Forty seven minutes of Japan, spanning all five studio albums from 1978 to 1981.
This selection started off earlier this month, when Top10Nathan had the idea of posing a Top 10 Japan songs on Bluesky.
I didn't actually take part in the end, as I couldn't even begin to think where to start. My older brother was obsessed with Japan in the early 80s and therefore I was immersed in their music, all the albums, the Assemblage double play cassette, the live album Oil On Canvas and the final compilation Exorcising Ghosts.
I really enjoyed seeing what others were picking each day, whether their lists were ranked or unranked, random or carefully considered and curated. By this point, I felt that I'd bottled it and started thinking about it some more.
Technically, I'd already been there. Around 1989, I recorded a C90 side of Japan music called Polaroid, though this was mostly drawn from my 12" vinyl singles and only ran to 9 songs. The flip side was resequenced songs from the Associates' album Sulk.
So, I started to imagine this less as a Top 10 Japan selection, but more of an imaginary Side 2 to the Polaroid cassette from 1989. Still Life In Mobile Homes was an early pick, which provided a complimentary title for this compilation.
Assemblage (on vinyl) was the first Japan album that I bought for myself, and I have never had a problem reconciling the band and sound of the first two albums, with the transitory period of Quiet Life, and the dramatically different aural palette for the final two albums.
Which is lucky, given that here I have followed up Ghosts with Adolescent Sex...!
As with the first 'side', there are a couple of cover versions. Whereas the previous two reimagined songs by The Velvet Underground and Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, here the focus is on Marvin Gaye and Barbra Streisand.
Sadly, the world has lost Mick Karn (2011) and spiritual/honorary member Ryuichi Sakamoto (2023), but David Sylvian, Steve Jansen, Richard Barbieri and Rob Dean have all continued to make music in recent years.
What a legacy to be found in Japan, though.
1) The Art Of Parties (Extended Version By Japan & John Punter) (1981)
2) Ain't That Peculiar (Cover of Marvin Gaye) (1980)
3) Ghosts (Album Version By Japan & Steve Nye) (1981)
4) Adolescent Sex (Single Version By Ray Singer) (1978)
5) Don't Rain On My Parade (Cover of Barbra Streisand) (1978)
6) Despair (1979)
7) Still Life In Mobile Homes (1981)
8) Stateline (1978)
9) Sometimes I Feel So Low (1978)
10) Taking Islands In Africa (Remix By Steve Nye) (1981)
1978: Adolescent Sex: 5
1978: Don't Rain On My Parade EP: 8
1978: Obscure Alternatives: 9
1978: The Unconventional/Adolescent Sex EP: 4
1979: Quiet Life: 6
1980: Gentlemen Take Polaroids: 2
1981: The Art Of Parties EP: 1
1981: Tin Drum: 3, 7
1981: Visions Of China EP: 10
You can find the 1989 C90 compilation Polaroid right here.
If you're left wanting more Japan-inspired music, here's more, much more!
Big In Japan: various (March 2022)
KarnAge: Mick Karn (January 2023)
Pioneer: Ryuichi Sakamoto (April 2023)
'What, no ...?'. Surely that's the response to any top 10 list isn't it? A big up for 'Taking Islands In Africa' which I don't think would make many people's top 10 but I've always liked more than the more obvious singles...
ReplyDeleteI could do a whole other selection just on the last two albums, another on their instrumental music, another mix and matching both, the list goes on...!
DeleteI think I included quite a few of the 'big hits' on the previous 'side', though quite a few singles still managed to creep in. But Taking Islands, as well as Stateline, Despair and (from the 1989 comp) Suburban Berlin have always had a place in my heart so I wasn't going to leave them out.
And dare I say it.......this would have made for a more than decent ICA. :-)
ReplyDelete