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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Personal Selection, November 10, 2000
As usual, David Sylvian does it his way and his retrospective collection is aptly titled. For such a consistently fine artist, the question becomes what to leave out, and Sylvian walks the tightrope over his available favorites,( a number of which are among my favorites), and previously unavailable tracks. I really can't quibble too much with this generous offering, although I do agree with others who would love to have "Damage" and "The First Day"...both these gorgeous songs are only available to my knowledge on hard-to-find live recordings, and their exclusion on the retrospective album is a disappointment to this listener. Since this collection is Sylvian the singer/songwriter, instrumental and ambient works are absent...fair enough, as most of that material is readily available and may be the focus of another retrospective(!) This highly personal and by no means exhaustive set will keep fans happy for the most part, and is essential for those wishing to explore David Sylvian's unique talent. I highly recommend the import version, with 4 bonus tracks on a third disc...as well as the splendid song 'Brilliant Trees', it includes two versions of 'Scent of Magnolia' and 'The Blinding Light of Heaven' from the collaboration with Robert Fripp.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sylvian's Orange Period, December 9, 2000
I have always thought of David Sylvian's music to have an autumn feel to it...earthy, haunting, changing, shifting like a breeze. Everything and Nothing provides a beautiful cross-section of the career of a man who has delved in electronica, jazz, new age, pop and world music.If you buy this at all buy it for the song "Ride", an umbelievable omission from SECRETS OF THE BEEHIVE. Elsewhere is an omission from DEAD BEES ON A CAKE called "The Scent of Magnolia" with it's elegant electronic arrangment. "Thoroughly Lost in Logic" is a vocal piece with what sounds like a prepared piano ala John Cage. Being a fan of avant-guarde composers like Cage, Crumb and Usserchevsky, I honestly have to admit I really like this piece! Granted, it's art for art's sake...but who cares? Other fruits from his orange period include early rare Japan material, dobro melodies, and what sounds like to me is a reworked background to "Heartbeat"
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Aptly titled: enriching, yet frustrating.., August 7, 2002
I'll get the unqualified praise out of the way first. David Sylvian possesses a generous talent, an uncanny way with beautiful melodies and one of the finest male singing voices you're ever likely to hear. His music is an enveloping cocoon of melancholy sound, quiet and reflective, with enough hints of hope and happiness to leave you feeling a little inner warmth amidst the chill. It's perfect for dark winter nights or quiet autumn evenings in front of a toasty fire.
However - see title above. Musically speaking, E&N is nearly perfect. As a compilation it sits on the fence between the die-hard fan camp and the newbie buyer, and doesn't ultimately satisfy either one. Several scattered tracks from all his post-Japan albums give a good overview of his career, but these could have made a single-disc package. Newcomers might not want to pop for this whole set. The already-converted will likely have at least half the tracks on other discs already. As introductions go, a single album would likely be a better choice: I recommend either Secrets of the Beehive or Gone To Earth. Damage (a live collaboration with Robert Fripp) is a fine choice as well: it's just different enough to make it a a little unsuitable as an intro to David's whole body of work, but it's more palatable to Fripp fans and those who like more hard rock.
And so we come to the reason I and many other completists had to have E&N anyway: the unreleased goodies. Why "Ride" ever remained unused for Secrets of the Beehive absolutely boggles the mind; it's eight minutes of stunning sonic bliss, heart-wrenching and performed with impeccable taste. After a year and a half it remains hands-down my favorite Sylvian track of all time.. it's only slightly rivaled by the light-techno "Scent of Magnolia," an unused leftover from Dead Bees on a Cake which beats the more well-known David Gray at his own game. Three additional Dead Bees outtakes are present, and I'm sure I'm not the only one to find them more worthy than much of the actual album. Just compare the evil soundscapes of "Cover Me With Flowers" with the thin and stretched "I Surrender." Other highlights: "Heartbeat" and "Bamboo Houses," a single and B-side with Ryuchi Sakamoto. "Some Kind of Fool" and "The Golden Way," gems from the vaults. The only real dud is the Japan-era "Pop Song," but four uninspired minutes are just a small fly in this rich buffet.
I suppose I've been nitpicking too much. Everything and Nothing works as a complete album in itself, something rare among compilations. These songs are a gold mine of musical beauty, no matter how they're arranged or compiled. I leave off a star because those nagging what-ifs still remain at the back of my mind, but for any serious music addict, this is well worth the few shekels it costs. I just suggest getting hooked on Gone to Earth or Rain Tree Crow first, and then deciding whether you want to come here for more.
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