David Sylvian's post 1999 work - what's your opinion on it?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Darby, Jan 28, 2015.

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  1. Pavol Stromcek

    Pavol Stromcek Senior Member

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    With the exception of Nine Horses, I have zero interest in pretty much any of Sylvian's post Beehive output, and the more recent extremely difficult/challenging stuff is not my cup of tea at all. Sure, I'd love it if he went back to writing those beautiful, melodic, atmospheric songs, but that's apparently just not where his head is at, and more power to him for staying true to himself. I'm generally attracted to melody, but I can also be swayed by a really compelling atmosphere, yet for me Sylvian's work over the last few decades has been totally devoid of both.

    His trajectory reminds me of Scott Walker (I can't listen to anything of Walker's past Climate of Hunter). whose difficult stuff also does absolutely nothing for me.
     
    sound chaser likes this.
  2. onionmaster

    onionmaster Tropical new waver from the future

    He surrounds himself with avant-garde art loving 'yes men' who bow to him and feed his ego regardless of musical quality. The guy sees himself as being above regular music, and by extension, above regular music fans.

    I saw an interview a few years back where, even though he was speaking English, I couldn't understand anything he was saying - it was so full of arty, technical terms and philosophy. I think it was on his site.

    When he put out Secrets Of The Beehive, he'd also done those two collaboration albums with Holger Czukay which are not very commercial either. I'm cool with him doing arty stuff but to make that all he is, to deny his own talent for balladry, is a waste of potential. He's old, it's true. But he could do the Johnny Cash / Leonard Cohen / Billy Idol thing of rejuvenating himself in his old age.

    At least whenever the continually pioneering genius Ryuichi Sakamoto ropes in Sylvian for a track they do a good job of it.

     
  3. onionmaster

    onionmaster Tropical new waver from the future

    On the other hand sometimes he gets the atmosphere and vocal melody totally right and creates something amazingly haunting, yet sufficiently melodic to call comparison to the Japan stuff. I Should Not Dare is sort of like a combination of Ghosts, The Tenant and Some Kind Of Fool. You can do melody well and still be unconventional. That is the way it goes.



    If it happened, Pino Palladino would be my choice. The reason why Rain Tree Crow failed so early was that Sylvian had no respect for his ex-bandmates.
     
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  4. Squealy

    Squealy Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Vancouver
    Who are these yes men? My impression of Sylvian is that he leads a pretty solitary, insular life. If there are people whispering in his ear they're probably trying to persuade him to go in more accessible directions.
     
  5. Darby

    Darby Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    UK
    That's why I'm a massive Gabriel fan.

    I also don't understand the point of remixing an entire album which he's done with both Blemish/Manafon.
     
  6. Olias of Sunhill

    Olias of Sunhill Forum Resident

    Location:
    Jim Creek, CO, USA
    I like Sylvian's post-Dead Bees solo output, but I very rarely find myself wanting to listen to it.

    The exception, as others have indicated, is Snow Borne Sorrow, which is a truly remarkable album of memorable songs.
     
    sound chaser likes this.
  7. onionmaster

    onionmaster Tropical new waver from the future

    Just take a look at all his recent collaborators. Not exactly mainstream, are they? I would link to the interview from a few years ago if I could find it.
     
  8. Darby

    Darby Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    UK
    Was it on youtube?
     
  9. onionmaster

    onionmaster Tropical new waver from the future

    They both produced some really good results actually. The aforementioned I Should Not Dare is on Died In The Wool but not on Manafon.

    "How Little We Need To Be Happy (Tatsuhiko Asano Mix)" from The Good Son Vs The Only Daughter" is really good too (very melodic) but isn't on Youtube. I thought if that guy produced a Sylvian album it would be awesome.
     
  10. onionmaster

    onionmaster Tropical new waver from the future

    If I knew I'd have found it by now. It would have been from about 2011 or something like that.
     
  11. Squealy

    Squealy Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Vancouver
    He seeks out collaborators who are already making the kind of work he's interested in. That hardly makes them "yes men" who are "feeding his ego."
     
    Chris Bernhardt likes this.
  12. I listened to the album Snow Borne Sorrow by Nine Horses at a record store when it came out, I didn't like it so didn't buy it. I do have Manafon, but I find it very hard to get into.
     
  13. ippudo

    ippudo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    I'd agree with what's been said, that you can create something challenging and unconventional while retaining a decent tune. I loved Japan and Sylvian's first 15 years - his vocal melodies used to be exceptional, nowadays they're mostly uninspired and monotonous. With a few exceptions (I wouldn't include "Nine Horses"), the second phase of his career leaves me cold and uncomfortable. One of my later favourites is the vocal/piano version of "Zero Landmine", although I'm sure that's as much down to Sakamoto's involvement.

    He does need the money but seems to ignore it in the name of art. The "Implausible Beauty" tour three years ago was cancelled due to poor ticket sales and he's recently moved back to London and currently resides at his brother's house. Hopefully they've started work on phase 3.
     
  14. Squealy

    Squealy Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Vancouver
    If people aren't already aware of it, Sylvian's compilation album "Sleepwalkers" contains several tracks he's collaborated on ca. 2000-2010 that sound more like his older work.
     
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  15. Darby

    Darby Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    UK
    I don't know, I don't think that's evidence that he's running low on money, he'll still be making much more than minimal wage so he's doing ok.
     
  16. ippudo

    ippudo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    I agree. A friend gave this to me very recently and I think "Exit/Delete" is fantastic.
     
  17. onionmaster

    onionmaster Tropical new waver from the future

    They are.
     
  18. Chris Bernhardt

    Chris Bernhardt Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago IL
    Just curoius , how do you know about that?
     
  19. ippudo

    ippudo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    A friend of mine was given that information by writer and journalist Anthony Reynolds at a recent launch party for his upcoming Japan biography.
     
    Chris Bernhardt likes this.
  20. Alfie Noakes

    Alfie Noakes Not Dark Yet....

    Location:
    Long Beach, CA
    That doesn't sound like a good situation. I thought I read a while ago he was selling his house in New Hampshire, partly because he was running out of money
     
  21. Darby

    Darby Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    UK
    At a quess I would have thought he would have some royalties coming in for sure and not to mention he's always got the "Japan reunion tour", hell he hasn't even sold out, he can sell out, I would say he's comfortable either way
     
    Chris Bernhardt likes this.
  22. Squealy

    Squealy Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Vancouver
    He does not have "Japan reunion tour" as an option -- Mick Karn is dead. Which you posted about earlier, so I don't know why you think that.
     
    SuntoryTime likes this.
  23. Darby

    Darby Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    UK
    I know Mick died as I posted earlier, look David Sylvian was the lead singer, even if he's not allowed to use the name Japan and could pretty much advertise that he's touring and he's going to play all of Japan's big songs that would bring back all the thousands of Japan fans that left him for his solo career and all the Japan/solo career fans who left him after Secrets of the Beehive and all the leftover fans that left him in 1999. He would get about 5 fans complaining who are still following his 00s career.

    The point is though, I'm prett sure even with a member of a band dead, you can still unite under the banner. One band and I'm sure there's plent of others is Alice in Chains, their lead singer died. Enough said.

    My comment was basically saying Mick Karn was the signature sound for Japan with his bass and I was trying to say I just hoped they wouldn't reunite now because of that.
     
  24. Squealy

    Squealy Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Vancouver
    There would be no point in touring as Japan without Mick Karn. Apart from Sylvian's voice, his playing was the most distinctive feature of the band. And not easily replicated, either.

    Certainly Sylvian could tour under his own name and perform his classic material. Though in 2015 I don't know how many people there are who would even turn out for that anymore.
     
  25. Darby

    Darby Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    UK
    I don't know, I can't believe uou believe their isn't any commercial ability in Sylvian, I know for sure he could've been as big as Sting or Bono but he chose to scratch nails on blackboards. It's perfectly possible.
     
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