Akiko Kobayashi -- My Precious Friend

 

It's always nice to have an Akiko Kobayashi（小林明子）song on board after so long especially during these trying times. Her creamy voice and the oh-so-mellow arrangements can offer some aural relaxation.

Back in 2014, I wrote about her September 1989 album "Bon Voyage" first via the track "Perfect Love" and then the album itself some months later. As I said back then, "Bon Voyage" had this sensation of a new fresh beginning for the pop singer-songwriter, and the cover illustrated that with her posing on some precipice and looking out at the invitingly bright blue sky. Of course, with that title there, I easily thought of ocean cruises which is why I put up the photo of that afternoon view from the Odyssey of the Seas that we took back in 2017.

I'm finally happy that I could put up the first track from "Bon Voyage", "My Precious Friend". There is a sense from Reiko Yukawa's（湯川れい子）lyrics that the lady here is actually off on a cruise to gather her thoughts after a romantic breakup. If I did read them correctly, she and he have downgraded their relationship back to best friends from a romantic couple. Although "My Precious Friend" is very much a J-Pop song, the theme is rather reminiscent of that kayo trope of going on a trip to forget about a failed romance.

However, as Kobayashi's breezy melody makes clear, there is nothing maudlin at all about this post-breakup voyage. In fact, it's all very bright and hopeful as the woman in the lyrics feels that everything is back on the right track. "My Precious Friend" is a great track to start "Bon Voyage" with that just-as-bright keyboard play, the guitar solo and of course, Kobayashi's warm and honeyed vocals.