June 5, 2004

• I finally got the most recent David Sylvian album, ‘Blemish.’ He formed his own label to put out records, and it doesn’t have very wide distribution.

  ‘Blemish’ is sparse, strange, minimal. It’s the marriage of the ambient Sylvian with the songs-with-hooks Sylvian. The song lyrics are about dark subject matter, like abuse and loneliness, which are topics Sylvian doesn’t usually delve into: “Like blemishes upon the skin/Truth sets in”

  The music itself is all about running resonating guitar strings through effects pedals. It’s only barely musical, but manages to be beautiful. Sylvian’s in total control here, even though it sounds like he’s just being experimental. He’s been doing this kind of stuff for a long time, and has refined these techniques to an impressive degree. His voice is also stronger and more certain than I can remember it being before, even though the lyrics come from places of powerlessness.

  I think that this is an album for one specific moment. It’s a very specific aesthetic, and the subject matter doesn’t give a lot of joy. Anyone can listen to it and appreciate it, but very few people will like it. If you’re familiar with Sylvian’s work, then it makes perfect sense, and you’ll nod your head, even as you go find your ‘Secrets of the Beehive’ CD to play it instead. But for the uninitiated, it’ll be a stretch.

  • 3:09 am
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