Taking Tiger Mountain (by Strategy) by Brian Eno

Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) is the second solo album by English musician Brian Eno (credited simply as "Eno"), released in November 1974 by Island Records. Unlike his debut album Here Come the Warm Jets, Eno's second album used a core band of five instrumentalists--keyboardist, guitarist, bassist, drummer and percussionist--and used fewer guest musicians. Also participating was guitarist and co-writer Phil Manzanera, who had played with Eno in Roxy Music. To help guide the production of the album, Eno and Peter Schmidt developed instruction cards called Oblique Strategies to facilitate the making of the album. Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) is a loose concept album that addresses a variety of subjects that range from espionage to the Chinese Communist revolution. The album alludes to pop-song structures, but Eno's lyrics play with themes of geopolitical intrigue. It did not chart in the United Kingdom or the United States, but it got good reviews from critics. Since its release, the album has received even more critical attention, with varying opinions on its quality.