Gold Digger~ With True Love~ by Toshiki Kadomatsu 1985

Following the momentum of the success After 5 Clash brought him, Toshiki Kadomatsu (角松敏生) buckled down to further develop his nighttime pop sound inspired by The New York clubbing scene with the release of 1985's Gold Digger~ With True Love~.  To accomplish his vision, Kadomatsu would co-produce this album with  Michael Brauer, a veteran music engineer who's worked with everyone from James Brown to Aerosmith. The album had a bigger emphasis on hip shop elements such as rap, spinning, and scratching, which were all relatively new to the Japanese pop scene at the time. The only other Japanese hip-hop-oriented album at that point was Motoharu Sano's Visitors in 1984. The record also featured talented musicians like the drumming legend Yogi Horton,  saxophonist Jake H. Concepcion, bassist Tomohito Aoki, and backing vocals by city pop singers Noriko Miyamoto and Yurie Kokubu. Gold Digger ended up being his first album to rank in the top 10 of the Oricon album charts.  

THE MUSIC

1. I Can't Stop The Night  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. Springin' Night  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
3. Move Your Hips All Night Long  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
4. Secret Lover ⭐⭐⭐⭐
5. Melody For You ⭐⭐⭐⭐
6. Tokyo Tower ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
7. Prajñā (Violence In The Subway) ⭐⭐⭐ 
8.  Mermaid Princess ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
9.  It's Too Late ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
10.  No End Summer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

THE VERDICT

Kadomatsu upped the ante so much that comparing Gold Digger to his previous album, After 5 Clash, is like comparing A New Hope to Empire Strikes Back. Everything you loved about the first entry has been taken up to 11 with an edgier tone. Right off the bat, the record opens up with a woman walking into her significant other cheating on her, and promptly shooting him! A far cry from the sparkly opening guitar riffs we're used to hearing. I can't even think of a Rap album that begins so abruptly! Kadomatsu is basically letting us know that this is the type of party where you boogie like there's no tomorrow, and it definitely delivers with a frontload of consistent bangers, from the hedonistic opening track I Can't Stop the Night, to the funky and bouncy horn section in Springin' Night, to the sexy rocking of Move Your Hips All Night Long. There's definitely a heavier emphasis on hip-hop in this album with various record scratching and scrubbing littered throughout. Secret Lover takes cues from Austrian singer FALCO's hit single "Rock Me Amadeus" and Tokyo Tower features rap verses by Shahiem from the obscure hip-hop group The Infinity Rappers. There's also room for some more familiar City Pop territory, Mermaid Princess is easily one of Toshiki's best ballads, and the closing song, No End Summer is a quintessential nostalgic summer pop tune on par with anything from Tatsuro Yamashita's Big Wave album. Whether you're on the dance floor, or reminiscing at the beach,  Gold Digger~ With True Love~  Toshiki Kadomatsu at his peak in terms of pop music.   

ALBUM REVIEW: After 5 Clash by Toshiki Kadomatsu -1984

Even though they share many musical similarities, City Pop artists tend to specialize in their own particular themes. If you want good summer-themed music, then you listen to Tatsuro Yamashita (山下達郎) or Kiyotaka Sugiyama (杉山清貴). If you want New Wave or Euro-style pop, then your best bets are Taeko Ohnuki (大貫妙子) and Yukihiro Takahashi (高橋幸宏). However, if "City Nightlife'' was its own genre of music, you can bet that Toshiki Kadomatsu (角松敏生) would be your go-to man, and his most defining record would be After 5 Clash, a disco/boogie album that would be the catalysts to help Kadomatsu define his music aesthetic

THE HISTORY

After producing some music for pop singer Anri (杏里), and releasing his 3rd album, Off Shore in 1983, Kadomatsu wanted to move away from the over-saturated market of Resort Pop that was released at the time. Wanting to explore a new direction, he took inspiration from the then-current club scene of New York and created his first 12-inch single “Do You Wanna Dance” that same year in October. A funky synth-pop disco tune with a heavier emphasis on metropolitan nightlife. His next two albums took on more of this sound, the first of which being After 5 Clash in 1984.

Some notable session musicians in this record include Hiroshi Satoh (佐藤博), and Jun Satoh (佐藤 準) both on Keyboards. There's also composer Ken Muramatsu (村松健), who handles both the piano and synthesizers. Not surprisingly, the ever-present Jake H. Concepcion appears on this record to provide his signature spicy sax solos. Some notable voices are featured on the album as well, Eiji Nakahara and R&B singer Noriko Miyamoto（宮本典子）appear in the rapping portion, (yes there is rapping although it's not as bad as you expect). Kadomatsu, Keiko Toh, the sister trio Eve, and idol singer Yurie Kokubu（国分友里恵）provided the chorus. However the MVP of this album is clearly the bassist, Tomohito Aoki (青木智仁) who's been a part of Toshiki's music since '82 and provides some of the grooviest, and most powerful slap bass ever hear on a City Pop album. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2006.

After 5 Clash was released on April 21 in 1984 meeting a moderate commercial success, peaking at No.18 on the Oricon charts before landing at No.54. Despite not being a huge chart-topper, Kadomatsu would keep the ball rolling with his new musical identity. He used the royalties he earned from producing Anri's work to travel to New York City so he can produce his next album, Gold Digger. 

THE MUSIC

1. If You...: The album starts us off with a fade-in of a very familiar guitar riff, and suddenly explodes into a bombastic disco number complete with tight horns and a catchy hook about inviting that special someone to a night of partying. It even features both an awesome saxophone solo and a punchy bass solo.
2. Midnight Girl: A laid-back synthesized yacht rock tune about a guy's encounter with a lovely woman in the back streets, who seems to be tipsy after a fun evening.
3. Airport Lady: A heart-palpitating disco song about someone's crush on a "Chestnut Haired" flight attendant at the airport. 
4. Maybe It's Love Affair: Another yacht rock-inspired track featuring an awesome synth keyboard solo.
5. Will You Wait For Me: The quintessential ballad of the album that masterfully combines mid 80's synths with a 70's R&B-inspired melody, including dramatic piano playing and a surprise guitar solo.
6. 

   Step Into The Light: We get a very deceptive kabuki drum style intro, that leads us into a funk-heavy contemporary boogie with awesome chorus work. There are even various hip-hop elements mixed in, including some very goofy but entertaining  "rapping" by Noriko Miyamoto, Eiji Nakahira & Kadomatsu himself. The song samples the 1983 single by Unique, What I Got is What You Need.
7. After 5 Crash: The (almost) title track of the LP is another bombastic dance number where Toshiki paints the scene of what the big city looks like once the sunsets and the neon lights turn on.
8. Never Touch Again: Another quintessential dance track, this time featuring some cool Zapp & Rogers style talk-box rapping at the end.   
9. 
   I Need You: Another standard ballad, but going off of the more sultry piano playing, definitely more gospel-influenced than the first one. 
10. Heart Dancing (あいらびゅ音頭):  Toshiki goes for an even bigger subversion of expectations by ending the album on a traditionally inspired ondo (folk dance) melody with a jazzy big band arrangement, that surprisingly fits together perfectly. The cherry on top is when the song fades out like a slowed-down record, then rewards the listener with the exciting explosion of fireworks.

THE VERDICT⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

After 5 Clash definitely feels like the nighttime version of Timely by Anri, which is appropriate considering both are Kadomatsu productions. So I basically feel the same way about this album that I feel about the latter; it's a really groovy album with cliché songs, but those clichés are wrapped up in such well-crafted and tight arrangements that it's really hard to care. When I listen to songs like If You..., Airport Lady, & I need You, I hear clear inspirations from Yamashita's Sparkle, Loveland Island, & Futari respectively. Although I'll give Toshiki some credit and say that this album has more of its own identity in comparison, you got his signature tight brass section, the ever-present slap bass, plus some awesome and creative synthesizer work thanks to Ken Muramatsu. You can definitely tell that Kadomatsu was paying close attention to the New York music scene in the '80s as many of the songs fit right alongside stuff by the Gap Band, Zapp, and Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam.

I think the biggest fault I can give After 5 Clash is that it overplayed its hand in literally the first song, which (minus 2 songs) gives you everything the whole album has to offer in terms of the arrangement. You can literally switch out the 1st track with After 5 Crash and it wouldn't break the flow of the album at all. Of course, that's not necessarily a bad thing, but it shows how samey some of the songs are. That's another thing, why does After 5 Clash have to share the same track space as Step Into The Light? In order to listen to it, you have to listen through Step Into the Light, which isn't a bad, song, it's one of the more stand out songs in the set despite how corny some of the rap verses are (their pretty short and brief too), but the fact that I can't enjoy either song individually is dumb.

I would say the most stand-out track to me is actually the closer, Heart Dancing, which combines traditional Japanese folk dance music with contemporary New York style big band music, to create a brand new musical experience. It also hearkens back to the type of stuff Eiichi Ohtaki would do in albums like Let's Ondo Again, and Niagara Triangle, but here it's executed to much greater effect.

As a whole, though After 5 Clash is a super fun album to listen to and probably one of the best disco records City Pop has to offer. I'd kill to hear any track from this album while I'm out at the club. Toshiki Kadomatsu made the right call by moving away from the sunny tropical beaches into the neon-lit metropolis, which helped him unlock his true potential as a producer and a musician.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Timely!! by Anri - 1983

All the photography for this album was done in Hawaii 

A few days ago before the time I write this review, Spotify had just released the discography (between 78 and 97) of Japanese pop singer-songwriter Eiko Kawashima (川嶋 栄子), known by her stage name as Anri (杏里), to American audiences. At this point in time, Anri has released 40+ albums in her career, but the one that made her famous thanks to the internet is without a doubt her 1983 magnum opus, Timely!!

THE HISTORY

Timely!! is Anri's sixth original album released on December 5, 1983, by Four Life Records. It's a significant album for a few reasons, first and foremost, it features two of her most iconic singles. The 1st song Cat's Eye was used as the first opening theme for the eponymous 1983 anime series Cat's Eye. The original TV version is much different than the album version, going for the more generic synth-pop route. Anri actually didn't even like singing the song at first, understandably so, seeing how she felt being an adult contemporary artist, singing a theme to an anime, during a time when it was still considered "just for kids", was beneath her. But it ended up being a hit, debuting as #1 on Countdown Japan and holding the #1 spot on the Oricon chart for 4 weeks straight (think Billboard top 20). There's also her second single, 悲しみがとまらない (I Can't Stop the Loneliness), which while not surpassing Cat's Eye in popularity or sales, only making it to #4, became a standard hit for Anri nonetheless, becoming a popular song for live shows.

The 1983 Anime Cat's Eye

The album also features two of the most influential composers of the 80s, with Toshiki Kadomatsu (角松敏生) as the lead producer, with assistance from composer & arranger Tetsuji Hayashi (林哲司). The album also features other significant musicians like keyboardist Jun Sato (佐藤 準), fusion guitarist Masaki Matsubara (松原正樹), along with fellow female singers, Yurie Kokubu (国分友里恵) and the sister trio Eve (イヴ) on backing vocals. 

Timely!! ended up becoming Anri's first album to make it on the Oricon charts, earning her an appearance at the Red and White New Year's Music Special at the end of that same year.

THE MUSIC

1. Cat's Eye: First thing I should point out, is that comparing the Anime version of the song and the album version is like Night & Day. Toshiki goes full force on the big band disco arrangement, completely blowing the original out of the water! From the tight brass to the powerful slap bass. It even has a little bit of voice acting/role-play from the titular Cat's Eye thieves to give the song that "image" touch.
2. Windy Summer: One of the many iconic City Pop anthems, it's the perfect blend of Tatsuro Yamashita's summertime vibe, combined with Kadomatsu's signature cool/hip-pop sensibilities. 
3. Stay By Me: Another groovy beach-friendly dance tune, with the added dash of yacht rock with Masaki Matsubara's guitar solo near the end.
4. A Hope From Sad Street: Another funky uptempo number with some awesome Doo-Wop style vocals that feel right at home with EPO's style of music. Featuring dreamy synthesizer work by Keishi Urata(浦田恵司).
5. You Are Not Alone: An R&B ballad Written by Chinfa Kan（康珍化）and composed by Tetsuji Hayashi, which you can tell by his signature AOR flugelhorn arrangements.
6. 悲しみがとまらない - I Can't Stop the Loneliness: A sad song about a missed opportunity of love set to an upbeat disco arrangement that hearkens back to the '70s. Anri channels her inner idol with the way she approaches the vocals.
7. Shyness Boy: A groovy disco beat about falling in love with a bashful guy. Complete with a signature 80s sax solo.
8. Lost Love in The Rain: An interesting ballad that blends some Baroque/Chamber Pop style arrangements with a more contemporary AOR sound.
9. Driving My Love: What City Pop album is complete without a driving song? It's probably the most basic song in the LP, but groovy nonetheless.
10. Good Night For You: Starts off with a blues-inspired piano riff, and goes off into a soulful lullaby as Anri gets everyone in a dreamy mood.
11. Remember Summer Days: The true final ending if you have the 2011 remastered version of the album. While Windy Summer represents the beginning of summer, this song hits you with a dose of groovy melancholy, making you long for the summers that have passed. It's the perfect song to warm somebody up while they wait for next year's season in the sun.

THE VERDICT

Production: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Vocals:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Arrangement:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Aesthetic:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Memorability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Composition:⭐⭐⭐⭐

I find it very ironic that they decided to release such a summer-tinged album in December, but that might have been the joke (that's probably what makes this album so timely 😉😉). Perhaps they wanted to give people something they can reminisce about.

Either way Timely!! is a damn fun listen, thanks to Anri's warm ethereal vocals, plus Toshiki Kadomatsu's top-notch production. The whole album is smothered with tight horns, funky bass-lines, and super dreamy back vocals that make it so fun to listen to. But the production is also what makes it so cliché.

This album is the result of when you take Tatsuro Yamashita's For You, and Kadomatsu's Offshore, put it in a blender, and then let Tetsuji Hayashi stick his finger in the mix. It takes tropes that were done by previous albums in the same vein before it without anything new. Case in point, before Toshiki put his magic touch on it, Cat's Eye was just another generic anime theme, and You Are Not Alone has almost the exact same arrangement as the aptly named Alone Again by Omega Tribe, another band produced by Hayashi. But that's not to say it's completely a bad thing, to be fair you can make the case for a lot of City Pop music being cliché, it's just a matter of how well you execute them. The best example being Windy Summer, a clear homage to Yamashita's Sparkle, even down to the guitar riffs, but Toshiki's added arrangements and Anri's lyrics are blended in the perfect way that makes the song feel familiar but fresh.

While not anything groundbreaking, the superb and addicting sound of this album makes Timely!! one of my favorite City Pop albums, and my all-time favorite Anri album. I'd say it's a must-have in anyone's collection, just make sure you get the 2011 reissue that includes the added single, Remember Summer Days, so you have the perfect soundtrack for your next summer beach party.