Not mentioned much around these parts. Any thoughts? Your fave records by them/him?

Perhaps unfairly, I voted that I like neither - although I've only heard one or two things by each, it was enough to provoke a strong sense of dislike..I wouldn't feel inclined to give them a second listen.

I'm not very keen is the understaement of the week... BORING!!
Never got it, self indulgent, the blight of Onan.

I'm a big fan of both
Got into them in secondary school around 1985 - same time as The Fall.

favourite records
Japan - Gentlemen Take Polaroids vs Tin Drum. Both are flawless.
Quiet Life is up there too while Adolescent Sex and Obscure Alternatives are very different but worthwhile albums.

David Sylvian solo is even better.
Secrets Of The Beehive is probably the best with Gone To Earth and Brilliant Trees fighting it out for second place. Dead Bees On A Cake, Alchemy: An Index Of Possibilities and Blemish are all worth owning and persevering with.

Blemish remix album is a grower also.
Has done some worthwhile collaborations - esp Damage with Robert Fripp.
The Sylvian compilation Everything And Nothing is an excellent primer.

can't stand his voice, worse than Ferry for "mannered"...

New album by his outfit Nine Horses is pretty good. I was never a fan but I like this.

'Ghosts' will always be a treasure... watch the slow boat hit and run.....

I had a brief flirtation with "futurist" bands, baggy trousers & make up, dyed hair & earrings in my teens (there, I've admitted it & feel a lot better for it!!!), never went for the frilly shirts though, honest. Japan were one of the better bands on the verge of "the scene". Tin Drum was their best album & I still play it regularly now.
Didn't bother with any of his solo stuff, probably my loss, so I've not voted.

The BEST thing about Sylvian is that he looks exactly like Sally Jesse Raphael.

Horrible in my book.

I can't believe no one realized how funny this is. I guess you have to know who both people are to realize the full spectrum of the humor. :huh:

Dunno who the other person is but the likeness is certainly there.

Playing Devil's advocate here, why is 'mannered' necessarily bad? All pop is artifice afterall – a sort of acting. Can we not enjoy the mannered-ness (mannerisms?) for themselves?

I've been really surprised at the hostility ("horrible" etc) expressed in this thread.

I like him, but then I'm an old romantic. 'Brilliant Trees' and 'Blemish' are best.

In the UK, the 'Sally' programme is tucked away on a digital channel - it's crap. However, I suspect if she made a record I would probably prefer to listen to it rather than David Sylvain or Japan. :devil:

:applaud:

Well, it's just subjective taste isn't it?

I've never liked Bryan Ferry's style of singing, and Sylvian sounds like him in my opinion. Ergo I don't like his voice either.

I'll admit his later material (work with Fennesz etc) has more appeal. But his voice still grates.

As for Japan, I abhor that fretless bass work of Mick Karn- a sound that is as indelibly naff 80's as the gated snare.

It doesn't surprise me at all that a bunch of techno poseurs lke Japan are not especially popular on a Fall forum... :P

japan were great, my favourite is probably adolescent sex which most people hate. the next one (obscured alternatives) was a stinker but luckily they changed their style completely and made brilliant albums like quiet life and tin drum after that.

Why all the hostility, people? David Sylvian is pretty cool in my book, as were Japan before them. And Riuichi Sakimoto, too. And Rain Tree Crow. I love the way these guys have been contributing to each other's stuff for so long.

Japan grew in strength as they went along, I love that 'Tin Drum' album, especially 'Cantonese Boy' and 'Sons of Pioneers'. And 'Oil on Canvas' is a great live album. And you have to admire a pop band releasing a single like 'Ghosts', which essentially has no tune. Ahead of their time, Japan. Good stuff.

David as a solo artist is even better than JApan. When you've got a back catalogue that includes stuff like 'The Ink in The Well', 'Red Guitar', 'Orpheus', 'Midnight Sun', 'Ride', 'Buoy' and 'Godman' (to name a few) then the only thing you have to worry about is why you are not appreciated more. The guy's cool - varied, intense, intelligent, considered music, the sort of thing people cry out for when it's not around.

'I recognise no method of living that I know,
I see only the basic materials I may use.'

Classic.

And, you know, sometimes when you look for an alternative, it turns out the only thing available is Radiohead, so my advice is stick with David.

^^^^^^^

Everything he said.

I like Japan and David Sylvian. I have all their stuff. So whether I am playing Night Porter or Sylvian's Brilliant Trees album I'm happy. :)

Not sure of fave Japan album, Tin Drum maybe, could be something else on another day.

Maybe a proper albums poll would help, seeing as there doesn't appear to be one.

Agreed.



"Fucking horrible" would be a much more fitting tribute. :devil2:

:o + :( = :angry:

OK,OK, I admit to quite liking European Son and Quiet Life, but the rest is cack.

It's definitely his voice that grates. Some of the songs themselves are alright I suppose.

Quiet Life was a hit.

But unless you know their albums well you won't know such delicacies as Life Without Buildings or Night Porter or...

Anyway, we all like different things for different reasons and I can understand about the voice, in a similar vain I couldn't listen to anything by Stereophonics although that is music very loosely as we know it.

Night Porter was a single too.

Not a very good one either. Whinging dirge in fact. -_-

"Ghosts' an amazing tune they were ahead of the pack and their time with their minimalist

masterpiece . They ploughed their own farrow . I remember seeing their picture In "Look IN" and

they were bandied with Spandau and Duran Duran. and being captivated by their image .

"Assemblage" is a good place to start before they changed theri new wave sound to what they are

known for. I got into them when I was about 14 Didn'r mind "Brilliant Trees" don't like it now got

"Gone To Earth" and went off them .Remember hearing about"Secrets Of the Beehive" but by then

had moved on . A couple of years ago Bought the retrospective "Everything And Nothing"

for about £5 a GREAT album and all the best tunes I liked were from "Secrets From The Beehive "

Truly an amazing album Pitch perfect Timeless well worth getting .

I bought all the rest including nine horses Yet this is the pinnacle a Masterpiece .

.

I quite like Blemish and a lot of his solo stuff.

Yes, his introspection can be painful at times.

I used to loathe Japan/Sylvian and what I thought they stood for.