Must RESIST...SLOWLY Under..standing...Sylvian SOLO!

[Sylvian's Beard]

I am slowly starting to get into his solo material...did he do anything worth picking up after Secrets....I ripped on his music hardcore a few months ago, but I have been listening to it alot lately, and although I don't think it can hold a candle to JAPAN, I could see my self liking it almost nearly as much...

[camphorvan]

Nine Horses: Snow Borne Sorrow is a good place to start.

[baht habit]

Since you begin your post with a statement of resistance, then I wonder why you would even now consider checking into it? Sylvian's solo work since disbanding Japan is cerebral and sophisticated. Obviously, you have heard Secrets of the Beehive, and if that hasn't reached you in some way, then I highly doubt any other solo release would be to your taste.
Plus, if you happen to go into listening to his music with the predisposition that it most likely will not 'hold a candle' (whatever that age old phrase may actually mean) to his music with Japan, then I would sincerely recommend total avoidance of his output from the past twenty or so years.
That being said, I always recommend The First Day (collaboration with Fripp) to anyone who doesn't usually strike me as the type to go for an entirely artistic aesthetic. If that doesn't hit you in the head, heart and hips, then I guess it's better to stick with that rock music which you prefer much more already.

[Melaszka]

Nine Horses: Snow Borne Sorrow is a good place to start.

I'd agree. That and SOTB are the two I usually recommend to Sylvian virgins, because they hit a balance of accessibility and quality.

Blemish is brilliant but very inaccessible if you're coming to Sylvian's solo work for the first time. DBOAC is extremely accessible but generally thought to be his worst album.

But if you've not got Everything and Nothing, put that on your letter to Santa this year - it will give you a taste of some of his post-SOTB work and some Japan-era remixes and "lost" tracks.

[Lady Arcadia]

As mentioned earlier, David's solo work is light years away from the likes of Adolescent Sex. You really have to listen to it with no preconceived ideas of what it will be like or how it will affect you.

I have advised to others in the past, if you listened to and liked the Tin Drum era to start with Brilliant Trees, as it is probably the closest work to what was done with Japan.

In saying that though, if you do like the more rock type music, The First Day would be a good start.

Another idea, rather than buying the CDs first and then hating them, have an hour or so going through some of the videos uploaded on You Tube. Probably the good ones to watch would be Blackwater, Orpheus, Silver Moon (a favourite of mine) and Pulling Punches. I have read that David doesn't like the last one, but it has quite a good "hitting" beat behind it, and would probably be the best one to look at first.

Hope this is of some help.

Ellyn

[Sylvian's Beard]

I own Brilliant Trees, and Secrets of the Beehive...hated them before, but, now I am slowly getting into them and starting to understand.

[godisinthesilences]

:) Since you begin your post with a statement of resistance, then I wonder why you would even now consider checking into it? Sylvian's solo work since disbanding Japan is cerebral and sophisticated. Obviously, you have heard Secrets of the Beehive, and if that hasn't reached you in some way, then I highly doubt any other solo release would be to your taste.
Plus, if you happen to go into listening to his music with the predisposition that it most likely will not 'hold a candle' (whatever that age old phrase may actually mean) to his music with Japan, then I would sincerely recommend total avoidance of his output from the past twenty or so years.
That being said, I always recommend The First Day (collaboration with Fripp) to anyone who doesn't usually strike me as the type to go for an entirely artistic aesthetic. If that doesn't hit you in the head, heart and hips, then I guess it's better to stick with that rock music which you prefer much more already.

I couldn't agree more with you.

[krausy]

Well now, I think curiosity got to him and he had to check it out, which is never a bad thing when music is concerned. After all, I have learned a lesson or several recently when I let my curiosity take me where it will and have been pleasantly surprised!!!

I agree that you definitely should hear David's work with Fripp---some of my favorite stuff of his. I also like the compilation Everything and Nothing, which is a nice little taste of it all in 2 cds. After those, go in the direction that most appeals to your senses. If you end up liking it all, then that is fabulous. But if you find you only like bits and pieces, I don't think that is bad at all. Heck, I'm just glad you are here and have as open a mind that you can. Always great to have Japan/Sylvian fans.

[Burnsjed]

Rhodesia, I think you would also find Damage a good listen, that is basically the live recording with Fripp from the First Day Tour, a bit more rocky, if my memory serves me, then the studio album.
Depending on what your feelings are now on BT and SOTB, I would say GTE would have been a good album to listen to, being wedged between those two.
Would steer clear of any of the instrumentals and Damage is probably not going to be your cup of tea either, and to be fair it wasn't many peoples when it was released.

[krausy]

Rhodesia, I think you would also find Damage a good listen, that is basically the live recording with Fripp from the First Day Tour, a bit more rocky, if my memory serves me, then the studio album.
Depending on what your feelings are now on BT and SOTB, I would say GTE would have been a good album to listen to, being wedged between those two.
Would steer clear of any of the instrumentals and Damage is probably not going to be your cup of tea either, and to be fair it wasn't many peoples when it was released.

Ah, did you mean to say "Blemish" in that last sentence, instead of Damage?

[Burnsjed]

I did indeed!!!

[godisinthesilences]

I sort of think that if you want to get an expanse of what he did starting with Everything and Nothing is a good place to inaugurate yourself. That was the second solo piece i bought after brilliant trees. I sort of lost track of him at one point in my life... i feel terrible for that. hee hee

[krausy]

I sort of think that if you want to get an expanse of what he did starting with Everything and Nothing is a good place to inaugurate yourself. That was the second solo piece i bought after brilliant trees. I sort of lost track of him at one point in my life... i feel terrible for that. hee hee

There we go, thinking alike again!!!!!

(Krausy grabs Gods, reaches inside her ear with tweezers to pull out the other half of Krausy's brain)

[proggrl]

(Krausy grabs Gods, reaches inside her ear with tweezers to pull out the other half of Krausy's brain)

Tweezers? Is it that small, Kraus?? LOL j/k.

[godisinthesilences]

I sort of think that if you want to get an expanse of what he did starting with Everything and Nothing is a good place to inaugurate yourself. That was the second solo piece i bought after brilliant trees. I sort of lost track of him at one point in my life... i feel terrible for that. hee hee

There we go, thinking alike again!!!!!

(Krausy grabs Gods, reaches inside her ear with tweezers to pull out the other half of Krausy's brain)

Girl did you happen to get the half of our brain that has memory? Cause mine just sucks! HA HA