- Audio CD (19 April 2004)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Format: Enhanced, Extra tracks, Original recording remastered
- Label: Bmg
- ASIN: B0001CVAH4
- Other Editions: Audio CD | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 165,998 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Product details |
Track Listings
| 1. Adolescent Sex |
| 2. Stateline |
| 3. Communist China |
| 4. ...Rhodesia |
| 5. Suburban Berlin |
| 6. Life In Tokyo |
| 7. European Son |
| 8. All Tomorrows Parties |
| 9. Quiet Life |
| 10. I Second That Emotion |
| 11. European Son (John Punter 12 mix) |
| 12. I Second That Emotion (12 version) |
| 13. Life In Tokyo (Part I) (Special remix) |
| 14. Life In Tokyo (12 version) |
| 15. Life In Tokyo (1982 remix) |
| 16. I Second That Emotion (Video) |
| 17. Life In Tokyo (Video) |
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Having got the original Japanese dble (and also the UK double-play cassette) you can guess buying this reissue on top of those indicates I rate this compilation highly, even if the 'record of two halves' is slightly lost on continuous play. "Suburban Berlin" is an interesting transition track though, relying a lot more on synths and oddly paving the way for the increased BPM 'disco' era. Even "Adolescent Sex" and "Rhodesia" sound quite good, though a far far cry from their Virgin era material.
However there are some gripes with this release, and also two different track 14's, depending upon whether you buy the digi-pack remaster or this later standard jewel case release (still remastered). Firstly, from the liner notes, and the CDr promo that popped up, this should've been a 15 track release, featuring 3 (yes 3) remixes of "Life In Tokyo" in the bonus audio tracks. However for some reason Virgin decided to scrap the rarer 6.15 mix (previously only available on the cassette or Old Gold 12"/compilation CD for us in the UK) and keep Part 1 plus the cool 1982 Extended Remix (comes in at 7.05 and is similar to 1979 12" but with bass-line revamped, sequencers lowered and solo female BVs during the break) on the digi-pack release. So what about the later 'standard' jewel case release? Hmmm, track 14 is now the 6.15 mix, albeit with about 5 seconds of the outro completely cut off (very sloppy). As this is the rarer mix this may be a bonus for some, but the track change is inexplicable in terms of a simple repackage.
Then we come onto some remastering (or maybe CD manufacturing) problems that effect the first half of Track 1, and Track 13 even worse after the break. Brief drop-outs/mistracks are clearly audible through headphones, and to be honest several other tracks only just hold onto their sonic integrity, even though they sound bright and punchy. Ofcourse this could be the source masters, but wait, "Best Of Japan" also has "Life In Tokyo - Special mix part 1", and that has no such problems, nor did "Adolescent Sex" on the mid 90s Japanese release. And ofcourse there is a full fadeout to the 6.15 remix of "Life In Tokyo", as confirmed on Old Gold's "Best of 12" Synth" compilation CD from early 90's, even if the sound there now sounds really fuzzy compared to this remaster.
Whether this change in tracklisting, and audio problems on 2 tracks, are limited to batches of the jewel case 2006 reissue is anyone's guess, but potential buyers may find this info of some help.
Still an essential album though, and generally the tracks have remastered pretty well, including the John Punter 12" version of "European Son".
However there are some gripes with this release, and also two different track 14's, depending upon whether you buy the digi-pack remaster or this later standard jewel case release (still remastered). Firstly, from the liner notes, and the CDr promo that popped up, this should've been a 15 track release, featuring 3 (yes 3) remixes of "Life In Tokyo" in the bonus audio tracks. However for some reason Virgin decided to scrap the rarer 6.15 mix (previously only available on the cassette or Old Gold 12"/compilation CD for us in the UK) and keep Part 1 plus the cool 1982 Extended Remix (comes in at 7.05 and is similar to 1979 12" but with bass-line revamped, sequencers lowered and solo female BVs during the break) on the digi-pack release. So what about the later 'standard' jewel case release? Hmmm, track 14 is now the 6.15 mix, albeit with about 5 seconds of the outro completely cut off (very sloppy). As this is the rarer mix this may be a bonus for some, but the track change is inexplicable in terms of a simple repackage.
Then we come onto some remastering (or maybe CD manufacturing) problems that effect the first half of Track 1, and Track 13 even worse after the break. Brief drop-outs/mistracks are clearly audible through headphones, and to be honest several other tracks only just hold onto their sonic integrity, even though they sound bright and punchy. Ofcourse this could be the source masters, but wait, "Best Of Japan" also has "Life In Tokyo - Special mix part 1", and that has no such problems, nor did "Adolescent Sex" on the mid 90s Japanese release. And ofcourse there is a full fadeout to the 6.15 remix of "Life In Tokyo", as confirmed on Old Gold's "Best of 12" Synth" compilation CD from early 90's, even if the sound there now sounds really fuzzy compared to this remaster.
Whether this change in tracklisting, and audio problems on 2 tracks, are limited to batches of the jewel case 2006 reissue is anyone's guess, but potential buyers may find this info of some help.
Still an essential album though, and generally the tracks have remastered pretty well, including the John Punter 12" version of "European Son".
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Japan never quite seemed to fit into a particular market. Too stylish and sophisticated for punk, too raucous in their early days for synth pop, they fall somewhere into the "new wave plus" category that's reserved for the likes of Ultravox and Talking Heads.
It's well worth investing in this album just to hear how different the band sounded on their first three ( and particularly their first two ) albums compared to their later and higher-regarded works, "Gentlemen..." and "Tin Drum". Sylvian's voice is an unrecognisable squawk, a cross between Bowie, John Foxx and David Johanssen of the N.Y. Dolls, and sleazy guitars bounce out of the speakers. Standouts are the intense opener, "Adolescent Sex", the reggae-styled "...Rhodesia", the Bowie-esque "Suburban Berlin", the restained hit, "Quiet Life" ( for many the greatest moment for the band ) and the otherwise difficult to find disco pleasure of "European Son" ( here in 2 different versions ).
It's well worth investing in this album just to hear how different the band sounded on their first three ( and particularly their first two ) albums compared to their later and higher-regarded works, "Gentlemen..." and "Tin Drum". Sylvian's voice is an unrecognisable squawk, a cross between Bowie, John Foxx and David Johanssen of the N.Y. Dolls, and sleazy guitars bounce out of the speakers. Standouts are the intense opener, "Adolescent Sex", the reggae-styled "...Rhodesia", the Bowie-esque "Suburban Berlin", the restained hit, "Quiet Life" ( for many the greatest moment for the band ) and the otherwise difficult to find disco pleasure of "European Son" ( here in 2 different versions ).
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The original digipack includes the Life in Tokyo original 12" Disco Version, but labeled it as the 1982 Remix. This is a fortunate mistake, for the original 12" is far superior to the 1982 remix, which kept the disco feel, but introduced an annoying Mick Karn fretless bassline. The original is produced by Giorgio Morodor. The non-digipacks replaced the 12" version with the aforementioned annoying 1982 remix (ughh). The rest of the album is an excellent version of Assemblage with all of the key 12" remixes added to the original album. A fine reissue!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Not as Good as I remembered
Japan were a British New Wave group, formed in 1974 in, South London. The band achieved success in the late 1970s/early 1980s, when they were often associated with the burgeoning... Read more
Published 20 months ago by P. Frizelle
Here Comes The Quiet Life - Again...
"Assemblage" is an interesting album by the chameleon like early 1980's pop group .Listening to the album is like listening to two different bands. Read more
Published on 5 Feb 2009 by L. Davidson
Life in Tokyo :-)
I really like having all of the remixes that used to be n the singles many years ago, and there a video too. Hurray for "Life In Tokyo"!
Published on 4 Feb 2009 by P. Long
Excellent remaster, shame about the tracks
A classic LP, even if its a compilation, it doesn't matter. So for that fact its top marks.
But this CD, like <especially> Quiet Life, too many of the extra tracks... Read more
But this CD, like <especially> Quiet Life, too many of the extra tracks... Read more
Published on 15 Aug 2008 by N. Mcalister
Simply awesome - Japan at their very best
When I first heard this compilation I was about 14 and quite into the new romantic scene. Japan were very different from many other acts at the time and I can't remember who they... Read more
Published on 13 Dec 2006 by R. Pope
Missed opportunity
The original vinyl version of this album was a must have for any Japan fan that wanted some of the best early material without actually buying the somewhat mediocre albums. Read more
Published on 17 May 2004 by michael_m
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