Brian Eno: The Drop

Brian Eno may never shake the ghosts of his past, and for good reason. Many know him only in his production faculty, working on such albums as David Bowie's Low, Talking Heads' Remain In Light, and U2's The Joshua Tree. To others, Eno will be lionized for his work in the '70s and early '80s, a period during which he created four brilliant rock albums, almost single-handedly created ambient music, and even gave Phil Collins a moment of credibility. But rather than slipping away into a well-deserved retirement or becoming solely a producer, Eno continues to make interesting music. The Drop consists of 17 instrumental electronic numbers of varying length and quality. At its worst, there are a few annoying twangy numbers that sound like a room full of braces-bedecked kids breaking their rubber bands in an orchestrated manner. At its best, the album's remainder is sparse without being barren, packing pure emotion into fleeting moments. As a whole, it's a lyric-free narrative, allowing listeners to create their own specifics to the waxing and waning of the music.