David Sylvian & Japan

[Guy Berger]

I'm finally getting around to exploring the music of Japan & David Sylvian.  I thought Japan's early albums were OK but mostly forgettable.  But Tin Drum is quite good and what I've listened to of Sylvian's solo work thus far (just the 80s stuff) is damn good.  If you like Peter Gabriel, the more experimental side of David Bowie, 1980s King Crimson and RIL-era Talking Heads, it's essential listening.

[Joe]

I highly recommend RAIN TREE CROW, a "reunion" LP of sorts that was advertised as the product of improvisation within the studio. Not sure how much truth there is in this advertising, but the results are often memorable in a late-period Talk Talk kinda way.

Also worth hearing: Sylvian's 90s collaborations with Robert Fripp.

[clifford_thornton]

I like Manafon a lot.

[Aggie87]

8 hours ago, Joe said:

I highly recommend RAIN TREE CROW, a "reunion" LP of sorts that was advertised as the product of improvisation within the studio. Not sure how much truth there is in this advertising, but the results are often memorable in a late-period Talk Talk kinda way.

Also worth hearing: Sylvian's 90s collaborations with Robert Fripp.

 

I was about to make these same recommendations.  Good choices!

Oil on Canvas is also a good live album.  

Also, check out the Jansen/Barbieri/Karn albums, solo, in duets, and the trio.  They're all very good too.

Edited May 27, 2016 by Aggie87

[Joe]

1 hour ago, Aggie87 said:

 

I was about to make these same recommendations.  Good choices!

Oil on Canvas is also a good live album.  

Also, check out the Jansen/Barbieri/Karn albums, solo, in duets, and the trio.  They're all very good too.

Yes, the recent Steve Jansen release, SLOPE, is very fine indeed. He has a new one out, apparently: TENDER EXTINCTION.

http://www.stevejansen.com/

Trivia everyone here may already know: Jansen is Sylvian's biological brother, real name Stephen Batt. Sylvian was born David Batt.

[Bluesnik]

Remeber them as a good group, although I don't remember albums. Maybe Gentlemen take Polaroids and Tin Drum. And I also remember fondly Mick Karn's side project Dali's Car.

[BFrank]

My fav Sylvian album is "Secrets of the Beehive." I like Rain Tree Crow, too.

[tjluke68]

I second Sylvian's work with Robert Fripp.  Also check out David Sylvian & Ryuichi Sakamoto's Forbidden Colours and Nine Horses (Sylvian & brother Jansen with some special guests including Sakamoto).