in praise of ... Gentlemen Take Polaroids by Japan

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i've gotta catch the train home now, but as i stated elsewhere this is one i've come to love over the past year:

carry on

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Friday, 16 January 2004 01:23 (9 years ago) Permalink

Mmm. "Swing."

There's a lot of greatness on this album and all, but "Swing," that's an amazing song. It's 'art rock,' obv, with all the Not Rock Tempos and weird arrangements and things that Radiohead should probably do more of, much as I like them. Mick Karn's fretless bass rarely sounded so aimed at the gut as well as everywhere else, and the way that the horns just add to the build of the chorus.

More to say at some point but it all comes down to the way Sylvian suddenly sums up each chorus with that diffident/meaning it "Relax and swing." Seeming contradiction that WORKS.

Dee to thread obv.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 16 January 2004 01:30 (9 years ago) Permalink

Well, yes, Swing. How tiny, neat and precise are Mick Karn's multitracked saxophones. Much like the man himslef. The drumming on that track is the real hero. I would describe the drumming as 'discretely funky'. Note how the tastefulness and understated elegance of the playing and the production underpins the sentiment of the lyrics. One feels the song has polished shoes, impeccable manners, and is something of a cultured ladykiller.

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Friday, 16 January 2004 01:45 (9 years ago) Permalink

i prefer the title track, for some reason its always held the most relevance. great guitar and synth part. also, 'gentlemen take polaroids' is better from oil on canvas--more energy live.

― Grell (Grell), Friday, 16 January 2004 02:01 (9 years ago) Permalink

"Methods of Dance" is probably my favorite track. I like this album, but - and I've said it before - Japan really OD'd on restraint, 'good taste', etc., and pretty much whittled away all that I found interesting about them. For me, this was their last gasp.

― Sean (Sean), Friday, 16 January 2004 02:11 (9 years ago) Permalink

I thought they went a bit crazier on 'Tin Drum' - you didn't like that one?

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Friday, 16 January 2004 02:13 (9 years ago) Permalink

Aah, it's ok... I'd hardly say they 'went crazy' on it though. For me it's even more restrained. I know Tin Drum is regarded as their masterpiece, but I don't care. My favorite Japan LP is still Obscure Alternatives, with Quiet Life coming in second. Too bad they didn't do a whole LP with Moroder.

― Sean (Sean), Friday, 16 January 2004 02:17 (9 years ago) Permalink

Ha! I like Obscure Alternatives too. And I especially like Adolescent Sex. Which is very uncool of me, but goddam, I can't help myself.

― the music mole (colin s barrow), Friday, 16 January 2004 02:27 (9 years ago) Permalink

i like em all! but Nightporter on this record is absolutely timeless.

― Jack Battery-Pack (Jack Battery-Pack), Friday, 16 January 2004 07:03 (9 years ago) Permalink

Mmm, Gentlemen Take Polaroids = very, very, VERY good stuff.

Title track and "Swing" are both smooth and relaxing and jazzy and fluid and oh my God that is such a fantastic one-two combination. "Methods Of Dance" has this wonderful sense of urgency to it -- it's not desperate, it's energetic. The US CD version of this album includes the two instrumentals a lot of Japan fans don't seem to particularly care for, but heck, I'll continue to be an advocate for the both of them, especially "The Experience Of Swimming", damn it. "Burning Bridges" is odd, but I like it anyway. "Taking Islands In Africa"... man, I actually feel like listening to that lovely song now. "Nightporter"... wow, what a deeply affecting and lovely song. *happy sighs*

(Also, is my brain totally tricking me or was this album the first time the band collaborated with anyone connected to YMO? I could've sworn I remembered reading about how Ryuichi [sp?] Sakamoto did something on "Taking Islands In Africa" -- maybe even co-writing it?)

And I especially like Adolescent Sex. Which is very uncool of me, but goddam, I can't help myself.

Hey, now. If you're going to be uncool, I'm going to be uncool. Because Adolescent Sex is a fantastic album. I mean, it's got "Performance", "Suburban Love", "The Unconventional" (which really helped to cheer me up during a particularly rough patch in my life last year), "Lovers On Main Street", and of course the title track, all grand and lovely songs and very swoon-worthy.

And Sean -- you like Quiet Life THAT much?!?! Dude, you surprise me. I would've never thought you would've picked that as your second favorite Japan album! I thought maybe you'd go for the obvious (what with Obscure Alternatives being your # 1 and all) and pick Adolescent Sex, which shares OA's glam rock flair, not Quiet Life, with its heavy New Romanticism! On the topic of Quiet Life, FYI, one of the highlights of that album for me is listening to "Fall In Love With Me" and hearing David Sylvian croon about "a summerhouse in Texas". *giggle* Yes, I am pathetic -- let me have my fun, damn it.

Ok, that settles it. I'm going to have to listen to some Japan now or I will explode. Almost literally.

― As Sweet As Melody (Dee the Lurker), Friday, 16 January 2004 08:12 (9 years ago) Permalink

Oh yes, and I'm one of those people who adores all the musical phases Japan went through. Though I will be honest and say that the artsier New Romantic era (after they made the move from Hansa to Virgin) is what most gets my heart racing and my spirits soaring.

― As Sweet As Melody (Dee the Lurker), Friday, 16 January 2004 08:17 (9 years ago) Permalink

Oh yes, and I will have you know that this is the first time I saw this:

Dee to thread obv.

Thank you, Ned. The thread title would've been enough of an attraction, no? ;)

― As Sweet As Melody (Dee the Lurker), Friday, 16 January 2004 08:22 (9 years ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

*GUSH* - My New Career!
I can't give this album enough praise. Such an underated band.

― kinski (kinski), Saturday, 10 April 2004 21:04 (9 years ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

Very. Just picked up the reissue yesterday and I am quite a happy person, I am.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 17 May 2004 02:04 (9 years ago) Permalink

the greatest fucking band that ever fucking existed

― dave q, Monday, 17 May 2004 04:39 (9 years ago) Permalink

Goddamn, now there's a vote of confidence!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 17 May 2004 04:41 (9 years ago) Permalink

Well, I do love Japan, and I love most of this album, but you see I discovered them through the Exorcising Ghosts compilation, and then when I tried to buy the relevant albums...I found I could never quite shake the way that "greatest hits" compilation had painted their music to my ears. "Gentlemen Take Polaroids" is definitely way up there on the list of proper albums of theirs, though. No doubt. Only Quiet Life could even try to give it a run for its money and would probably fail.

Kinki, bless you for mentioning "My New Career".

― Bimble (bimble), Monday, 17 May 2004 05:12 (9 years ago) Permalink

Thoughts on Oil On Canvas? I, for some reason, sold my copy a few years ago...

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Monday, 17 May 2004 17:05 (9 years ago) Permalink

There's a double-disc reissue just out a few months back which I need to get, at which time I'll say more.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 17 May 2004 17:07 (9 years ago) Permalink

it's kinda typical of early 80s live albums in that the crowd sounds about a 1000 miles away from the stage. Still, it's got all the hits on it, and the framing tracks are nice.

(x-post IIRC the reissue had no bonuses despite the expansion to 2 discs.)

― zebedee (zebedee), Monday, 17 May 2004 17:12 (9 years ago) Permalink

Really, that's strange -- a quick look at the track list comparing the original CD issue to that made it seem longer.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 17 May 2004 17:13 (9 years ago) Permalink

Nope, I just checked. But it is remastered and you get "an eight panel digipak with new artwork"

― zebedee (zebedee), Monday, 17 May 2004 17:14 (9 years ago) Permalink

I wonder if the orig. issue clipped any tracks. Dahlen played the reish for me a few months back — I always liked the extra guitarist being on board, though it did kind of feel like there was some serious post-production work done on it...

Shout-out here, btw, for "Ain't That Peculiar", which has some of Mick Karn's finest slipping and sliding.

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Monday, 17 May 2004 17:15 (9 years ago) Permalink

new 2CD reissue = same track listing as original vinyl (2lp) issue
prior Virgin CD reissue = missing some tracks, tinny sound, crap packaging and best to avoid

― doug watson (solid air), Monday, 17 May 2004 17:39 (9 years ago) Permalink

Ah, that makes much more sense! :-) Yeah, the earlier CD seemed pretty weak.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 17 May 2004 17:39 (9 years ago) Permalink

So I was right — well, then: that must've been why I sold it back!

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Monday, 17 May 2004 17:41 (9 years ago) Permalink

re: "My New Career"

one of the best basslines in history!

― Paul (scifisoul), Monday, 17 May 2004 17:41 (9 years ago) Permalink

The few things I heard from Oil On Canvas didn't excite me. I think I had the video once, if it was indeed called that, whatever the live video was called. But it was poor quality, and I never went back.

I won't say Mick Karn didn't have his low points (the collaboration single with Midge Ure makes me either want to vomit or laugh myself silly) but that Dalis Car stuff with Peter Murphy was just deliciously bizarre, wasn't it? Oh sorry, the topic was Japan...carry on.

― Bimble (bimble), Monday, 17 May 2004 17:42 (9 years ago) Permalink

i'll give you the tinny sound but 8+7 is still 15 in my house [/pedant]

(xpost)

― zebedee (zebedee), Monday, 17 May 2004 17:45 (9 years ago) Permalink

Also, I don't mean to give the impression I necessarily have an inbuilt automatic bent *against* Midge Ure. It wasn't that. It just seems anything I've heard Midge Ure or Mick Karn do was better than that single. See, I've even forgotten the title, mercifully.

― Bimble (bimble), Monday, 17 May 2004 17:51 (9 years ago) Permalink

I haven't even heard that track but sincerely doubt it was worse than anything Midge Ure has done elsewhere...

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Monday, 17 May 2004 17:59 (9 years ago) Permalink

Vienna is my favourite Ultravox album, though it was definitely all downhill from there.

Quiet Life takes the cake for best Japan album on account of that glorious sequencer line in the title track. But I'm now listening to Swing again, and it's fantastic too. I've always loved Methods Of Dance, and Nightporter is fantastic, even though the production feels a little bit dated.

― Atnevon (Atnevon), Monday, 17 May 2004 23:37 (9 years ago) Permalink

Japan reissue fanatics should also keep an eye out for the reissues of Obscure Alternatives, Adolescent Sex, Assemblage and Quiet Life...all released with bonus tracks with a design along the spines that will make you feel obligated to get all 4.

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 01:35 (9 years ago) Permalink

are those reissues legitimately remastered and decent sounding, or just the seven-hundredth iteration that Hansa has dumped on the market?

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 02:10 (9 years ago) Permalink

Hm, good question; haven't listened yet, and the liner notes don't say anything about remastering. Let me get back to you after I've A/B'd my copies of Quiet Life.

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 02:20 (9 years ago) Permalink

8 years pass...

I absolutely adore this album, only 'Ain't That Peculiar' leaves me a little cold, but with it being a cover song (albeit heavily Japan-ized) I can overlook that. But christ, what a great bunch of songs here: the title track, 'Swing', 'Methods Of Dance', 'Nightporter', 'My New Career', 'Taking Islands In Africa'. I prefer it to Tin Drum most days, in fact.

― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Saturday, 27 October 2012 02:39 (7 months ago) Permalink

We're on the same wavelength, Turrican, one of my faves too. Though usually I pull out "Oil On Canvas"!

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Saturday, 27 October 2012 03:40 (7 months ago) Permalink

I agree with everything you said Turrican, never really got Ain't That Perculiar, it just doesn't fit on there. Love every other track though. This is probably my second favourite Sylvian related album after Secrets of the Beehive.

― Kitchen Person, Saturday, 27 October 2012 04:15 (7 months ago) Permalink

Their cover songs are never good.

― The Most Typical and Popular Girl Rider (Crabbits), Saturday, 27 October 2012 16:45 (7 months ago) Permalink

The one of 'All Tomorrow's Parties' on Quiet Life is probably the best of them all, I don't mind that one so much.

― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Saturday, 27 October 2012 16:51 (7 months ago) Permalink

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