Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ghostdancing, May 6, 2000
On hearing Mr Sylvians latest album, that wonderful but flawed master piece Dead Bees on a Cake, I had to trawl back thru my Japan catalogue. I needed to gorge myself on some luscious music for dessert. So, he has moved on, but oh what wonderful music he was making way back then. Tin Drum was a commercial success and richly deserved although one can argue that Gentlemen Take Polaroids had stronger songs. It is such an exotic album containing a melange of soul/techno/electric/asian influences. Ever present is the moody sensual voice of Sylvian but perhaps just as importantly, the wonderful bass and drumming of the highly underated Mick Karn and Steve Jensen. Standout on the album is the heavy use of pre-recorded sounds, samples and specially programmed synthesisers. From the glorious Visions of China, the eerie Ghosts to the rythmic tableau of Talking Drum this is an album to be savoured. Way ahead of its time like everything Sylvian was doing in the 70's and 80's, its a testament of the creative genuis and bravery that pushed them to test the limits of their unique genre by producing a record that is at the same time style setting, while retaining its artistic integrity. These boys were more serious about their music than adulation although they were among the best looking bands on the planet at the time. Sylvian would go on to great things in his solo career with Brilliant Trees and Secrets of the Beehive but unfortunetly this wonderful piece was the full stop for Japan. The album was a clear progression from their earlier work, containing a unique style of song construction and arrangement. Sylvian abandoned this musical style when he broke up Japan, did not resume it with his solo career and never attempted to re-create it with the dismal reformation album Rain Tree Crow. The absence of Jensen and Karn obviously the missing link on his solo records. If you like this you must also get Oil on Canvas as it is a worthy companion piece from that era. Still, years later, Japan remain one of those wonderful unique groups that remain unclassifiable. Pity they were mistaken for all the other 80's new romantic hairstyle bands. This bunch were sitting for their masters while the rest were still playing in the sand pit at kindergarten.
|
|
|
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Japan's finest moment, July 18, 2001
Japan should have been massive - they had all the right ingredients but reached their peak just as Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet et al were hogging the limelight. Tin Drum was their magnum opus - a veritable cornucopia of hook-laden oriental electro-pop. Tin Drum isn't a particularly long album but in this instance quality reigns supreme over quantity. It's one of those rare albums where the mix is so deep and intricate, woven like a fine tapestry, that the more you listen to it the more subtleties you detect. It's also a timeless album - sounding more original and exciting than a lot of today's contemporary music.David Sylvian's distinctive voice blends beautifully with the rich layers of finely-crafted synth, underscored by the wonderfully complex percussion. Add to that Mick Karn's unique fretless bass playing, and the result is sheer ear candy. Karn has an unparalleled ability to play bass like a lead instrument - bending notes in all directions and skipping octaves with ease. This talent is used to excellent effect on Tin Drum enriching the overall sound. There are no weak tracks on the album although Sons of Pioneers is a little slow getting started. For me the highlight is Visions of China - this one stands out as it competently showcases the creative skills of the band members, the end result being an absolutely fantastic track. I used to think it's a shame that there was no successor to Tin Drum - but maybe it's just as well as Japan would have been hard pressed to better it. Tin Drum is a gorgeous album - born of a time when creativity was still more important than the sales sheet.
|
|
|
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful music, January 30, 2005
As Japan progressed from their early years, their sound evolved into a rich, beautiful and innovative style that was unique to the period.Many have said that David Sylvian was attempting to imitate the more mature vocal stylings of Bryan Ferry. If you listen to their early albums like Adolescent Sex and Obscure Alternatives, the deliberate change in Sylvian's vocals are dramatic.It's pretty obvious he needed to tone things down to accompany the more textural music they were creating. And, does anyone else wonder why a band called Japan was so obsessed with China? Tin Drum is a wonderful collection of songs but the oriental influence is a little overplayed. Gentlemen Take Polaroids is their true masterpiece. Had that been the only album they ever did, Japan would still be one of my favorite bands of all time.
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
~ Japan
~ Minutemen
~ The Birthday Party
~ Dinosaur Jr.
~ Death Cab for Cutie
album Tin Drum 
