My fave artist's least effective record to these ears.
Overlong, at times overly sentimental, goopy MOR... the fairy dust was wearing off / it was easier to spot the not fully digested influences than it was on his records when I was a kid a decade or so before... Expectations were perhaps too high, as this also came out soooo long after his last couple of "real" records (and both of those were collaborations - some great moments for sure - with a limited number of "real" vocal tracks). Pre-Blemish, it felt like I should be getting used to the idea that Sylvo might end up meaning a lot less to me than he had in the past. Thank heavens he really rallied over the next decade and a half.
Voting: this has to be either "I Surrender", which stays just the right side of smoothed-out 70's jazz-land to me... or "Dobro #1", with its beautifully weary vocal and modest ambitions.
Everything and Nothing vs A Victim of Stars is a discussion I'd def be here for too.
― mr.raffles, Friday, 24 April 2020 01:12 (four years ago) link
Darkest Dreaming by some margin, IMO. I love Sylvian but was disappointed with this album at the time; I'm more forgiving of it now.
― akm, Friday, 24 April 2020 22:03 (four years ago) link
"Everything and Nothing vs A Victim of Stars is a discussion I'd def be here for too."
Do it!
― djh, Friday, 24 April 2020 23:25 (four years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― System, Saturday, 25 April 2020 00:01 (four years ago) link
Correct winner.
Also I unapologetically love the oh-so-dated mid-90s veneer of this album. The b-sides from this era are also top notch.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Saturday, 25 April 2020 00:04 (four years ago) link