Moonlight Island by Haruko Kuwana - 1982

Haruko Kuwana (桑名晴子) was a singer-songwriter from Osaka born in 1956. Known for her funky and soulful City Pop tunes, she made her solo debut in 1978 with the release of Million Stars and was most prolific during the '80s and '90s. While not active in the mainstream, she is still playing live gigs under the stage name HALKO.

THE HISTORY

The most unique album in her catalog is easily her fourth album Moonlight Island. Released November 25, 1982, under Japan Records, the album features covers of various kayokyoku & New Music from the 1970's all given an urban AOR/City Pop sheen, covers of everyone from Haruomi Hosono (細野晴臣), to Tatsuro Yamashita’s (山下達郎) band Sugar Babe, to Haruko's very own brother, Masahiro Kuwana (桑名 将大 ). According to Haruko herself, the sales point for this album was the “sound of waves”, and she wanted to give each of the songs a more “tropical” and “resort” vibe to the music, inspired by her residency in the Shonan-Fujisawa, the center of the “Surfer/Beach” Lifestyle in Kanagawa, Japan. Apparently, during this time, Haruko was also an assistant for the local Kanagawa TV program called Funky Tomato, on their surfing news segment, and she ended up living in that area for 14 years.

Haruko collaborated with the rock band AB's during the album's production, with Fujimaru Yoshino (芳野恭郎) & Makoto Matsushita (松下誠) on guitar, Naoki Watanabe (渡辺直樹) on bass, Atsuo Okamoto (岡本郭男) on drums, and pianist Yoshihiko Ando (安藤芳彦). AOR Crooner, Yasahiro Abe (安部恭弘) was the assistant sound engineer on the album. The photography for the album was done by Isao Harachi, in collaboration with the Japanese adult magazine Weekly Playboy (週刊プレイボーイ).

THE MUSIC

Lyrics to Down Town & 夢で逢えたら

SUNSHINE SIDE

1. ほうろう(Horo): Originally an R&B number by Chu Kosaka (小坂忠) back in 1975, Haruko gives it a more Rock & Roll vibe. Even channeling a bit of her older brother by shouting his signature “Alright!” at the beginning of the song.
2. Choo Choo Gatagoto: A cover of  Harry Hosono's 1973 song, while initially more of a folk-rock number, has more of a City Pop feel to it with the addition of a more upbeat drumbeat, funkier guitars, and an almost honky-tonk style piano.
3. Uraraka ( ウララカ ): Haruko carries on the Elvis/Rockabilly style Rock & Roll number originally composed by the late Eiichi Ohtaki ( 大瀧詠一). Now with an added piano solo, and doo-wop backing vocals from the ABs.
4. Down Town: The AB turn Sugar Babe's hit 1975 folk/pop single into a straight disco number. There have been other covers of Downtown, however, Haruko's is the only version that's sung completely in English (although a bit incoherent at times). The English lyrics were written by Linda Hennrick.
5. あの頃のまま [Anogoro no mama / Back in the Day]: A soft rock song originally performed by the folk group Bread & Butter, now given an R&B slow-jam touch. The original song was written and composed by Yumi Matsutoya（松任谷由実) under her alias of Karuho Kureta(呉田軽穂).

I Love You (Promo Single)

MOONLIGHT SIDE

1. I Love You: A soulful beach rock ballad track that was written in English in the first place as a B-side to Hiro Tsunoda's（つのだ☆ひろ）1973 single, "Mary Jane".
2. Moonlight Surfer: Another beach rock ballad originally sung by Japanese singer-songwriter Seri Ishikawa (石川セリ), this time in English thanks to Linda Hennrick.
3. 夢で逢えたら (Yume de Aetara/ Dreams Come True): Originally sung by Minako Yoshida, written & composed by Eiichi Ohtaki. The only song on the album that doesn't start much from the original except for it being a bit more tropical.
4. Yoru No Umi (夜の海...Night Ocean): One of Masahiro Kuwana's signature songs before his passing from his debut album Who Are You? (1976). The original was a Beach Rock duet sung by both Kuwana siblings. Now Haruko sings this one by herself giving it a melancholy slow-jam feel...
5. Yoru No Umi Part II: An acoustic reprise of Night Ocean with the added ambiance of ocean waves.

THE VERDICT

If it wasn't for the fact that all the songs are covers, Moonlight Island would probably be my favorite album by Haruko Kuwana so far. It's an excellent combination of old fashion Rock & Roll and R&B and Soul fused into each song. It's the type of sound I'd imagine hearing at an old fashion jazz club or a cantina of sorts. Some of the covers dare I'd say surpass the originals in quality, particularly Down Town and Ano Koro no Mama. Haruko's Down Town would have been my favorite version (even over EPO's) if it wasn't for the incoherent vocals, it's not a problem throughout the whole song, there are certain parts where I have to guess what she's saying. This is strange considering that half of her debut album, Million Stars was sung in perfect English! Maybe she was out of practice between the 2 other albums. Since this album had a bit more of a rock vibe going, you can definitely tell she was channeling a bit of her brother's style into her singing, which was pretty cool.

Overall if you are a fan of the 70's New Music, you'll be happy to know that Haruko Kuwana's Moonlight Island succeeds in paying tribute to the bygone era of music by updating the sound for the '80s while still keeping intact what made those 70's songs classics, to begin with.

Production: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Vocals:⭐⭐⭐⭐

Arrangement:⭐⭐⭐⭐

Aesthetic:⭐⭐⭐⭐

Memorability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Composition:⭐⭐⭐⭐

BONUS

Here’s a message from Haruko Kuwana herself that can be found in the CD release of Moonlight Island. Translation thanks to my friend J-Cannuck from Kayokyoku Plus!

“I think part of the reason “Moonlight Island” exists is the deep relationship among my life, the ocean, the moon and the islands, namely within my music. The sales point for this album was the “sound of waves”, and on the “Funky Tomato” program on TV Kanagawa, I was an assistant on the surfing news segment. I did interviews at the surf shops in Shonan, Chiba, Shibuya, and other places, and I went to the sea weekly to do location shooting for surfing wave information and surfing areas. Before I knew it, during that time, I became separated from Tokyo and ended up living in Shonan-Fujisawa for 14 years.

The small apartment that I lived in was on top of a small hill, and I could see far off in the distance the waters of Shonan and Mt. Fuji from my window. At sunset and at night, I could see the Enoshima lighthouse rotating. On my days off, I got on the bike and took rides in the breeze.

I really didn’t like show business and I traveled all around Japan, taking my guitar and writing and singing songs. During those trips, I incorporated the views that I saw including the moon, the sea, the wind, the people that I met into my music, and then went back home to Shonan. That life was wonderful, and no doubt, those days were fun and beautiful.

Then a little after the Kobe Earthquake, I returned to Hyogo Prefecture 24 years after my debut. Here, there are no sounds of waves and no shadows of islands. But in my heart, the silvery light of the moon shines on the sea, and that sound of waves becomes music and always resounds. “Moonlight Island” reflects my heart.

I pray that this blue Earth continues to shine beautifully. I will continue to sing the ocean’s sound of waves from my heart.”

--Haruko Kuwana (桑名晴子)