HORO by Chu Kosaka - 1975

Chu Kosaka (小坂忠), born July 8, 1948, is a Japanese singer-songwriter, gospel singer, and pastor, but back in the day he was one of the pioneers of Japanese pop music. Born Masayuki Kosaka (小坂正行), he began his musical journey with the Group Sounds band, The Floral in 1966. When The Floral broke up, Kosaka and fellow bandmates Eiji Kikuchi (菊池英二) and Hiro Yanagida (柳田博義) went on to form the band Apryl Fool alongside fellow pioneers Haruomi Hosono (細野晴臣) and Takashi Matsumoto (松本隆). The same year, he turned down joining Hosono's next band, Happy End in pursuit of a solo career, which he began as a performer in the original cast for Japan's first rock musical "Hair". He would make his solo debut in 1971 with Arigatou (ありがとう) and would culminate with his magnum opus, HORO(ほうろう).

Kosaka's 1975 album HORO belongs on the list of pre-Sugar Babe albums that would provide the foundation of modern City Pop, especially since many consider this to be the forerunner of modern Japanese R&B, or as they called it, Wasei-R&B (和製R&B). Before this album was released, Kosaka's previous 3 albums took on more of a folk-rock sound akin to Buffalo Springfield or Moby Grape, thanks to the help of legendary rock band Happy End for the first album and Kosaka's own band, Four Joe Half (it's a pun that in Japanese translates to Yojohan/四畳半) for the next 2. However, Kosaka admits that he was originally into soul music, citing his first favorite singer growing up as Ray Charles. So for his 4th record, he reached out to Haruomi Hosono to help co-produce, of course, Hosono brought Tin Pan Alley along for the ride to help recreate that soulful sound. The record also features Akiko Yano (矢野顕子) on the keyboard, although at this time she was still Akiko Suzuki (鈴木晶子), and her future (ex)husband, Makoto Yano (矢野誠) handling string & horn arrangements. The albums chorus included Minako Yoshida（吉田美奈子）, Taeko Ohnuki（大貫妙子）and Tatsuro Yamashita (山下達郎), the latter two still performing as Sugar Babe at the time.

THE MUSIC

1. Horo(ほうろう): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. Kikansha(機関車):⭐⭐⭐
3. Bon Voyage Warf (ボン・ボヤージ波止場) : ⭐⭐⭐⭐
4. Winter Storm Sketch (氷雨月のスケッチ): ⭐⭐⭐⭐
5. Yugata Love(ゆうがたラブ): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
6. Shirakechimauze(しらけちまうぜ) : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
7. Meteor City (流星都市): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
8. Tsurube Ito(つるべ糸): ⭐⭐⭐
9. Furaibo (ふうらい坊): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

THE VERDICT: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Most city pop records have a big city aesthetic to them however, HORO's unique blend of folk, blues & R&B gives the record a down-home feel to it. Instead of New York or LA, Kosaka takes us on a tour through an old coastal town, possibly Burbon Street in Louisiana. Kosaka himself has a great bluesy voice that lends well to the roots feel of the music. The added string arrangements in certain songs add a layer of Philidelphia-soul to put a bowtie on an otherwise grittier sound.

The titular song HORO is a funky rhythm & blues number that sets the mood for the album. Songs like Kikansha & Tsurube Ito still retain much of Kosaka's folk roots while leaning into a bit of blues & gospel music with the organ. Kikansha in particular shows up in Kosaka's first 2 albums and progressively gets more bluesy with each recording. Bon Voyage Warf shifts gears into full-on soul with a jazzy beat set to the ticking of a clock. While not derivative of it, the song creates a vibe very similar to Otis Redding's Sitting On The Dock of the Bay, it's a quiet song that makes you feel self-reflective while staring out into the ocean. Yougata Love takes you to church as it dives deeper into the funk side of things and mixes it with a little gospel with the funky organ and the upbeat chorus break down. Songs like Shirakechimause and Meteor City bring us closer to that contemporary City Pop sound with an uptempo strut, a light-hearted chorus, and funky guitar riffs. Winter Storm Sketch and Furaibo are excellent renditions of Happy End classics, Winter Sketch Storm in particular have a great honky tonk vibe to it.

Overall Chu Kosaka's HORO stands out as a bluesy City Pop album that provides more of a down-to-earth sound than most other records and is easily Chu Kosaka's best album up to this point. The best part is that we have the choice of the original and the remake he did in 2010. HORO 2010 is definitely its own experience since we get to hear an older more seasoned Kosaka sing classic tracks that have been remastered for the 21st century. You won't go wrong with either choice.

Caramel Mama by Tin Pan Alley - 1975

Some of the most influential bands are the ones that work behind the scenes. They are usually in the form of session musicians but they're so reliable that multiple artists end up relying on them for their services. In the American 60s, we had groups like the Wrecking Crew & The Funk Brothers, and in the 80s you had Toto. Meanwhile, in Japan, one music group would end up fulfilling this role as the "first-call gang", whose sound was so unique it would serve the foundation of modern Japanese music.

Tin Pan Alley was one of the most important bands in Japanese history. Their mastery of American-style production would help define genres like New Music and City Pop, and by extension, brought Japanese music into the modern era. After the breakup of legendary rock band Happy End in 1973, bassist Haruomi Hosono (細野晴臣) went to record his solo album from his own residence in Iruma, Saitama Prefecture. He brought with him fellow guitarist Shigeru Suzuki (鈴木茂), alongside drummer Tatsuo Hayashi (林立夫), & keyboard player Masataka Matsutoya (松任谷正隆) from the folk band Four Joe Half (A Japanese pun that translates to Yojohan/四畳半). After recording Hosono's album they decided to stick together and provide sound production for other records, thus forming the band Caramel Mama. The name Caramel Mama originated from the Japanese slang term referring to overzealous conservative mothers who would invade college campuses to dissuade young people from joining protest movements using sweets and treats... We can assume that they named their band ironically.

Tin Pan Alley was the driving force behind the New Music scene in the 1970s. After the dissolution of the influential rock band Happy End in 1973, bassist Haruomi Hosono (細野晴臣) began working on his solo album, Hosono House, which would be recorded from his own home in the city of Iruma, Saitama Prefecture. He recruited former Happy End guitarist Shigeru Suzuki (鈴木茂) alongside drummer Tatsuo Hayashi (林立夫), & keyboard player Masataka Matsutoya (松任谷正隆) from the folk band Four Joe Half. Together they would go on to form a band originally conceived under the name Caramel Mama, a slang term from that era that referred to overzealous conservative Japanese mothers who were trying to dissuade college students from taking part in the left-wing student movements of that time. It's safe to say they named their band ironically.

Caramel Mama's debut as a backing band was for singer-songwriter Yumi Arai's (荒井由実) debut album, Hikoki Gumo, in 1973. Since then they have been a backing band for almost all of the most influential artists of the 70s, including Yumi Arai, Bread & Butter, Kaze, and many more. In the process, they formed a large collective of like-minded artists, such as Minako Yoshida(吉田美奈子), Hiroshi Sato(佐藤博), Akiko Yano (矢野顕子), & Yoshitaka Minami (南佳孝). The collective eventually was renamed Tin Pan Alley in homage to the collection of music publishers and songwriters in New York City who dominated the popular music of the United States. They became incredibly influential, eventually evolving into the Japanese equivalent of The Wrecking Crew, backing many of the best acts of the '70s until their breakup in 1977. Within that time they've released their own standalone material, which began with their debut record, simply titled, Tin Pan Alley. 

On top of the four core members, Tin Pan Alley took advantage of their huge circle of talent to provide a star-studded production team. Nearly every name that we associate with New Music/City Pop today has participated on this album. On vocals (including backing) alone, we have Hosono, Suzuki, Matsutoya, Yoshitaka Minami, Taeko Ohnuki (大貫妙子), Tatsuro Yamashita (山下達郎), Makoto Kubota (久保田麻琴), Haruko Kuwana (桑名晴子) and her rockstar brother Masahiro Kuwana (桑名正博). Both Takashi Matsumoto (松本隆) and Yumi Arai contribute as lyricists. We also get Akiko Yano on piano, bassist Tsugutoshi Goto (後藤次利), legendary guitarist Masayoshi Takanaka (高中正義), and percussionist Nobuo Saito (斉藤 信男).

THE MUSIC

1. Caramel Rag: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. Chopper's Boogie: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
3. Hadoboirudo Town (はあどぼいるど町): ⭐⭐⭐ 
4. Being on the moon (月にてらされて): ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
5. Choo Choo Gatta Goto '75: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
6. She Is Gone: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
7. The Girl with the Freckles (ソバカスのある少女): ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
8. Jackson: ⭐⭐⭐
9. Yellow Magic Carnival: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
10. Ballade Of Aya: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

THE VERDICT: ⭐⭐⭐

Like many New Music albums of the 70s, Tin Pan Alley serves as a sort of a sampler platter of all the different styles of music they have mastered throughout the years, all combined with the band's signature "Yellow Magic '' production style and Hosono's strange sense of humor. Caramel Rag is a comedic overture featuring a ragtime sound backed by weird sound effects of roosters crowing, alarms ringing, and... bombs dropping? Upbeat funky jam sessions like Chopper's Boogie, highlight their knack for Jazz-rock fusion, with Takanaka's epic style guitar-shredding giving the song a vibe that would fit right in with Jeff Beck's Blow For Blow which came out a year prior. Choo Choo Gatta Goto '75 is a great cover from Hosono's own debut album, Hosono House, taking a folk-rock song and sending it to New Orleans with a much funkier ragtime number. We also get to hear rare instances of Matsutoya's vocal chops in Jackson, a strange funky cover of a country classic by Billy Edd Wheeler. Of course, we also get to hear Hosono's signature exotica sound with tracks like Yellow Magic Carnival and The Girl with the Freckles. The song that sticks out the most to me is She is Gone, with fantastic English lyrics sung by John Yamazaki, and a contemporary soft rock sound reminiscent of Pretzel Logic era Steely Dan.

Overall all of the songs on the album are really good, and truly represent each genre they emulate extremely well while also subverting them in creative ways. However, comparing this to their other work, this certainly isn't their best. With a few exceptions, you won't find anything as iconic as the works they've done for other albums, and many songs on this album would be covered later by their contemporaries to better effect. It's interesting to note that only 2 of the 10 songs (Caramel Rag & Ballad Aya) were produced by all four members, with the rest being solo productions by individual members, which explains why this record feels a bit disjointed compared to their other works. In spite of that, Caramel Mama is a compilation of songs that do a good job of showcasing Tin Pan Alley's versatility, fluidity, and discipline as a band.

*Also shout out again to Japanese study expert Moritz Sommet for his help with research on the band. For more information on Japanese culture, you should follow him on Twitter .*

Super Generation - 1974 ALBUM REVIEW

It's always fascinating when different generations of artists team up to create music. The Beach Boys & The Fat Boys collaborated to cover Wipe Out in 1987, which paired Big Buff's beatboxing skills with the Wilson Bros signature doo-wop harmonies. One of my favorite rap songs, The Dreamer, is a collaboration between Common and Maya Angelou. In 1996, funk pioneer George Clinton released an album with remixes starring various rappers who were influenced by him, including Ice Cube, Busta Rhymes, Coolio, and Digital Underground. All of these multigenerational collaborations give us a perspective on how much musicianship has evolved over the years, while at the same time highlighting what these artists have in common. One of my favorite 70s' albums that accomplishes this is 1974's Super Generation, an album that encapsulates three generations of music through the legacy of 3 Legendary musical acts:

The late & great Ryoichi Hattori ( 服部良一), is one of Japan's most renowned composers, who was responsible for bringing jazz back to Japans' mainstream after World War II. Born in Osaka in1907, Hattori grew up under the influence of a family who loved the performing arts and folk music and demonstrated his own musical talent as early as elementary school. Hattori went on to join the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra in 1926, where he would study under the tutelage of Ukrainian-Russian conductor, Emmanuel Metter. In 1936, Ryoichi would become an exclusive composer for Columbia, which is where he would compose many of his most famous songs, including national hit Tokyo Boogie Woogie, originally sung by Shizuko Kasagi (笠置シヅ子), which became the unofficial anthem of postwar Japan. After his passing in 1993, Ryoichi Hattori received the National Honor Award from the Prime Minister of Japan for his contributions to music. 

Izumi Yukimura ( 雪村いづみ ) one of the most iconic superstars of the '50s and was known as one of the "Three Daughters" (San-nin Musume / 三人娘) of Japan alongside popular starlets Hibari Misora (美空ひばり) and Chieni Eri（江利チエミ). Born Tomoko Asahina, Izumi always grew up in a musical household, with her father being a part of a Hawaiian Band on top of his regular job at a news agency. Unfortunately, after her father had committed suicide when she was only 9, on top of that, her mother's company went bankrupt, which forced Yukimura to drop out of junior high school and set out to support her family herself. Thanks to her father's influence, she showed a desire to become a singer and found her start at a dance hall in Shimbashi called Florida in 1952. Later that year in May, she got a role at the Nichigeki Music Hall in a play as a cigarette girl and then made her professional debut as a singer for which she received her accolades. She made her debut in 1953 with her cover of "Till I Waltz Again with You" by Sid Prosen, which received high praise and sold an amazing 200,000 records. Another famous song by her is the theme song to the Japanese release of Disney's Alice In Wonderland.  Yukimura's fame grew rapidly in the '50s, so much so that she was even called "The Cinderella of the Century". 

After the breakup of the rock band Happy End, bassist Haruomi Hosono (細野晴臣) & guitarist Shigeru Suzuki (鈴木茂) formed a new band called Caramel Mama, alongside drummer Tatsuo Hayashi (林立夫), & keyboard player Masataka Matsutoya (松任谷正隆) from the folk band Four Joe Half. The Band eventually was renamed Tin Pan Alley in homage to the collection of music publishers and songwriters in New York City who dominated the popular music of the United States. They became incredibly influential, eventually evolving into the Japanese equivalent of The Wrecking Crew, backing a majority of the biggest New Music acts of the '70s. Their mastery of American-style production brought Japanese music into the modern era.

Super Generation serves as an homage to the works of the legendary composer, Ryoichi Hattori with the combined efforts of Yukimura's beautiful voice & Caramel Mama's unparalleled musicianship. This album also features Ryoichi's son, Katsuhisa Hattori（服部克久), a renowned compose in his own right, handling orchestral arrangements.

.

THE MUSIC

1. Overture <Hong Kong Nocturne> [序曲<香港夜曲>]: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. Old You [昔のあなた]: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
3. Hey Hey Boogie [ヘイヘイブギー]: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
4. Rumba of Roses [バラのルムバ]: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
5. Ginza Can-Can Woman [銀座カンカン娘]: ⭐⭐⭐
6. Tokyo Boogie-Woogie [東京ブギウギ]: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
7. Chest Pendulum [胸の振り子]: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
8. From A Cup of Coffee [一杯のコーヒーから] ⭐⭐⭐⭐
9. Suzhou Nocturne [蘇州夜曲] ⭐⭐⭐⭐
10. Under The Roof of Tokyo [東京の屋根の下] ⭐⭐⭐

THE VERDICT: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Super Generation is an album that masterfully combines everything that made the songs from a bygone era so good while adding that signature "Yellow Magic" that Tin Pan Alley is famous for. Turning typical 40's & 50s swing & jazz arrangements and adding a layer of modern Funk, Soul, and R&B, breathing a whole new life into it. Tokyo Boogie-Woogie exemplifies this philosophy the most, subverting your expectations with a piano intro filtered through the 50s' vinyl effect, only to surprise you with a funky ragtime experience, ending it off with a clever homage to classic American pop. The Overture does an excellent job of setting up your expectations, starting off with a beautiful string arrangement that goes into a funky lounge session.

Izumi Yukimura Circa' 1978

Hey Hey, Boogie is pure ragtime goodness backed up by a jazzy brass section, and Chest Pendulum is a soulful track with a  very early Motown quality to it. Yukimura's voice also holds up remarkably well compared to how she sounded in the 50s, with a brassy voice that has gotten more sophisticated with age.

Super Generation is a celebration of the evolution of Japanese pop music over the decades. Much like Akira Terao's Reflections, the record benefits from having uniquely Japanese compositions that have been updated thanks to Tin Pan Alley's mastery of Western arrangement and production. Whether you're someone who grew up with these songs or someone who wants to explore vintage Showa-pop beyond City Pop, this album is something that will please everybody.

Skyscraper Heroine by Yoshitaka Minami - 1973

THE HISTORY

There's a lot of conversation on what is considered the birth of city pop. The two most common are Sugar Babe's 1975 album, SONGS, and Happy End's seminal 1972 album, Kazemachi Roman. However, there is one contender that has been brought up recently in the form of the 1973 album, Skyscraper Heroine (摩天楼のヒロイン) by Yoshitaka Minami (南佳孝).

Like many kids from his era, Yoshitaka Minami is a singer-songwriter who, like many youths in his time, grew up with western music thanks to the influence of his older brother & sister. He especially had an affinity for jazz, which would influence most of his singer-songwriter career. After winning 3rd place in the Live Young! singing competition in Fuji TV, he would go on to pursue a solo career.

 In search of a producer for his debut album, Minami teamed up with lyricist and former Happy End drummer, Takashi Matsumoto (松本隆), who at the time was working under the Kaze Toshi agency, headed by his old school friend and Happy End manager, Shinzo Ishiura ( 石浦信三). Together they aimed to create an urban pop album inspired by classic Hollywood movies, to contrast with the oversaturation of folk songs at the time. As Matsumoto himself put it, Skyscraper Heroine takes the cityscape atmosphere from his previous album, Kazemachi Roman, and turns it into a "deformed afterimage". The crew for this album includes the original Tin Pan Alley team as well as bassist Ray O'Hara (小原礼), Taisuke Shindo* on bongos, Takeru Muraoka (村岡建) on sax, Hiroki Komazawa (駒沢裕城) on steel guitar, Masahiro Takekawa (武川雅寛) on violin, and Makoto Yano (矢野誠) on piano & synths. Unfortunately, Matsumoto ended up overtaking much of the production of this album, leaving little room for Minami to express his own creativity. On top of that, the record was not commercially successful, to the point where Kaze Toshi ended up going bankrupt thanks to the cost of the orchestral arrangements. Despite the setbacks, Skyscraper Heroine ended up becoming a cult classic and established Yoshitaka Minami as part of the pantheon of pioneers in City Pop.

THE MUSIC

SIDE A: Hero Side

おいらぎゃんぐだぞ [Oira gyangu dazo / I’m a Gangster]: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

弾丸列車 [Dangan Ressha / Bullet Train]:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

吸血鬼のらぶしいん [Kyūketsuki no ra bushi in / Vampire's Love Scene]: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

ここでひとやすみ [Koko de Hito Yasumi / Here we Take a Break]: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

眠れぬ夜の小夜曲 [Nemurenu Yoru no Sayokyoku / A Serenade on a Sleepless Night]:⭐⭐⭐

勝手にしやがれ [Katte ni Shiyagare / Do it at Your Own Pace]:⭐⭐⭐⭐

                                            SIDE B: Heroine Side

摩天楼のヒロイン [Matenrō no Hiroin / Skyscraper Heroine] : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

夜霧のハイウェイ [Yogiri no Haiuei / Foggy Highway in the Night]: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

春を売った女 [Haru o Utta Onna / The Woman That Sold Spring]: ⭐⭐⭐

ピストル [Pistol]: ⭐⭐⭐

午前七時の悲劇 [Gozen Shichi-ji no Higeki / Tragedy at 7 AM]: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

THE VERDICT ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Skyscraper Heroine was ahead of its time, creating an atmosphere that teleports you to a gothic film noir. Songs like I’m a Gangster and the titular Skyscraper Heroine serve as introductions to our mysterious yet whimsical main characters, the leading man & lady respectfully. While the funky psych-rock grooves of Bullet Train and Foggy Highway in the Night serve to paint the setting of their world; a dark, dangerous, yet exciting cityscape. The latter song even includes the sounds of a car crash to further emphasize the lethality of the city. The album's finale, Tragedy at 7 AM, feels like a depressing Tom Waits piece that brings the entire story to a tragic end. Of course, there are other songs that might not fit into a larger narrative but still hold their own; Vampire's Love Scene for example is a gothic ballroom number shifting between a waltz and a cha-cha that would fit well into a 50’s horror drama. 

The album's consistent tone is thanks to Yoshitaka Minami’s silky smooth crooning voice combined with the record’s unique blend of dark jazz mixed with funk, reggae, & rock to create a sound that's both vintage and refreshing. I would imagine this is what a noir film soundtrack would sound like if it was sung by Bing Crosby and produced by Frank Zappa. Overall, Skyscraper Heroine has to be the most unique and underrated City Pop album of the ’70s. If you’re a fan of city pop but want something that’s not the regular sunshine pop you’re used to, or if you are a fan of that noir aesthetic and want something refreshing, this is the album for you. 

Reflections by Akira Terao - 1981

Eichi Ohtaki's (大瀧 榮一) A Long Vacation is considered one of the most iconic J-Pop albums ever released. It made a big splash when it was released in 1981 as one of the first albums ever released on CD. On top of that, it's considered Ohtaki's greatest work and it influenced many artists that came after and worked under him. Yet somehow, in 1981 it beat out of the number one spot on the Oricon Charts by one particular record; Reflections by Akira Terao. Terao's first album under Toshiba EMI (now known as EMI Music Japan Inc.) was not only the top-selling album of that year but the entire decade in Japan, even beating out Michel Jackson's Thriller! What makes him so special?

        THE HISTORY

Well, Akira Terao (寺尾聰) happens to be a multitalented superstar with a long and varied career as a musician, actor, TV personality, and singer-songwriter.  He started as a bassist with the Group Sounds band, The Savage, in 1965. After group sounds transitioned out of popularity, Terao went solo and released his debut album in 1970 titled Futari no Fuusen ~ Koibito to Issho ni Kiite Kudasai (A Balloon For Two ~ Please Listen Together With A Lover). Later on, he became known for his work in television, most notably as the star detective in the police drama Seibu Keisatsu (西部警察/ "West Division Police") between 1979 and 1982. However, it wouldn't be until 1981 that he would return to the music scene for his second solo album.

For Reflections, all the composition was done by Terao himself while the arrangement was handled by Akira Inoue(井上鑑), who also played keyboards. Lyrics were handled by Masako Arikawa (有川 正沙子) and former Happy End drummer, Takashi Matsumoto (松本隆). Other notable musicians include fusion guitarist Masaki Matsubara (松原正樹), former Tin Pan Alley drummer Tatsuo Hayashi (林 立未), percussionist Nobu Saito(斉藤信男), and alto sax player Hidefumi Toki (土岐英史), who's known for his work on Tatsuro Yamashita's albums. The string arrangement was handled by the Joe Ensemble and the Tomato Strings Group.

During the production of the album, Akira Terao was still extremely busy shooting for Seibu Keisatsu. The photo for the album cover had to be taken in the middle of the studio corridor where he was filming. The word "Love" written with the cigarette lighter was captured using particular lighting and a camera trick that utilized timed closing of the shutters. 

Reflections was released under Toshiba EMI on became the No. 1 album of the year, selling 1.6 million copies. It occupied the No. 1 weekly position from April 13 to June 29. Three songs from the album ranked in the Top 100 Oricon charts. Ruby no Yubiwa was the number 1 single of 1981, garnered 3 prizes at the year-end Japan Record Awards, and earned Terao his invitation to perform at the annual NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen (Red & White Singing Contest). It was also used in various TV commercials, most notably for Yokohama Tires. Shadow City was the second single to make the Oricon charts at number 19, and the 3rd, Sasurai, came at number 47.

THE MUSIC

• 
  Habana Express: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• The opening number is a high-tempo, tropical disco track with some cool synths and funky guitars.
• 渚のカンパリ・ソーダ (Nagisa no Campari Soda) | Campari Soda on the Beach: ⭐⭐⭐
• A typical 60s surf rock-inspired track about hanging out with your girlfriend at the beach.
• 喜望峰 (Kibō-hō/Cape of Good Hope): ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• A mellow reggae-inspired groove sprinkled with smooth, yacht rock guitar riffs.
• 二季物語 (Niki Monogatari / Story of two Seasons): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• The longest track on the album, but still one of the most memorable as the melody is tied to the theme of the song. Its starts off as a slow ballad, complete with somber violins and a trumpet solo. Then in the second half, the tempo shifts into an upbeat strut with some bluesy piano playing and smooth sax playing spread throughout.
• ルビーの指環 (Ruby no Yubiwa/ Ruby Ring): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• A quintessential  AOR track with a very Japanese melody that tells the story of a broken relationship, with the man crying over his ex's ruby ring which she had returned to him. 
• Shadow City: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• An urban lullaby with a cool bossa nova-influenced melody, featuring a very relaxing acoustic guitar juxtaposed against more energetic electric guitar riffs. 
• 予期せぬ出来事 (Yokisenu Dekigoto / Unexpected Event): ⭐⭐⭐
• A much brighter sounding track on the record. Featuring a funky bassline and a jazzy female backing chorus.
• ダイヤルM (Dial M): ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• An upbeat soft rock track with jazzy flutes and groovy synthesizers influenced by Latin dance rhythms.
• 北ウィング (Kita Wing): ⭐⭐⭐⭐
•  A bluesy rock ballad about a broken-hearted man watching as his former lover flys away from him at the airport.
• 出航 Sasurai (Shukkou-Sasurai / Leaving Port, Wandering): ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Another bluesy ballad with more dreamy synths and a soothing string arrangement. 

THE VERDICT 

I remember reading an article written by kayokyoku expert, J-Cannuck, who had mentioned that Reflections is quite possibly the most Japanese-sounding City Pop album. I didn't quite understand the statement at first, considering, that most if not all City Pop are Japanese, to begin with. But coming back to this album after experiencing a vast amount of different Japanese music, I finally understand. While the arrangements are definitely very Westcoast AOR, there's plenty of melodic guitar riffs, smooth baselines, with the occasional sax solo. 

The actual compositions, with the exception of the 2nd track, are much more akin to the likes of Mood Kayo, which was the dominant form of popular music back in the 50s & 60s, and has roots in enka and Latin rhythms (bossa nova, samba, and salsa). I think that might be a big reason why Reflections was such a hit, it was able to appeal to a generation who grew up listening to artists like Frank Nagai, while still having a more modern, urban contemporary feel. As a result of its Mood-kayo influence, the album has an overall somber feel to it with every song either being about heartbreak or memories of past love. Terao's smooth deep voice really helps cement the melancholy and sophisticated feel of this album. 

City Pop and J-AOR is something that already benefits from the novelty of being wester style music sung in Japanese, but Reflections is unique in that it is a City Pop album that still retains a strong Japanese influence, which I think sets it apart from most of its contemporaries. I think City Pop fans who are looking for something drastically different from what they are used to will find Akira Terao's Reflections extremely satisfying to listen to. 

Sunshower by Taeko Ohnuki -1977

Taeko Ohnuki (大貫 妙子),  born November 28, 1953, is a female Japanese pop singer, lyricist, and composer. She got her official start in the music industry as part of the pioneering band Sugar Babe in 1975, alongside fellow singer-songwriters, Tatsuro Yamashita (山下達郎), and Kunio Muramatsu(村松邦男). After the failure of their first and only album, the band broke up and the trio went their own separate ways to find their individual musical identities. Yamashita's journey would take him to New York, to produce his debut album Circus Town, establishing him as Japan's next soul-brother. Muramatsu wouldn't get his next solo album until 1983's Green Water, where he went the pop-rock route. However, Taeko Ohnuki would find her musical voice in her second album released in 1977, Sunshower. 

THE HISTORY

After the breakup of Sugar Babe in 1976, Ohnuki had moved on to Crown Records, under the Panam label,  specialized in releasing folk and New Music (precursor to city pop) records. She released Grey Skies that same year, however, it was mostly an extension of the sound produced by Sugar Babe, as it features many of their unused songs. For her next album, Ohnuki wanted to focus on creating a jazz-fusion sound, which was starting to gain traction in Japan during that time. 

 In order to accomplish this, the album features some major players in the genre. Then up-and-coming session musician, Ryuichi Sakamoto (坂本 龍一), was chosen as the arranger for the album. On bass, the album features Harry Hosono (細野晴臣) and Tsugutoshi Gotō (後藤 次利). On guitar, there's Shigeru Suzuki (鈴木茂), Koichi Hara (原浩一), Kenji Omura (大村憲司), and Kazumi Watanabe (渡辺 香津美). On drums, they got Tatsuo Hayashi (林立夫) as well as American musician Christopher Parker, from the band Stuff, who they met after watching their performance at the Rolling Coconut Review in Tokyo. Even Ohnuki's old band member, Tatsuro Yamashita, provides backing vocals for the album.

Apparently, the record company did not have much faith in Ohnuki's project or new direction. But, with the help and support of Sakamoto, she persisted to go all out on this album, drawing influences from artists like Stevie Wonder and Todd Rundgren, combining it with her personal life experiences growing up in the Suginami Ward of Tokyo, to create catchy but introspective songs. Sunshower was released on July 25th, 1977, and compared to her first album, sales were lackluster. However, that didn't stop the album from being recognized as a J-Pop classic in the coming decades.

THE MUSIC

Side A

• Summer Connection: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Sunshine Pop in its purest form. A jazzy, uplifting track with cheerful horns, groovy bass, and an uplifting string arrangement, celebrating the season of the sun. The single cut of this song has a faster tempo and more lively drums.

• Kusuri wo Takusan (くすりをたくさん)| A Lot of Medicine: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
•  A song that criticized the over-prescription of medicine, which is surprising when you consider how upbeat and cheerful it is, with its joyful flute playing against a mellow samba beat. 

• Nani mo Iranai (何もいらない) | I don't need anything: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
•  The song begins with some ominous violins, followed by a deep bass drop to set the tone of this soulful tune about rejecting the environment around you and wanting to escape. The highlight of this song is again the groovy bassline and the classy smooth jazz guitar solo.

• Tokai (都会) | City: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
•  A breezy melancholy track about feeling trapped in the mundane cycle of city living. Another mellow smooth jazz arrangement featuring highlights like the stellar synthesizer solo, smooth saxophone, and the ethereal, occasionally eerie backing vocals.

• Karappo no Isu (からっぽの椅子) | Empty Chair: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
•   A sad & bluesy jazz ballad about being overcome with loneliness. This song was originally part of Sugar Babe's repertoire and was sung at their final concert in 1976.  

Side B

• Law Of Nature: ⭐⭐⭐
• A soft rock composition inspired by Todd Rundgren's Utopia that explores Man's relationship with mother nature.

• Dare no Tameni (誰のために) | For Whom: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Another Latin influenced track about vulnerability and marginalization through lack of prestige. 

• Silent Screamer: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
•  This song is about the desire to escape, too and it's strong that an image of driving a car at a breakneck speed. According to Ohnuki, back then, the energy was quite full and at least in the music, she wanted to run wild.

• Sargasso Sea: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• The unique space age-ambient theme of the mystical Sargasso Sea. The creative use of synthesizers and short piano melodies, help create a futuristic, yet nautical atmosphere of wanderlust.

• Furiko no Yagi (振子の山羊) | Pendulum of Capricorn: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• The finale composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto begins with a symphonic intro, that leads into a progressive jazz-rock ballad where Ohnuki's ghostly vocals describe the end of days for humankind and its eventual reincarnation. The song ends on a funky piano breakdown, accompanied by an epic, bluesy guitar solo as the song fades out until the final thing heard is Ohnuki stating "山羊は その枝を食べた /The goat ate the branch". 

THE VERDICT

Production: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Vocals:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Arrangement:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Aesthetic:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Memorability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Composition:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wow...just wow. After not hearing the full album in years, this blew me away. Taeko Ohnuki did a superb job of establishing her music identity. Sunshower perfectly balances progressive-pop, art rock, and jazz fusion. Each song is extremely unique and memorable and is arranged in a way that explores different sounds without going too far out of the easy listening territory. The most deviating song in the album is the Sargasso Sea since it's more of a psychedelic ambiance techno piece than anything, but it's still soothing enough to put you ina meditative state. My favorite track being Tokai, with its mellow and somber melody, combine with its anti-metropolitan lyrics, provides a listening experience that's not unlike Marvin Gaye's Innercity Blues, but retains its own identity. 

This brings up an astonishing realization; this is the most anti-city city pop album I've ever heard! Most of the songs are cover the societal problems that come with living in the streets in Tokyo, from over-medication to depression, to obligatory social status, to more heavy topics like man's relationship with nature and existential dread. Yet it's all wrapped in soothing melodies with jazzy pianos, melodic guitar solos, mesmerizing backing vocals, and psychedelic synthesizers. On top of that, Ohnuki's soft, innocent, and ethereal voice really makes you forget that she's singing about the end of all existence by the end of the record. It all starts to make sense when you learn about Taeko Ohnuki's upbringing in Tokyo, and how the post-war economic boom shaped her struggles surviving in the constantly evolving metropolis. I'm pretty confident that Summer Connection is the only happy song on the album, which isn't a bad thing since, despite the lyrical tone shift, the album retains the same breezy and whimsical vibe established by the opening number.

I'm a firm believer that Taeko Ohnuki's Sunshower is one of the rare perfect albums. While I personally think her next album, Mignone, is more approachable, I can't deny that this record is where Ohnuki's creativity was at its peak. Some songs might not be for everyone, but production is solid enough where you leave each song with something worthwhile to talk about, be it the unique and jazzy arrangements or the topical lyrics. Whether you're a fan of City Pop, Jazz, Prog, or Art Rock, Sunshower is a must-have in everyone's record collection.