November 7th, 2017 - Enjoy Before And After Science

Good evening friends... "and now for something completely different"!  The Meista here tonight pairing a Stone Enjoy After 12.24.16 Brett IPA from Stone Brewing Company with Brian Eno's groundbreaking "Before And After Science"!

Album Info:

• Artist: Brian Eno
• Title: "Before And After Science"
• Recorded: 1977 at Basing Street Studios in London, England and Conny's Studio in Cologne, Germany
• Release date: December 1977 (5th studio album by Brian Eno)
• Record company: Polydor Records
• Production: Brian Eno and Rhett Davies
• Album cover art: Cream
• Personnel: Brian Eno (voices, synthesizers (Minimoog, EMS Synthi AKS, Yamaha CS-80), guitar, synthesized percussion, piano, brass, vibes, metallics, and bells) 
• Additional musicians: Phil Collins (drums), Rhett Davies (agong-gong and stick), Andy Fraser (drums), Robert Fripp (guitar), Fred Frith (modified guitar and cascade guitars), Percy Jones (fretless bass and analogue delay bass), Jaki Liebezeit (drums), Bill MacCormick (bass), Phil Manzanera (rhythm guitar), Dave Mattacks (drums), Möbi Moebius (bass Fender piano), Achim Roedelius (grand piano and electric piano),  Paul Rudolph (bass, rhythm guitar, and harmonic bass), Kurt Schwitters (voice), Brian Turrington (bass), and Shirley Williams (Robert Wyatt) (brush timbales and time)
• Musical style: Art rock/pop, experimental pop, avant-pop, ambient
• Sound: With his "a sound-over-sense approach", Eno's "Before And After Science" is a blend of  "up-tempo art-rock on side one and more pastoral material on side two".  At times the album has a Talking Heads vibe, while at other times it is very mellow and introspective and reminiscent of early Pink Floyd.
• Major themes: Eno referred to the music of Before and After Science as "ocean music".  Themes and subject matter include water, boredom, a boy trying to vanish by floating through the sky through a different time, a boy watching the sky and dreaming about being carried away with a ship, bliss, death(?), etc.
• Tracks:   

1. "No One Receiving"
2. "Backwater"
3. "Kurt's Rejoinder"
4. "Energy Fools The Magician"
5. "King's Lead Hat"
6. "Here He Comes"
7. "Julie With..."
8. "By This River"
9. "Through Hollow Lands"
10. "Spider And I"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Stone Brewing Company (Escondido, California)
• Website: http://www.stonebrewing.com/
• Brew: Stone Enjoy After 12.24.16 Brett IPA
• Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA) / American Wild Ale
• Serving: 22 ounce bottle
• ABV: 7.0%
• Pour: The Stone Enjoy After 12.24.16 Brett IPA pours a hazy, golden-amber with a frothy and foamy, bright white, half-finger head with good retention and sudsy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is yeasty, hoppy, fruity, floral, earthy, malty, and a little funky.  There are aromas of sour yeast, wild flowers, pine resin, cedar, grapefruit rind, orange zest, lemon zest, soft caramel, horse blanket, and wet leather.
• Taste: The taste of the Stone Enjoy After 12.24.16 Brett IPA is hoppy, floral, piney, spicy, and fruity.  There are notes of pink grapefruit juice, tangerine, pineapple, mango, dank pine, Brettanomyces yeast, and a hit of sweet caramel.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with lively carbonation, the mouthfeel is crisp and somewhat bitter, yet fairly smooth, with a dry, slightly sharp finish.

Overall pairing: The Stone Enjoy After 12.24.16 Brett IPA with its dual properties is great for the complexity, depth, and pluralistic elements of Brian Eno's wonderful odd and beautiful "Before And After Science"!  Those hoppy IPA characteristics are perfect for the pop sensibility of side one, while the Brettanomyces characteristics are great for the more progressive and introspective elements of the album!
    

Cheers!!