David Sylvian
Brilliant Trees
(Virgin)
Brilliant Trees was David Sylvian’s first solo album after he disbanded Japan. While not far removed from previous work, this was the beginning of a fruitful kinship with ex-CAN bassist Holger Czukay and avant-garde composer Ryuichi Sakamoto. Their influences are felt most in “Red Guitar” and “Backwater” where the subtle jazz and far-eastern inflevtions offer a wonderful accompaniment for Sylvian’s baritone. The remastering is superb, offering rich acoustic details previously unheard.
—Dave Hayden
This article appears in Dec 6-12, 2007.