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Product Description
Product Description
A Victim of Stars picks the best from David Sylvian's 30-year musical career, from '80s pop-funk via jazz in the 90s to the 2000s leaning to electronica. This compilation of the former Japan front man's greatest hits also includes a newly recorded single, "Where's Your Gravity?".
Product Description
2CD set. Career-spanning, multi-label 30-track "best of" compilation of Japan and solo material! Includes new 2012 song "Where's Your Gravity?".
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By Mr. 880
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
It's not hard to see why Japan/Sylvian fans have a tough time with the band/artist's previous record companies. The compilations of various kinds have been racking up over the years and just when you thought there couldn't be anything more to say, here comes A Victim of Stars put out through Virgin. Reviews are right, that it's a pretty decent primer for any introduction to Sylvian; though if you haven't been introduced to his music by now you're pretty late to the party and some will complain this all sounds either dated or wilfully ambient! Nevertheless, the "new" track accompanying this collection, Where's Your Gravity?, manages to bridge some of the atmospheric brilliance of Japan's later songs with echoes of Sylvian's own work stretching across nearly thirty years. But one reviewer is right, Ghosts and Forbidden Colours don't need to be off the Everything and Nothing compilation surely when the originals (and especially the Tin Drum version of Ghosts which mysteriously seems to have been the poor relation of the single/remix effort for years and yet is far superior) could be worked into this record if we have to be reminded of Japan in the former song's case.
Small Metal Gods and Manafon add a bit of clarity to the later work and update the story, though they are some lonely highlights to what have been indifferent records recently. Listeners will also wonder how remixed Bamboo Houses actually is while the album version of Heartbeat I happen to like more though this restrained remix is okay too. That aside, Sylvian's dedication to the style and mastery of his music shines through here. If you listen and keep doing so, you realise how little the music has dated and also how "un-ambient" it can be at times; a testament to the quality of the textures and sound-scapes that he's played around with for so many years. Indeed if you were uninitiated you might wonder which was the older and newer stuff here, possibly confused by what other reviewers have rightly stated is still a rough and ready transfer of the music. A serious bit of remastering surely needs to be done with tracks that Virgin have frankly treated with a slap-dash attitude over the years. And even the cover and inside pictures date the work in Virgin's eyes which, despite quite sturdy packaging, make this look like a bit of a cashing-in exercise. Even so, the fact that the record has made the album charts at all, reflects the loyalty of Sylvian's fans and the respect he's held in by many. The record is a triumph of sorts then: reflecting a history where he's been determined to plot his own course; demanding concentration from the listener; and repaying your attention with serious, but rewarding sounds, emotions and beauty. David Sylvian sounds about as far out of place in modern rock/pop music (I know he wouldn't see himself in that branch anyway!) as you can get, and no bad thing it is. Recommended, especially for the relative newcomer, but with reservations.
Small Metal Gods and Manafon add a bit of clarity to the later work and update the story, though they are some lonely highlights to what have been indifferent records recently. Listeners will also wonder how remixed Bamboo Houses actually is while the album version of Heartbeat I happen to like more though this restrained remix is okay too. That aside, Sylvian's dedication to the style and mastery of his music shines through here. If you listen and keep doing so, you realise how little the music has dated and also how "un-ambient" it can be at times; a testament to the quality of the textures and sound-scapes that he's played around with for so many years. Indeed if you were uninitiated you might wonder which was the older and newer stuff here, possibly confused by what other reviewers have rightly stated is still a rough and ready transfer of the music. A serious bit of remastering surely needs to be done with tracks that Virgin have frankly treated with a slap-dash attitude over the years. And even the cover and inside pictures date the work in Virgin's eyes which, despite quite sturdy packaging, make this look like a bit of a cashing-in exercise. Even so, the fact that the record has made the album charts at all, reflects the loyalty of Sylvian's fans and the respect he's held in by many. The record is a triumph of sorts then: reflecting a history where he's been determined to plot his own course; demanding concentration from the listener; and repaying your attention with serious, but rewarding sounds, emotions and beauty. David Sylvian sounds about as far out of place in modern rock/pop music (I know he wouldn't see himself in that branch anyway!) as you can get, and no bad thing it is. Recommended, especially for the relative newcomer, but with reservations.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Unless you are familiar with David's first three solo albums from the 1980's, Brilliant Trees, Gone to Earth and Secrets of the Beehive, you should not hesitate to buy this for the eight tracks from those albums included here and let yourself be seduced into buying those albums themselves. Then you can regard the other tracks, including the four excellent Sakamoto collaborations and the more variable results of various Japan reincarnations, as the icing on the cake. Even if you have all the original singles and albums represented here, it is still interesting to see what has been omitted (e.g. Nostalgia from Brilliant Trees) and to hear the obligatory (for such compliations) new track, Where's Your Gravity?
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I do own (and love) a couple of Sylvian LPs already but jumped at the chance to get hold of this compilation. Not having followed his career as closely as I ought to have done over the last 30 years, I saw this as a means of getting some perspective on an artist I've always very much admired, but for whom it can sometimes be difficult to find the best point of access. After all, how easy is it to be put off somebody by buying the "difficult" album first accidentally (Ascension, instead of A Love Supreme [Deluxe Edition], for example)?
"A Victim of Stars" might not contain all David Sylvian's best work: although the bulk of material here is new to me, two of my own favourites aren't on here - "September" and "Before the Bullfight" (doesn't bother me mind, as I already own 'em). Also, the version of the classic "Forbidden Colours" is not the one I'm familiar with (the electronic one) but a more piano-ey version (I'm not sure which is considered to be definitive, but my preference is most definitely the former). Nevertheless, of the selections I hadn't previously heard, I have made some real discoveries ("Darkest Dreaming" for one - amazing) and I will certainly be making further Sylvian record purchases off the back of this - so in that sense this compilation has done its job for me.
The 2 disc set is nicely presented in a digipak with a slightly unusual booklet and has the overall feel of a class purchase. The sound quality/mastering is awesome - this is evident from the moment the familiar "Ghosts" (track 1, CD 1) comes out of your speakers.
So why only four stars? Well, whilst this is a nice collection, as I mentioned above there are some omissions. Also, I'd have to say that this is probably not as good an introduction as the studio album Gone to Earth -2cd- - and I'd be tempted to advise any newcomers to take the plunge and go for that instead. But, if I could award 1/2 stars, this would be a 4.5/5.
"A Victim of Stars" might not contain all David Sylvian's best work: although the bulk of material here is new to me, two of my own favourites aren't on here - "September" and "Before the Bullfight" (doesn't bother me mind, as I already own 'em). Also, the version of the classic "Forbidden Colours" is not the one I'm familiar with (the electronic one) but a more piano-ey version (I'm not sure which is considered to be definitive, but my preference is most definitely the former). Nevertheless, of the selections I hadn't previously heard, I have made some real discoveries ("Darkest Dreaming" for one - amazing) and I will certainly be making further Sylvian record purchases off the back of this - so in that sense this compilation has done its job for me.
The 2 disc set is nicely presented in a digipak with a slightly unusual booklet and has the overall feel of a class purchase. The sound quality/mastering is awesome - this is evident from the moment the familiar "Ghosts" (track 1, CD 1) comes out of your speakers.
So why only four stars? Well, whilst this is a nice collection, as I mentioned above there are some omissions. Also, I'd have to say that this is probably not as good an introduction as the studio album Gone to Earth -2cd- - and I'd be tempted to advise any newcomers to take the plunge and go for that instead. But, if I could award 1/2 stars, this would be a 4.5/5.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
David Sylvian,Always a *Shimmering Star*.......
This is simply beautiful & must surely feauture some of David Sylvian's most emotive,soothing & heartfelt pieces ever...... Read more
Published 14 days ago by Billy-bob Oodleflip!!
2.0 out of 5 stars
It's ok.
I bought this CD because I've always enjoyed David Sylvian's Music but I must admit that one of the songs on this CD is actually scratched (it jumps lots when it's played). Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mr. Mark Deacon.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great collection
A brilliant collection of songs. Some great singles as well as more quirky Sylvian music. Great! Highly recommended for fans.
Published 2 months ago by northern fan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing
I have listened to David Sylvian (and Japan) since the early 80's and this is a great compilation. If you are a collector, this is amust buy!
Published 4 months ago by Staffan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Audio quaility
Yes I agree with a previous reviewer that certain parts of this compilation are not great when it comes to audio quality - specifically the first five tracks of CD1, but If you... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Heath Young
5.0 out of 5 stars
Definitive singles album
A Victim of Stars is the 'greatest hits' album that Everything and Nothing never was. The 80s are represented pretty faithfully by the singles of the period - no Buoy which is a... Read more
Published 13 months ago by clock
2.0 out of 5 stars
Why do i need to buy this
For someone who owns Everything and Nothing I'm at a loss at to why I need to buy A Victim of Stars. Is David now to bring out as many greatest hits albums as Madness
Published 14 months ago by J. White
5.0 out of 5 stars
Satisfying career retrospective
I did wonder if 'A Victim of Stars' was really necessary given that 10 tracks previously featured on 2000's compilation 'Everything and Nothing' , 'Wonderful World' was also... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Jason Parkes
1.0 out of 5 stars
What? Again..!!
Let's be honest here. Sylvian's last decent solo studio release was "Dead Bees" - and that was an awfully long time ago. Read more
Published 14 months ago by T. Lawford
4.0 out of 5 stars
Almost what folks have been wanting for...
A Victim of Stars is about as close to the compilation that Sylvian aficionados (he's too serious to have "fans") have been waiting for--short of a proper box set, anyway--for... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Kevin O'Conner
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