Manafon - the "keeper"? Or which other cd?

[javier]

I know people's opinions on Manafon have been well expressed already, but on a vaguely different slant I surprised myself last week: for a TV panel I was asked to select a Sylvian cd (the question to the panel being about who they class as an inspiration or a "hero") and as I already have all Sylvian's work I decided to choose a cd I could then give to a friend.

I chose Manafon. Somehow above all the other cds it seems to exemplify Sylvian as an "artist" more than any other, and all the qualities that encompasses. I also felt it would be the one cd I couldn't imagine tiring of, despite the fact that I wouldn't class it as my favourite (in terms of feeling good or listening regularly) - it seems like a real "keeper".

Maybe I'm biased because it's relatively new and still unfamiliar, but I must admit after getting to know Manafon, everything else Sylvian feels a little "simple".

Anybody else care to explain which of Sylvian's cds you'd most class as the "keeper", and why? I'm not talking favourites here, thinking more in terms of timelessness and artistry and inspiration, both in the work itself and the qualities he brought to it and its production.

[neonico]

I know people's opinions on Manafon have been well expressed already, but on a vaguely different slant I surprised myself last week: for a TV panel I was asked to select a Sylvian cd (the question to the panel being about who they class as an inspiration or a "hero") and as I already have all Sylvian's work I decided to choose a cd I could then give to a friend.

I chose Manafon. Somehow above all the other cds it seems to exemplify Sylvian as an "artist" more than any other, and all the qualities that encompasses. I also felt it would be the one cd I couldn't imagine tiring of, despite the fact that I wouldn't class it as my favourite (in terms of feeling good or listening regularly) - it seems like a real "keeper".

Maybe I'm biased because it's relatively new and still unfamiliar, but I must admit after getting to know Manafon, everything else Sylvian feels a little "simple".

Anybody else care to explain which of Sylvian's cds you'd most class as the "keeper", and why? I'm not talking favourites here, thinking more in terms of timelessness and artistry and inspiration, both in the work itself and the qualities he brought to it and its production.

mine would be blemish----- i dont know why blemish .....it just holds something special for me

also if im allowed a second choice then it would be manafon

a third would be from the nine horses project when monday comes around although this was a b side track

[tracycowell]

For me it would be Secrets Of The Beehive ( which I feel is pure genius!) Then the album Snow Bourne Sorrow, to me these are what Sylvian is all about. When I first heard Secrets I was 16 and I listened carefully and cried at the genius of it. All my mates were listening to Wham! or Duran Duran, they thought I was ga ga!!

[neonico]

[quote="tracycowell"]For me it would be Secrets Of The Beehive ( which I feel is pure genius!) Then the album Snow Bourne Sorrow, to me these are what Sylvian is all about. When I first heard Secrets I was 16 and I listened carefully and cried at the genius of it. All my mates were listening to Wham! or Duran Duran, they thought I was ga ga!! [/quot

you were never ga ga just pure genius thats why tweaker wrote the song for you....

[inkinthewell]

Gone To Earth
The best I can do to explain why is by simply writing down the tracklist:
Taking The Veil
Laughter & Forgetting
Before The Bullfight
Gone To Earth
Wave
River Man
Silver Moon
The Healing Place
Answered Prayers
Where The Railroad Meets The Sea
The Wooden Cross
Silver Moon Over Sleeping Steeples
Camp Fire: Coyote Country
A Bird Of Prey Vanishes Into A Deep Blue Cloudless Sky
Home
Sunlight Seen Through Towering Trees
Upon This Earth

[javier]

Gone To Earth
The best I can do to explain why is by simply writing down the tracklist:
Taking The Veil
Laughter & Forgetting
Before The Bullfight
...
Silver Moon Over Sleeping Steeples
Camp Fire: Coyote Country
A Bird Of Prey Vanishes Into A Deep Blue Cloudless Sky
Home
Sunlight Seen Through Towering Trees
Upon This Earth

ahh, yes - I would have to say this is my favourite Sylvian work - atmospheric...to the very core.

Favourite: Gone To Earth. Keeper: Manafon

[Haldeman Gracie]

Gone To Earth all the way... although I'd narrow that down even further to Disc Two (or sides 3 & 4 for those that were there back in the day).

[natsume]

Gone to Earth for me as well. It is probably the single most consistently satisfying album taken in its entirety, in my mind. SOTB and BT kind of tie for a very close second.

Javier, I personally find it very difficult to disentangle my thoughts and feelings into what I appreciate as "artistic" and timeless in David's work and what I personally find most enjoyable (my "favorite") work from him. If I really can only "keep" one, it will be GTE. I guess your premise is a little too abstract for me, as I have a very emotional connection to Sylvian's work.

[Chet]

Favourite: BT
Keeper: SOTB
Just for the endless beauty...

[digimarsh]

The "holy trinity" of brilliant trees, gone to earth and secrets of the behive, are all nailed on "keepers" for me, these albums represent the pinacle of Davids recording career in my opinion. It was a truly epic period i would say and any of these cds would exhibit DS in the best possible light to your friend.
This is not to dimish the work he has done since ,most of which is of high quality and equally as fascinating as these albums but the extreme beauty and emotional pull of the three albums is unbeatable.

[Burnsjed]

Mine would be Gone To Earth, especially if the intention was to give to a friend.
I play both Blemish, and though Manafon only arrived today, can already tell will be playing that a lot more then Gone To Earth. But not sure if any of my friends would 'appreciate' being given Manafon, and lets face it Gone To Earth is a lot more accesible.

[sisterlondon]

Secrets of the Beehive for me.

[Astronaut]

Favourite = Blemish (just LOVE it ...)
Keeper = SOTB (classic - what more can I say?)

[neonico]

Favourite = Blemish (just LOVE it ...)
Keeper = SOTB (classic - what more can I say?)

blemish is for me my savour----

[missouriman]

I am keeping ALL my Sylvian cds and if any of ya try to take them off of me then I will kick ya ass!