Customer Reviews

Rain Tree Crow

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Japan was such a great group, it such a shame people cannot get along together. Individually they all certainly have talent but collectively they were such a great band. Though there are not the outstanding songs such as on Gentlemen Take Polaroids, Quiet Life, Tin Drum there is something about the Japan sound that is very appealing. If you like this check out some of their earlier albums (CD's).

"Rain Tree Crow" was described by Sylvian as a outlet for which he could channel his desire to collaborate with other artists, in a format where the band members would be interchangeable, to promote the idea of "metamorphosing music". What actually occurred was a top heavy project that got mixed up with the former members of Japan producing something of a cluster-jam on the markets. In Sylvian's haste to become some sort of progressive messiah, he wound up damaging his relationship with Japan's former members, along with the cohesiveness of what could have been another solid album to his name.

The highlights? "Blackwater" is one of Sylvian's finest works, along with some of his tracks containing lyrics. The one-off instrumental gem "Red Earth" is great but as with all of these songs, a strong sense of distaste comes to mind when you hear by what means Sylvian brought about these works.

Best Quote (From Previous Reviews):

"The fact that the old gang participated in its recording didn't turn out to mean very much" [byrner]

Everyone on this album who wasn't David Sylvian was apparently upset that it wasn't released under the 'Japan' trademark. But its sound is so close to that of a Sylvian solo album that to mark it as a Japan LP may've been misleading. It's still an incredible album, and a crucial addition to any serious Japan/Sylvian collection.

Primarily improvised, Rain Tree Crow was the collaborative effort of David Sylvian, Richard Barbieri, Steve Jansen and Mick Karn that took some eight months to complete. The outcome is a blend of ambient atmospherics, exotic acoustics, interesting rhythms and Sylvian's exquisite brooding voice. One may expect the polish and intimacy that surfaces in much of Sylvian's own solo music, plus some off-kilter "netherworldliness" reminiscent of Japan. A beautiful dark gem. Highly recommended.

Un excelente material a cargo de los Ex japan, David Sylvian, Steve Jensen Richard Barbieri Nick Karn, 13 temas con la mas pura escencia del grupo de los 80's importado de Holanda cuenta con mi aprobación. Dejará un grato sabor al escuchar este disco.

Many of us who bought Rain Tree Crow on its first release were secretly hoping for a Japan album to top Tin Drum. Instead we received an exceedingly dull preparatory course for David Sylvian's own new-age shamanic trance jams. The fact that the old gang participated in its recording didn't turn out to mean very much. Mick Karn got the occasional wiggly bass note in, while Steve Jansen's flattened drum sounds rang familiar. But like the tinnitus you have after attending a loud concert, the resulting music didn't provide any joy other than to remind you that you once heard something exciting and lively but that it's over now. In retrospect, it's good that they didn't use the Japan name for the reunion release--even though it must have been tempting to do so since everyone involved probably would have received a bigger paycheck.

As Morrissey once quipped about a Sylvian song, "He sounds like he's about to spend his third year in bed." I think the same applies to Rain Tree Crow--dreary as it is. Evidently, die-hard Sylvian fans still provide sufficient demand to justify this 2007 "remastered" edition. It includes one added track and some additional pretty pictures for the sleeve.

Thanks, but I'll pass.