Eberhard Schoener - 1981 - Time Square

Eberhard Schoener

1981

Time Square

01. Radiant Women 6:55
02. The Nine Lives Of A Cat 8:40
03. Gramercy Park Hotel 4:53
04. Da-Da 2:50
05. Voyage 7:32
06. Take The Zoom 5:12
07. Time Square 7:50
08. Ich Schau'ins Licht 5:52

Acoustic Guitar - Michael Goltz
Drums - Paul Cartwright
Electric Bass - Steve Richardson
Electric Guitar - Ian Bairnson
Organ [Hammond + Fender] - Hermann Weindorf
Percussion, Marimba, Vibraphone, Timpani, Synthesizer [Fairlight] - Morris Pert
Saxophone [Tenor + Alto] - Olaf Kübler
Synthesizer [Moog, Oberheim, Fairlight], Mellotron, Organ [Fender], Voice - Eberhard Schoener
Talking Drum, Kalimba, Percussion, Voice - Mark Nauseef
Vocals - George Beck
Vocals [Special Guest] - Esther Ofarim
Vocals: Clare Torry

Produced at: Wendelstein Studio Munich
EMI Electrola Studios Cologne
May 80 - July 81

So I once again find myself in the position of thanking a requester or commenter.

I would never have bothered to listen to this because of the other earlier seventies works I've heard from Schoener, which were in the drony electronic style I find so dull. Usual comments about how they don't bother to change keys, one whole side of an album will stay in C minor and never stray, almost like the musician fell asleep at his synthesizer out of boredom and omitted to press the button for the next chord. I mean, you could move to F minor for just a few seconds, it wouldn't kill you.

I didn't even know he went on to make more albums following the initial stages. You can see his discography here. Anyways, the commercial impulse I think pushed him into better territory with shorter, more composed songs, and he hit gold here. I think it's appropriate to describe this and the later ones as art rock melded with electronic, sometimes in the minimalist style that was prevalent in the early eighties, but often he strives to create really beautiful visions, musically, and this album in particular is just full of those. I didn't think the other one (that precedes this), Events, or the later ones are in the same league though.

As usual, take a look first at the cover art, I mean it's just superb. The dart going through the window, with the woman, her shadow reflected repeatedly on the back wall, and the small autumnal tree, either nonchalantly unaware, or uncaring, just tell a whole movie's worth of story. It's so beautiful, because it's so evocative, and mysterious. (You can see on that release page the artwork credits.) Much of the music is woman-centred, as if the whole thing was dedicated to someone he knew and loved. Compositions and lyrics are by Schoener, with one exception.

The stunning, standout track is The Nine Lives of A Cat which tells the story of a (young) woman's life in stages, as if she had 9 lives. It's a somewhat trite concept but the language used is pure poetry. The song ends when she is looking in the mirror at the age of 30, very much aware that there are still lives ahead of her.

This kind of songwriting, with subtlety, great beauty, and nuanced emotions, is as I always say the kind of thing that's totally missing today.

One final note, I wanted to see who was the operatic singer for this song. Would you believe it's someone we all know already: the girl who sang the gorgeous wordless vocals on The Great Gig in the Sky from Dark Side of the Moon!

Her name is Clare Torry. Note that she never got to release a full length album in that period, just singles.

I include the lyrics to the song, with the repetitions omitted:

Watching in a mirror she saw a child
gay, in despair, or bored...
and thankful to be loved
There were lives she still didn't know
because a cat has nine lives

Watching in a mirror she saw a young girl
first love changed her, she learned to take care
but thankful to be loved
There were lives she still didn't know
because a cat has nine lives

Watching in a mirror she saw a loved one
sensitive, self-conscious, and full of doubt
but still, thankful to be loved
There were lives she still didn't know
because a cat has nine lives

Watching in a mirror she saw a wife
lonely, happy, possessive,
still thankful to be loved
etc.

Watching in a mirror she saw a mother
taking care, aggressive, tender
still thankful to be loved
etc.

Now I'm thirty years old
watching in the mirror
all that belongs to me is mine
mine alone, and yet I believe
there are still lives I don't know
because a cat has nine lives

Hard to believe he wrote that. It's tragic to me that such beautiful music is completely lost to humanity.
(review: http://progressreview.blogspot.com/)