For You by Tatsuro Yamashita - 1982

1982 was an amazing year for Japanese music. Many iconic artists debuted in '82, like Junichi Inagaki (246:3AM), Kengo Kurozumi (Again), and Takako Mamiya (Love Trip). You also had seasoned artists putting out some of their most iconic records in their career, like Cliché by Taeko Ohnuki, Yumi Matsutoya's Pearl Pierce, and Hiroshi Sato's Awakening. However, the album that would lead the pack came out at the very beginning of that year, and would change the music scene in Japan forever; For You by Tatsuro Yamashita.

For You is the 6th Studio album by the King of City Pop Tatsuro Yamashita and the most revered album in the City Pop lexicon, and for good reasons. It's the most famous of all Yamashita's albums and it was released at the height of his career. Not only did it reach the top of the Oricon charts back in '82, but even decades later, it's it has regained its popularity thanks to internet genres such as vaporwave and future funk. I've set aside covering this album for a while just because I have my own opinions that might clash with the larger fanbase but seeing how last month was Tatsuro Yamashita's 68th birthday, I thought it would be appropriate to review his most celebrated work.

THE HISTORY

1981 was a busy year for Tatsuro Yamashita, he was on a tight concert tour all year and simply couldn't make time to put out another album that year. Thankfully as a result of all of the concerts, his band's chemistry became stronger than ever. This combined with the success of his previous album, Ride on Time, meant that he was in the perfect position to accomplish what he had been dreaming about since his Sugar Babe days: being able to write & record as much as he wanted without having to worry about time and budget.

Tats's signature band returns from Ride on Time, including Jun Aoyama (drums) and Kohki Ito (bass), Kazuo Shina (guitar), Hiroyuki Nanba (Synthesizer), and Hidefumi Toki (Alto Sax). Minako Yoshida returns to provide lyrics and backing vocals. Shigeharu Mukai also returns from Ride on Time to provide some much-needed trombone solos. Hiroshi Sato makes a guest appearance, providing some piano play for the song Futari. This album is also the first to feature American song-writer Alan O-Day providing English lyrics for Yamashita's final track on the album, Your Eyes.

It's worth noting that this album was released around the same time that advances were made in car stereos and Walkman devices that made it possible for music to retain sufficient audio quality while on the go. This album was produced and promoted with this and mind to reinforce the resort pop feeling, going as for as making the slogan "Summer, the sea, Tatsuro!" officially cementing his image as the "Summer Song Guy". Yamashita was going to hire acclaimed artist Hiroshi Nagai to draw the album art, but he was too busy working on Eiichi Ohtaki's cover for A Long Vacation. So he ended up hiring another famous illustrator, Eizin Suzuki, who painted the famous cover of Tats standing next to the now-demolished Turner Radio shop that used to reside in Santa Monica, California.

1982 would end up being a great year for Tatsuro Yamashita. For You released on January 21st and reached No. 1 on the Oricon charts. Later that year, Tatsuro Yamashita would marry fellow musician, Mariya Takeuchi, on April 6th. 

THE MUSIC

• Sparkle: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
• Quite possibly Tats' most famous song ever. Specifically crafted with his Fender telecaster in mind, Sparkle's opening guitar riff is one of the most iconic sounds in city pop history, often imitated but never duplicated. What follows is a symphony of disco beats, tight energetic brass, a funky bass, and ethereal backing vocals. Climaxing at the saxophone solo, and ending on Yamashita's iconic falsetto performance. 
• Music Book:⭐⭐⭐⭐
Things get a bit calmer but still keeps you in the dancing mood. Tats created this breezy number inspired by Minako Yoshida's titular music book, singing about the joys of having inspiration fall on you like raindrops to create a message from the heart.  similar arrangement to Sparkle, but this time the Trombone and backing vocals get highlighted here.
• Interludes A Part 1 & 2: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Yamashita created unique interludes for both the A & B side of the album. The A-side interludes being having a church choir-like A Cappella vibe. Reminiscent of the opening track from his '79 album, Moonglow.
  
• Morning Glory:⭐⭐⭐⭐
• A song that was originally composed for Mariya Takeuchi's 1980 album, Miss M, and arranged by David Foster. However, Tats thought it sounded to AOR for his taste, and decided to do his own rendition. the arrangement is very similar to the original, except for the intro, which starts off with just his vocals accompanied by a piano, which gives the impression that the song is waking up alongside the listener. A minor detail that makes all the difference.
• Futari (Together): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• A soulful love ballad featuring Hiroshi Sato's bluesy piano playing. Tats goes full force in the vocal department, as his voice swells with each note until finally hitting you with his signature fermata as the song fades out.  
• Loveland Island:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Originally composed for the line of Suntory Beer commercials featuring a lovely Brazilian dancer, who apparently helped Tats find the perfect tempo for the song with the rhythm of her dancing. Appropriately enough, Loveland Island is an energetic samba-inspired Disco number with awesome percussion, a great saxophone, a slaptastic bassline, and creatively rhythmic vocal harmonies.
• Interludes B Part 1& 2:⭐⭐⭐⭐
• The interludes on the B- Side of the record shift into a more doo-wop-inspired acapella, which fits perfectly with the next two songs coming up.
• Love Talkin'/Honey Its You :⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
• This song takes Tats back to his Isely Brother routes and fuses them with his iconic tropical resort-inspired sound to create another instant classic. Featuring the funkiest bass on the album and the sickest guitar solo, followed up with one of Yamashita's smoothest vocal performances towards the end of the song. 
• Hey reporter!: ⭐⭐⭐
• All of a sudden you're hit with a grungy hard rock song. while still very funky, is a lot slower-paced and has more emphasis on the guitars. On top of that tats gives a very uncharacteristically gravely vocal performance. Apparently, this song was inspired by his experience of being hounded by the Japanese paparazzi and news reporters before his big wedding with Mariya Takeuchi. Which explains why his singing sounds like it's full of snarls and snarks as opposed to its usual smoothness.
• Interludes B Part II:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Your Eyes:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• But then, after the final interlude, were taken to familiar territory but still with a surprise. We get a beautiful heartfelt piano ballad that is short, sweet, and to the point. Tats's English is spot on, giving an almost Frank Sinatra level performance, and we're gifted with a nice saxophone in the middle solo to keep things interesting. The song finally ends with Tatsuro Yamashita sending the listener off with a cheerful "I Love You!", putting a romantic bookend on a classic album. 
• あまく危険な香り(That Sweet & Dangerous Scent):⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• The single that accompanied the release of For You, originally composed for the TV drama of the same name. Later releases of For You included it as a bonus track. Tats taps into his Chicago soul influences from Circus Town and fuses it with a tropical resort arrangement to create a unique and relaxing experience. Accompanied with a harmonious string arrangement, well-timed horns, and mesmerizing piano solo. 

THE VERDICT

Production:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Vocals:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Arrangement:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Aesthetic:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Memorability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Composition:⭐⭐⭐⭐

There's not much to say except that this album is peak City Pop. Each song is Iconic and memorable on its own merits. Sparkle is an instant classic and a song that only Tats himself can pull off. Even to this day, I'm still finding modern songs that take inspiration from Sparkle's iconic opening riff and overall summer vibes. Love Talkin is another contender for best song on the album, as it's the funkiest song on the album. It already pulls you in with the superb bassline and then hits you with the groovy guitar solo halfway through. Plus the way Tats pulls off his soulful sexy vocal harmonizing, is full of the exaggerated swagger of a middle-aged Japanese man (feel free to throw your tomatoes, I couldn't resist). If this record was a gourmet meal, Love Talkin' would be the dessert. And don't even get me started on Your Eye's, ballad so heartwarming you'd think it belongs in a classic Disney Movie. 

And then there's Hey Reporter, while a fine song on its own, doesn't gel with the rest of the album for me. Imagine eating at a gourmet French restaurant, and after the main course, you're given a cheeseburger. While it doesn't clash that bad, the song still feels out of place with For You's overall mellow aesthetic. On top of that, I think Yamashita has done the funky rock song trope to way better effect with previous songs. When you compare Hey Reporter with the likes of Bomber, Hot Shot, and Silent Screamer, it just pails in comparison and just feels average. If Yamashita would have chosen Sweet & Dangerous Scent for the album instead, as opposed to just making it a single, this would have been perfect.  All that being said, one song doesn't hurt the quality of the album by much, plus I feel like Hey Reporter has grown on me over the years. I've come to enjoy the grittier guitars and the honky tonk-style piano work throughout the song. Despite it being my least favorite song on the album, I think it's a decent way to shift the mood a bit.

  The overall quality of production is still top-notch. Tats makes full use of the current recording tech and his band has never sounded better. You can tell that a year of nonstop touring paid off as each instrument and voice sounds clean, crisp, and exactly where it needs to be. On top of that, this is easily one of Yamashita's best vocal performances, you can feel him giving his all on every note, and every song has a great payoff in the form of Tats' wonderful vocal gymnastics. Whether it be the whimsical falsetto in Sparkle, the vocal soaring at the end of Futari, or the ethereal harmonies of the wonderfully implanted Interludes, Tat's voice is in full force.

For You has earned its reputation as Tatsuro Yamashita's greatest work. Not only is every song iconic, but was also crafted on a technical level that wasn't possible before. There are very few albums from other artists that I would put on the same pedestal as this one. It's an album that has something for everybody, a guilty pleasure to rock out to, a disco groove for the dancefloor, a theme for your wedding day, and of course a backdrop for your summer vacation. Whatever kind of song your looking for, Tatsuro Yamashita's magnum opus is guaranteed to have something special, just for you.