ironic; there isn't a "bright" song in the bunch. Rather, these tracks are suffused with a pervading darkness, courtesy of Brian Eno's atmospheric textures. Anderson's voice, usually an inviting, conversational one capable of inducing subtle sparks of emotion, now seems strange, confrontational and ghostly. Her love interest at the time, Lou Reed, participates in a grave duet with the artist on "In Our Sleep", and Adrian Belew turns in appropriately subtle guitar work, but the entire CD is permeated with a creeping sense of inevitability. As if to underscore this undercurrent of dread, Anderson's lyrics speak of lost control, isolation and lost threads of sanity. For those unaquainted with her work, neophites may find such a description unappealing; even so, this is an uncompromising, mature work that ranks as one of Anderson's best. Personal Favorites: the gauzy feeling of dislocation evident in "Speechless" and the creeping insanity of a scorned lover in "Poison". Representative Lyrics: "Daddy daddy, it was just like you said/ Now that the living outnumber the dead." ("Speak My Language"); "A small bullet, a piece of glass/ And your heart just grows around it." ("Poison"); "If this is the work of an angry god/ I want to look into his angry face./ There is no pure land now./ No safe place." ("Love Among the Sailors")"

Darkest Anderson's album since "Big Science"

Soundtrack buff | 02/28/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I like "Bright Red". It is a dark feeling album, reminds me of her "Big Science" album, however it is less minimalistic. I like the arrangements on this album, Bryan Eno did a great jod producing it. "Freefall" and "Pea Green Boat" are my favourite songs. Get it if you in a mood for listening and thinking."

One of Laurie Andersons best

Soundtrack buff | 09/16/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I also find this album extremely well done. One of my most played in my collection, as well. When Ms. Anderson hits the nail on the head, it's a direct hit! Two tracks, in particular, are my favorites. 'World Without End' and 'Tightrope' are both tracks that I play over and over. They have the ability to grab you by your soul. The album has an overall dark characteristic (maybe Ms. Anderson needs to get out of the city occasionally?), but that same darkness is what makes these two tunes, in particular, so mesmerizing. Here voice is very immediate, right in your ear, as if she is speaking quietly just to you.

I am also a big fan of Brian Eno, and his work on this album is the perfect compliment to Lauries keyboard work and lyrics. The magic is in the subtleties.

I have liked most of Lauries albums previous to this one, but `Bright Red' shows how polished she has become over the years.

This is one hard act to follow."