Wrong Way Up

Wrong Way Up is a stunning album, from the awesome opener Lay My Love (Eno vocal) with its pulsating rhythm and enigmatic, poetic lyric through the soaring One Word (shared vocal and breath-taking harmonies) to the elegant and atmospheric Cordoba, a ballad reminiscent of Cale's Paris 1919 album.

Crime In The Desert has an almost West Coast feel with decorous harmonies and delectable doo-doo-doo's while The River (Eno vocal) sounds like classy country music, almost like Jim Reeves! Every track is great: In The Backroom and Empty Frame confirm the artists' lyrical genius while Been There Done That and the catchy but profound Spinning Away are distinguished by Cale's trademark viola.

Overall, the sound revolves around imaginative synth textures well within the pop spectrum. Appealing melodies, evocative lyrics and passionate vocals ensure an intoxicating sonic blend. Wrong Way Up is more varied than Songs For Drella (Reed and Cale), more accessible than My Life In the Bush Of Ghosts (Eno and David Byrne) and on a par with the excellent Last Day On Earth, Cale's album with Bob Neuwirth.

The two new tracks do not really add that much to the album. Charming enough, You Don't Miss Your Water is a folkie interpretation with a Daniel Lanois influence of an old Blues number whilst the instrumental Palanquin sounds like a Cale demo. It would have made more sense to include the haunting song The Soul Of Carmen Miranda from the Eno-poduced Words For The Dying album from 1989.

Crime In The Desert has an almost West Coast feel with decorous harmonies and delectable doo-doo-doo's while The River (Eno vocal) sounds like classy country music, almost like Jim Reeves! Every track is great: In The Backroom and Empty Frame confirm the artists' lyrical genius while Been There Done That and the catchy but profound Spinning Away are distinguished by Cale's trademark viola.

Overall, the sound revolves around imaginative synth textures well within the pop spectrum. Appealing melodies, evocative lyrics and passionate vocals ensure an intoxicating sonic blend. Wrong Way Up is more varied than Songs For Drella (Reed and Cale), more accessible than My Life In the Bush Of Ghosts (Eno and David Byrne) and on a par with the excellent Last Day On Earth, Cale's album with Bob Neuwirth.