Rain Tree Crow
Encyclopedia
Rain Tree Crow was the name used by the English New Wave band Japan
(excluding Rob Dean
) when they briefly reformed for this one-off project, which would be their final album. It was the first time all four members of the band, David Sylvian
, Steve Jansen
, Mick Karn
and Richard Barbieri
, collaborated on a project since the compilation of the 1983 live album Oil on Canvas
.
Recorded in 1989-1990 and released in April 1991, the majority of the material on their eponymous album was written as a result of group improvisations (aside from 'Blackwater'). There were no pre-rehearsals and the music that emerged was a hybrid of atmospheric ambient ballads in the style of lead singer David Sylvian
's contemporaneous albums and more dissonant experimental styles that sometimes echoed the work of Tom Waits
and King Crimson
.
All members of the band aside from Sylvian wished to retain the Japan moniker which was last used when the band split in December 1982. However, Sylvian levered increasing artistic and production control over the project (including his insistence on using the RTC name instead of Japan, much to the other member's bemusement and annoyance), to the point where the recording developed from a band effort into a what was essentially another Sylvian solo project, leaving the other members as mere sessioners for the front man.
"Blackwater" was released as the album's only single and just missed the Top 60 in the UK singles charts in March 1991. The album itself was, in general, critically acclaimed by the music press and reached the Top 25 in the UK albums chart.
The Japanese box set includes also a 28 page booklet with exclusive photographs.
"...the album is at its best. Rain Tree Crow is not ponderous, as Japan once had pretensions to be, but it fills a darkened room nicely." -- Sue Peter, Option, 92
Japan (band)
Japan were a British New Wave group, formed in 1974 in Catford, South London. The band achieved success in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when they were often associated with the burgeoning New Romantic fashion movement .- History :The band began as a group of friends...
(excluding Rob Dean
Rob Dean
Rob Dean is a British musician, who rose to prominence playing guitar as a member of the British band Japan.-Biography:He is from Clapton, Hackney, London, England.-Japan:...
) when they briefly reformed for this one-off project, which would be their final album. It was the first time all four members of the band, David Sylvian
David Sylvian
David Sylvian is an English singer-songwriter and musician who came to prominence in the late 1970s as the lead vocalist and main songwriter in the group Japan...
, Steve Jansen
Steve Jansen
Steve Jansen is an English drummer, percussionist, singer and composer. He was educated at Catford Boys' School, Catford, South East London, where he failed academically, leaving at 16....
, Mick Karn
Mick Karn
Andonis Michaelides , better known as Mick Karn, was an English multi-instrumentalist musician and songwriter, who came to fame as the bassist for the art rock band Japan, from 1974 to 1982....
and Richard Barbieri
Richard Barbieri
Richard Barbieri, is an English synthesiser player, keyboardist and composer. He was educated at Catford Boys' School, Catford, South East London...
, collaborated on a project since the compilation of the 1983 live album Oil on Canvas
Oil on Canvas
Oil on Canvas is a live album by the British band Japan, released in 1983 by Virgin Records. Although it is a live recording of their established material, the album also contains three new studio tracks , recorded separately by Sylvian, Sylvian/Jansen and Barbieri respectively...
.
Recorded in 1989-1990 and released in April 1991, the majority of the material on their eponymous album was written as a result of group improvisations (aside from 'Blackwater'). There were no pre-rehearsals and the music that emerged was a hybrid of atmospheric ambient ballads in the style of lead singer David Sylvian
David Sylvian
David Sylvian is an English singer-songwriter and musician who came to prominence in the late 1970s as the lead vocalist and main songwriter in the group Japan...
's contemporaneous albums and more dissonant experimental styles that sometimes echoed the work of Tom Waits
Tom Waits
Thomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
and King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
.
All members of the band aside from Sylvian wished to retain the Japan moniker which was last used when the band split in December 1982. However, Sylvian levered increasing artistic and production control over the project (including his insistence on using the RTC name instead of Japan, much to the other member's bemusement and annoyance), to the point where the recording developed from a band effort into a what was essentially another Sylvian solo project, leaving the other members as mere sessioners for the front man.
"Blackwater" was released as the album's only single and just missed the Top 60 in the UK singles charts in March 1991. The album itself was, in general, critically acclaimed by the music press and reached the Top 25 in the UK albums chart.
The Japanese box set includes also a 28 page booklet with exclusive photographs.
"...the album is at its best. Rain Tree Crow is not ponderous, as Japan once had pretensions to be, but it fills a darkened room nicely." -- Sue Peter, Option, 92
Track listing
The following tracklisting is for the re-mastered version of the album released in 2003. It contains an additional track not featured on the original album; called "I Drink to Forget," the song was the B-side of "Blackwater." The original album contained tracks 1 to 12, as listed below, in precisely the same order.- "Big Wheels in Shanty Town" – 7:08
- David Sylvian - vocal, electric guitar, hammond organ, electric piano, shortwave radio, horn arrangement
- Bill NelsonBill Nelson (musician)Bill Nelson is an English guitarist, songwriter, producer, painter and experimental musician...
- electric guitar - Mick KarnMick KarnAndonis Michaelides , better known as Mick Karn, was an English multi-instrumentalist musician and songwriter, who came to fame as the bassist for the art rock band Japan, from 1974 to 1982....
- bass, brass, horn arrangement - Richard BarbieriRichard BarbieriRichard Barbieri, is an English synthesiser player, keyboardist and composer. He was educated at Catford Boys' School, Catford, South East London...
- synthesizer - Djene Doumbouya - vocal
- Djanka Djabate - vocal
- Steve JansenSteve JansenSteve Jansen is an English drummer, percussionist, singer and composer. He was educated at Catford Boys' School, Catford, South East London, where he failed academically, leaving at 16....
- drums, percussion, hammond organ - Johnny Thirkell - trumpet/flugelhorn
- Gary BarnacleGary BarnacleGary Barnacle is a saxophonist/flautist, brass instrument arranger, composer and producer, primarily noted for session work, live work Gary Barnacle (born 1959, Dover, England) is a saxophonist/flautist, brass instrument arranger, composer and producer, primarily noted for session work, live work...
- saxes
- "Every Colour You Are" – 4:46
- David Sylvian - vocal, electric guitar, electric piano, shortwave radio, treatments
- Phil PalmerPhil PalmerPhilip 'Phil' John Palmer is a sideman and session guitarist in jazz and rock who has toured, recorded, and worked with numerous famous artists...
- slide guitar - Mick Karn - bass, saxophone
- Richard Barbieri - synthesizer
- Steve Jansen - drums, percussion
- "Rain Tree Crow" – 2:04
- David Sylvian - vocal, percussion
- Mick Karn - pipes
- Richard Barbieri - synthesizer
- Steve Jansen - percussion
- "Red Earth (As Summertime Ends)" – 3:38
- David Sylvian - slide guitar, keyboards, Indian drum
- Phil Palmer - acoustic guitar
- Michael BrookMichael BrookMichael Brook is a Canadian guitarist, inventor, producer, and film music composer. He plays in many genres, including rock, electronica, world music, minimalism and film scores....
- bass conga - Mick Karn - bass, tabla
- Richard Barbieri - synthesizer
- Brian Gascoigne - orchestration
- Steve Jansen - ceramic drums, percussion
- "Pocket Full of Change" – 6:08
- David Sylvian - vocal, electric guitar, organ
- Michael Brook - guitar treatments
- Mick Karn - bass, brass
- Richard Barbieri - synthesizer
- Steve Jansen - drums, percussion, organ
- "Boat's for Burning" – 0:45
- David Sylvian - vocal, electric guitar
- Richard Barbieri - synthesizer
- Steve Jansen - tambourine
- "New Moon at Deer Wallow" – 5:12
- David Sylvian - electric guitar, bass
- Mick Karn - bass clarinetBass clarinetThe bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common soprano B clarinet, it is usually pitched in B , but it plays notes an octave below the soprano B clarinet...
- Richard Barbieri - synthesizer
- Steve Jansen - Moroccan clay drum, fan drums
- "Blackwater" – 4:19
- David Sylvian - vocal, electric guitar, keyboards
- Bill Nelson - electric guitar
- Mick Karn - bass
- Richard Barbieri - synthesizer
- Steve Jansen - drums, percussion
- "A Reassuringly Dull Sunday" – 1:22
- David Sylvian - organ, keyboards, percussion
- Michael Brook - percussion
- Mick Karn - bass clarinet, percussion
- Richard Barbieri - synthesizer, piano
- Steve Jansen - marimba, percussion
- "Blackcrow Hits Shoe Shine City" – 5:14
- David Sylvian - vocal, electric guitar, organ, electric piano, keyboards, treatments
- Mick Karn - bass, saxophone
- Richard Barbieri - synthesizer
- Steve Jansen - drums, percussion
- "Scratchings on the Bible Belt" – 2:46
- David Sylvian - electric guitar, banjo, marimba, harmonium
- Michael Brook - treatments
- Mick Karn - bass clarinet
- Richard Barbieri - synthesizer, water wheel
- Steve Jansen - piano, marimba, percussion
- "Cries and Whispers" – 2:31
- David Sylvian - vocal, electric guitar, treatments
- Mick Karn - bass
- Richard Barbieri - synthesizer
- Steve Jansen - percussion
- "I Drink to Forget" - 1:46
- David Sylvian - piano, keyboards, percussion
- Mick Karn - wine glasses
- Richard Barbieri - synthesizers
- Steve Jansen - wine glasses, percussion
Additional personnel
- Gary Barnacle - Saxes
- Johnny Thirkell - Trumpet/Flugelhorn
- Shinya Fujiwara - cover photography
- Russell MillsRussell Mills (artist)Russell Mills is a British artist who was born in Ripon, Yorkshire, UK in 1952. He paints, creates multimedia installations, designs stage sets and lighting and has produced record covers and book covers for Brian Eno, the Cocteau Twins,Michael Nyman, David Sylvian, Peter Gabriel, and Nine Inch...
- design - David Sylvian - art director, mixing
- Yuka Fujii - art director
- Steve NyeSteve NyeSteve Nye is a music producer for several artists. Some of his better known artists include Bryan Ferry , Penguin Cafe Orchestra, XTC , Japan , David Sylvian , Clannad, TM Network, Scary Thieves , as...
- mixing - Pat McCarthy - mixing engineer
- Tim Martin - engineer
- Mohammed (Momo) Loudly
- Paolo Carrer - assistant
- Rupert Coulson - assistant
- Louise McCormick - assistant
- Bruce Davis - assistant
- Paul Stevens - assistant
- Richard Chadwick - co-ordinator
- Special thanks to Michael Brook, Sando Franchin, Yuka Fujii, Dermot McEnvoy, Russell Mills, Enrico Monte, Patrice Quef, Pete Townshend, Gary Wright, Syco Systems Ltd. (Adrian Thomas), Wal Basses, Sabian Cymbals
External links
- [ Allmusic entry]