Quiet Life

It’s pretty much Duran Duran without good songs. A couple OK ones but nothing that stands out and makes me want to go back.

Earlier than the Japan albums I remember but great all the same. Well worth a listen as I enjoyed it more than I would have done back in the day

Previously, Japan and Quiet Life were known to me only by name and album cover, which is a bit surprising given that this is completely my cup of tea. I'm definitely going to listen to them more.

This is more than a 3 I just don't know if it's a 4 for my tastes. Spookier than I expected. That was my favorite part

More layered and interesting than I was expecting. A good listen.

Holy crap, this album was ahead of its time! Seriously, I know it came out at the very tail end of the '70s, but you can practically hear the blueprint for British pop music throughout the next decade. Right from the opening title track, I was hooked. I was like, "Oh my gosh, this is really cool!" It sounded like something straight out of the '80s before the '80s even started. Unfortunately, the rest of the album didn't quite live up to that first impression. It's surprisingly hit or miss. There are some really great songs here, but there are also some that just sound cluttered or don't come together very well. The vocals are especially inconsistent. I really like the singer when he's using his higher register, but whenever he tries singing low, I don't know, he just sounds off-key and kind of terrible. And that final track? Man, that one just dragged. Repetitive and boring, which is not exactly how you want to wrap things up. It's a shame because I really wanted to rate this higher. About half the album sounds fantastic, while the other half just doesn't do much for me. Still, it's fascinating hearing a band practically predicting the sound of the next decade. If only the songwriting had been as consistent as the vision. Interesting stuff, but definitely a mixed bag. 3/5

I want to keep an open mind to all music, especially if it made this list. I found this to be ordinary, though.

the cure but kind of less good

Wasn’t awful but I definitely could’ve lived never listening to it.

The title track is, what the kids nowadays refer to as, a banger. After that everything else pales in comparison. A great song but not a great album.

Someone playing with synths. It's OK.

2.5

Really enjoyed the sound of this. Some Of it reminded me Of Depeche Mode with the guitars. Even enjoyed the Velvet Underground cover 4.5/5

This was almost a 4 before the second half hit. 1st half was really cool pre-Duran Duran meets Soft Cell stuff. The second half undid all of it. The All Tomorrows Parties cover was WOEFUL and took out everything good about the original. And the rest was turgid and forgettable. 2.5 but I’m sorry I simply can’t give it a 3.

Turns out you can't be influenced by all my least favorite artists and still create something I want to hear! Weird, huh?

Japan has a curious, careful, explorative sound. I like my synthpop to be big, bold and direct, so this is not my preferred approach. They have a cool, calm and collected sound which makes for a nice smooth listen, but the Velvet Underground cover is compositionally my favourite cut of the lot.

High 3 for Japan, a band I like a fair bit. As always I love the bass work but their synth pop is less my thing than their later art-pop.

Good album

Mid

New wave, quiet decent, no amazing

Fantastic stuff! I would give it a 5 if it wasn't for the fact that their next album is better! 4/5

This cover is really pretty to me. I've never heard of Japan, but I heard they make great things like "anime". 01. Quiet Life How a cool introductory track. Didn't blow me away, but it sounded pretty cool. Lyrics were pretty basic. 02. Fall In Love With Me It was fine. Not as good as the title track, but was solid. 03. Despair The lyrics are faux-deep to me, but the instrumental itself is pretty nice. It's pleasant on the ears, but I wouldn't put it on a playlist. 04. In Vogue I don't like how the vocals sound underwater and not mixed properly. Once again the instrumental is the best part, honestly being my favorite so far. 05. Halloween Honestly my favorite song so far. Instrumental is nothing of note, but the vocals are the best here, second to none! Also the only song with lyrics I enjoyed as well. 06. All Tomorrow's Parties It was cool. Another highlight from the album so far, but didn't blow me away. I feel like this is another song where the lyrics are faux-deep. 07. Alien Had a pretty groovy bass, but besides that it just blends into the album. 08. The Other Side Of Life Pretty lackluster. The only thing setting it apart from the others is the length. Least favorite track. I get the appeal, but it's just not for me. I do think everything hear sounds nice, but it just left me so bored. Uninteresting and mediocre singing. Sorry!

This was a pretty ok album, I liked how it was kinda a synthy pop thing but it just wasn't great lol

Fint album

More synthy new wave?! I was drawn in by All Tomorrow's Parties before realising it was nicked from the Velvet Underground. They don't even really stray from the vibe or sound of the original other than deliver a better vocal performance, which is, frankly, not a difficult achievement. There are some good moments here; I also liked the title track, but there's also the appropriately named Despair, an exhaustingly dull six-minute dirge that sort of summed up the rest of the record.

Who told this guy he could sing

Weird album - doesn't sound like anything else made at the time. I could do without the honking sax, but the rest of the musical choices are a breath of fresh air.

boring but fine

The cover of All Tomorrow's Parties was fun, because I love the original. But I'm still not going to listen to it over the original. Otherwise, I just don't think new wave is my thing?

Can appreciate the uniqueness but not that into it

Wasn't posting quite right attention to this, I was expecting something proggy and it ended up being a bit more 80s pop/ new wavey. I assume this is where the ATP festival took it's name? On this basis I'll also assume this is a very cool well regarded band/album. I did like it but it felt like it was half way between Duran Duran and someone like Roxy music, and it probably wasn't as good as either. 3.5.

Quiet synth pop, just a bit boring. Sounded like Roxy Music lite. All a bit untethered. Couldn't tell you a thing about it.

Too much synth for me! Didn't hate it, not for me though. Orient slightly ahead of it's time in the synth pop front? Didn't like the cover of all tomorrows parties. Shall not be back! 2

Knowing the reputation of David Sylvain as a collaborator with many esteemed artists, I went into this with expectations. I did not expect that it would just sound like Duran Duran without the hits.

It was a bit naff for the majority, but I’m a real sucker for fretless bass which was used here extensively. You can really hear the influence on Duran Duran, not just in vocals but also the choice of chord changes which was really evocative of songs like ‘hungry like the wolf’. It could have been a lot worse though, and am marking this higher than I might otherwise just because I was surprised at how 80’s this sounded despite not quite falling to that decade, both because they may have been a little ahead of their time, and also that they influenced a number of the artists that followed.

voor een band die Adolescent Sex op ons los liet, valt dit wat tegen... soort Duran Duran doorslagje

Another synth-pop album. Whatever.

Probably more of a 1.5

More less.

Sounds nice: quite synth heavy But I find the songs hit or miss: some are worse off from the whiny vocals, or the dissonant trumpety sound in Fall in Love with Me But the instrumentals on most are really good with some really cool musical motifs running throughout Favs to keep: Despair, All Tomorrow's Parties

unexpecter atmosphere definitely unlike Adolescent Sex

Interesting enough - 2.8

Shite duran

1.5 These 80s bands do absolutely nothing for me! All tomorrows party's was alright

Just sounded like Duran Duran. But more pretentious. If you can imagine such a thing I mean, decent musicianship, but hows this on greatest albums?

Like Duran Duran, but much less catchy.

I hate David Sylvian, so this debut from Japan surprised me. Top notch 80s funky synth pop, very adjacent to Duran Duran. Of course he doe find time to have a bit of a whine, before tackling the Velvet's All Tomorrow's Parties.

Ein kühles, elegant schimmerndes Album, in dem Japan ihren frühen Glam‑Rock abschütteln und in eine stilvolle Synth‑Pop‑Welt gleiten. Die Songs wirken wie perfekt ausgeleuchtete Räume: kontrolliert, artifiziell, aber voller feiner Spannung. Sylvian klingt distanziert und doch magnetisch. Ein präziser, ästhetischer Schritt in die eigene Identität.

Never heard of this band. Opened up like Duran Duran, then progressed through the sounds of every other 90s to 2000s alt pop rock band. Not bad overall.

I had heard Quiet Life before, but I genuinely thought it was an early Duran Duran song. Also got this on a day when it was announced David Sylvian is releasing a new album next year. I gather his stuff is experimental and often spoken word these days but this made me interested in hearing more of his musical adventures. The basslines on this are so inventive and elastic. While Duran Duran seems to have borrowed a lot of their sound and polished it up for mass market, I got hints of other artists they influenced. Despair sounds like it could have come from one of Trent Reznor's piano-led scores, while the last track didn't initially grab me -particularly the vocals-, the way it builds and creates foreboding atmosphere reminded me of Disintegration/Wish era Cure. This is right up there among the best albums which are new to me on this project.

#463 This ran a line of being very interesting and enjoyable to something that doesn’t quite land, the sort of new wave why I’m not fond of Duran Duran, but presumably they influenced them, and a whole bunch of others given the year of release. I wouldn’t be averse to returning to this but my opinion could go either way if/when I do. Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ✅ Listen before you die? ✅ Fave track(s): Quiet Life Rating: 6/10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Happy Halloween! David Sylvain is awesome and I didn't know this was him until I read Sameen's review

I love Japan and David Sylvian and have been kind of wondering why they haven't appeared on the list yet... so this was more than welcome... woohoo!

Pop, Rock, 1979 -> 2

I really enjoyed the production and rhythms across this album, particularly the bass parts, which are inventive and enrapturing. the record has a lot of traits of music from the '80s that I'm not a fan of, but they pull it off with an urgency instead of an emptiness that I feel is present in a lot of the synth-based music from that time. the only track I could do without is the dirge that is "Despair". they also deserve some credit for pulling off that Velvet Underground/Nico cover without departing from the sound of the rest of the record. been meaning to dig into David Sylvian's work for a while now -- this will bump those records up on the list for me.

I liked it. It was fun. The synths and bass lines were punchy, and the vocals never took away from the groove. 3.5

Don't think I will be listening to this band all that often. some songs were alright but most of the album was unmemorable.

Listening session: october 2nd, while taking the train back home Listened to before: no Thoughts: a few tracks are nice but after a while it just sounds like 80s New wave my dad would listen to Favourite tracks: Quiet Life & In Vogue

Roxy Music clearly influenced Japan who even more clearly influenced Duran Duran. I slightly prefer the other two bands, but I did like this.

Classic 1 star review. Listening this album doesn't bother at all and doesn't provide basically anything.

#490 / 1089 Heard before? ❌ Revisit? ❌ Props for being this early to the vaguely electronic sounding new wave scene, the problem is that I don't really care for this type of new wave sound. I heard lots of things that remind me of Duran Duran, is this influence or sounds of the time, I do not know. Piano track was pretty. It's not horrible, just not for me 2/5

You can’t tell me this isn’t Duran Duran in a trenchcoat

I found this kinda unremarkable. It sounded like it was from the 80s (sorry actually 1979) but the songs were not as striking as other albums we've had. However, All Tomorrow's Parties was pretty cool (maybe becaase I ended up hearing it 3 times)

A few good tracks, and I get why it was inspirational to some 80s synth pop bands, but a lot of it is immediately forgettable. I wish I could forget the after All Tomorrow's Parties cover though.

I normally like a bit of new romantic synrh pop but this didn't really gel with me.

načelno solidan novovalni album koji me malo podsjetio na roxy music. no osim što su mi se jako dopale bas-dionice, ostatak je nekako okej, ali nije me posebno oduševio, premda mi se načelno dopalo. zbog toga dajem trojku, možda preslušam još koji put i promijenim mišljenje

Yeah I'm not listening to all of that

The re-released single of 'Quiet Life' was one of the first records I bought when I would have been 14 or so. It was 1981, I was really getting into music and also had money to buy singles from my part time jobs. It was a absolute banger of a track and my formative years were all about New Wave and Post Punk.... At the time I probably didn't realise there was an album of the same name. I think the single was re-released around the time of Tin Drum so that was the Japan album I originally dived into. It was fabulous. I really enjoyed the chance to revisit this album and it's raw electronic feel. Some excellent tracks and it really flows well for me. It's my era, so any failings, possibly the 'I second that emotion' cover and not having 'A Foreign Place' on the original album take away from the top marks but they just drift away into the clouds of reflection.... The next selection could be a challenge.

Reminds me of Duran Duran, but a bit boring.

Quiet Life - 87 Fall In Love With Me - 85 Despair - 77 In Vogue - 84 Halloween - 86 All Tomorrows Parties - 85 Alien - 81 The Other Side Of Life - 86 Quiet Life - 82

This just sounds like the reject songs from the 80s and they recreated it. Who likes this who could like this? I don’t understand. This is not good at all.

Overrated, didn't like the vocals

I liked this album a lot more than I expected to The singer has a good voice and these songs are solid albeit quirky I specifically love the closer Also bonus points for the sick album art Favorites: in vogue, Halloween, other side of life 3/5

It was forgettable for me Will I listen to again: 0%

Nope, this new wave crap ain’t for me. Enough already

"Mörkt" på ett rätt trevligt sätt

Förmodligen det bästa brittiska albumet av ett band kallat Japan som släppts i Kanada.

Lät bra och var lagom spännande.

Den här fångar mig

It was pretty good, but nothing too memorable for me

This was solidly fine if uninspired. I can see how it influenced what came later in the 80s (Duran Duran my beloved, among other artists) but it's not something I'll listen to again.

I can see the influence this had but it just didn’t have what its successors would.

An enjoyable if forgettable album.

A very mixed bag - not all bad.

I'm quite a fan of Visions of China, but this was mostly tedious for me, especially the slower tracks. 2.4/5

More power to you if you like this album, but I found it hard work. It felt longer than it actually was.

Dobrze, teraz porozmawiajmy o tym jak mocną kartę wrzuciło Japan do rozgrywki w kategorii New Wave. Moim zdaniem mocno niedoceniony zespół, ale trochę przyćmiony przez Duran Duran w swoim czasie. Wspaniała płyta, w bardzo grobowym nastroju, zawsze będę ją polecać jako nastrojenie przed Halloween. A w świat Davida Sylviana, tu przewrotnie będzie, wprowadził mnie Xavier Dolan kiedy podsunął singiel „Ghostos”. Co za czas w życiu 👻💀👹

Decent synth-pop

I think I could push this up to 4 on a re-listen. I guess I'm realizing I'm a fan of early 80's British Synth Pop. As a side note, Richard Barbieri from one of my favorite bands, Porcupine Tree, is the keyboardist in Japan.

2.75 - Solid.

Wow, why have never listened to this album before? I only knew the song Quiet Life from before. Loved this.

Bland and forgettable.

Not really what I was expecting, but in a better way. The band sounds like a knockoff version of Duran Duran with the uptempo beats, horns blowing in the background, and the drawn out lyrics that blend form one to another. I’ll never go back to this, but it was better than expected.

Like Duran Duran if there were only one Duran. It’s not good.

Track 3 best describes the emotion felt when listening. Despair. This was dreadful

What the hell is this? Completely un-listenable, got like 4 songs in and had to quit.

Disappointing, given that new wave is usually right in my wheelhouse. I can hear what they're doing: the cold synths, the deep vocal, the bass doing something unusual, but none of it grabbed me. It slid past without leaving a mark. Style without much underneath it, at least on this listen.

Looking at this I thought I would hate it but it was a little different than I was expecting. Little synthy to start put it hit its stride and was a decent 80s album

Prima plaat, niet heel veel mening over. Behalve dan dat het vaak werkelijk een zonde is wat mensen trachten te doen met een nummer coveren… zo ook nu met All Tomorrow’s Parties… dat is natuurlijk van de fenomenale plaat van The Velvet Underground, die plaat verdient een 7! Sunday morning van de Velvet is werkelijk een van zeven zondagse zaligheden.

De instrumenten zijn opzich mooi, maar als de synthesizer het hele nummer dezelfde noot speelt dan geeft het mij niet genoeg prikkels. De zang kwwam na een tijdje ook wel mijn strot uit. Uiteindelijk was het niet vervelend om te luisteren, maar ik werd er ook niet heel blij van.