Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An unequalled masterpiece., April 13, 2005
Over the years, when I'm asked to name my favorite album, there's one that I keep coming back to-- David Sylvian's "Secrets of the Beehive". Without a doubt Sylvian's masterwork, this album is breathtaking in its power. Sylvian, with an array of talented musicians (including frequent collaborator Ryuichi Sakamoto who arranged string and horns, guitarist David Torn, trumpeter Mark Isham, bassist Danny Thompson, and drummer as well as ex-Japan bandmate and Sylvian's brother, Steve Jansen), constructed a record of such stunning and fragile beauty that it really must be heard to be appreciated.
The album is all about mood- the selection of instruments largely assists in this-- upright basses, pianos, strings, acoustic guitars, hand drumming, all setting an environment of melancholy and longing-- Sylvian's tenor, having assumed a depth quite any other vocalist, is mesmerizing-- he conveys the mood of the pieces often with a style that seems contradictory to the intent, but somehow it works.
Lyrically, this is also Sylvian's best, and is the kind of material that you talked about when you were in high school and pop lyrics mattered. Somtimes he uses metaphor to great effect (often about oceans and rain), althought much of the time its a direct expression. I'm not going to try and analyze them or discuss why they're great, let me just quote a few moments and you can consider for youself: "we say that we're in love / but secretly wishing for rain" ("September"), "but all the hurdles that fell in our laps / were fuel for the fire and straw for our back" ("Orpheus"), "listen to the waves against the docks / I don't know where they've been / I'm waiting for the skies to open up / and let the happiness in" ("Let the Happiness In").
As far as the tracks themselves, largely its a downbeat affair, but there are islands of hope and excitement, though mostly of longing throughout-- take "Orpheus", a magically uplifting piece-- if Sylvian's lyrics and delivery don't get you, Isham's brilliant and delicate solo certainly will. Ditto for "Let the Happiness In". a melancholy vocal over brass arrangement as Sylvian sings of hope, puncuated again by Isham's horn and eventually underscored by delicate hand percussion that prods without getting in the way. But the mood is primarily dark, from child violence (the eerily prophetic "The Boy With the Gun") to living with (and accepting) substandard lives (the brilliant "When Poets Dreamed of Angels") and near total despair ("Waterfront"). Perhaps though what makes this album so remarkable is that all the tracks are standout-- there's nothing on here thats not just superb.
The 2003 reissue adds to the record "Promise (The Cult of Eurydice)", a delicate little piece largely voice over acoustic gutiar with organ at the bridge that was originally only on the Japanese release only adds to the album. The artwork is beautiful as well, with the album contained in a gatefold digipack, and sonically, its crisp, clear and could have easily been recorded yesterday.
The bottom line is, this album is some of the best music ever recorded. I can't say enough that everyone should hear it. This is essential.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A haunting classic with superior sound quality re-mastered, June 4, 2004
This work came to my attention by coincidence only a few months after its original release 1987. Prior to that, I had enjoyed some of Sylvian's work with Japan. His first two solo albums were, however, somewhat boring. A few tracks on each one were focused but too many lacked direction. That changed dramatically on Secrets, an album hardly without a misstep. It is for the most parts rather slow and soothing, simple instrumentation, often in an experimental style with jazz elements on some of the tracks. Standout tracks are hard to define, they have changed in my opinion through the years. The lyrics wander between hope and despair, domestic rage to the joy of life. This is without doubt one of my favourite albums through the years. Listening first to it at the age of 22, I remember vividly the strange emotions the album's contradictions had on me. Despite being anything but a album full of catchy tunes, it struck a chord within me immediately. I am not alone in that opinion, I was surprised seeing so many people stating similar thoughts on Amazon, given it was a commercial failure. I must admit that I haven't enjoyed any other Sylvian album since in its whole, although Dead Bees On a Cake had some splendid moments and his collaboration with Holger Czukay, Plight and Premonition, provides an ethereal listening experience. The original CD version had one enormous problem; the hiss in the recording overshadowed often the sound (or lack of it). Listening to that version often made one wish that better care would have been taken of such delicate music. This re-mastered version improves that anomaly to an incredible extent. The sound becomes richer and the whole listening experience becomes more fulfilling. The CD cover has the same artwork but in the so-called digipak. It is well done. An unnecessary poster (mini one obviously) is also included. Added lyrics or written thoughts about the album would have been welcomed. A debated change has also been made with the album's final tune. Forbidden Colours has been dropped to be replaced by Promised. For my part, I wish that Promised would have been simply added in the end. The end result is still very satisfying. Those interested in buying this album really should invest in this more expensive version, the sound quality is overwhelmingly better and worth the difference in price.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sundays In Autumn, February 5, 2004
By A Customer
Despite the praise of friends,I always wrote David Sylvian off as a precious Bowie clone. While I often found a few things to admire on his albums, I generally find his introspective instrumental work to be mind numbingly dull. For instance, I loved the ballads, "Laughter & Forgetting" & "Silver Moon" off GONE TO EARTH, but the rest sounded like a narcaleptic New Age version of Bowie's LOW. So no, I am not a fan per se.
Without a doubt, SECRETS OF THE BEEHIVE is the best thing he's ever done. It's gorgeously lush & beautifully arranged. Think of a cross between Nick Drake's PINK MOON & Roxy Music's AVALON, with a litte Scott Walker for good measure. Lyrically, the charms of Old Europe come to mind.
"September" captures the mood of encroaching Autumn beautifully. It's like meeting with your soon to be ex-wife at some Venice cafe while the gloom of an overcast Sunday turns slowly into dusk.
"Boy With A Gun" seems like it was ripped from the notebook of French writer, Jean Genet and "Maria" sounds like it was invoked at the bottom of an abondoned well.
Meanacing is not a word I would normally use to describe Sylvian, but "When The Poets Dreamed Of Angels" is harrowing. Domestic unrest coming to a fore with the whispered words, "next time I'll break every bone in your body".
For fans of existential angst, "Let The Happiness In" & "Waterfront" bring lonely boulevard ennui to an artform. These last 2 cuts in particular bring the manic depressive waltzes of Scott Walker to mind.
Eventhough I find a large body of Sylvian's low profile work unessential, I certainly have a different mind about this gorgeously realized record. If you're a fan of any of the names I've mentioned above, this one's definitely for you.
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