Return to gSayonara Amerika, Sayonara Nipponh homepage
For a list of the CDs Ifve acquired since 2008, see here.
(The
format here is suggested by the lovely logbooks, hand sewn and as hefty as a
wizardfs spell book, found at the Peter Pan coffee shop in Sendai,
Japan. There, Nagasaki-san, the master, writes in every CD he
buys. At first, he merely jots down an explanatory comment or two; then,
after a month or two has passed, he writes down a ranking for the CD. The
CDs are listed in order of acquisition; some never quite get a ranking, while
for others the ranking sometimes shifts. If you visit Peter Pan, it is
one of the great joys to pick up these volumes and page through—they date back
to the 1970s. A whole history of rock music there, as heard at one small
rock kissaten [coffee shop]. I stole
many hours of pleasure, pouring over those handwritten volumes. I hope
the following provides you with similar pleasures. I presume the same
privileges as Nagasaki-san: some CDs may never quite earn a ranking,
while others may see their rankings shift, depending on the whims of the
moment. Five Stars is the highest possible ranking.)
~~~~
Akireta Boys, Boys Densetsu (2005,
Victor). Compilation of 1930s
recordings by the Akireta Boys, the comic band led by Kawada Haruhisa (later
Misora Hibarifs mentor) who were the toast of Asakusa culture before the
crackdown on esubversivef popular culture in the years leading up to Pearl
Harbor. Miriam Silverberg
translates their name as the gIfve Had It Boysh in her Erotic Grotesque Nonsense: The Mass Culture of Japanese Modern
Times. (12/07)
Sokabe Keichi and Rendezvous Band, Ohayô (2007,
Rose Records). New, largely
acoustic material from Sokabe (former leader of Sunny Day Service) and his
latest band. A touch of funkiness
here and there, but my first impression is that this represents Sokabe at his
softest, which is to say he follows his own worst tendencies. (12/07)
Bump of Chicken, Flame Vein (2004,
Toyfs Factory). Debut album,
originally released in 1999. If the
visceral impression I got from visiting Tokyo and Sendai CD shops in Decmber
f07 is any guide, these guys are in the process of inheriting Mr. Childrenfs
title as the biggest band in the contemporary J-Rock pantheon. (12/07)
The Back Horn, Ningen Program (2005,
Victor). Major-label debut by an
intriguing alternative rock band from Japan. Theyfve provided music for a couple of
Kurosawa Kiyoshifs films. (12/07)
The Folk Crusaders, Kigen Nisennen (2000,
Toshiba-EMI). Debut album by the
legendary Japanese folk-rock band, originally released on vinyl in 1968. (12/07)
~~~½ Soul
Flower Union, Soul Flower Union (1993,
Ki/oon Records). Debut album by a
group Ifve been curious about for a few years. (12/07)
~~~~ Kahimi
Karie, The Best of Trattoria Years Plus More (1998,
Polystar). Best-of compilation by
the avant-garde chanteuse of the Shibuya-kei scene. (12/07)
Zunô Keisatsu, Best (1987,
Nippon Victor). Best-of from the
legendary 1970s folk-rock band, also known in English as Brain Police. (12/07)
Various artists, Manshû no uta (2007,
King Records). 1960s and 70s
recordings (and a few newer ones) of chorale numbers associated with Manchukuo,
the Japanese puppet state in Northeast Asia in the 1930s and 40s. (12/07)
~~~~
Chatmonchy, Seimeiryoku (2007,
Ki/oon Records). Second album from
the all-female indies rock band whose debut album attracted much attention a
few years back. (12/07)
Various artists, Columbia Record no
otakara ongaku (2007, Columbia Japan).
Compilation of rare prewar recordings released on the Nipponophone
record label. Includes a 1930
Takarazuka recording from the revue gParisetteh and 1915 recordings of Matsui
Sumako singing gKatchûsha no utah and reciting lines from the play gResurrectionh
from which the song originated.
(12/07)
Bloodthirsty Butchers and Foul, split CD (1997,
Less Than TV). Three songs each
from two talented Japanese indies rock bands; the Butchersf current line-up
includes Tabuchi Hisako, late of Number Girl, but this was recorded prior to
his joining. (12/07)
The Cro-Magnons, The Cro-Magnons (2006,
BMG Japan). The debut album by the
latest re-configuration of the group musicians who used to be the Blue Hearts
and the High-Lows. (12/07)
~~~~New
Pornographers, Challengers (2007,
Matador). Ifve very fond of a few
of this bandfs older tunes and read a number of rave reviews of this one. (11/07)
~~~ Regina
Spektor, begin to hope (2007,
Sire). Ifve been listening to her
on-line for the past few months; very attractive, quirky sound. (11/07)
Various artists, Sh-Boom: Doo Wop Classics (2007, Rhino). A nice compilation of mostly very
familiar doo-wop from the 1950s.
(11/07)
Various artists, Still the One: 70fs Pop (2007, Rhino). A compilation of oldies-but-moldies that
I bought, I confess, because it includes Blue Swedefs gHooked on a
Feeling.h (11/07)
~~~~½ Ray
Davies, Workingmanfs Café (2007,
V2). Even better than last yearfs Other Peoplefs Lives:
this one sounds more like the Kinks, a very good thing. (11/07).
~~~~½ Tokyo
Jihen, Goraku (Variety) (2007, EMI-Japan). The third full album from Sheena Ringofs
band and another terrific piece of work.
Like archeologists, they excavate the fragments and shards of pop music
history, but then the assemble the bits into new mosaics that are unmistakably
their own creations: herefs an
organ line lifted from The Doors, therefs a breezy guitar riff from George
Benton, and over there a bit of Professor Longhair piano. On top of that, they layer intelligent
lyrics in both Japanese and English, sung in Sheenafs sweetly weathered voice
(and sometimes by her male bandmates).
Excellent. (10/07)
~~~½ Silk
Road Ensemble,Yo-Yo Ma & Chicago Symphony Orchestra, New Impossibilities (2007;
Sony Classical). The Silk Road
Project, recorded live in Chicago in April of this year. (9/07)
~~ The Suburbs,
High Fidelity Boys Live 1979 (2006;
Garage DfOr). One of
~~~ The
Ike Reilly Assassination, We Belong To The Staggering Evening (2007;
Rock Ridge). The latest set from
the current king of
~~~~½
Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions, The Anthology 1961-1977 (1992;
MCA). A 2-CD best-of as I begin the
project of learning my new hometownfs musical history. (8/07).
~~~½
Wilco, Sky Blue Sky (2007;
Nonesuch). Rumor has it, this is
their best work in years. Initial
impressions are good. (8/07).
The Alarmists, The Ghost and the
Hired Gun (2007; Instrumental Control). New studio work from an up-and-coming
B.B.
King, Gold (2000;
Universal). 2-CD best-of
compilation of the post-1962 side of B.B.fs career. (8/07).
~~~~
Prince, Planet Earth (2007;
NPG Records). (8/07) Half of this is great: gMy Guitar,h gChelsea Rodgers,h
etc. At this point in his career,
thatfs a pretty fine average.
Okuda Tamio, 30 (1995; SE). Found this on the 99 yen table outside a
used CD shop during one of my last days in
Various artists, Natsukashii no
merodii, Jō / Chū / Ge (2004,
Teichiku). A three-CD series
collecting some of the Teichiku labelfs biggest hits from the 1930s and 40s,
including such stars as Dick Mine, Hattori Tomiko, Shôji Tarô, Tabata Yoshio
and Fujiyama Ichirô. (6/07)
~~½ Every
Little Thing, Every Best Single + 3 (1999,
Avex). I really liked their single,
gSuimi,h from last year and had been intrigued for some time, so decided to
sample some more. Straight J-Pop,
but on the tasteful, intelligent side.
This collects all of their early singles. (6/07).
~~~~ the
brilliant green, the brilliant green (1998, Sony). Debut album by one of the most popular
Japanese bands to walk that indies/pop tightrope that was so crowded in the
late 1990s. Very catch stuff, but
clearly itfs gone out of favor: I
found this used for 99 yen on the bargain table outside a local used bookshop. (6/07)
Jitterinf Jinn, Hi-King (1990;
Nippon
~~~½
Kosaka Chû, Early Days (2001;
Epic). Compilation of material from
Kosakafs first three solo albums, originally released on vinyl in 1971-73. Tracks like gArigatôh (title track of
his first solo album) have Kosaka sounding very much like the long-lost fifth
member of the band Happy End, which is not surprising, since they provide the
musical backing on the track. Tasty
folk-rock sung in Japanese.
(5/07).
Sokabe Keiichi, Love City (2006;
Rose Records). The latest studio
set from a singer-songwriter whose career Ifve been following since his days as
the chief of Sunnyday Service back in the 1990s. Sokabefs previous solo work
disappointed me: his work is always
sunny, but the tension that spiced things up when he worked with the band was
gone. Instead, he sounded too
happy, too relaxed: lots of butter
but no garlic. My initial
impression on this is better. I
think I detect some electricity crackling in the arrangements here, traces of a
dialogue instead of the monologue of a man content to tell us how good life
is. (5/07).
~~ Sawada
Kenji, Julie (2005;
Universal). CD re-issue of the 1969 solo debut album by The Tigersf front man
Sawada gJulieh Kenji. Sawada was
one of the Group Sounds idols who managed to make the turn into the 1970s,
retooling himself to fit the new grockh aesthetic that held sway after Group
Sounds became passé. Must have been
the charisma, man, because the sound here is straight 1967 Group Sounds, about
as fresh as a can of stewed tomatoesc. (5/07)
~~~~½ The
Tigers, 40th Memorial Best + Charity Show
Live (2006;
Universal). 2-CD set released last
year to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of the debut release by The
Tigers, one of the two or three most popular Group Sounds bands. The first disc is a conventional gbest
of,h including all the hits – the delirious gSeaside Boundh being my personal
favorite nowadays. The second disc
reprises the 1967 live LP The Tigers A
Go! Go!, a charity concert. As
is so often the case with Group Sounds, itfs this low-tech, muffled live
recording that provides a glimpse of why the band electrified teen-agers. As is also so often the case with Group
Sounds live recordings, Rolling Stonesf cover numbers are the staple crop of
the repertoire. (5/07)
Various artists, Shôwa jazz roman: Japanese Jazz Songs (2007,
Teichiku). Compilation of mostly
1930s jazz recordings from
Various artists, Natsukashiki Rockabillian-tachi (2004;
King Records). 2-CD compilation of
Japanese rockabilly from the 1950s – Hirao Masaaki, Mickey Curtis, Hori
Masayuki, etc. (5/07)
Kosaka Kazuya, Columbia otokuban series: Kosaka Kazuya (2003;
Columbia Music). A best-of sampler
from Kosaka, a country-western and rockabilly star in the 1950s. His 1956 recording of gHeartbreak
Hotel,h included here, was the first cover of an Elvis song by a Japanese
performer. His covers foreground
the country roots of Elvisf music, with a pedal steel guitar making it all
sound a bit like Western Swing.
Itfs as if Presley were raised in
~~½
Mickey Curtis & Samurai, Samurai (2007; Universal Music). Legendary 1970 progressive rock album by
Curtis, who debuted as a rockabilly singer in the 1950s, moved into Group
Sounds in the 1960s, and managed to turn the corner into Glam Rock in the
1970s. Trippy dippy lyrics that
make The Moody Blues sound profound, and lots of orientalist flourishes, both in
the words and in the music.
Recorded in
Okuda Tamio, 29 (1995;
Sony Music). The debut solo album
by one of the reigning Svengalis of J-Rock. (4/07)
Sheena & The Rokkets, The Greatest (2003;
Speedstar Records). Best-of
collection by one of the mainstay groups of alternative rock in
Carmen Maki & OZ, Carmen Maki & OZ (1994,
Polydor). Legendary debut album by
one of the most popular groups of the late 1970s, this was originally released
in 1975. It sounds so1970s: with the female lead vocals, it vaguely
reminds me of Heart. (4/07).
The Golden Cups, Blues Message (1994;
Toshiba EMI). The third album,
originally released in 1969, by the Yokohama-based Groups Sounds band with a
heavy, heavy sound (4/07)
Les Rallizes Dénudés, le 12 mars 1977
à Tachikawa (?). 2-CD live set
from an underground noise-rock-folk group that combined radical musical
experiments with radical politics.
(4/07)
~~~½ Van
Dyke Parks, Discover America (1989;
Warner Brothers). Originally
released on vinyl back in 1972, this is a collage of exotica and nostalgia that
provides an lovely oddball portrait of
~~~½
Jarvis Cocker, Jarvis (2007; Rough Trade). Fine solo set from the former leader of
Pulp, chock full of his characteristic irony, wit, and passion. (4/07)
~~~~ Inoue
Yôsui, Golden Best (1999;
For Life Records). 2-CD best-of
collection stretching from the early 1970s to the late 1990s by one of the most
important leaders of the gNew Musich scene. Inoue remains a formidable presence on
the J-Rock scene today, a quarter-century after his debut. (4/07).
Inoue Yôsui, Negative (1987; For Life Records). Mid-career studio set from the legendary
singer-songwriter. (4/07).
Sakamoto Ryûichi, gSweet Revengeh Tour 1994 (1995;
Güt Records). Live concert
recordings of Sakamoto from the tour promoting what I think was his best
album. (4/07)
Okuda Tamio, Goldblend (2000; SME Records). A studio album from the songwriter/musician/producer,
first impressions quite tasty.
(4/07)
Tomobe Masato, 6-gatsu no ame no yoru, chiruchiru michiru wa (2006;
TM Office). CD reissue of a 1987
album by the legendary folk singer, whose career stretches back to the 1960s
and the legendary URC record label.
What Ifve heard of his later work, including this and the remarkable
song gSpeak Japanese, Americanh (2005), holds up very well. (4/07).
Carmen Maki, Blues Creation (1993,
Nippon
Carmen Maki, Best & Cult (1998,
Sony). A 2-CD retrospective of
early (1969-70) recordings by one of the great female belters in Japanese rock.
Carmen Maki belongs to the Janis Joplin, Grace Slick lineage of hard-bit
singers, but she also seems quite at home singing enka and kayôkyoku. She has a powerful voice, and it doesnft
hurt that shefs sexy as all hell.
(4/07)
The Collectors, The Rock enf Roll School (2006,
Asakawa Maki, Darkness I (1995,
Toshiba EMI). The first set in a
retrospective series covering the career of the great chanteuse of the
underground art movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s. The first disk here collects highlights
from her early career, when she was hanging out with the likes of Terayama
Shûji, while the second disk features more recent jazz recordings. Very nice, indeed. (4/07)
~~~~~ Sheena
Ringo, Heisei Fûzoku (2007,
Toshiba EMI). Her first solo
release in three years, it mostly consists of new versions of songs shefs
already recorded—and yet, as always, it brims with creativity and
intelligence. (3/07)
~~~~½
Sadistic Mika Band, Narkissos (2006, Columbia). The bandfs latest reunion album, this
one featuring Kimura Kaela as the new Mika. It includes an updated version of gTime
Machine ni onegaih that saw some chart action last year. (2/07)
~~~
Sadistic Mika Band, Hot! Menu (2004,
Toshiba). Originally released on
vinyl in 1975, their third album, recorded in the
~~~
Ozomatli, Donft Mess with the Dragon (2007; Concord). Got my hands on an advance copy of the
new CD by Ozomatli, one of my favorite current LA bands. It will be officially released in early
April. (2/07)
Yume Bitsu, the golden vessyl of sound (2002; K Records).
Psychedelic electronic music from a band that includes one of my graduate
students. (2/07)
~~½ Dave
Davies, Fractured Mindz (2007; Meta
Music). A new solo album from the
former lead guitarist of The Kinks (a.k.a. the greatest frigginf band of all
time), available through Davefs
website.
(2/07)
Sasaki Isao, G.I. Blues (1997;
~~~½
Okabayashi Nobuyasu, Watashi wo danzai seyo (1992;
Toshiba-EMI). The debut studio
album by Okabayashi, originally released in 1969. Mostly acoustic-guitar folk, but a
couple of songs gone electric.
(1/07)
~~~~
Okabayashi Nobuyasu, Kuruisaki (1992;
Toshiba-EMI). 2-CD live set by the
legendary folk singer, originally released in 1971. (1/07)
Number Girl, Omoide in My Head: Best & B-Sides (2005;
Toshiba-EMI). 2-CD set collecting
highlights of the career of Number Girl, the best Japanese grunge band of the
1990s. (1/07)
~~~~½Gustav
Mahler, Symphony No. 4, Philharmonia Orchestra, Benjamin Zander
conducting (2001, Telarc). Comes
with a second bonus CD, in which the conductor talks you through Mahlerfs most
popular symphony, movement by movement.
(1/07)
~~~~~Johnny
Cash, The Complete Sun Recordings 1955-1958 (2005;
TimeLife). 3-CD set containing,
yes, the complete Sun Recordings 1955-1958: in other words, all the classic early
singles. Boom chicka boomc. (1/07)
Asian Kung-Fu Generation, Hôkai amplifier (2002,
Ki/oon Records). Their debut
mini-album, with six songs. (1/07).
Arai Yumi, 14-banme no tsuki (Alfa). Yumingfs fourth album, and the last she
released under her maiden name.
Originally released on vinyl in 1976. (1/07)
Shiina Ringo, Ze-chyou syuu (also
known as sr/zcs and Zetchôshû; 2000; Toshiba EMI). A collection of three mini CDs, each
with three songs. Disks one and
three consist of live recordings, while the middle disk includes three fine
songs recorded in studio. (12/06).
Yamazaki Hako, Best (1990,
Taurus). A friend recently introduced
me to this folk-rock singer-songwriter.
Here, she records new versions of a number of her best songs. (12/06).
Bakufu Slump, I.B.W Itfs A Beautiful World (1989,
CBS/Sony). The sixth album from Sun
Plaza Nakano and company, the court jesterfs of 1980s Japanese power pop. Thanks to my college roommate, I saw
these guys in concert in
Hajime Chitose, Kimi wo omofu (2002,
Epic). A three-song single,
includes a cover of Joni Mitchellfs gBlueh (12/06).
Asian Kung-Fu Generation, Feedback File (2006,
Ki/oon Records). A collection of
B-sides and live recordings by one of
The Byrds, Fifth Dimension (1996,
Sony). Originally released on vinyl
in 1966. (12/06)
Son House, Crazy Diamonds (Absolutely Live) (1990:
Victor Entertainment). The Japanese
rock band, not the American blues singer.
A friend here in
~~~~
Fela Kuti, The Best Best of Fela Kuti (2000;
MCA). Ifm very much a
Johnny-come-lately to Kuti, the Nigerian artist whose Afro-beat music made him
a cultural hero (and political target) in
The BeeGees, The Best (1990,
RSO Polydon
Shonen Knife, Favorites (1994,
MCA Victor). A five song EP of
cover versions, including a nice rocking versions of g(Love Is Like A) Heat
Waveh and gTill The End Of The Day.h (12/06).
~~~½
Cornelius, Sensuous (2006,
Warner Music Japan). The first
collection of new music from Mr. Oyamada Keigo in ages.
Mostly electronic in origin, the music is, well, yeah, kinda
sensuous. He continues the language
games that marked his earlier work, with words reduced to almost meaningless
syllables; itfs a technique that locates him on a continuum of Japanese rock
that stretches back at least to Happy End.
I bought my copy at HMV, meaning I got a bonus mini-disk, consisting of
two songs intended for those too busy to listen to the whole CD: gSensuous
Sametime,h in which all the songs from the album are played together at the
same time, and gSensous Flagments,h in which fragments (or flagments) of each
song are pasted together. (12/06)
Nakajima Miyuki, Singles (1994,
Zazen Boys, Zazen Boys (2004;
Matsuri Studio). The debut album by
the band that emerged when Number Girl, the great Japanese grunge band of the
1990s, broke up. (11/06)
~~~~½Jenny
Lewis with the Watson Twins, Rabbit Fur Coat (2006,
Team Love). Terrific solo CD by the
lead singer from Rilo Kiley, songs of heartbreak and passion with a nice
alt-country vibe to them. I have
the feeling that this wonft age well:
twenty years from now, wefll still be listening to June Carter Cash and
Patsy Cline, but this will likely sound as fake as Donovan does today. But for now, itfs very pleasant. (10/06)
The High-Lows, Do!! TheMUSTANG (2004, BMG
Funhouse). More pop-punk from the
great Mashima Masatoshi and company.
(10/06)
~~~~
The Flying Kids, Best of (1998, Victor). 2-CD anthology of a band that enjoyed
some success in
Funkadelic, Maggot Brain (2005,
Westbound). Originally released on
vinyl in 1971. Early Funkadelica,
recorded while George Clinton is still figuring out exactly what P-Funk will be
(10/06)
Al Green, Gets Next To You (1993;
Right Stuff). Originally released
on vinyl in 1973. More great soul
from the Reverend, including his covers of gLight My Fireh and gI Canft Get
Next To You,h which magically become signature Al Green numbers. (10/06)
The
Collectors, Candyman (1994; Nippon
Various
artists, Swing Nippon 1928-1954: Jazzinf Up Japanese Melodies (2001,
Victor). A 2-CD retrospective of
jazz in
~~~~
Alan
Merrill, Merrill 1 (2006.
MEC Records). The first-ever
reissue on CD on Alan Merrillfs first solo album, released in 1970 in Japan,
where he was a force in the Group Sounds movement, and prior to his involvement
with the legendary glam rock band, Vodka Collins. A nice piece of late e60s pop-rock. (9/06).
The
Suburbs, Chemistry Set: Songs of the Suburbs, 1977-1987 (2003,
Majestic). An inferior best-of from
a legendary Minneapolis band of the 1980s (Ladies and Gentlemen, The Suburbs Have Left the
Building is a
much better sampler of their work), notable chiefly for the inclusion of three
previously unreleased tracks, none of which is anything special, and a bonus
DVD of live footage, which gives me a nostalgia rush. (8/06)
~~~~~
Dusty
Springfield, Dusty in Memphis: Deluxe Edition (1999,
Rhino/Atlantic). Ifve wanted for
decades to own a copy of this classic 1969 release. (8/06)
~~~~
Soul
Asylum, The Silver Lining (2006,
Sony BMG). I think itfs their best
album yet, a nice come-back set from a band that actually never went away. gAll Is Wellh may be the best song these
guys have ever recorded. (8/06)
~~~~
Bob
Dylan, Modern Times (2006, Sony BMG). Uncle Bob turns in a nice
competent set of rockabilly. (8/06)
Arctic
Monkeys, Whatever People Say I Am, Thatfs
What Ifm Not (2006, Domino). Fine postmodern punk from
~~~
Golden
Smog, Another Fine Day (2006, UMG). New material by the supergroup made up
of members of various
~~~~~The
Flaming Lips, Yoshimi Battles the Pink
Robots (2002,
Warner Brothers). I actually got
the Japanese version of this great CD, which contains as a bonus track a
Japanese-language version of the title track. Wayne Coyne actually does a pretty good
job with his pronunciation. (8/06)
~~~~Sonic
Youth, Rather Ripped (2006,
Geffen). Great new music from
Thurston Moore and company. Ifm
particular enamored of gDo You Believe in Rapture?h and gTurquoise Boy.h (8/06)
Björk, Selmasongs (2000, Polydor). The music from the film Dancer in the Dark. (7/06)
Style
Council, The Singular Adventures of the
Style Council: Greatest Hits Vol. 1
(1989,
Polydor). Best-of collection from
Paul Wellerfs great blue-eyed soul band of the 1980s. (7/06)
The
Kinks, Missing Links (bootleg). Found a cheap used copy of this bootleg
compilation of rare live and studio tracks by the Kinks. I owned multiple copies of almost everything
included here – except for the three tracks that made my buy the thing – demos
recorded in 1963, when the band was still known as The Ravens. (7/06).
Carol, Last Chance: Carol Rare Tracks (1992,
Li Ko
Ran (Yamaguchi Yoshiko), Yashu
yakyoku: SP-ban fukkkoku ni yoru
natsukashi no merodei (1993, Nippon
Columbia). A best-of collection by
the faux Chinese singer Li Ko Ran, the great star of the Japanese empire in the
1930s and early 1940s. She went on
to enjoy a successful career in Japan after 1945 under her real name, Yamaguchi
Yoshiko, and she even appeared in a number of Hollywood films in the early
1950s as Shirley Yamaguchi. She had
a fine voice – and led what was undoubtedly one of the more eventful lives of
the twentieth century. (6/06)
Eri
Chiemi, Hit Album: SP genban sairoku ni yoru (2001,
King). Chiemi, together with Misora
Hibari and Yukimura Izumi, was one of the gSannin Musumeh trio of
singer/actresses that enjoyed enormous popularity in
Fujiyama
Ichirô, Kage o shitaite: SP-ban fukkoku ni yoru natsukashi no
merodei (1993, Nippon
Columbia). Fujiyama was one of the
most popular male singers in
Watanabe
Hamako, Shina no yoru: SP-ban fukkoku ni yoru natsukashi no
merodei (1993, Nippon
Columbia). A best-of collection for
Watanabe, who was enormously popular in
Various
artists, Occupied Japan: Shinchûgun songu meisakusen 1950-1953 (2001,
Victor). A 2-CD compilation of jazz
recordings made by
Satô
Chiyako, Tôkyô Kôshinkyoku (1999;
Victor). A collection of Satôfs
recordings from the 1920s and 30s, including the title song (known in English
as g
~~~~~Various
artists, Sing! Sing! Sing! The Very Best of gJazz Songsh in Japan
1928-1962 (2001, Victor). The title pretty much tells the story
about this two-CD set, which stretches from Futamura Teichifs version of gMy
Blue Heavenh (1928) to Watanabe Marifs gAll of Meh (1962). (5/15/06)
~~~~Hamada
Shôgo, The History of Shogo Hamada gSince
1975h (2000,
Sony). A best-of sampler from the singer-songwriter
who was a pillar of late e70s, early e80s mainstream rock in
Yukimura
Izumi, Best (1997; Victor). A best-of collection of 1950s pop by Yukimura
Izumi, who along with Misora Hibari and Eri Chiemi formed the gSan-nin musumeh
trio of singer-actresses, one of the most popular combos of the late e50s here in
~~~~Hosono Haruomi, Bon Voyage Co. (2000;
Panam). Originally released on
vinyl back in 1976, part of Hosonofs gSoy Sauce Musich trilogy of albums in
which he explored fondly parodic versions of Western exotica music. (5/13/06).
Utada
Hikaru, Single Collection, Vol. 1 (2004; Toshiba EMI). Utadafs a great singer, and shefs really
a singles artist (as opposed to an album artist), so this seems the best way
for me to begin collecting her music. (5/13/06).
Shiina
Ringo, Muzai moratorium (1999;
Toshiba EMI). Her debut album, her
first attempt at blending the odd pop of 1920s and 30s Japan with a distinctly
punk sensibility. A good sampling
of her unique sound, and a solid foreshadowing of greater things that would
follow in subsequent years.
(5/13/06).
Sunny
Day Service, Best Flower—B Side
Collection (2001,
Tama, Nagomu Collection (2005,
Nagomu Records). A new best-of
collection from an important
~~~~The
High Lows, Lobster (1998, Kitty Enterprises). More high-energy catchy rock from The
High Lows, a terrific Shibuya-kei sound band. (5/13/06).
~~~~½Jacques
Dutronc, Jacques Dutronc (n.d.,
BMG
~~~~~Misora Hibari, Tokusen Orijinaru Besuto Hitto Kyokushû, Vol. 2, 1959-1967 (1998;
~~~~~Tokyo Jihen, Otona (Adult Pour Femme) (2006; Toshiba). The latest from the remarkable Shiina Ringo and company. A bit more tuneful and more jazzy piano, but the same postmodern jagged pop for grown ups that Shiina has been cranking out for the past few years. The CD has really grown on me: there are four or five genuine stand-out tunes, and not only are there no bad songs on it: in fact, all the songs are at worst very good. A masterpiece. (4/8/06).
~~½Norio Maeda meets Tin Pan Alley, Soul Samba: Holiday in Brazil (1997; Panam). Recordings of samba and other Brazilian styles made by the guys from Tin Pan Alley (Hosono Haruomi, Suzuki Shigeru, Hayashi Tatsuo) and Maeda Norio, about whom I know absolutely nothing. (4/8/06)
~~~~~Misora Hibari, Tokusen Orijinaru Besuto Hitto Kyokushû, Vol. 1 1949-1957 (1998;
~~~~Misora Hibari, Hibari Sings Jazz Songs:
Memories of Nat King Cole (1998;
~~~½Dave Davies, Kinked (2006; Koch). Not to be outdone, little brother Dave puts out a solo release, too, a nifty collection of the best material from his solo albums over the past several years, plus a few odds and ends—and one brand new song, gGod in My Brain,h that rocks remarkably hard for a man just 18 months away from a life-threatening stroke. (2/28/06)
~~~~Ray Davies, Other Peoplefs Lives (2006; V2). Former head-Kink finally releases his first solo studio album after putzing around on it for several years—and itfs simply wonderful. It references all stages of the Kinksf career, from the heavy guitar sound of the early singles to the ethereal pop sound and social commentary of the late 1960s to the American hard rock sound of the 1980s. The first four tunes on it are particularly strong, and there isnft a bad song on it.Go out and buy it, folks. (2/22/06).
~~David Essex, Best of (2000, Sony). One-disk sampler of the mid-seventies glam rocker, best known for gRock On,h his 1974 masterpiece and his only American hit. The overwhelming urge to hear this song again compelled me to purchase this when I stumbled across it at a used CD shop in Kichijôji—but the other tunes bring me back fondly to junior high school, when I and my Beatlemaniac friends believed any singer who was smart enough to be British had earned our affection. This tendency later morphed, for better or worse, into Kinksmania, a condition from which I still suffer. (2/5/06)
~~~~~Bessie Smith, The Collection (1989, CBS). A good one-disk best-of collection from the Empress of the Blues. (1/29/06).
~~~~½The Thelonius Monk Quartet with John Coltrane, At Carnegie Hall (2005; Blue Note),. The recently rediscovered live recordings from 1959 of the short-lived but brilliant Monk-Coltrane partnership. (1/29/06)
~~~~Various Arists, Phil Spector: Back to Mono (1958-1969) (1991; Abkco). The 4-CD boxed set of Phil Spectorfs great productions from the 1950s and 60s—the girl groups, Ike and Tina, the Righteous Brothers, etc. Pure, unadulterated delightfulness. (1/29/06)
~~~½Paul McCartney, Chaos and Creation in the Backyard (2005; Capitol). A nice little piece of work from the Macca, especially the first several songs. (12/26/05).
~~~Little Creatures, Night People (2005;
Tone Records). Latest release of
very cool acoustic pop-rock from one of
~~~~Flaminf
Ohfs, Long Live the King (2005, SMA
Records). New material from a
revised line-up of one of the most talented and popular bands in the
~~~½The Hypstrz, Live at the Longhorn: The
Complete Recordings (Bomp,
2005). Originally recorded back in
1979 at the Longhorn, a bar that was the heart of the
~~~~The Blue Hearts, The Blue Hearts Box (1999, Meldac). A boxed-set of the first three albums by
The Blue Hearts, a legendary
Japanese pop/punk band from the late 1980s (many of whose members ended up in
The High-Lows: see below). Thanks
to the hit movie Linda Linda Linda,
theyfre enjoying something of a revival here in
~~~½The High-Lows, Relaxinf with The High-Lows (2000; Kitty Enterprises). Yet another fine Shibuya-kei band, The High-Lows are quickly becoming a new obsession with me: the more I hear of their sophisticated pop-rock, which references everything from Brian Wilson to The Kinks to Phil Specter, the more I like it. They sound a little bit like early RC Succession here: another reason to smile. (11/30/05).
~~~~Various artists, Fujiyama Rock (2005, Victor). A nice compilation of early (1956-1964) Japanese rock and roll by such artists as Yukimura Izumi, Mickey Curtiss, Hamamura Michiko, Hirao Masaaki, Kiyohara Takeshi, and The Tokyo Beatles. This stuff stands up quite well, I think. (11/30/05).
~~~~Ray Davies, Thanksgiving Day (2005; V2). Head Kink Ray
Daviesf solo album has been in the works for nearly
a decade now, and itfs finally starting to come out in dribs and drabs. This EP contains two versions of the
title track, a wry new anthem for todayfs
The Roosters, DIS. (2003; Triad). Originally released in 1983. The Roostersf fourth album—and their best, Ifm told. (11/22/05)
Majima Masatoshi, Yozora no hoshi kuzu (2002; Meldac). Originally released in 1991. Maxi single from one of The High-Lows (and a former member of The Blue Hearts), includes a Japanese-language cover version of The Kinksf gI Need You.h (11/22/05)
~~~½The Ike Reilly Assasination, Junkie Faithful (2005; Rockridge). The latest from Ike Reilly, whofs been one of my faves the last two or three years, a remarkable alloy of Dylan, Midwestern garage punk, rap, etc., all blended together with a strong sense of history. My first reaction is quite good; hefs getting a bit more creative in terms of musical hooks and production, though the hiphop detailing that marked his earlier recordings seems to be fading away here. (10/20/05)
Various artists, Yomigaeru
jisaku rôdoku no sekai (2005;
~~~~Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, Gifted: Winter Selection (1993, Sony). An EP collecting six songs from Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestrafs early 1990s releases—found it for a mere 100 yen at a flea market. (10/16/05)
Misia, Love
is the Message (2000;
BMG). Misia
has a great set of pipes as one of the finest soul divas
Cornelius, The First Question Award (1994; Polystar). His first solo album. (10/16/05)
~~Dave Davies, Chosen People (2005; Wounded Bird Records). Little brother Dave Daviesf third solo album, originally released on vinyl back in the early 1980s when the Kinks were still a going concern, is finally reissued on CD, two decades later. (10/12/05).
~~~½Flipperfs Guitar, Singles (1992; Polystar). Best of collection by the legendary band that included both Cornelius and Ozawa Kenji among its members. (10/11/05).
~~~½The Tokyo Beatles, Meet the Tokyo Beatles (2005;
Various artists, Nihon kayô shi (1994, Nippon Columbia). A 3-CD anthology of Japanese popular songs stretching from the 1930s to 1960. A good survey of music from the period, but all of the songs are given in abridged versions (always read the fine print!), and there is an annoyingly serious female narrator who shows up between the songs to make sure we understand their historical importance. (10/11/05)
~~~Tokyo Jihen, Kyôiku (2004, Toshiba EMI). The debut CD by Shiina Ringofs new band. Itfs a bit heavier on the guitars than her previous solo releases, but very much in the same musical vein. I like her brainy, cacophonous pop tunes, as always, but I think Ifm having the same problem with her that Ifve been having lately with Aimee Mann: like Mann, Shiina has an indelible and unique style that shines through on all of her songs, but it doesnft seem to develop beyond that. In other words, her albums and songs all seem basically interchangeable. But Ifll have to give this a few more listens, of course. (9/19/05)
Tulip, Singles (1998, Toshiba EMI). A 3-CD anthology collecting all of the singles released by the great 1970s folk-rock band Tulip, which has reunited in recent years and begun touring and recording again. (8/31/05)
The Rolling Stones, Exile on Main Street (1994, Virgin). Originally released on vinyl in 1972. See comment below. (8/31/05)
The Beatles, Magical Mystery Tour (1987, EMI). Originally released on vinyl in 1967. The long-term project to replace all of my vinyl LPs with CDs continues to make slow, steady progress. Anticipated date of project completion: Sept. 14, 2036. (8/31/05)
~~~Sokabe Keiichi, Love Letter (2005; Rose Records). The latest from Sokabe, former leader of Sunny Day Service. This has a much harder rock sound than his earlier solo releases, which is on the whole a good thing: his one great weakness is a tendency for mushiness. In fact, he sounds positively punk on a few cuts here, a bit of a surprise. Several of the songs are terrific (gYûmei ni naritai,h for example), and even in this noisier, gruffer incarnation, Sokabefs distinct songwriting style shines through. (8/2/05)
The Tigers, Again (2002;
Polydor). Originally released on
vinyl in 1970. The fourth album by
The Tigers, one of the most popular of the Groups Sounds movement in
~~~~~Eels, Blinking
Lights and Other Revelations (2005;
Vagrant Records). This is about as
good as it gets in American pop:
Brian Wilson (in one of his depressed, minimalist phases) meets Bob
Dylan (in one of his more tuneful phases).
Itfs a double CD and, yes, there is some filler, but man oh man there
are also some absolute gems here:
gRailroad Man,h gHey Man (Now Youfre Really Living),h gThings the
Grandchildren Should Know.h The
best stuff Ifve heard from anyone in a long time. You can hear a wonderful in-studio visit
by E from the Eels on the Steve Jones show on Indie 103.1 FM in
~~~½Aimee Mann, The Forgotten Arm (2005; Super Ego Records). A nice comeback for Ms. Mann; gGoodbye Carolineh ought to be a great big hit but, well, Ifve pretty much given up on the notion of justice in the pop music charts. As a whole, the album doesnft quite rank with her Ifm With Stupid or the Magnolia soundtrack, but it is a marked improvement on her more recent releases. (7/24/05)
~~~The Roosters, The Roosters (1993,
Nippon
~~Suzuki Shigeru, Selection (2003;
~~~Nishioka Takashi, Kida Takasuke, Saitô Tetsuo, Tokedashita garasubako (2003; Avex). Originally released on vinyl in 1970, a one-shot studio project bringing together members of The Jacks (Kida) and Itsutsu Akai Fûsen (Nishioka), plus a leading folk singer (Saitô). Yet another early 70fs classic release from the URL label. (7/2/05).
~~Sakamoto Ryûichi, Chasm (2004; Warner Music). The first pop record by Sakamoto in nine years—he makes a temporary return from his recent work in Brazilian music genres. As with all of Sakamotofs work, keenly intelligent, but it doesnft grab me the way his best work in the past did. (7/2/05)
~~~Sokabe Keiichi, Shimokitazawa Concert (2004; Rose Records). A live recording from the former leader of Sunny Day Service, one of my favorite recent Japanese bands. Hefs a terrific songwriter. (7/2/05)
~~~~Ry Cooder, Chavez Ravine (2005;
Nonesuch). I received this as a farewell gift just before I left for
~~~Vodka Collins, Boyfs Life (1998; The Orchard). More strong material from the 1990s, reformed version of the band. (5/10/05).
~~Harco, Ethology (2004). Intriguing indiesf postmodern pop from
Various artists, Impossibles! 80s Japanese Punk & New Wave (2002;
~~~M. Ward, Transistor Radio (2005; Merge Records). Read an interesting review of this in the LA Times and was intrigued enough to plunk down my cash (well, credit card) to buy the thing and give it a chance—eclectic stuff, mostly acoustic, with pop, folk, and blues tinges. (3/22/05)
~~~~Bob Dylan, Oh Mercy! (2004; Sony). Originally released on vinyl in 1989. For my money, the last really great Bob Dylan album—even though it received none of the acclaim that greeted the subsequent (and inferior) Love and Theft and Time Out of Mind. For some reason, the establishment of rock criticism decided to proclaim the latter the great Dylan comeback album, but Oh Mercy! has three or four songs on it that can cut anything on Love and Theft to shreds. (3/22/05)
~~~~Vodka Collins, The Boys in the Band (2004, 3d). A best-of compilation featuring the work of the 1990s, reformed version of Vodka Collins. The legendary Japanese glam rock group from the 1970s still has its chops, with new recordings of some of their old hits (gSands of Time,h gAutomatic Piloth), as well as some fine new material, including the title cut. Very nice. (3/10/05)
~~~~Bela Bartok, Complete Solo Piano Music, György Sàndor, piano (2003; Vox). A very reasonably priced 5-CD set featuring all of Bartokfs striking solo piano music, recorded in 1963 by one of the composerfs direct students.
Dave Davies, Rainy Day in June (2005;
~~~John Lennon, Rock N Roll (2004; Capitol). Originally issued on vinyl in 1975, now reissued with added bonus tracks. It sounds a good deal better than my old vinyl copy did (at least, the way I remember it sounding, back when I had a turntable), and itfs a very attractive collection of old rock enf roll standards performed lovingly by John in his gWinston OfBoogieh phase. (1/16/05)
~~~~Buffalo Springfield, Retrospective: The Best of Buffalo Springfield (1990, ATCO). Originally released on
vinyl in 1969. Ifve wanted a copy of this ever since freshman year in college,
when my roommate had it. One of the best
~~~~~The Beatles, Abbey Road (1987, EMI ). Originally released on vinyl in 1969. A Christmas present that helps me in my long-range project to rebuild my Beatlesf collection (an obsession I pursued back in the vinyl era on my junior high school days) in digital format. What a lovely album this is—Ifm listening to it for the first time in perhaps twenty years even as I type these words. (12/25/04).
~~~~~Vodka Collins, Tokyo New York (1998, Manfs Ruin Records). Originally released on vinyl in 1973, the debut album by the legendary Japanese glam rock band Vodka Collins, made up of American Alan Merrrill, Ôguchi Hiroshi (late of the Tempters) on drums, Yoguchi Take on Bass, and Kamayatsu Hiroshi (late of the Spiders) on back-up vocals—Kamayatsu (gMonsieur Kh) would subsequently become a full-fledged member of the band. (12/20/04).
~~~½Various artists, GS Wild Card (2002,
Tokuma). Compilation of various
obscure 1960s Group Sounds, with a special focus on groups from
~~~~Hattori Ryôichi, Boku no ongaku jinsei (1989, Columbia Music Entertainment). 3-CD set of the best prewar and postwar recordings by the amazing songwriter and arranger Hattori Ryôichi (12/14/04).
~~~~~Happy End, Happy End Box (2003, Avex Io). 8-CD boxed set including all albums ever released by the legendary Japanese folk-rock band Happy End, plus lots of bonus material—alternate takes, live recordings, and a whole disk of songs by other artists who used Happy End as their backing group. (12/14/04)
~~~Terauchi Takeshi & The Bunnies, Singles 2 (2001, Vine Records). See below. gSummer Boogalooh here is an ehomagef to the Kinks gYou Really Got Me.h (11/9/04).
~~~Terauchi Takeshi & The Bunnies, Singles 1 (2001, Vine Records). Terauchi was the primary guitar hero of mid-1960s Japanese rock enf roll. He played in a series of bands throughout the decade (and later). The singles collected here are typical of his sound—you hear reworked traces of Dick Dale, the Ventures, and British Invasion. (11/9/04).
~~~~Charles Ives & Samuel Barber, American Originals: String Quartets, Emerson String Quartet (Deutsche Gramophone, 1992). Found a cheap used copy of this while in NYC, and couldnft resist. My first impression on two listens is quite good. (11/11/04).
The Replacements, Pleased to Meet Me (1987, Sire). (10/28/04)
~~~½Björk, Medulla (2004, Atlantic). Her experiment in using only (or almost only) the human voice. The idea is quite attractive, and there are a couple of wonderful quirky songs here, but after a week or two of fairly intense listening I havenft really connected with the thing. (10/21/04)
~~~~~Brian Wilson, Brian Wilson Presents Smile (2004, Nonesuch). My first impressions of this are very, very good. The new material seems to fit right in with the classic songs. One of the great bonuses here is to have the lyric insert, with Van Dyke Parkfs great imagistic language. (10/21/04)
~~~Visqueen, King
Me (2002, Blue Disguise Records). A
~~~The Ike Reilly Assassination, Sparkle in the Finish (2004, Rock Ridge Music). Ifm a huge fan of Ike Reillyfs debut CD, Salemen and Racists. This isnft quite as good—but itfs still a great deal of fun. (10/21/04)
~~~~~The Kinks, The Village Green Preservation Society Special Deluxe Edition (2004, Sanctuary). An expanded 3-CD celebration of The Kinksf greatest album, first released on vinyl in 1968.
~~~~~Dimitri Shostakovich, The String Quartets, Fitzwilliam String Quartet (1998, Decca). String Quartet No. 3 in F Major, op. 73, is my favorite piece of classical music of all time. This 6-CD set collects that and all fifteen of the composerfs quartets. I like the version of No. 3 here, although the tempo seems a bit rushed. Ifm just starting to delve in the others in the set—much pleasure lies ahead, Ifm sure. (9/23/04)
~~~~The Jacks, Karrapo no sekai: Takuto Days (2000, Nippon Columbia). Originally released on vinyl in
1968. A reissue of the early
brooding singles by The Jacks, legendary figures in the underground folk-rock
scenes (think The Fugs or The Mothers of Invention) of Japan in the late 1960s,
when they were still on the gMillionh record label owned by Takuto. The versions of the songs here are a bit
softer and less harsh than the versions they later rerecorded for their albums
on the Toshiba Express label—except for gMarianne,h which even in this earlier
version is just a marvel of caterwauling and fragmentation. (9/22/04)
~~~½Nellie McKay, Get Away From Me (
~~~George Harrison, George Harrison (Capitol, 2004). Originally released on vinyl in 1978. This is admittedly minor George Harrison, but Ifve always had a soft spot in my heart for this album, especially the hit song gBlow Away.h It came out my senior year in high school, and I listened to it constantly then. Itfs nice to reconnect with an old friendc.. (8/30/04)
The Who, Quadrophenia: Songs from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Polydor, 1993). Originally released on vinyl in 1992.
~~~~~Stevie Wonder, Talking Book (Motown,
?). Originally released on vinyl in
1972. Found this new for $4.99 at a
music factory outlet store outside of
The Smiths, BestcI (Sire/Reprise, 1992). I basically dropped out of listening to new music during the late 1980s and early 1990s, the years I was in graduate school, and this is one of the bands that I missed as a result. So Ifm trying to catch up now. (8/26/04)
Lightninf Hopkins, Blues Masters: The Very Best of Lightninf Hopkins (Rhino, 2000).
~~~~The Ramones, Loud, Fast Ramones: Their Toughest Hits (Sire/Rhino, 2002). A well-chosen best-of CD from the Ramones—which, as one of the great singles bands of all time, makes a lot of sense. (8/26/04)
*****************
The CD
Haul from my July f04 Trip to
The Tempters, 5-1=0 (Teichiku, 2003). Originally released on vinyl in 1969. The second studio album by The Tempters.
~~~~The Tempters, The Tempters in Memphis (Teichiku,
1998). Originally released on vinyl
in 1969. The Tempters travel to
The Tempters, Encore (Teichiku, 1998). Originally released on vinyl in 1971. The Tempterfs final album, a collection of their late singles, unreleased tracks, etc.
~~~PYG, Golden Best (Universal, 2004). A gbest ofh compilation by PYG, the super group formed in 1970 by former members of the leading Group Sounds bands: the Tigers, the Tempters, and the Spiders. Many strong tunes, but already anachronistic when released: a brave but failed attempt to carry Group Sounds into the brave new world of the 1970s.
The Tigers, Human Renascence (Polydor, 2002). Originally released on vinyl in 1968. Widely regarded as the Tigersf masterpiece, their first attempt to produce a gserioush album organized around a concept. Most of the songs are recorded with orchestral accompaniment—a sure sign of seriousness, ala The Moody Blues.
~~~~The Mops, The Psychedelic Years (Victor, 2002). A nice gBest ofh compilation by the Mops, one of the best psychedelic-sound Group Sounds rock bands from the 1960s.
The Mops, Rock
enf Roll f70 (Toshiba EMI, 2004), originally released on
vinyl in 1970. More heavy
psychedelic sound from
The Mops, Iijanaika (Toshiba EMI, 2003). Originally released on vinyl in 1971.
The Mops, Exit (Toshiba EMI, 2003). Originally released on vinyl in 1974, the last Mops album—a live recording of their farewell concert.
Ox, Vintage
Collection (Victor,
1989). A gbest ofh compilation by
Ox, who along with the Mops were one of the best of the third-generation Group
Sounds bands that emerged circa 1968 with a heavier, psychedelic sound. Ox originated from
The Golden Cups, The Golden Cups Album (Capitol, 2004). Originally released on vinyl in 1968, the debut album by one of the most talented Group Sounds bands—one that has been enjoying something of a revival in recent years.
The Golden Cups, The Golden Cups Album Vol. 2 (Capitol, 2003). Originally released on vinyl in 1968; yes, itfs the second album by the band. A heavy, psychedelic sound, with many covers of Western rock standards (gShotgun,h gStrange Brew,h gIn the Midnight Hour,h etc.), and a couple of striking originals—especially gGozen 3-ji no hapuninguh (3:00 a.m. happening).
The Wild Ones, The Wild Ones Album (Capitol, 2003). Originally released on vinyl in 1967, the debut album by one of the best respected of the first-generation Group Sounds bands.
~~~Blue Comets, Original Hit Dai-1-shû + Dai-2-shû (Nippon
Columbia, 1996). Reissue containing
the first two albums by Jacky Yoshikawa and his Blue Comets, the first Group
Sounds band to hit it really big in
~~~Kamayatsu Hiroshi, Teichiku Years 1960-1961 (Teichiku, 2004). Compilation of the singles Kamayatsu released in his first incarnation, as a rockabilly and country-western idol who starred at the Nichigeki Western Carnivals in the early 1960s. Some of this is really terrific.
~~~~~Kamayatsu Hiroshi, Monsieur: Kamayatsu Hiroshi
no sekai (Teichiku,
2000). Originally released on vinyl
in 1970. Kamayatsufs first solo
album after leaving the Spiders. He
plays all the instruments and handles most of the vocals, ala the first Paul
McCartney solo album. Several solo
remakes of songs he had earlier recorded with the Spiders, generally in much
more subdued and appealing versions here.
One song features a duet with his father Tave Kamayatsu, a well-known
jazz singer; another features a charming duet with his infant son Tarô. This is a legendary album in
~~~Kamayatsu Hiroshi, Aa, Waga yoki tomo yo (Toshiba, 2003). Originally released on vinyl in 1975. Another Kamayatsu solo album, this featuring him working with many friends: Ôtaki Eiichi, Hosono Haruomi, Inoue Yôsui, Minami Kosetsu—and a few tracks recorded with the American band Tower of Power.
~~~~The Dylan II, Kinô no omoide ni wakare wo tsugerunda mono (Prime Direction, 2002). Originally released on vinyl on the legendary URC label in 1972, the debut album by one of the most popular bands to come out of the underground Kansai folk music scene.
~~~The
Folk Crusaders, Folk Crusaders in Concert
(Toshiba EMI, 2003). Originally
released on vinyl in 1968, live recording by one of the most important groups
from the late 1960s/early 1970sf folk scene in
~~~Hayakawa Yoshio, Kakko ii koto wa nante kakko warui darô (Prime Direction, 2002). Originally released on vinyl in 1969 on the URL label, the first solo album by the former leader of The Jacks, the underground rock band that achieved respect (but few record sales) in the late 1960s. Very dark and dirge-like in tone, many of the songs reduced to simply piano-and-voice arrangements.
~~~Ozawa Kenji, The Dogs Bark, But the Caravan moves On (Toshiba EMI, 1993). Ifve been meaning to check out Ozawa for
years now—this is my first exposure to his work, which was immensely popular in
the late 1990s in
~~~~Yamashita Tatsurô, Treasures (Moon,
1995). A gbest ofh compilation from
the man often called the gBrian Wilson of
~~~~~Inoue Yôsui, Kôri no sekai (Polydor,
1996). Originally released on vinyl
in 1973. A legendary album, one of
the first blasts in the singer-songwriter driven gNew Musich of the 1970s,
whereby the divide between rock and folk in Japanese popular music was
overcome. Some of it is
terrific—the opening number gAkazu no fumikirih (The rail crossing gate that
never opens), and it really conveys the feeling of
~~½The Mods, The
Mods Best (Tokuma
~~~~Pizzicato Five, This Yearfs Girl (Nippon Columbia, 1991).
Number Girl, Shibuya ROCKTRANSFORMED jôtai (Parlophone, 1999).
Cornelius, Holidays in the sun e.p. (Polystar, 1993).
Cornelius, Fantasma (Polystar, 1997).
Fujiyama Ichirô, Fujiyama
Ichirô zenkyokushû (
~~~~½Hattori Ryôichi, Tôkyô no yane no shita:
Boku no ongaku jinsei 1948-1951 (Victor, 2003). A two-CD compilation of many early
postwar songs by Hattori—the most important jazz composer and arranger in
mid-century
*****************
~~From Bubblegum to Sky, Me and Amy and the Two French Boys (Eenie Meenie, 1999). I heard some of this on the gMorning Becomes Eclectich show on KCRW here and was intrigued. Looked them up on the web and found myself even more intrigued. (6/25/04).
~~~~Ozomatli, Street
Signs (
~~Brian Wilson, Gettingf In Over My Head (Brimel, 2004). (6/24/04)
~~~Wilco, A Ghost is Born (Nonesuch, 2004). (6/24/04)
Belle & Sebastian, The Boy with the Arab Strap (Matador, 1998). Youfd think an Anglophile like me would already own Belle & Sebastianfs full discography, but this is my first acquisition. (6/21/04)
~~~~David Bowie, Lodger (Virgin,
1999). Originally released on vinyl
in 1979. Just about my favorite
~~~David Bowie, gHeroesh (Virign, 1999). Originally released on vinyl in 1977. (6/21/04)
~~~~The Animals, The Animals/Animal Tracks (some Russian record label whose name I canft read, 2000). Originally issued on vinyl in 1964 and 1965, respectively. I used to have the latter on vinyl. The Animals are a seriously underrated band from the 1960s; both their studio and live recordings crackle with energy and intelligence. (6/21/04)
~~Los Lobos, The Ride (
The Tigers, Rare & More Collection 3: Novelty Records (Universal Polydor, 2002). Fan club recordings, commercial jingles, etc., etc. (most definitely etc.) by the Tigers. (6/2/04)
~~~The Tigers, Rare & More Collection 1: The Live History (Universal Polidor, 2001). Live recordings from various sources by the Tigers, another great 1960sf ggroup soundsh band. The quality of recording and performance varies wildly, but some of this is quite good. Includes a cover of gThe Monkeefs Theme,h gHey Hey Wefre the Tigers; People say wefre Tigering aroundc.h: The Tigers imitate the Monkees imitiating the Beatles. Somebody should do a cover version of this soon. (6/2/04)
The Spiders, Rock en Roll Renaissance (Teichiku, 1998). Originally released on vinyl in 1970. The last Spidersf album, in which they anticipate the early 1970sf boom in e50s rock en roll, doing cover versions of songs like gRock Around the Clock,h gBlue Suede Shoes,h Carol,h etc. (5/20/04)
The Spiders, Album No. 4 + Daishingeki Soundtrack (Teichiku, 1998). Both albums originally released on vinyl in 1967. (5/20/04)
The Spiders, Album No. 3 (Teichiku, 1998). Originally released on vinyl in 1967. Half originals, half covers. (5/20/04)
~~~~The Spiders, Album No. 1+ Album No. 2 (Techiku, 1998). Both albums originally released on vinyl in 1966. Probably the best known of the ggroup soundsh bands from Swinginf Tokyo in the 1960s, the first album is made up of all original songs, some of remarkably high quality. gFuri Furi e66h is a wild rave up reminiscent of the early Kinks. The second album, on the other hand, is all cover versions of songs that had been hits for American and British bands, especially the Beatles. Again, the quality is quite good. (5/20/04)
~~~½The Tempters, First Album (Teichiku, 1998), originally released on
vinyl in 1968. A ggroup soundsh
guitar combo from 1960sf
~~~~~Dmitry Shostakovich, Symphonies, 11 CD set, Rudolph Barshai, conducting; WDR Sinfonieorchester (Brilliant Classics, 1998). A boxed set Ifve had my eyes on for some time: all fifteen symphonies by my favorite composer. This will keep me busy for many months to comec. (5/21/04)
Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Unclassified (Warner Brothers, 2003). Introduced to me by a student, a hybrid of gospel, funk, and East Coast barroom rock. (5/8/04)
~~~~~James Brown, Live at the Apollo (1962) Expanded Edition (Polydor, 2004). A work Ifve owned on vinyl for many years that Ifd been meaning to replace for some time now – and finally they come out with an gexpanded editionh (which means theyfve tacked on the 45 rpm single versions of a few of the tracks, nothing more). But it sounds great, and what can you say about this recording? Simply awesome. (5/6/04)
~~~Johnny Cash, Orange Blossom Special (Sony, 2002). Originally released in 1965. (5/6/04)
Robert Schumann, Cello Concerto, Yo-Yo Ma, cello; Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Sir Colin Davis conducting (1992, Sony Classical). (5/1/04)
Robert Schumann, The Symphonies, Vienna Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein conducting (Deutsche Gramophone, 1985/6), two CD set. (5/1/04)
Three Dog Night, The Best of Three Dog Night (MCA, 1982). Couldnft resist this one, either. My very first rock concert, way back in about 1974 when I was thirteen years old, was headlined by these guys. gThe Show Must Go Onh (included here) was their current hit then, and I remember the use of much dry ice during their performance of gElifs Comingh (also included here), which led into a wild organ solo, at the climax of which came this big flashpot explosion, whereupon the keyboardist—dressed like Merlin the Wizard—had disappeared into thin air. I mean, talk about cool. I was hooked. (4/20/04)
~~Prince, Musicology (NPG Records, 2004). The artist formerly known asc.oh, never mind. I had it in my portable CD player for several weeks, and none of the tracks really sunk into my bones. Not nearly as good as, for example, Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic, his release of several years back, which was uneven but still had a number of standout songs on it. (4/20/04)
~~~Various artists, Mayor of the Sunset Strip Original Soundtrack (2004, Shout Factory). Soundtrack to the new documentary about Rodney Bingenheimer, the great LA deejay who has introduced several generations of Californians to whatfs new in pop/punk/rock. It includes the paean Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys composed for Rodneyfs show, which still airs every Sunday night at midnight here on KROQ. (4/20/04)
~~~Gorillaz, Gorillaz (2001, Virgin). A Blur, a Cibo Matto, and a Dan the Automator. Together again at last.
~~~Ringo Starr, Goodnight Vienna (1992, Capitol). Originally released in vinyl in 1974. I found it used for eight bucks. Who could resist?
~~~~Flaminf Ohs, The First 2 Albums (2004, Not Lame). The first two studio albums, originally released on vinyl in 1980 and 1981, finally reissued on CD. Oh, mama, do I get my nostalgia fixc..
~~Robert
Wilkinson, Days Like Glass (2004, Sursumcoda). The former leader of the Flaminfs Ohs,
one of the great
~~~½Shiina Ringo, Shôso sutorippu (2000, Virgin). I was so impressed with her most recent CD, Karuki zamen kurinohana, that Ifve decided to start collecting her older works as well. (1/5/04)
~~~The Thrills, So Much For The City (2003, Virgin). An Irish band thatfs been receiving heaps of critical praise lately. Their website is here. Itfs nice, but after a few dozen listens, it still doesnft grab me—I havenft found myself humming any of the songs on here. But a band whose future is worth watching.
J.S. Bach, Goldberg Variations BWV 988, Charles Rosen, piano (1992, Sony). Originally released on vinyl in 1969.
Dmitri Shostakovich, Symphony No. 11 eThe Year 1905,f London Symphony Orchestra, Mstislav Rostropovich, conductor (2002; LSO).
~~~The 88, Kind of Light (2003, Mootron/EMK). A local LA band thatfs been getting much good press lately, a pop-rock sound. Check out their webpage here. Very promising debut; everyone else says the sound like the Kinks, but I hear more mid-period Bowie and—above all—Blur. Of course, mid-period Bowie and Blur often sound like the Kinks. Never mind.
Eno, Another Green World (?, EG). Originally released on vinyl in 1975.
~~~~Warren Zevon, The Wind (2003, Artemis). What a nice piece of work to leave behind! Several fantastic songs on it, especially gKeep Me in Your Heart.h
The White Stripes, Elephant (2003, v2 Records).
Nirvana, In Utero (1993, Geffen).
Pearl Jam, Ten (1991, Epic).
Weezer, Weezer (1994, Geffen).
The Replacements, Let It Be (2002, Restless). Originally released on TwinTone back in 1984.
R.E.M., Automatic for the People (1992, Warner Brothers).
~~~~~Hank Williams, Hillbilly Hero (2002, Proper Records). Another Proper bargain box set: 4 CDs for about $22.00. A great deal, nice package, just terrific.
~~Van Morrison, Whatfs Wrong With This Picture? (2003, Blue Note). Disappointing. Only a couple of songs have a real Van Morrison feel; the rest could be being sung by just about anybody.
~~~~Harry Nilsson, Pussy Cats (1999, Buddha). Vinyl LP originally released in 1974; this includes bonus tracks. A legendary piece of work, Harryfs voice is completely shot, but somehow all the more compelling because of it. And producerfs John Lennonfs boozy fingerprints are all over it.
~~~~Ozomatli, Coming Up (Limited edition EP) (2003, Concord). Very strong collection of tunes, carrying on their remarkable experiment at blending salsa with hip hop. They have a new album coming out soon; I canft wait.
~~~~~Outkast, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003, Arista). A landmark piece of work, ranks with the very best pop music double-album sets of all time: London Calling, Blonde on Blonde, Exile on Main Street and The White Album. Even people who donft get rap get this (my wife, for instance). Itfs especially great to see someone pick up the thread of funky silliness, in the line of Funkadelic.
~~~The Beatles, Let It BecNaked (2003, Apple). The verdict: gLong and Winding Roadh works better without Phil Specterfs strings; gAcross the Universeh works better with them; and gLet It Beh is a wash, since they use a different and inferior take here. And therefs nothing here that a true Beatlemaniac hasnft already heard a thousand times on bootlegs.
~~~~Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Shout Sister Shout: Sister Rosetta Tharpe, The Original Soul Sister (2002, Proper Records). My first contact with Tharpe came through a brief 1950s black-and-white clip shown on the recent PBS series on the blues--she was her standing there in her church robes, in front of a gospel choir, playing a biting solo on her electric guitar. I was blown away. I found this 4-CD set which includes her major recordings from 1938-1949.
~~~Stew, Something Deeper Than These Changes (2003, Smile Records). The latest from one of Los Angelesf (and Americafs) very best singer-songwriters, and the sometime-leader of the Negro Problem, one of my favorite bands. The lyrics, as always are clever and attractive, and he has a wonderful voice. But musically, many of the songs aren't up to his usual wonderful standard: they lack the breaks and bridges, the layering of melodies and harmonies, that mark his best work, either on his earlier solo CDs (The Naked Dutch Painter....and other songs and Guest Host) or in his work with his band, The Negro Problem. The production here sounds a little too plain, as if these were recorded and released in a hurry.
~~~~~The Who, Whofs Next (1995, MCA). LP originally released in 1971; this is the remastered CD version, with bonus tracks. What can you say about this?
~~Macy Gray, The Trouble With Being Myself (2003, Epic). A couple of good songs, and still a great voice. Butc.
~~~~The White Stripes, White Blood Cells (2001, v2).
~~~The Beach Boys, Sunflower/Surffs Up (2000, Capitol). LPs originally released in 1970 and 1971. I really like Surffs Up; Sunflower is more uneven, but it has itfs moments, too.
~~Various Artists, Uta wa utsukushikatta: orijinaru kashu ni yoru meikyoku-shū (2002, Nippon Columbia). Anthology of early postwar pop songs from Japan.
~~~~Shiina Ringo, Karuki zamen kurinohana (2003, Toshiba-EMI). A widely celebrated work, often compared to Bjork. Itfs really quite good—sophisticated, unpredictable, jarring at times. The Asia edition of Time magazine did a big profile on her a few months back.
~~HY, Street Story (2003, Climax). The first indie CD to go to #1 in the Japanese Oricon CD charts. They sound a bit like the Dave Matthews Band to me—except, of course, for when they break into Okinawa folk-song mode.
~~~~David Bowie, Scary Monsters (1999, EMI). LP, one of my all-time favorite pieces of vinyl, originally released in 1980. With the LP, I always listened to side one, which was so good I almost never got around to flipping it over to hear side two. With the CD, though, Ifm finally hearing the songs on the second half—and it turns out theyfre not half bad.
~~Various artists, Ozawa Shōichi ga eranda koichi natsukashi hayariuta 4 (1999, Columbia). One of a series that collects various recordings of songs that were popular in early 20th century Japan. I got this one because it has Matsui Sumakofs gKachūsha no uta,h recorded back in 1914 and probably the first real hit record ever in Japan. But the liner notes contain only lyrics—no information about recording dates, artistsf histories, etc.
Love, Love (1988, Elektra). Originally released in 1966. Their first album, including their first hit single, gLittle Red Book.h They really had that psychedelic, garage-rock band thing going, lots of fun. What the Sunset Strip sounded like just before the Summer of Love, when that idiot Jim Morrison took over.
~~~Dave Davies, Transformation: Live at The Alex Theatre (2003, Meta Media). An official bootleg of a concert I saw earlier this year. Nice recording, nice versions of some of Davefs newer stuff, too. Only available through his website: http://www.davedavies.com/
~~~~Paul and Linda McCartney, Ram (?, Capitol). Originally issued in 1971. Ifm a closet Paul fan, so you might not want to trust my rating on this one. But ever since I first heard it as an eleven-year-old, Ifve thought gUncle Albert/Admiral Halseyh was perfect pop.
~~~~~The Pretenders, Learning To Crawl (1983, Sire). I finally breakdown and replace a long cherished vinyl version of this. I remember when I first heard gBack on the Chain Gangh on a jukebox at a bar in Saint Paul, back in 1983. I was convinced that George Harrison finally had a great hit song.
Various artists, Precious Lord: Recordings of the Great Gospel Songs of Thomas A. Dorsey (1994, Columbia.). Originally issued in 1973.
~~~~Bob Dylan and various artists, Masked and Anonymous soundtrack (2003, Columbia). Found a used copy for $9.95 in St. Paul barely a week after it was originally issued—not a good sign. But it turns out to be pretty good—the covers of Dylan tunes by various bands from around the world are quite good—the Magokoro Brothers from Japan included. And the new stuff by Bob himself isnft bad. I could do without the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia covers, but you canft have everything in this world. And I bet the movie really sucks.
~~Whoopee John, The Whoopee John Story (1997, Polka City Records). Found it for $9 at the gift shop of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Walnut Grove, Minnesota. Who could resist? Unfortunately, there are no liner notes giving information about recording history, dates, personnel, etc. Too bad—I had hoped for a better introduction to the music and work of John Wilfahrt (1893-1961), the great mid-century polka king of the Upper Midwest. But the music is there, including the gyoo hoo hoo!h You can learn more about him at www.whoopeejohn.com or http://www.wilder.org/goodage/RememberWhen/klink601.html
~~~Fountains of Wayne, Welcome Interstate Managers (2003, Virgin). I loved these guysf last CD. They sound sorta like the Cars way back around 1979, but with slicker lyrics and more guitar. And they like the Kinks. But this one is perhaps a tad too slick; a bit more grit would have been welcome. [Postscript: Then I listened to it after a break of a month or so and found myself really fond of nearly all the songs. Hmmmmc.]
~~~~Radiohead, Hail to the Thief (2003, Capitol).
~~~~~Billie Holiday, The Quintessential Billie Holiday Volume 9 (1940-1942) (1991, Columbia). Finally, I own the whole series. I think I bought volume one back in 1988. But the wait was worth it: she really has come into her own on this one.
Vic Chesnutt, About to Choke (1996, Capitol).
~~~~Blur, Think Tank (2003, EMI). I bought this with some trepidation, because I was convinced that Graham Cox, the bandfs recently departed guitarist, was the main reason I liked Blur. But this is really a fine piece of work, very nice. I think Damon Albarn finally gets the World Music/Brit Pop synthesis right here.
Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Wefre Only In It For The Money (1995, Rykodisk), originally released in 1968. Found it used cheap while back in Minnesota.
~~Richard Thompson, Mirror Blue (1994, Capitol). I dunno, I just donft get Richard Thompson the way some people do. Hefs nice, of course, and there is something appealing about British folk rock (cf. mid-period Kinks). But the tunes donft grab me in the guts, I guess.
~~~Eels, Soul Jacker (2001, Dreamworks). I really like the song, gFriendly Ghost.h
Beethoven, Diabelli Variations/Moonlight Sonata, Daniel Barenboim, piano (2001, Westminster). Originally recorded in 1959 and 1966.
~~~Heitor Villa-Lobos, Complete Music for Solo Guitar, Norbert Kraft, guitar (2000, Naxos). The great Brazilian composerfs works for guitar on one CD. Ifve enjoyed his cello music for years and stumbled across this in a bargain bin.
~~BEGIN, Omoto takeo (2000, Teichiku). NHKfs (the Japanese equivalent of the BBC) idea of what Okinawan music sounds like. They arenft afraid to play up the exotic eisland musicf angle.
~~~Cody Chesnutt, The Headphone Masterpiece (2002, Ready Set Go). I'm a sucker for this kind of thing, a motley collection of demos recorded in the guy's bedroom. What "Trout Mask Replica" would sound like if Prince were the leader of the Magic Band.
~~~Thelonius Monk, Thelonius Alone in San Francisco (1987, Riverside). Originally recorded in 1959, my favorite jazz pianist all by himself. Very nice, but I find myself missing the other members of the quartet. What did I expect when I bought it, I wonder?
~~~Love, Da Capo (1988, Elektra). Originally released on vinyl in 1967. The A-side songs are terrific, almost as good as the stuff on the classic gForever Changesh LP. The B-side is one of those 1968 blues jams that goes on forever and ever and everc.
~~~Eels, Beautiful Freak (1996, Dreamworks). One of the best local bands here in LA. Americafs answer to Radiohead—except they donft sound anything like Radiohead. Think Lou Reedfs gBerlinh album without the self-pity (that raises an interesting question: If you took the self-pity out of gBerlin,h what would be left?).
~~~V.A. Kyokutô saizensen (n.d., Sakamoto Shoten). Compilation of various current alternative rock bands in Japan, including Husking Bee, eastern youth, and Number Girl.
~~~~Number Girl, Sappukei (2000, Toshiba-EMI). One of Japanfs hottest alternative rock bands. Ifm getting a little too old for this sort of thing (I kept waiting for the acoustic ballad; it never arrived), but these guys strike me as being really, really hot. The first few listens, I heard traces of old No Wave guitar and Clash-style dub, but there was something else it reminded me of, but I couldnft remember exactly who. Then it hit me: they sound a bit like Cui Jian, the great Chinese rock singer. But they have a sound all their own and on many songs it really works—I find myself reacting to this the way I did to gLondon Callingh when I first heard it back in 1980. Great drum sound.
~~V.A. Twin Town Music Yearbook Vol. 3, 1999-2000 (2000, no label). Features a track from the Phones, another one of the great Midwest barroom rock bands I grew up on back in the early '80s.
~~V.A., Twin Town High Music Yearbook, Vol. 2, 1998-1999 (1999, no label). I swear by the proposition that every individual and every band has one great pop song in them. That's why compilations like this are fun, even if uneven. Found it (and its companion, listed below) used cheap during a swing through St. Paul in April and figured, what the hell. Some good, some bad, some inbetweenies. Best line comes from Mark Mallman's song, "I Married A Skull": "I married a skull, she only wants me for my body."
~~The Mods. Kilburn Brats (1995, Antinos Records). I first encountered the Mods back in 1984, during my first visit to Japan. They were one of the first new wave/punk bands from Japan, marked by a strong melodic sense, punky/ska-ish rhythm, some humor, and pretty fair musicianship. Ifve always wanted to have them in my collection and encountered this used CD for five bucks at a local Japanese market. It was recorded in England and shows the boys (though they are now entering middle age) still hanging in there, nice songs with hooks, a keen edge.
~~~The Monkees. Head (1994, Rhino Records). A vinyl album, first released in 1969, that I had treasured and finally broke down and bought on CD. What the Monkees sounded like when they were finally allowed to produced their own music, after the TV show was cancelled. This is the soundtrack to a genuinely mind-blowing film—do not pass by the opportunity to see it, should such opportunity arise. The bonus tracks here are great, especially the live version of gCircle Skyh and the unadulterated version of the chant: Hey hey we are the Monkees, you know we love to pleasec.
~~~~The Roots. Phrenology (2002, MCA). This one was a criticfs fave, and so I finally broke down and bought it. Turns out, the critics were right. Ifm completely blown away by gThe Seedh and gBreak You Off.h Brainy hiphop, a lethal combination.
~~Badfinger, Day After Day (1990, Rykodisk). One of the most underrated bands of all time. I stumbled across this live recording in a used bin during a visit to Minnesota. It was only five buck, so what the hell? A 1974 concert from Cleveland, it includes several of the bandfs best songs, though inexplicably gCome And Get Ith is missing. But nice enough, and given the tragic end of so many of the band members, a nice tribute to have on hand.
~~~ The Flaminf Ohfs. Live at Moby Dickfs 1983 (2003, Art Records). One of the GREAT Minneapolis bands of the early 1980s. I saw these guys live maybe 50 times way back when. They were the band I (and many others) thought would gmake ith from Minnesota. That never worked out—bad management, hungry noses, who knows? Who can explain why a band that deserves everything doesnft make it? Anyhow, thanks to this 2 CD set just released, you can taste the noise, first-rate Midwestern bar rock, the kind of music that could get you through a Minnesota winter. The recording leaves something to be desired, and the performances on a few songs arenft up to par, but overall, a great live document of a great band. RIP. And if youfre in the Twin Cities, show up when Robert Wilkinson plays. Ordering information is available here.
For
a list of the CDs Ifve acquired since 2008, see here.
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