"How is it," longtime readers of this series might wonder," that you've covered two David Sylvian solo albums, but not a single Japan album? Or even Rain Tree Crow!" You know, I have no good answer to that beyond the fact that this pulling-records-off-the-shelves game is a fickle one. Maybe I spent more time in the S's early on? (I know I used to start in the S section at Newbury Comics when I was a budding music nerd; it seemed like you could always find a few good new things there.)
But today we remedy the situation with Japan's final and most successful album, the live (but not particularly live-sounding) Oil on Canvas. How many artists, apart from Japan and (I assume) Peter Frampton can claim a live album as their best seller? [Consults Wikipedia] Oh, Cheap Trick too. Japan's a little cooler, though, since the title doesn't include the word "live" (or "alive"), and they released this record after they broke up. Anyway, let's see what our KCMU friends had to say about it, shall we?
"Although it doesn't sound like it, this is a LIVE 2-record set that is very true to the studio sessions. Recorded during Japan's last European tour before the band's break-up.""IMPORT"
"I like it, but where is that audience!?"
"Oh wow!!!!!"
"Sounds more like Memorex to me."
"Still good."
"Yawn! Do these people have any vision at all?"
"Have you seen an optometrist lately? (I [heart] DS)"
"Kind of like eating at Denny's when your [sic] really tired."
"Is this cover cool as usual, or what?"
All of my music nerd friends are in trouble. How is that I've lived on this earth over 40 years - during which period Garland Jeffreys has released 12 of his 14 solo albums to date (with number 15 due this spring) - and the first I heard of this guy is when I pulled this record off the shelf to tak…
