Before and After Science - Ten Pictures

Within the crosscurrents of some of the most innovative moments of his career—including collaborations with David Bowie and his own work in the burgeoning field of ambient music—Brian Eno found time to record Before and After Science, which encapsulated the best of his '70s work while anticipating many trends of the '80s. Synth-pop, electro-funk, New Romanticism—all the keyboard-infused ideas of the impending decade were heralded in “Backwater,” “Spider and I,” and “Kurt’s Rejoinder.” The album's second half delves into more ambient-influenced material, though “Julie With…” and “By This River” are much sweeter and more accessible than anything from the official Ambient volumes. Ever attuned to the latest sounds, Eno uses “King’s Lead Hat” to bridge the punk phenomenon to the earlier dazzling glam of Roxy Music. The result is outer space dance music for earthbound freaks. The best song, though, is the opener. Bolstered by the rhythmic voodoo of Can’s drummer Jaki Liebezeit, “No One Receiving” is a tour de force that predicted and outmatched Talking Heads’ most important ideas before they'd even occurred.