Recorded back when "ambient" meant
Brian Eno rather than enervated techno, the LP and EP collected here were originally released on
Budd's own Cantil label in the early '80s.
The Serpent (In Quicksilver) consists of five solo keyboard works and one very interesting collaboration between
Budd and pedal steel player
Chas Smith. That piece, titled "Afar," evokes some of the music
Brian and
Roger Eno and
Daniel Lanois were making at around the same time to accompany a film about the Apollo space mission. It's echoey and ethereal, and yet that pedal steel sound keeps things tethered to the earth (nothing wrecks the mental image of limitless space quite like the sound of steel guitar). The other pieces are also quite lovely, though not quite as interesting; many sound improvised and are as much about sound treatment as they are about harmonic or melodic development.
Abandoned Cities is made up of two very long pieces for keyboard and electric guitar. In mood, if not sound, they bring to mind Robert Fripp and
Brian Eno's No Pussyfooting album: the guitar is barely recognizable, and harmonic movement is mostly limited to long suspensions and resolutions. It's a beautiful, dark, shimmery sound, though, and will reward your attention or lull you to sleep -- whichever you prefer. ~ Rick Anderson