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Laurie Anderson's third proper studio album, coming over five years after 1984's Mister Heartbreak (1986's Home of the Brave was a film soundtrack), is a near-total departure from anything she had done before or, indeed, anything she did after. The most purely musical of Anderson's albums and the one on which she does the most actual singing (though her trademark deadpan spoken-word passages are still present and accounted for), Strange Angels seems to be Anderson's idea of a straightforward pop album. Of course, given Anderson's pedigree, this is not Whitney Houston territory; the closest parallel would be Joni Mitchell's more experimental, post-Mingus work: pretty but chilly, with a certain emotional distance even on the most immediately appealing songs (in this case, the thrilling "Babydoll" and the dreamy title track). There appears to be no underlying concept to the album, although the lyrical themes of three of the songs are explicitly taken from 19th century American literature. The musical arrangements are remarkably complex and feature cameos from not only Anderson's usual collaborators (Adrian Belew, David Van Tieghem, etc.) but also a motley crew ranging from jazz vocalist Bobby McFerrin to session keyboardist Robbie Kilgore. As a result, the songs are sometimes a little too busy, but Anderson manages to remain the center of attention throughout. An album on which longtime Anderson fans tend to be divided, Strange Angels is a perfect introduction for anyone who might find the deadpan surrealism of Big Science or United States I-IV a bit much.
© Stewart Mason /TiVo
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Robbie Kilgore, Harmonica - BOB CLEARMOUNTAIN, Mixer - Hugh McCracken, Violin - Laurie Anderson, Composer, Producer, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - ROMA BARAN, Producer - Alex Foster, Alto Saxophone - Bobby Mcferrin, Vocals - Neil Dorfsman, Mixer - Scott Johnson, Guitar - Mike Thorne, Percussion, Additional Producer - Mark Egan, Bass - Ian Ritchie, Percussion - Dave Le Bolt, Keyboards - Tom Wolk, Keyboards - "Blue" Gene Tyranny, Keyboards - Bennie Diggs, Background Vocals - Bakithi Khumalo, Bass - Erik Lilijestrand, Programmer - Gib Wharton, Pedal Steel Guitar - Kenny Kosek, Accordion
© 1989 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1989 Warner Records Inc.
Sue Hadjopoulos, Percussion - BOB CLEARMOUNTAIN, Mixer - Hugh McCracken, Harmonica - Laurie Anderson, Producer, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - ROMA BARAN, Producer - Alex Foster, Alto Saxophone - Bobby Mcferrin, Vocals - Neil Dorfsman, Mixer - Mike Thorne, Percussion, Additional Producer - Lenny Pickett, Soprano Saxophone - Mark Egan, Bass - Ian Ritchie, Percussion, Additional Producer - Dave Le Bolt, Keyboards - Tom Wolk, Accordion - Earl Gardner, Trumpet - Nana Vasconcelos, Percussion - "Blue" Gene Tyranny, Keyboards - Bennie Diggs, Background Vocals - Bakithi Khumalo, Bass - Kenny Kosek, Violin - John Selolwane, Guitar - Steve Turre, Trombone - Manolo Bedrena, Percussion - Ray Phirl, Pedal Steel Guitar - Laurie Frink, Trumpet
© 1989 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1989 Warner Records Inc.
Sue Hadjopoulos, Bass - Laurie Anderson, Composer, Producer, Keyboards, Percussion, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Peter Scherer, Bass - ROMA BARAN, Producer - Neil Dorfsman, Mixer - Eric Liljestrand, Engineer - David Van Tiegham, Percussion
© 1989 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1989 Warner Records Inc.
Robbie Kilgore, Keyboards - Laurie Anderson, Composer, Producer, Keyboards, Programmer, Vocals, MainArtist - ROMA BARAN, Producer - Bobby Mcferrin, Vocals - Neil Dorfsman, Mixer - Mike Thorne, Producer - Eric Liljestrand, Engineer - Anton Fier, Drums
© 1989 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1989 Warner Records Inc.
Sue Hadjopoulos, Percussion - David Spinozza, Pedal Steel Guitar - BOB CLEARMOUNTAIN, Mixer - Steve Gadd, Drums - Laurie Anderson, Producer, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - ROMA BARAN, Producer - Alex Foster, Alto Saxophone - Neil Dorfsman, Mixer - Lenny Pickett, Tenor Saxophone - Leon Pendarvis, Additional Producer, Programmer - Dave Le Bolt, Keyboards - Lew Delgatto, Baritone Saxophone - Earl Gardner, Trumpet - "Blue" Gene Tyranny, Keyboards - Bennie Diggs, Background Vocals - Bakithi Khumalo, Bass - Kenny Kosek, Violin - Crusher, Percussion - John Selolwane, Guitar - Laurie Fink, Trumpet - Steve Turre, Trombone
© 1989 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1989 Warner Records Inc.
Sue Hadjopoulos, Bass - JAY HEALY, Mixer - Laurie Anderson, Composer, Producer, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - Peter Scherer, Producer, Keyboards, Programmer, Bass - ROMA BARAN, Producer - Neil Dorfsman, Mixer - Lenny Pickett, Saxophone - Eric Liljestrand, Engineer - Cyro Baptista, Percussion - ARTO LINDSAY, Producer, Guitar - David Van Tiegham, Percussion
© 1989 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1989 Warner Records Inc.
Bill Buchen, Percussion - BOB CLEARMOUNTAIN, Mixer - Hugh McCracken, Harmonica - Laurie Anderson, Producer, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - ROMA BARAN, Producer - Tony Levin, Pedal Steel Guitar - Bobby Mcferrin, Vocals - Mike Thorne, Producer, Percussion - Chris Spedding, Programmer - Ian Ritchie, Percussion, Additional Producer - Dave Le Bolt, Keyboards - Phil Ballou, Background Vocals - Earl Gardner, Trumpet - "Blue" Gene Tyranny, Keyboards - Bennie Diggs, Background Vocals - Bakithi Khumalo, Bass - Kenny Kosek, Violin - John Selolwane, Guitar - Manolo Bedrena, Percussion - Peter Lawrence Gordon, Writer
© 1989 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1989 Warner Records Inc.
Robbie Kilgore, Keyboards - Laurie Anderson, Composer, Producer, Keyboards, Programmer, Vocals, MainArtist - ROMA BARAN, Producer - Bobby Mcferrin, Vocals - Neil Dorfsman, Mixer - Mike Thorne, Producer - Eric Liljestrand, Engineer - Anton Fier, Drums
© 1989 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1989 Warner Records Inc.
Bill Buchen, Percussion - Robbie Kilgore, Keyboards - Steve Gadd, Drums - Laurie Anderson, Producer, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer, MainArtist - ROMA BARAN, Producer - Neil Dorfsman, Mixer - Mike Thorne, Producer - Ian Ritchie, Producer - Dave Le Bolt, Keyboards - Tom Wolk, Accordion - Bennie Diggs, Background Vocals - Bakithi Khumalo, Bass - John Selolwane, Guitar - Jimi Tunnell, Guitar - Manolo Bedrena, Percussion - Ray Phirl, Pedal Steel Guitar
© 1989 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1989 Warner Records Inc.
Sue Hadjopoulos, Percussion - Laurie Anderson, Composer, Producer, Keyboards, Percussion, Vocals, MainArtist - Peter Scherer, Keyboards - ROMA BARAN, Producer - Neil Dorfsman, Mixer - Scott Johnson, Guitar - Eric Liljestrand, Engineer - Maggie Roche, Background Vocals - Terre Roche, Background Vocals - Joey Baron, Drums - Mark Dresser, Bass - Suzy Roche, Background Vocals
© 1989 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1989 Warner Records Inc.
Album review
Laurie Anderson's third proper studio album, coming over five years after 1984's Mister Heartbreak (1986's Home of the Brave was a film soundtrack), is a near-total departure from anything she had done before or, indeed, anything she did after. The most purely musical of Anderson's albums and the one on which she does the most actual singing (though her trademark deadpan spoken-word passages are still present and accounted for), Strange Angels seems to be Anderson's idea of a straightforward pop album. Of course, given Anderson's pedigree, this is not Whitney Houston territory; the closest parallel would be Joni Mitchell's more experimental, post-Mingus work: pretty but chilly, with a certain emotional distance even on the most immediately appealing songs (in this case, the thrilling "Babydoll" and the dreamy title track). There appears to be no underlying concept to the album, although the lyrical themes of three of the songs are explicitly taken from 19th century American literature. The musical arrangements are remarkably complex and feature cameos from not only Anderson's usual collaborators (Adrian Belew, David Van Tieghem, etc.) but also a motley crew ranging from jazz vocalist Bobby McFerrin to session keyboardist Robbie Kilgore. As a result, the songs are sometimes a little too busy, but Anderson manages to remain the center of attention throughout. An album on which longtime Anderson fans tend to be divided, Strange Angels is a perfect introduction for anyone who might find the deadpan surrealism of Big Science or United States I-IV a bit much.
© Stewart Mason /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 10 track(s)
- Total length: 00:45:59
- Main artists: Laurie Anderson
- Composer: Laurie Anderson
- Label: Warner Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 1989 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1989 Warner Records Inc.
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