Junko Yagami -- Communication (Album)

Y'know...I always look at that cover and wonder who Junko Yagami（八神純子）ticked off to deserve the RACK. Medieval torture aside, I was glad to finally get my hands on her 8th album, "Communication", from February 1985. A few years ago, I rather despaired that there was a whole chunk of her 80s discography that had no longer been available, and "Communication" was one of those albums. There seemed to have been a lack of communication (har de har har) between the record company and Junko fans. Happily, several months ago, I got word from one of the commenters that some of that chunk was back on the market. I didn't hesitate and got the album for Xmas.

I've already profiled three of the tracks from "Communication": the fun and brisk "Cashmere no Hohoemi" （カシミヤのほほえみ）, the funky lead track "Imagination" and the wistful "1984 ~ Seireki Ni-Sen-nen ni Mukatte"（西暦2000年に向けて）. The first Junko Yagami album that I had ever purchased was her October 1986 "Ya Ga Mania"（ヤガマニア）via audiotape at Wah Yueh back in my university days, and I had to search all over the cover for that one since I had wanted to make sure that it was indeed the same Junko who had come up with all those Latin-based kayo that I first heard on "Sounds of Japan" on the radio. Her sound on "Ya Ga Mania" was completely different.

And I think that distinct sound started with "Communication" which was Yagami's final album to break through into the Top 10 by peaking at No. 9. She was making another change in her approach and from the three songs that I've just mentioned above, the singer-songwriter with the golden voice was transitioning from the City Pop of Japan to a more West Coast R&B of America. "Imagination" was quite the booming announcement of this new way. Unless specified, the songs were written and composed by Yagami.

Produced by J.J. Stanley (who would marry Yagami the following year), listening to the tracks on "Communication", I got the distinct impression that a lot of the tracks would be quite comfortable on some soundtrack for an 80s action-adventure film. Track 2 "Cheater"（チーター）has got that feeling as I imagine Sly or Arnie driving in an open sports car down a Los Angeles highway, although the lyrics highlight a very conflicted young woman. "Cheater" was also released as a single in January of that year.

The title track, "Communication", written and composed by Stanley, has Yagami singing wholly in English, and kinda strikes me as having a bit of that Dazz Band beat. L.A. truly beckons. Just the way the singer plums out the word "love" in one part of "Communication" impressed me that she must have really enjoyed getting this one recorded especially.

"Miss D.J" is perhaps Yagami having her Donald Fagen "The Nightfly" moment. According to the liner notes from the album, the singer had created this track in tribute to her junior high school days when she used to listen to the female radio DJ spinning out the songs and even handling some of those lovelorn questions on air. It's a lovely remembrance in music and it's arranged as if the song was the DJ herself gently carrying the listener into fresh new atmosphere.

My last track from the original album is "Donna Shudan Tsukattemo"（どんな手段使っても...Whatever Means You Use）, a song that Yagami mentions as where she got into a bit of a rut about how to arrange it. There seems to be some more bells and whistles attached to this one in terms of production, and although her lyrics talk about a fellow getting pretty obsessed about his girlfriend, I think the title could even refer to the means needed to complete the song. I mean, the song works out but I did get that slight "flying-by-the-seat-of-your-pants" feeling with this one.

My purchase of "Communication" was of the 2012 issue so there are three new tracks added: a couple of karaoke versions for the title track and "Cheater", plus the Extended Club Mix for "Communication" as shown above.

I'm glad that I finally got "Communication" the album at last as another starting point in Yagami's long career. Just as much as Anri's（杏里）1988 "Boogie Woogie Mainland" heralded a shift in tone for that singer's brand of urban contemporary from one side of the Pacific to the other, the same thing happened for Yagami when it came to this album. Another comparison can be made directly between "Communication" and "Boogie Woogie Mainland". Whereas the latter album can be thought of as Anri's party on Venice Beach under the bright rays of the sun, the former album has Junko's party taking place some kilometres away in a Los Angeles nightclub dappled in strobe and neon.