During yesterday's edition of NHK's "Asaichi"（あさイチ）morning information variety program, there was a segment spearheaded by a music journalist touting this new Japanese awards show called "Music Awards Japan" which will be aired on May 21st and 22nd via YouTube and NHK from Kyoto. Looks like the producers are throwing everything in, including the kitchen sink, as the awards seem to cover a very wide area including prizes given for the most popular Japanese song in certain zones such as North America and Asia. And it's not just space but also time, as I've seen Miki Matsubara's（松原みき）1979 "Mayonaka no Door"（真夜中のドアー）nominated twice!
The journalist also introduced a few relatively new faces including a duo called Rikon Densetsu（離婚伝説...Divorce Legend） that's been labeled as a band into pop and R&B on J-Wiki, although it's been nominated in the Alternative Rock category on Music Awards Japan. Of course, the first thing to hit me was how the heck Ayumu Matsuda（松田歩）and Jun Beppu（別府純）came up with that name. Well, according to the J-Wiki article on them, they got it from the Japanese title for Marvin Gaye's December 1978 album "Here, My Dear". OK, fine.
What's not in doubt is the song by them that was playing on "Asaichi" along with its music video. "Ai ga Issou Mellow" (Love is More Mellow) is Rikon Densetsu's debut single from August 2022. What struck me about it is how nostalgically funky and groovy it comes across as if some of us City Pop or New Music fans were getting a pleasant injection of Sugar Babe in the 2020s. Even the cinematography of the music video where Matsuda and Beppu are acting as environmental rescuers has this warm and slightly golden glow of yesteryear. Meanwhile, the lyrics are talking about someone's continued pangs of love for another who's not quite on board with the program. Maybe it's an update of Charlie Brown and the Red-Haired Girl.
As of this date, Rikon Densetsu have released 11 singles, an EP and a full album. In any case, my good wishes go out to the duo and all the best for this newfangled awards show.
Rikon Densetsu seems to dress for the part, too! I have noticed that sometimes they wear, for lack of a better term, "retro clothing," creating an image that goes along with their music that seamlessly fuses modern sensibilities with a blast from the past into a triumphant, eloquent symphony. By they way I am happy to learn that Miki Matsubara's（松原みき）1979 "Mayonaka no Door"（真夜中のドアー）has been nominated twice as it was great in its time as recently has been inspiring the minds of new generation and one outside of Japan.
ReplyDeleteNever a bad thing some of the retro come in once in a while into pop music. Could be interesting to see whether Matsubara posthumously wins at least one award.
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