Gone To Earth by David Sylvian

Sardine-Tree

David Bowie & David Sylvian have been the two mainstays in my musical life. I couldn’t get my head around the first two Japan albums, too ‘cock-rock’ for me, though the Satie-esque The Tenant a hint of what to come. The third, Quiet Life had me spending Saturday nights at The Phono plastered in make-up, red hair and green girls blouse! Fortunately that didn’t last long and I was soon in tank tops and tweeds thinking I was Richard Jobson in The Armoury Show. Funny thing, Youth!!
But Sylvian stayed with me. I could have picked any of his albums, including collaborations with Ryuichi Sakamoto, Holger Czukay, Harold Budd. The solo debut’s title track will be played at my funeral. His Words With The Shaman ‘world music’ with the hypnotic trumpet playing of Jon Hassell. Up to Manafon, quite improvised including Evan Parker. Anyway, for no real reason as they’re all essential to me, I’ve gone for the 1986 Gone To Earth - songs of melancholy & nostalgia, but also hope & a future.
Taking The Veil - Opening with Steve Jansen’s drumming and then comes Robert Fripp’s trickery. As a fan of the Surrealists, I was taken by the songs take on Max Ernest’s book A Little Girl Dreams Of Taking The Veil.
Laughter & Forgetting - Heading a ‘bit jazzy’ with Kenny Wheeler’s sublime flugelhorn playing. Another reference, this time to the author Milan Kundera who I discovered because of the track, and has become my favourite author.
Before The Bullfight - As with the previous track, more introspection, and more Wheeler with the introduction of Bill Nelson.
Gone To Earth - Quite an abstract few minutes. A bit of a tilt to his future work with Derek Bailey.
Wave - More melancholy & hope, a love song as things go. More Nelson & Frippertronics.
River Man - A song of spiritual finding. Sylvian ended up under the guidance of an Indian guru.
Silver Moon - As ‘poppier’ as this album gets!! Maybe he wanted to end on a high?
The original release was a double LP, the second a collection of ambient music. If you’re into a bit of ambient, highly recommended with further contributions from Fripp and Nelson. Also snippets of JG Bennett and Joseph Beuys who are well worth following up.
X

Placid

Sardine-Tree

Placid
Thanks Placid👍

Placid

Brilliant Trees is the only album I had of his. Will give this a listen tonight. Good choice

Travis_Bickle

Interesting article if you haven't seen it already.
https://sylvianvista.com/2020/08/21/taking-the-veil/
Says something about their unique sound that you know someone's using a Wal bass on a song.
I remember seeing Maidman playing with Joan Armatrading.
I shall give this the time it deserves later....

Under-the-ground

Excellent. I like all of Japan. He deffo has IT. Mad he is from nearly the same area as Dave.
I only have the collection & I know Manafon, which feels totally out there. It’s a place in midWales. I can’t remember the poets name is it WH Davies, who was a vicar there?

Good choice this. I will give both of them a go.

otis

I will give this a play tonight, I have brilliant trees,secrets of the beehive and Manafon on cd and that dalis car one with mick karn on lp somewhere.Keep meaning to try some of his others. Cheers

Under-the-ground

Tried this. Don’t get me wrong I like some of David sylvians stuff, and Japan .

This didn’t click with me especially the 9minute song. Some of the frippertronics leaves me cold. The song riverman is stunning though, plus a couple of others. Glad I took the time to give it a go. Coz of riverman I will give this a

7/10. Not essential but an essential artist.

Anchor

DL now. Will listen tomorrow.

Anchor

Is this an hour and a fucking half long?

Anchor

On now. I am a fan of Japan. Love his vocal and the coolness they pervaded throughout their work. The distinctive elements of the band.

I am guilty of not having delved into his solo stuff bar the chart stuff with Sakamoto.

I am aware of Bill Nelson and Fripp but again was unawre of he collabs with Sylvian.

Anyway. On now. It is not unpleasant.

Should be the full album here:

Travis_Bickle

Japan were one of those bands that I always liked when I played them. But I didn't play them that often.
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. It reminded me of some of John Martyn's stuff from the early 80s, Glorious Fool and Best Kept Secret.. And Floy Joy on Taking The Veil. Touches of Paul Young too.
There's that very 'produced' sound that can be great when it works. Chorus pedals, fretless basses, brass very deep in the mix and echo on the drums.
Some really nice moments on this.
It's definitely one of those albums that I would never have played but I will go back to. And I'll probably give some of his others a listen to on the back of it.
It doesn't reach essential for me, but I can see why he would be and is for some.

Anchor

It's all a bit of a musos musos album. I mentioned this to a chap at work who is into his music. He immediately rattled of the musicians on it. That felt a bit sterile to me. Like it was an album he was supposed to like as he's a musician. Like everyone who flocked to see Bruce. Standing for nine hours on a football pitch paying seven pound a pint for Carling.

Almost music or fandom by numbers. Not because you actually like it.

Anyway. This was ok. It's obviously not shit but is it really that good?

In a word. No.

I've already deleted out of my Amazon music library.

space

I've been listening to this recently and it's only just dawned on me that Robert Fripp played on it. He's played on loads of albums I've liked in the past and I've not noticed.