Tin Drum [Original recording remastered]

Japan | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 24, 2007)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Caroline
• ASIN: B000F3T7XI
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #47,080 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. The Art Of Perties

2. Talking Drum

3. Ghosts

4. Canton

5. Sill Like In Mobile Homes

6. Visions Of China

7. Sons Of Pioneers

8. Cantonese Boy

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best of Japan's material., August 9, 2007

By 

Michael Stack (North Chelmsford, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tin Drum (Audio CD)

Tin Drum" was the album where Japan finally hit their stride-- the two strongest forces in the band had found their own voices-- David Sylvian's compositions combined drastically separated influences like Roxy Music, Erik Satie, and Eastern Asian traditional musics to form something wholly other, supported in large part by the unique, rubbery fretless bass playing of Mick Karn. Even at this early point in his career, no one sounded like Karn. And with the departure of Rob Dean, there was little concession for guitar playing-- when its present, its more atmospheric and tasteful-- a radical departure from the N.Y. Dolls glam of their first album, which came out just three years prior.

But taste and atmosphere and arrangements are really the key here-- consider the album's standout-- "Ghosts". Steve Jansen (a master of understatement at the percussion chair) plays a simple marimba line, under which Sylvian and synth man Richard Barbieri play simple hazes. While Sylvian's voice had not yet finished developing, his passionate croon is emotional and effecting. Contrast this piece withe the traditional Chinese sounds of "Canton"-- which could have been written (and for that matter performed) centuries before were it not for the squeaky presence of Karn's bass.

Much of the rest of the album is dancey rhythmically, with Jansen maintaining understated pumped up beats and Karn digging way deep into a groove and producing several stunning bass lines ("Talking Drum", "Still Life in Mobile Homes", "Visions of China"). But to my ears, the other standout on the record is "Sons of Pioneers"-- similar in mood and feel to "Ghosts", cowritten by Karn and Sylvian, this one is driven by a haunting bass line and tribal percussion and again shows the band has mastered this dark mood. Its really quite a shame they split up after this one-- both Sylvian's "Brilliant Trees" and Karn's "Titles" and Dali's Car project would have benefited greatly from the other contributing.

This reissue was done fully under the control of David Sylvian. Sonically, its flawless-- the Virgin reissues of the Japan/Sylvian catalog could have been recorded yesterday in an all-digital studio. The only other comment I'd make is to say it might be worth digging up the limited edition release which contained a bonus disc-- if you're new to Japan, this one's fine, if you're an old hand with them, you'll probably want the limited edition (but then again, you probably have it).

Overall, "Tin Drum" is really a superb album-- definitely the best the band did in my assessment. This reissue only makes it sound better.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Remastered NOT Expanded, February 26, 2007

By 

Jairo (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tin Drum (Audio CD)

Amazon's product description listed this cd as having the 4 bonus tracks on it. Well, I just received my copy and it does not. That sucks because the single version of "the art of parties" is superior to the album version. Oh well. At least it is remastered. I also bought "Gentlemen take polaroids" and "Quiet Life" and they did match the descriptions.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars IMMACULATE JAPAN, December 29, 2009

By 

Proppa - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tin Drum (Audio CD)

this was the first japan album i ever heard and it blew me away. it still blows me away. this sounded like nothing else when it came out and in my opinion has stood the test of time and then some. 'tin drum' might be the most "perfect" japan album in the sense that it's such an extremely bold statement of what this band was about during this era: elegance, experimentation, and haunting songs and textures. only 8 tracks long but epic in every way. a masterpiece.