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
1. Big Wheels In Shanty Town
2. Every Colour You Are
3. Rain Tree Crow
4. Red Earth (As Summertime Ends)
5. Pocket Full Of Change
6. Boat's For Burning
7. New Moon At Red Deer Wallow
8. Blackwater
9. A Reassuringly Dull Sunday
10. Blackcrow Hits Shoe Shine Citys
11. Scratchings On The Bible Belt
12. Cries And Whispers
13. I Drink To Forget *(B-side to Blackwater)
After Japan, Sylvian's solo career sashayed into creative overdrive. His haunting, critically-heralded albums included Brilliant Trees, Gone To Earth, Secrets Of The Beehive, and there were triumphant collaborations with Holger Czukay and Ryuichi Sakamoto. In '87 he worked again with Mick Karn on the single "Buoy". Karn, for his part, was a much-in-demand bassist, and on top of his albums Titles and Dreams Of Reason Produce Monsters, worked with Peter Murphy and Midge Ure, and guested on Kate Bush's The Sensual World. Jansen and Barbieri were equally busy, collaborating on their ambient album "Worlds In A Small Room", which scored experimental Japanese videos, then releasing an intriguing album under the pseudonym of The Dolphin Brothers, and Jansen played with Yellow Magic Orchestra member Yukihiro Takahashi.
YET, to the surprise of most, in 1991 Sylvian, Jansen, Karn and Barbieri did reunite in the studio, under the name of Rain Tree Crow. Though the others were eager and willing, Sylvian refused to work under the moniker of Japan, even when the record company understandably nudged that way. The subsequent album RAIN TREE CROW, not without a chequered, money-troubled recording history, was a critical if not a commercial success, with telling (and very listenable) echoes of the solo projects of each contributor. Comparisons were drawn with Scott Walker and Talk Talk. But even before its release date the four were at loggerheads again, with Sylvian conducting separate interviews to the others, who felt he'd somewhat seized control of an agreed collaborative effort. While tracks such as "New Moon At Red Deer Wallow" revelled in musicianly abstraction, the much-loved single "Blackwater", "Every Colour You Are" and "Pocket Full Of Change" were everything long-term Japan fans had been hoping for, swoonsome and sapphire-blue. "Cries And Whispers" drew its title from an Ingmar Bergman film. Guest musicians included Michael Brook and Bill Nelson. The album entered the charts at number 24, but the quartet's relationship was in tatters. Reviews ranged from "a strange grower" to "an unbelievable album...just too perfect a pop group".
It was a brief reunion, and after Rain Tree Crow the four elected to plough their own furrows again. Sylvian has worked with Robert Fripp and recently released his latest, arguably most pioneering album to date, Blemish, on the new label Samadhi Sound. Karn has recorded jazz/ambient/fusion albums, and teamed up with Barbieri and Jansen in the late Nineties to release records under the name JBK. Prior to this Jansen and Barbieri had, in '93, founded the Medium label, on which they'd released two albums as a duo. Jansen has worked as vocalist, musician, composer, producer and mixer for a diverse range of musicians, and recently began working closely with Sylvian again. Barbieri has also played with The Porcupine Tree.
I should mention quickly 'Raintree Crow ', when you and Japan got back together again there were difficulties making the album you say, were there any other difficulties other than financial ones?
DS: Well that brought up difficulties; I think we worked really well throughout the project. It was actually a great time; we had a great time making that record. And it was during the latter stages when we did have problems financing and mixing that we decided to push the same old buttons again and things began to fall apart and felt very wrong. It's one of the things I regret that we really that we couldn't of resolve the issues and gone on through a second or third album because I think the first one promised so much. And we were excited by it.
Thank you very much for your time; it was very nice to meet you
DS: My pleasure, you too