Obscure Alternatives

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Obscure Alternatives

Postby Bap De La Bap on Mon Jan 08, 2007 9:54 am

I just got this album and let me 1st say I LOVE Adolescent Sex and I own
Q.L, T.D, G.T.P
but bar a couple (1 of which I think I have on the Assemblage LP) the songwriting didnt stand out for me, was this a proper album or a rush-job?
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Postby krausy on Mon Jan 08, 2007 12:54 pm

Perhaps a little of both---in fact, I know both this album and the one after, Obscure Alternatives, were done rather quickly. When listening to both of these albums I consider the fact that they were very young, very new to the industry, and still dealing with putting thoughts to music. I assume David had been writing things down for a while, and as he and the other were learning to play that everything starting coming together.

I own all the Japan albums, most of David's solo albums, and some of Mick, Steve, and Richard's work as well, but I can honestly say that I really love these two first albums in a way that is different from loving all of the other work. These first two are "fun" and the rest of the work is definitely more mature and elegant. In a nutshell, they just "grew up".

I understand David to put it kindly does not adore the early work, and I certainly understand his right to feel that way, but I love it----I feel it is a part of him, it was where he was at, at a particular time in his life, and was a necessary part to get to where he is now.


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Postby Romance~Kakumei on Tue Jan 09, 2007 10:25 am

krausy wrote:I understand David to put it kindly does not adore the early work, and I certainly understand his right to feel that way, but I love it----I feel it is a part of him, it was where he was at, at a particular time in his life, and was a necessary part to get to where he is now.


I quote you, krausy!!!
I totally agree! ^___^
I can understand David's feel towards his early works but I love them too, and after all this is a part of his life... ^^

krausy wrote:"whatever gets you through the night, just keep on dancin'" :-D


:lol: My bro is coming to hate me because I keep on repeating this line...
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Postby arieleleven on Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:45 pm

Romance~Kakumei wrote:
krausy wrote:I understand David to put it kindly does not adore the early work, and I certainly understand his right to feel that way, but I love it----I feel it is a part of him, it was where he was at, at a particular time in his life, and was a necessary part to get to where he is now.


I quote you, krausy!!!
I totally agree! ^___^
I can understand David's feel towards his early works but I love them too, and after all this is a part of his life... ^^


I agree with you both here! I have very fond memories of those first two albums because I found Japan during this era and a lot of happy memories are associated with this music for me, just as with the later albums. I have always felt, though, that pre- and post- Quiet Life Japan seem like two entirely disparate bands to me...at times it's hard to believe it's all the same people, right?
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Postby krausy on Wed Jan 10, 2007 11:17 pm

Oh yes, ariel, definitely hard to imagine they are/were the same people indeed. Every album is distinctly different from the next, and to hear the guys in the present day, it is even more difficult to imagine how they started and their sound/look then and to see/hear them now, well, like I said before, they just grew up in front of our eyes.

I can look at a picture of David then, and now, and I absolutely adore both of them, and every other pic in between. Amazing to watch someone progress through their life like that, by way of pictures. Same thing with the music!!!
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Postby deadbees on Thu Jan 11, 2007 7:38 am

I feel the last track 'The Tenant' although released in 1978 is a key pointer to the future and is not too far removed from more recent material. I can imagine a Burnt Friedman remix !
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Postby tallulahtaurus on Thu Jan 11, 2007 12:03 pm

Why how strange, I bought Obscure Alternatives the other day too but I personally find Obscure Alternatives to be much better than Adolescent Sex. I mean different strokes and all that but I was able to detect a definite note pf progression. On Adolescent Sex there was too little variation between the songs for me.

I mean on Adolescent I adore Television and obviously am devoted to the title track - (I've even got my ma singing the chorus to that song now) But otherwise it does nothing for me. The songs blend in I cannot envisage listening to any of the other songs again now I have heard them once.

Whereas Obscure has a more mature style for me - I mean there is probably the same hit rate - I only really like Suburban Berlin and the Tenant, but overall it is a better piece of work, with each song inhabiting a different sound and style. It's progression.

I can understand why Sylvian doesn't like that earlier albums/era. Everything about it smacks of youth and that not quite there sensation. They have a copied style of image and music and stage behaviour (I got the re releases with the videos) and it must be hard to listen to yourself in such a raw state before you'd learnt an appropriate means of expression.

I mean I love seeing them like that, knowing how perfect they were once they had reached a point of sophistication.

But must be harder for Sylvian cos

I mean noone likes to see their baby pictures do they? I certainly don't

Oh dear I seem to have written an essay. Apologies
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Postby Romance~Kakumei on Thu Jan 11, 2007 1:21 pm

tallulahtaurus wrote:I can understand why Sylvian doesn't like that earlier albums/era. Everything about it smacks of youth and that not quite there sensation. They have a copied style of image and music and stage behaviour (I got the re releases with the videos) and it must be hard to listen to yourself in such a raw state before you'd learnt an appropriate means of expression.


I perfectly understand what you mean, and I agree with you!

I mean... I like to write kind of poetry or something like that and... when I read what I wrote just 4 or 5 years ago, I start to laugh of myself and I close my notebook... and ask myself: "How could I write such a thing??? " :lol:
From the point of view of an artist (not that I consider myself an artist...XD), I understand how David can feel looking at his past works!^^
But as a fan, I'm obviously fond of the early period too! ^__^
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Postby krausy on Fri Jan 12, 2007 12:17 am

We all seem to have the same songs as favorites here. I just love the feel of both of these albums---they put me in a great mood, put a smile on my face, and sometimes even chuckle at the lyrics and the groove of the music.

I agree that "The Tenant" does have hints to what is to come in the future of the band and the song stands alone from every other song on the album.

Interesting, but over at the Yahoo group they are having similar discussions on these two albums, particularly the fact that the remastered versions have seemed to breathe new life into the work.
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Postby Tanya80 on Sat Jan 13, 2007 7:00 pm

i think O.A. is a great album, the song that stood out ( to me ) is, "Rhodesia"
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Postby japanfan on Sun Feb 04, 2007 1:57 pm

This is Japans worst album for me, and that doesnt mean it aint good its just not as good as the other albums. However it is worth getting for Automatic Gun and sometimes I feel so low, it contains a couple of good live tracks too.
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Postby Silver Moon on Mon Feb 05, 2007 1:51 pm

Ah... If I had to pick a 'worst' Japan album

... I wouldn't be able to!!

"The Tenant" is a great song... Really growing on me!

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Postby Brecht on Tue Feb 06, 2007 11:44 am

This is my least favourite Japan album. Nontheless, it has some very good tracks. My favourite is 'Automatic Gun'. Very cool bass line.
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Postby Redguitar on Wed Feb 07, 2007 3:44 pm

i do like OA. it may be a weak follow up to AS but songs like Sometimes i feel so low etc showed promise.

I have this album on vinyl and it came with a free flexi disc of david apeaking the lyric of a couple of songs in japanese.
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Postby Cheery Cherry on Thu Feb 15, 2007 11:34 am

David speaks Japanese? Oh I would love to hear that!

In my opinion, there is no "bad" Japan album. David can sing me "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and my heart would melt.
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