TRS in Japan

[user@west.darkside.com (A Modem User)]

Here's the straight dope: I went to Japan last month, right at the time 
of the release of "The Red Shoes," and here's what i discovered:

The Japanese version of TRS has no extra tracks. As far as I know, the CD 
and booklet are the same as the British version. Don't know if there is 
Kanji inside, there's just the usual cardboard flap on the side of the CD 
with the Kanji on it.

The Japanese version is available in Japan for about $30.

The British version of TRS also has no extra tracks, but I did notice, 
when comparing it on my CD player with my friend's domestic CD, that it 
has two extra seconds. Wow. I think it's just two extra seconds of dead 
space at the end of the disc. Other than that, for those who are curious, 
the differences are mostly visual (I didn't do a sound comparison -- by 
this time, it's pretty common knowledge that the UK version would have 
more clarity and range):

The CD itself has a full, 4-color painting of the album cover (the 
circular part, naturally). The booklet folds out into a mammoth 16 or 
maybe even 20 page-size poster. Thus the picture of Kate and her dancing 
partner is significantly bigger. The lyrics sheet is in full color (the 
insides of fruit) and the lyrics are printed on translucent gray 
rectangles over the fruit, not on ugly black rectangles like the US 
version.

The British version is available in Japan for about $19.

Do not ask me why the UK version is cheaper in Japan than the Japan 
version. My only guess is that the Japanese CD has really kick ass sound 
quality.

They also have "The Kick Inside" on three different CDs: The US version, 
(with Tammy Wynette-style photo) the UK version (cool painting of a 
tortured Kate on kite), and the Japan version (the close-up of Kate and 
her "notorious" pink top). If you are curious to order the Japanese 
version, I should tell you that the pictures on the front & back of the 
CD are for some reason of inferior quality. Blurry and grainy.

One last note, for Bjork fanatics: The Japanese version of "Debut" does 
indeed have an extra track: "Atlantic." It's at the end of the album. She 
played it in concert during her recent US tour, but it's a mystery why 
the song is not available on either US or UK versions of "Debut."

                            -Uzer