Japan : Gentlemen Take Polaroids
On October 19, 1980 Japan's new single, the title cut from the forthcoming Gentlemen Take Polaroids, had peaked at #60 in the UK charts. The band's sophisticated euro-pop sound was a perfect distillation of Roxy Music and David Bowie, augmented by the fretless bass of Mick Karn. For many this album, with its cover featuring a heavily pancaked David Sylvian, was an entry point into the Japan catalogue but critics familiar with their earlier glam rock work called them out for being phony.
Said Patrick Humphries of Melody Maker :
"There's something infinitely unsatisfying about this album. From the false image of the band to the hollow songs they perform. "
As the decades have obscured the question of Japan's credibility, more music lovers have discovered one of the era's most irresistible signature sounds. There is substance behind all that pancake makeup after all.
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