Laurie Anderson - Big Science

Big Science prompted trendy early-'80s art students to plug in their synthesizers and start their own postpunk performance-art-cum-rock-&-roll projects. The album actually produced a hit single in the form of "O Superman." That track and "Let X=X" are the two best-known things from this album, which is a condensation of United States, Anderson's four-and-a-half-hour performance-art piece. The entire show is available as United States Live, a four-disc box set. Big Science, however, presents the cream of the crop. Although a lot of Anderson's shrill non sequiturs seemed annoying at the time of her breakthrough, she predicted techno music years before it happened. Still, as rock critic J.D. Considine pointed out, her creations are often closer to theater than to music. --Bill Holdship Amazon.com

"You know, I think we should put some mountains here. Otherwise, what are the characters going to fall off of?"

I bought this record as a curiosity. I like electronic music of the early 1980s and am always looking for different, more obscure artists to check out. I also like to try out experimental records. I have a few Kraftwerk and John Foxx LPs and a few odds and ends. I've seen this 1982 release many times and was attracted to the retro cover. I have one of David Van Tieghem's (who plays percussion here) albums which I thought was OK but nothing spectacular. I finally decided to give Big Science a try. Lyrically, it is interesting with intriguing themes and images but, musically, it is not something I want to listen to over and over. Other experimental albums I have offer enough accessible, melodic and catchy riffs that bring me back to further listens. This album doesn't offer much in the way of memorable melodies. The only track I enjoyed on a musical level was "Born, Never Asked" which offers a nice violin part the effect of which reminds me of some of Gary Numan's Telekon tracks. The rest of the album is made up of spoken word and repetitive riffs that at best are unmemorable and at worst grating.

"From the Air" (4:29)--Mysterious opening jazzed up by the addition of a saxophone. Spoken word lyrics are of the captain of a plane giving crash instructions to the passengers.
"Big Science"(6:14)--Slow, dark, and quiet track about the building plans of a future big city. I like the lyrics, especially the line "You know, I think we should put some mountains here. Otherwise, what are the characters going to fall off of?"
"Sweaters" (2:18)--Annoying number, luckily a short one. Bagpipe background, with Anderson singing in a kind of Middle Eastern wail and saying "I no longer love the color of your sweaters" and other things.
"Walking & Falling" (2:10)--The words are the best part of this track: "You're walking. And you don't always realize it, but you're always falling. With each step, you fall forward slightly and then catch yourself from falling." Just quiet electronics in the background. Not much to this track musically.
"Born, Never Asked" (4:56)--Spoken words with not much if any musical accompaniment begin this track which is hard to distinguish from the last track until the violin kicks in. I really like the violin in this one. Musically, it is my favorite on this album. It reminds me of something Gary Numan would put out during his Telekon sessions.

"O Superman (For Massenet)" (8:21)--This track has an annoying "hu hu hu hu hu" background which runs through the entire track--only being spared by it getting quieter and a little less obtrusive as the song progresses. The words seem to have an anti-industrial/military complex message: "So hold me, Mom, in your long arms, your petrochemical arms, your military arms, in your electronic arms."
"Example #22" (2:59)--Annoying track. Kooky saxophone, some wailing, German words in parts, whining "No no-no-no-no no no no" at the end. Not a pleasant listen.
"Let X=X" (3:51)--Very electronic with some robotic sounds covering the spoken words. Then a trombone comes in (odd).
"It Tango" (3:01)--These last two tracks run together so it is very hard to distinguish one from the other. Both are so unmemorable that I guess it doesn't matter that they are two songs. This track has quiet electronics, claps, and spoken words which are often "Isn't it just like a woman?" The last line is "Your eyes. It's a day's work just looking into them." Sometimes this album felt like work listening to it. October 20, 2007

Difficult Listening--exercise your brain

Big Science is the best. I'm a real Laurie Anderson fan, have seen her in person a couple of times and was always blown away. I just bought my 2nd copy of the CD, because my college age daughter absconded with my original copy. It seems to resonate with her, too. (Perhaps because I was listening to it while she was in utero?)

If you dig Big Science, get Strange Angels next. In fact...where the hell is *my* copy of that CD? March 29, 2007

"Jump out of the plane, there is no pilot. You are not alone. Stand by."

I am currently a first year college student (but currently a sophomore, if I may boast a bit, as should be expected of a sophomore), am 18 years old, and a theater arts student, currently studying performance art, a medium which has facinated me since my youth. I was introduced to Laurie Anderson at around age 7 or earlier by my father. I fell in love with this album then, though I was unable to really grasp the gravity of it then.

The first track, From the Air, truely connected with me, for odd reasons. It was an anthem of what was coming in my life, though I only recently learned that. She captures the fleeting pain of the "American Dream" and what we do to ourselves to protect ourselves from the freedome we are (or were) allowed. She explores everyday human emotion to a ten, trying to help us connect our life to our own tribal nature, also attempting to find what "God" is. Obviously she finds that God within us in the title track, although I recomend everyone to listen to her, despite (if that need be) her Buddhist philosophy. Many will, as another said, "run screaming", but some will find something opens up inside themselves as they experience this journey with Laurie.

"You know, I think we should put some mountains here, otherwise, what are the characters going to fall off of? And what about stairs?" May 22, 2006

QUEEN of AVANTE GARDE

I love this album! I listen to it when I'm kicked back, relaxing and having a smoke. All of the tracks are enjoyable and she utilizes that vocoder so well. I have most of Laurie's albums but this one and "STRANGE ANGELS" are my absolute favorites. These are my favorite "Avante Garde" divas: BJORK, DIAMANDA GALAS, YOKO ONO, NINA HAGEN, LENE LOVITCH and of course LAURIE ANDERSON who's tops on my list.

Julius-Allan March 8, 2006

They Called it Performance Art

Somewhere in the 70's a new genre was created called performance art. Some of it was shocking, some of it mind numbingly repetative and dull. Laurie Anderson, however, got it right. Complex use of electronics and a somewhat no wave take on music and lyrics creates a fascinating album. Big Science is edgy, clever, fun and intelligent. The only thing missing is the visual aspect of when this material was performed live. January 14, 2006

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