Post Description

Like Pink Floyd, the music of Sylvian & Fripp (what little we have) was a study in contrasts; the result of two volatile musical personalities trying to mesh and almost - but not quite - coming together. You can hear them playing with AND against each other. The mix is challenging and invigorating in its contradictions, but that's also the reason why it ultimately couldn't last. Sylvian's home is the studio; Fripp truly comes alive on stage. David tends to polish and perfect songs in a live setting; Robert delights in seeing what different paths the music will lead him down every night. Their musical personalities are evident in abundance on this disc. Sylvian washes sound and tones in the most sublime and ethereal way; Fripp on the other hand solos in wild leaps and bounds.
Ths contrast continues with Damage. The original version, mixed by Robert, was limited to one pressing and sold out almost immediately. Since it's now almost impossible to find the original without selling a kidney, the rest of us can be grateful for David's rerelease. Here the flip side of the coin shows the event from his perspective. We get a more layered mix, giving the impression of a recording from a small quiet club rather than a large theater or auditorium. To some it may sound more easygoing and intimate, to others it may seem to lack the fire and live energy of an actual concert.

Sound criticisms aside, Damage shows the music finally finding its legs; comparing it to The First Day is like attending a play's closing performance after only previously seeing one of the rehearsals. The 10-minute jams of the original album are trimmed down to a mere seven here; the live setting doesn't allow for as much layering and reworking as the studio, but there's more genuine spontaneity and interplay among all the musicians here. "Brightness Falls" is even more sinister. "God's Monkey" is even more atmospheric and almost trippy. "Darshan," which fit the original album kind of like an oval peg in a round hole, has been dropped here to be replaced with a new "Jean the Birdman." Now the album flows from beginning to end without giving the listener the momentary impression they mixed it up with an Orb CD by mistake.

Some of Sylvian's finest material is included as well; "Wave" soars to new heights and "Riverman" never sounded more spirited. We're treated to three tracks that weren't included on the TFD album, which are almost worth the price themselves. "The Blinding Light of Heaven" happily thumps like they all took some Prozac for the encore, and "The First Day" and the title track float in a sublimely beautiful haze. If we could wish that the release had accurately reflected both David and Robert's perspectives together, or that they'd also included Fripp's "Exposure" as done on the tour, well.. the little what-ifs are what keep me from giving that fifth star. Highly recommended nonetheless. 

Tracklist:

1. God's Money 
2. Brightness Falls  
3. Every Color You Are  
4. Jean the Birdman 
5. Firepower
6. Damage 
7. Gone to Earth  
8. 20th Century Dreaming (A Shaman's Song)   
9. Wave   
10. Riverman 
11. Blinding Light of Heaven 
12. First Day

Line-up:
David Sylvian, vocals, guitar, keyboards
Robert Fripp, guitar, Frippertronics
Trey Gunn, Grand Stick
Pat Mastelotto, drums
Michael Brook, guitar