I’m not one of those people that “instantly” likes new music. Sure, there’s the occasional song that I instantly fall in love with… but more often than not, I have to listen to a song or album a couple of times before I really start to like it. This was especially true in the case of Japan, a British New Wave band from the late 70s and early 80s.
The band started off as a crappy glam-rock outfit, but eventually morphed into an “art pop” band heavily influenced by Roxy Music in general, and Bryan Ferry in particular. That metamorphosis actually began with the last track on Obscure Alternatives, their final glam-rock album, then hit a disco pothole with Quiet Life (a direction “strongly encouraged” by their record label), then finally came into its own with the 1980 album Gentlemen Take Polaroids. And if I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: Duran Duran ripped off Japan in so many ways. Look at the album cover there are tell me Nick Rhodes didn’t rip off Japan’s style! Listen to the “dance remix” of Japan’s “Adolescent Sex” single and tell me that Duran Duran’s “Girls on Film” remix doesn’t sound suspiciously similar!
In any case, I managed to track down Polaroids on CD back in 1985. I liked the title track well enough, but it wasn’t love. And then “Methods of Dance” came on… and I was in love! I don’t know what it is about this song, but it just got to me. I think it’s the airy synth that kicks in just before the chorus. Or maybe it’s lead singer David Sylvian’s smooth singing style. Or the fretless bass. The mysterious backup vocals. I don’t know what it is exactly, but this is the song that made me fall in love with Japan. Have a listen for yourself:
[audio:japan.mp3]
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