A web-ring featuring the (inactive) the-raft.com, nightporter.co.uk, fetafunk.com and davidsylvian.net has been lauched to promote the release of the forthcoming revisit to Japan’s catalogue on 15th September 2003 and the release of David Sylvian’s extraordinary solo work, remastered with extra special packaging, on 29 September 2003. Read further for all information about the remastered albums.
Japan, Rain Tree Crow remasters: Press release:
For the first time, the band members and the record company have go together to revisit four classic albums which have until this date, been kept in their original format. 15 September 2003 ‘Gentlemen Take Polaroids’ ‘Tin Drum’ ‘Oil On Canvas’ ‘Rain Tree Crow’ ‘Gentlemen Take Polaroids’, ‘Tin Drum’, ‘Oil On Canvas’ and Rain Tree Crow’s eponymously titled Japan ‘reformation’ album, are all to be remastered and lavishly repackaged to create a beautiful matching series. The albums are being repackaged with additional tracks, some of which are CD first-timers, and a plethora of rare photos by artistic legends such as Fin Costello (who documented the band from the very start of their career), the Douglas Brothers and Steve Jansen’s own personal pictures. This project has been a long time coming, and each release has been put together with hands-on artistic direction from Sylvian and Jansen. At last, one of the most intriguing, sophisticated and imaginative bands of the 80s are deservedly brought back to the fore. All tracks marked with * and in bold are extra tracks or changes made to original.
Gentlemen Take Polaroids
Packaging 6 panel Digipak, 4 colour disc, non-standard black glossy CD tray. Extra photos include alternative cover from original session. New typeface.
Tracklisting
- Gentlemen Take Polaroids
- Swing
- Burning Bridges
- My New Career
- Methods Of Dance
- Ain’t That Peculiar
- Nightporter
- Taking Islands In Africa
- The Experience of Swimming * (B-side from Gentlemen Take Polaroids double 7″)
- The Width Of A Room * (B-side from Gentlemen Take Polaroids double 7″)
- Taking Islands In Africa (Steve Nye Remix) (B-side from Visions Of China single)
catalogue number: CDVX 2180
Tin Drum
Extra Special Packaging! Packaging Clamshell Box containing 6 panel digipak, 24 page booklet and extra gatefold ‘single’. Clamshell box will have a completely different Fin Costello front cover and back cover photo.
The main digipak will have original front and back cover of ‘Tin Drum’. The booklet will have alternative front and back cover from original ‘Tin Drum’ photo session plus 22 pages of photos by Fin Costello, Yuka Fujii and Steve Jansen. Gatefold single will have photos from ‘The Art of Parties’ single session. Clamshell box, booklet cover and main CD body will use 5 colour silver with non-standard grey gloss CD tray. This edition will be an absolute photographic treat for Japan fans.
Tracklisting
- The Art Of Parties
- Talking Drum
- Ghosts
- Canton
- Still Life In Mobile Homes
- Visions Of China
- Sons Of Pioneers
- Cantonese Boy
*EXTRA GATEFOLD SINGLE – New extra disc
- The Art Of Parties (Single Version) *
- Life Without Buildings *(B-side to The Art Of Parties)
- The Art Of Parties (Live) *(B-side to Ghosts)
- Ghosts (Single Version) *
catalogue number: CDVX 2209
Oil On Canvas
(Double CD Live album) *CD version previously only available as single disc
Packaging Double CD – 8 panel digipak. Original Auerbach painting / front cover changed to black and white / full bleed. Extra new images by Fin Costello plus new typeface and logo.
White CD, non-standard gloss black CD tray.
Tracklisting CD 1
- Oil On Canvas
- Sons Of Pioneers
- Gentlemen Take Polaroids
- Swing
- Cantonese Boy
- Visions Of China
- Ghosts
- Voices Raised In Welcome, Hands Held In Prayer
Tracklisting CD 2
- Nightporter
- Still Life In Mobile Homes
- Methods Of Dance
- Quiet Life
- The Art Of Parties
- Canton
- Temple Of Dawn
catalogue number: CDVDX 2513
Rain Tree Crow
Packaging 6 panel digipak using copper or silver foil blocking font (front and back).
Extra Shinya Fujiwara photo (originally only used in Japanese release) to be included plus, Douglas Brothers photos of individual band members. 4 or 5 colour CD + non-standard black glossy CD tray. Fold-out poster booklet (gloss art paper) included with more Douglas Brothers photos.
Tracklisting
- Big Wheels In Shanty Town
- Every Colour You Are
- Rain Tree Crow
- Red Earth (As Summertime Ends)
- Pocket Full Of Change
- Boat’s For Burning
- New Moon At Red Deer Wallow
- Blackwater
- A Reassuringly Dull Sunday
- Blackcrow Hits Shoe Shine Citys
- Scratchings On The Bible Belt
- Cries And Whispers
- I Drink To Forget *(B-side to Blackwater)
catalogue number CDVX 2659
DAVID SYLVIAN SOLO ALBUMS – REMASTERED AND REPACKAGED
David Sylvian’s solo work will be given the same quality treatment and released on the 29th September. ‘Brilliant Trees’, ‘Alchemy – An Index of Possibilities’, ‘Gone To Earth’ and ‘Secrets of the Beehive’ will all feature highly original new packaging, extra tracks and never before seen photos. Following the announcement of the forthcoming revisit to Japan’s catalogue, Virgin also confirmed the release of David Sylvian’s extraordinary solo work, remastered with extra special packaging, on 29 September 2003. ‘Brilliant Trees’, ‘Alchemy An Index of Possibilities’, ‘Gone To Earth’ and ‘Secrets Of The Beehive’ have all been redesigned under the personal supervision of David himself, and long time Sylvian photographer Yuka Fujii, to create a stunning matching series. A metallic gold theme will run throughout the packaging, with rare textures and colours, and beautiful candid photographs, some of which have never been seen before. Additional tracks and rare cuts enhance the special nature of this remastered series. All tracks listed below marked with * and in bold are extras or changes made to the original.
Brilliant Trees
Extra Special Packaging Packaging 6 panel digipak, 5th colour gold / metallic colour used on box and CD body. Previously unseen photos from Berlin recording session and Chamonix.
Non-standard grey gloss CD tray.
Tracklisting
- Pulling Punches
- The Ink In The Well
- Nostalgia
- Red Guitar
- Weathered Wall
- Backwaters
- Brilliant Trees
catalogue number: CDVX 2290
Alchemy An Index Of Possibilities
Packaging 6 panel digipak with 5th colour gold used throughout the artwork plus extra new photo.
4 colour red CD plus non-standard gold CD tray.
Tracklisting
- Words With The Shaman
Part 1 Ancient Evening
Part 2 Incantation
Part 3 Awakening (Songs From The Treetops) - Preparations For A Journey *(Previously available on cassette version of ‘Alchemy’)
- The Stigma Of Childhood (Kin) * (B-side to Pop Song)
- A Brief Conversation Ending In Divorce *(B-side to Pop Song)
- Steel Cathedrals * (Previously available on cassette version of ‘Alchemy’ and ‘Weatherbox’)
catalogue number: CDVX 23
Gone To Earth
Double CD * previously only available as single disc
Packaging 8 panel digipak with 5th colour metallic sepia / gold on digipak and CD body. With instrumental tracks added and includes remixes of 3 tracks.
Previously unseen photos (some treated) by Yuka Fujii and also Alastair Thaine photo. Poster booklet using gloss art paper also included.. Non-standard sepia gloss CD tray x 2.
Tracklisting CD 1
- Taking The Veil
- Laughter And Forgetting
- Before The Bullfight
- Gone To Earth
- Wave
- River Man
- Silver Moon
- Riverman (Remix) * (Remixed by David Sylvian and Richard Moakes)
- Gone To Earth (Remix) * (Remixed by David Sylvian and Richard Moakes)
- Camp Fire: Coyote Country (Remix) * (Remixed by David Sylvian and Richard Moakes)
Tracklisting CD 2
- The Healing Place
- Answered Prayers
- Where The Railroad Meets The Sea
- The Wooden Cross
- Silver Moon Over Sleeping Steeples *(previously on vinyl / cassette versions and Weatherbox)
- Camp Fire: Coyote Country *(previously on vinyl / cassette versions and Weatherbox)
- A Bird Of Prey Vanishes Into A Bright Blue Cloudless Sky *(previously on vinyl / cassette versions and Weatherbox)
- Home
- Sunlight Seen Through Towering Trees *(previously on vinyl / cassette versions and Weatherbox)
- Upon This Earth
catalogue number: CDVDLX 1
Secrets Of The Beehive
Packaging 6 panel Digipak on art board, using duo tone type 4 colours and 5th colours. Incorporating images from original vinyl plus extra photos.
Includes poster booklet, off-white CD body and non-standard brown gloss CD tray. May also include lyrics to ‘Orpheus’.
Tracklisting:
- September
- The Boy With The Gun
- Maria
- Orpheus
- The Devil’s Own
- When Poets Dreamed Of Angels
- Mother And Child
- Let The Happiness In
- Waterfront
- Promise (The Cult Of Eurydice) * (Previously only available on Japanese version)
Note: ‘Forbidden Colours’ is no longer track 10.
catalogue number: CDVX 2471
