David Sylvian - Gone to Earth (1986)

Dan:

I remember finding Gone to Earth on vinyl at Yesterday and Today Records in Miami sometime in the early 90s. Richard, the proprietor, had acquired a collection of albums from a man whose brother recently died. This was part of the brother's collection. I rarely know the back story of used records, but death is probably a common reason for records ending up in shops like Richard's. Rather than feeling any guilt about picking over an unfortunate person's treasures, I like to think that old records live on in the possession of new owners who appreciate them. There are dozens of other stories that I could tell about finding used records (like the estate liquidation sale of a jazz collection of over 50,000 titles), but that's not for now. 

Gone to Earth is a gorgeous album, both visually and sonically. It spans two full LPs, the first of which continues David Sylvian's dark exploration of his art, accompanied by a few guests, most notably Robert Fripp. Other names that I recognize are guitarists Bill Nelson; B.J. Cole (on pedal steel); pianist John Taylor; saxophonist Mel Collins; drummer Steve Jansen (Sylvian's brother); and, most surprisingly, brass players Harry Beckett and Kenny Wheeler. With the exception of Fripp, who shares writing credits and contributes to over half of the 19 tracks, these guests are inserted sparingly but to enormous effect.

The second record is devoted to instrumental pieces (with two spoken voice segments woven into the music). "The Healing Place" features Bill Nelson's guitar and an intro voice recording read by Joseph Beuys, an avant garde German artist who died in January 1986 during the recording of Gone to Earth. I love those kinds of tributes, which give the music more weight, especially when the words are read by the person who wrote them. "Upon this Earth," the closing track, also includes spoken words by J.G. Bennett, a British author of books on psychology and spirituality, who died in 1974. His recitation concerns the prospect of death, but I don't know its exact source. Although it may seem pretentious, Sylvian's engagement with artists and philosophers from other realms helps me to understand some of the pensive austerity of his music.

Aside from such cerebral allusions, the first half of Gone to Earth contains some great songs that do not need to be approached intellectually. As with the best music in any genre, Gone to Earth touches emotions directly through poetic lyrics and musical composition. Sylvian's unique voice unveils the experience of relationships, conflict, and other aspects of the human condition. The melodies and arrangements are full of hummable hooks and sonic surprises. 

One of the best albums of the 1980s!

Steve:

Gone to Earth remains my favorite album in Sylvian's discography, whether in Japan or on solo projects. Its double album format gives him plenty of room to stretch out, with 7 vocal pieces that unfold at an unhurried pace on the first disc, and an entire second LP with which to explore more ambient instrumental territory. I first owned this album on CD, finding a copy in a used CD store in Durham NC whilst living in that area in the year after college. I knew it fairly well by that time, thanks to Dan, but was disappointed to realize that about half of the ambient stuff on the second record was excised from the CD version in order to fit on a single disc. As if we wouldn't notice. Many years later I found a vinyl copy at Wax 'n' Facts Records in Atlanta, and not only was the sound much better, but I also now had the entire program to listen to as intended. (Dan comment: There are several 2-CD versions with the entire program plus bonus tracks. They are European releases issued between 2003 and 2014. The sound is vastly improved over the truncated CD version.)

The instrumental stuff is every bit as worthy as the vocal pieces. While more instrumentally spare, Sylvian lays down mood-setting canvasses of sound, over which Robert Fripp or Bill Nelson add instrumental color. The result is not unlike some of Brian Eno's instrumental work, especially in its propensity for creating a visual image with sound.

Of the vocal pieces, the spacious and butter-smooth "Before the Bullfight" always commands my attention, as does the more rhythmically and melodically agile "Taking the Veil" which opens the album on an inviting note. I've put Gone to Earth on the stereo with mixed company and have always gotten a positive response. This is the kind of music perfect for relaxed and intelligent conversation.