Japan Obscure Altematives CD - Import

In 1977, the German label Hansa held a contest that elicited entries from over 1000 bands. The eight winners, including Japan (and an unknown group called the Easy Cure who later became the Cure) received recording contracts and, a year later, ADOLESCENT SEX hit the shops. Perhaps because of its glamrock-esque cover art (this at the height of the first wave of English punk rock), it was largely ignored.

The band's vocalist David Sylvian is legendarily unhappy with the record, and it is possible to guess why: it contains some fairly misguided lyrics--especially on "Wish You Were Black." The album probably seemed pretty edgy and hip at the time, however, complete ...