Fans of David Sylvian may consider some of his earlier releases to have been autumnal spectacles filled with intoxicating arrangements and some of the most beautifully heartbreaking songs ever composed. At face value, Dead Bees on a Cake should have been one of David Sylvian's most spiritually fulfilled and innovative releases -- maybe next time. One can admire the rich vocals and impeccable instrumental performances by Talvin Singh, Steve Jansen, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Marc Ribot, among others; however, for David Sylvian, even beautiful tracks like "The Shining of Things" are the sonic equivalent of running on a treadmill. One song makes this worth the price of admission: "Midnight Sun"; while the vocals are classic Sylvian, the bluesy, swampy sound of this track is completely new to him. It would have been fantastic if other songs on the album had followed in a similarly inventive vein.
How he pinballs from the delicious and sensual to awkward lite jazz eroticism. When he's good, he's very very good! And when he is bad he is awful.GOOD DAVID:Words With The ShamanBrilliant TreesSakamoto collaborationsBAD DAVID:Dead Bees On A CakeEverything like Dead Bees On A Cake Nine Horses is directly inbetween. So close to wonderful, so drily voluptuous, yet still suffering from nasty swath...
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I surrender ... and David Sylvian continues to offer proof positive that Freud's theory on Thantos wasn't that far off. Death and Sex ... Sex and Death: it's smoking hot. This one even has a hook. Maybe not his best but this jam is a nice point of entry. I suppose the amazing thing is just how many people seem to turn off when they hear Sylvian. Seems many find him difficult. Not me ... ...
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 "Dead Bees on a Cake")
