Obscure Alternatives
(October 78)
- Automatic
Gun
- ...Rhodesia
- Love
Is Infectious
- Sometimes
I Feel So Low
- Obscure
Alternatives ("Melody Of Agonising" in Japanese)
- Deviation
("Opposing What Is Young" in Japanese)
- Suburban
Berlin
- The
Tenant ("Tenant Of Love" in Japanese)
This
album has a harder, more rock
orientated sound than the last, with the exception of "The Tenant"; the
first of
Sylvian's Satie inspired piano pieces. Other standout tracks are
"...Rhodesia", a live favourite which remained in the set until 1981,
and "Suburban Berlin", which is actually best heard on the compilation
"Assemblage", cut next to "Life In Tokyo". The ex-members consider that
this album would have been better for their debut release, as for the
first time they were able to assert themselves in the studio. This is
evident - many features of the Japan sound that is familiar to us are
here: Richard's synths are more experimental, using sound and the
stereo sound field to create a mood, Mick begins to use fretless bass,
and Sylvian's vocals are getting deeper and less cockney
sounding.
Charted
at No21 in Japan
If
you are looking for this on vinyl, go for an original UK pressing,
which includes an inner sleeve showing the group recording the LP. The
Japanese lyric sheet is similar. The original UK pressing is very good
indeed, much better sonically than the later "Fame" label re-issue. The
Japanese edition does not have totally accurate song titles!
Note
that the US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand LP sleeves use a red Japan logo
instead of blue.
Still
available worldwide on CD. Produced by Ray Singer. Rumoured unreleased
tracks still in the vaults: "Heartbreaker" (Stones cover - see the live
data page), "Can't Get Enough" and "Venus In Furs" (Velvet Underground
cover).
- Original
UK LP (inner sleeve with photos & lyrics): Hansa AHALH8007
- Re-issue
UK LP: Fame/EMI FA 41 3098 1
- Australian
LP RCA VPL1 4147
- Japanese
LP (with insert/lyrics): Victor VIP6593
- Japanese
cassette VCW-1635
- Spanish
LP Ariola 200066-1
- Italian
LP: Recordi International SNIR 25075
- German LP
Hansa 200 166-320
- French LP
Careere 67.334
- Hong
Kong LP: Hansa HA200166-320
- First
Japanese CD: Victor VDP1154
- Remastered
Japanese CD: BMG BVCP7373
- USA
CD (remastered): Caroline CAROL 1202-2
- German CD
BMG 74321 13882 2
- Japanese
CD with card sleeve BVCM-37219
- UK
remastered CD 2004, includes the "Live In Japan" EP tracks and
"Sometimes I
Feel So Low" video. BMG 82876 566942
- UK 2006
jewel case version of the above: BMG 82876 84447
- Japanese
2004 remastered edition with bonus tracks: bvcm31131
- Japanese
"Now & Forever" re-issue of the above: BVCM 37799
Italian
label - click here for the bigger scan
 
UK original label (Pye) and later (Hansa International).
The third variation is from around 1981/1982 as it is similar to
the "Assemblage" label from that time.
UK re-issue label
 
New Zealand LP label and sleeve
Australian LP
label - for a larger version click here
French label
USA CD booklet
USA CD back
Inside the Russian CD booklet
|
Japanese
LP with OBI
UK Inner sleeve, also one side of the Japanese insert
Other side of the UK inner sleeve and Japanese
insert. The inside of the Japanese insert has the lyrics translated
into Japanese.
Japanese cassette (1983 mid price re-issue)
French cassette
German cassette inlay
UK "Fame" label re-issue cassette
German LP label
Spanish LP label
Japanese white label
Japanese stock label
USA CD disc
German CD back cover
Russian CD back cover
|
