Acadie - Daniel Lanois (1989)
ideated from: a favorite album that starts with ‘A’. Don’t worry I’m not gonna go all the way through the alphabet, just this week.
I already knew Daniel Lanois by the time he put out his first record of his own. I just didn’t know I knew him. He’d handled production on U2’s Unforgettable Fire and Joshua Tree and Peter Gabriel’s So, all albums that were a big part of my youth. So when I first made that connection, as well as hearing some of this record on tv, i jumped to find the disc. It’s been a favorite ever since.
The thing that’s so stunning to me about Lanois is that he seems to have such a fully formed idea of what he wants to accomplish. The songs he builds here are often simple but beautiful, with a lot of his French-Canadian heritage built in. But he’s also not afraid to add straight up rock elements. His long association with Brian Eno should tip you off that he likes the occasional ambient soundscape as well. Lyrically, he switches between deeply personal character-driven narratives and much grander spiritual searching. But there’s never a moment when it sounds like anything other than Daniel Lanois, which is an amazing feat.
Tracks I Liked
Still Water - absolutely gorgeous, featuring U2’s rhythm section
Fisherman’s Daughter / White Mustang II - I must have left these two on repeat for hours when I first encountered the album. Calm and menacing at the same time. Probably my introduction to the concept of ambient music.
Under A Stormy Sky - I don’t know how you say “banger” in French. ça claque.
Where the Hawkwind Kills - Has more of the 80s epic rock energy that drove the U2, Peter Gabriel, and Robbie Robertson records he’d just recently produced. But he still gives it his own flavor.
