Anri -- Boogie Woogie Mainland

Anri -- Boogie Woogie Mainland

As I mentioned in a comment to JTM about his fine article on "The Anri", as he was posting it, I was just listening to Anri's（杏里） "Boogie Woogie Mainland", her 12th album released in May 1988. JTM was stating how the singer had wanted to shift from pop idol to a more summery-themed chanteuse and did so in the early 80s, thanks to folks like Sho Kajioka（梶岡勝） and Toshiki Kadomatsu（角松敏生）. Well, for me, the late 80s was another period of change for Anri, and I think "Boogie Woogie Mainland" was the album that perhaps started things off for this third phase in her career. The album that preceded this one was a ballad compilation released in November 1987, "Meditations", and I thought it was well-titled since I felt that this was a final musing or a goodbye on that half-decade period of music which included "Surf City" and "Last Picture Show".

Well, over 6 months later, "Boogie Woogie Mainland" was a further evolution in her music. The summer themes were still there but now there was even more of an importation of American R&B brought into the mix, thanks to Jerry Hey's horn arrangements and Anri's deeper work in the production of her music. The singer took care of the composition of all of the tracks while Yumi Yoshimoto（吉元由美）wrote all of the lyrics and Yasuharu Ogura（小倉泰治） held the reins for the overall arrangement. And it was obvious that Anri wanted to show her love for popular music of the USA. "Boogie Woogie Mainland" takes things from the aerobics studios of Tokyo to places like Venice Beach in LA. As if to march in this new phase, the title track launches things off with a tight snare and percussion as the background chorus of Joey McCoy, Howard Smith, Jon Lind and Sarry Dworsky, and Hey's horns swoop in. The Third Age of Anri roars in like a lion, and makes quite an impact especially since 1988 was the 10th anniversary of her debut single of "Olivia wo Kikinagara"（オリビアを聴きながら）. My old radio program, "Sounds of Japan" even gave me my first taste of the album by devoting one of its shows to it (I would finally buy it several years later).

Another dynamic track is "Saigo no Surf Holiday" （最後のサーフ・ホリデー...The Last Surf Holiday) which is also a tour de force for the brass and disco beat. Every time I hear this and the title track, images of running along the beach and hanging ten are pretty much there by default. One other song that I couldn't find anywhere on the Net which is actually my favourite from "Boogie Woogie Mainland" is "Goodbye Future". It may have a somewhat depressing title but the song itself is anything but. It's a really fun song in which Anri, Hey's horns and the electric guitar fight for top billing. (September 27 2013....guess what I found)

But probably the most famous track from this album is the final one, "Summer Candles", which also served as Anri's 22nd single (peaking at No. 16 on Oricon). It's regularly included in any of her BEST compilations and is most likely a requested tune at her concerts. As the title suggests, this evokes an image of having that final beach party at night to candlelight while romantic couples snuggle under blankets, and it has become a favourite at wedding parties (in 1988, Anri herself got married). The ballad was also the theme song behind a drama "Koibito mo Nureru Machikado Urban Love Story"（恋人も濡れる街角...The Corner Where Even Lovers Get Wet). It makes for a relaxing way to finish off the proceedings of what is mostly an album of high-energy rejuvenation.

"Boogie Woogie Mainland" was able to sell close to 400,000 albums and was the 17th-ranked album of the year, peaking at No. 2 on the Oricon weeklies. And this musical launch pad would go further into her next albums, such as "Circuit of Rainbow" and "Mind Cruisin". Also, both Anri and Yoshimoto would branch out and help other singers such as those who JTM mentioned in his article. An infusion of energy indeed.

For some reason, this reminds me of an old
Toyota commercial.