GENTLEMEN TAKE POLAROIDS

I've been reading progarchives reviews for a long time now. I'm not a Japan fan, nor even an 80's synth fan. I like Floyd, Genesis, John Martyn, Tom Waits and many others. But I know Gentlemen Take Polaroids. It's not essential, and there are a couple of, for me, irrelevant tracks, but most of it makes rewarding listening. Drum programming makes an appearance, but watch Oil on Canvas to see that - unlike many of their peers - most of the drumming is real, and entirely competent. Karns' bass is superb, and the whole sound is effortlessly cool. If 'less than nothing' happens on Nightporter, then I guess less than nothing happens in its main influence, Satie's Gymnopedies. I'd call it understated and tasteful.

If you don't like the synth bands of the period, you probably won't like this. If on the other hand you want an album that takes on the 'cool' post-Eno sound of Roxy Music, and does a far better job of it, try this one. But don't take my word for it, check out the reviews on Amazon...