David Sylvian - First 4 solo albums Vinyl reissues & Rain Tree Crow! - Feb/March 2019

So how does it sound?

 

I’ll post when I’ve had a chance to spin it buddy. Hopefully today

 

So I’ve just spun this.
Really flat disc although there is rumbling and a little surface noise audible between tracks. I’ve heard worse but this is annoying on a brand new disc.
Nice sleeve and inners.
Plays nicely , good definition and separation of elements here. Only comparison made with an alternate this evening was with other copy I have which is the original CD and this new pressing sounds better to my ears. Just played Blackwater first the record, then the CD. Sylvians vocals sound better on the record, harsher sounding on the CD, drums sound crisper and little more rounder sound (follow through) on the record.
I am keeping this as my preferred version, just again a shame on this sort of atmospheric recording to put up with noise between tracks.
(PS- listening on headphones as Mrs P has gone to bed)

 

What actually sounds the best is the 2003 remastered CD on which this vinyl release is based on. The original CD is way too thin and weak, which kills some tracks.

BTW, if somebody tells you the 2003 remaster of RTC is "compressed", laugh in their face. It scores DR12. If that's "compressed" to somebody, they have no idea what they're talking about. If anything, the original is anemic.

 

RTC was finally delivered yesterday. Must of been the lowest on the food chain on Amazon Prime to get it this late.

Anyhow, OK pressing and cut I would say, again GZVinyl with no cutting engineer, sleeve comes with a printed inner sleeve, and as a complete one-off the actual vinyl comes in a separate white poly-lined sleeve. Download code is in WAV format, no complaints there.

I don't have anything to compare this with in this format, but it generally sounds pretty good.

This is a collection-gap filler really, a truly dull album with not a lot going for it. I'm glad this never carried the "Japan" name. Listing your name down next to "treatments" is still a massive unknown to me, but with a slightly pretentious edge to it.

 

Yeah 4 goodish tracks. Rather it have been an EP. The rest feels unfinished as though they gave up.
Sylvian did finish it on his own didn’t he. Much to the annoyance of the others. He funded the last stages so they had no choice.

 

I've still not got around to reading Anthony Reynolds book "Cries and Whispers" on the whole truth on the RTC idea.

As it was all improvised in the studio, it strikes me that it was an idea formed around a few telephone calls, and then a realisation that you are getting the band back together and that no one wants to take the lead, so rather than prepare something, all turn up and see what happens. Very few artists can pull that sort of trick off and it didn't really happen here, and it struck me at the time the cupboard was bare as certain Japan solo works where already dry at the ideas factory long before.

 

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been reading this https://www.amazon.co.uk/David-Sylvian-Romantic-Martin-Power/dp/1844495876 that my brother lent me a while ago.
It’s telling that their budget ran out with so little to show for it and that’s why Sylvian (according to the author) put in the cash to fund it being finished as long as he got full control.
The reformation sounded a good idea at the time it seems but imo you are right Englishbob, the ideas were few and far between.
Shame really.

 

The intention behind the album from the beginning was to make improvised music. They didn't set out to write a conventional Japan or David Sylvian album and then run out of steam four songs into it.

While I like some of the more dynamic instrumental or near-instrumental things like "Big Wheels in Shanty Town," I'm pretty doubtful that there's much musical value in tracks like "Scratchings on the Bible Belt," where to my ears they're just noodling around aimlessly. But I'm skeptical of improv in general. Sylvian would probably tell you that that's the best music on it, though.

 

It’s a fine album but at the time I was very negative about it due to the falling-out the band had and the depressing interviews. There’s an alternate album master in existence with some different track titles and out-takes; have had it in my hands. I doubt it’ll ever see release now.

 

Thanks for this info Paul - it’s a first for me. Do you mind to describe a bit if you recall how that sounded vs the finished album? Karn always said he regretted they (well, Sylvian in the end) didn’t go with those early, rawer versions.

 

RTC is fabulous. Some of the best instrumental tracks in Sylvian's career and the few vocal tracks are powerful, especially Every Color You Are.

The reunion ended as a failure because Sylvian was treating the others as simple hired labour, not actual co-creators. He was obsessed with his solo career at the time and that's why he didn't want to use the Japan name. He refused to allow Karn's friend guitarist to come aboard because he was afraid that Karn would have too much influence then. Even Sylvian's brother got pissed off at him at that time, whereas he was very laid-back during the Japan drama. Also, Sylvian was the only person with money at that time, so his move was calculated - he basically seized the whole album and locked himself with Steve Nye to finish it the way he wanted.

 

I see your point. 'Secrets Of The Beehive' was originally a beautifully sounding CD to start with: I love the tape hiss
I can hear on those songs.

 

Long time that I didn’t spin that one but I remember liking it a lot.

Blackwater was/is a favorite. The album isn’t a masterpiece as other Sylvian albums but very listenable. 3 1/2 stars

 

I have the original 1991 and the 2003 remaster RTC CD's and would hope that the new vinyl is in between these for sound quality as the original is a little too mellow and the remaster just a little too in your face.

 

I haven't heard it unfortunately, have just held it and taken photos of the box. It's owned by Steve Jansen and Richard Barbieri. I'll try to find the photos.

 

Recommended reading, new interview with Steve Jansen, relevant somewhat to RTC and the reissues.

Steve Jansen - Provoking thought

 

Thank you!

 

Thanks for sharing Paul. I love what he had to say about his friendship with Mick.

 

That's a great interview with Steve Jansen. One can only wish Sylvian was more like his brother, especially in regards to organized religions and childhood friendships.

 

The questions read like a job interview

 

Yeah. It seems like the questions were emailed to Steve.

 

He does make a good point. At what point does "arrangement" become part of the creation of a work? Let's face it, if Sylvian released Visions of China done on a grand piano few people would buy it.
The same discussions where made about Alan Wilder's role in Depeche Mode although the released of some demos have showed that the Martin Gore's arrangements were not far of the finished product.

 

I totally agree with you about RTC. I've never warmed to it and always felt the compositions were simply not that great. This is why I'm not interested in the reissue (though I am happy for fans that it apparently sounds good). Yet, it seems most Japan/David Sylvian fans I've met over the years love this album, and I've never really understood why.

 

Yes, I've wondered many times listening to Japan's records what sort of form Sylvian presented these songs to the band in, especially the later ones. Like, what did a song like "Talking Drum" sound like when he wrote it?

The bass line of "Sons of Pioneers" was clearly the starting point of the song so Mick Karn has a writing credit on it, yet "Visions of China" also has a prominent bass line and he does not have a credit on that... presumably because Sylvian wrote the song's words and melody first, and only then did Karn come up with the bass part, so it's "arrangement." It's a tricky issue that causes all kinds of bad feelings in bands.