Rain Tree Crow

Trouser Press wrote: "the album doesn't sound drastically different from any of their previous work together, but successfully revives Japan's late-period neo-tribal rhythms and vaguely Asian feel."[2]

The name Rain Tree Crow was chosen to mark a break from Japan's past, with the intention of creating a new long-term project. As the music turned out to be less commercial than originally envisaged, all members of the band aside from Sylvian became amenable to the idea of retaining the Japan moniker, in order to gain maximum exposure.[3] Virgin records pressured the musicians to let them market the album under the name Japan; however, Sylvian was adamant that this would not take place. Sylvian’s opinion prevailed and the album was released as by Rain Tree Crow.

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[4]
Trouser Press	positive[2]

"Blackwater" was released as the album's only single and reached number 62 in the UK Singles Chart in March 1991. The album reached number 24 in the UK Albums Chart.[5]

The album was remastered and reissued on CD in 2003. The B-side track from the "Blackwater" single, "I Drink To Forget", was included on this reissue, but omitted on the later vinyl reissue of March 2019.

All tracks are written by Rain Tree Crow.

Rain Tree Crow

• David Sylvian – vocals (1–3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12), electric guitar (1, 2, 5–8, 10–12), organ (1, 5, 9, 10), electric piano (1, 2, 10), shortwave radio (1, 2), horn arrangement (1), treatments (2, 10, 12), percussion (3, 9, 13), slide guitar (4), synthesizers (4, 8–10, 13), Indian drum (4), bass (7), banjo (11), marimba (11), harmonium (11), prepared piano (13)
• Mick Karn – bass (1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 12), brass (1, 5), horn arrangement (1), saxophone (2, 10), pipes (3), tabla (4), bass clarinet (7, 9, 11), percussion (9), wine glasses (13)
• Steve Jansen – drums (1, 2, 5, 8, 10), percussion (2–5, 8–10, 12, 13), ceramic drums (4), additional organ (5), tambourine (6), Moroccan clay drums (7), fan drums (7), marimba (9, 11), piano (11), wine glasses (13)
• Richard Barbieri – synthesizers (1–13), piano (9), water wheel (11)

Additional musicians

• Bill Nelson – electric guitar (1, 8, 10)
• Djene Doumbouya – vocals (1)
• Djanka Djabate – vocals (1)
• The Phantom Horns:
  • Johnny Thirkell – trumpet/flugelhorn (1)
  • Gary Barnacle – saxophones (1)
• Phil Palmer – slide guitar (2), acoustic guitar (4)
• Michael Brook – bass conga (4), treatments (5, 11), percussion (9), Infinite Guitar (10)
• Brian Gascoigne – orchestration (4)

Technical

• David Sylvian – art director, mixing (1–13)
• Pat McCarthy – engineering, mixing (2, 3, 6, 7, 11)
• Steve Nye – mixing (1, 4, 5, 8–10, 12)
• Al Stone – assistant mixing (1, 4, 5, 8–10, 12)
• Shinya Fujiwara – cover photography
• Russell Mills – design
• Yuka Fujii – art director
• Tim Martin – additional engineering
• Paolo Carrer – assistant
• Rupert Coulson – assistant
• Louise McCormick – assistant
• Bruce Davies – assistant
• Paul Stevens – assistant
• Richard Chadwick – co-ordinator
• Tony Cousins – reissue remastering

• Rain Tree Crow at Discogs (list of releases)