Spooky Steel

Daniel Lanois Embraces Ambient Moods on Goodbye to Language

- Michael Molenda

LONG THE ARCHETYPE OF TRANSFORMATION, PRODUCER Daniel Lanois has morphed sonics and musical approaches for Brian Eno, Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel, U2, and many others. And yet, he’s also savvy enough about convention to make hits, win Grammys, have his songs covered by other artists, and add his guitar and pedal-steel talents to bands and sideman gigs. All of this comes to bear on Goodbye to Language [Anti-]—a haunting and beautiful album of atmospheric sensations, soaring pedaland lap-steel melodies, manipulated samples, and undulating textures. The music somehow manages to be symphonic in scope, while also casting emotive spells that drone and hum—a construct made all the more miraculous as Lanois and co-conspirator Rocco Deluca crafted their parts randomly with Lanois calling out chords while the duo played live in the studio.

While Lanois certainly has lots of experience creating ambient music—as well as composing while recording—the spontaneous element of the writing and playing on Goodbye to Language serves as a brilliant lesson for GP readers looking to break out of musical comfort zones or expand their creative armory. It’s also impressive that while Lanois is a very heady, articulate, and experienced musician/composer, he also retains the joy and awe of creation, approaching projects as if everything is new and strange.

How did you tackle the compositions on the album?