03 March 2015

David Sylvian "Brilliant Trees" (1984)

2006 Remaster
Brilliant Trees [debut]
release date: Jul. 7, 1984
format: cd (2006 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,79]
producer: David Sylvian, Steve Nye
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Pulling Punches" (4 / 5) - 2. "The Ink in the Well" (3,5 / 5) - 3. "Nostalgia" (4 / 5) - 4. "Red Guitar" (4 / 5) - 5. "Weathered Wall" (3,5 / 5) - 6. "Backwaters" (3,5 / 5) - 7. "Brilliant Trees" (4 / 5)

Solo studio debut by David Sylvian after leaving Japan, which disbanded in 1982. Both Sylvian's younger brother Steve Jansen and Richard Barbieri, ex-members of Japan, are credited as musicians on the album alongside a number of acclaimed artists. The style is very different from the music of Japan, and is a highly original blend of jazz, ambient pop, sophisti-pop, and art pop. All tracks are composed by Sylvian alone, and two are co-written with trumpeter Jon Hassell (tracks 5 and 7). I first heard the album around '85 and found it very interesting but also a bit too ambient, although, I never ceased to play it occasionally, and I have only come to enjoy it more and more over the years.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

org. vinyl cover