Sing Like Talking -- Hope II

 

Some personal tensions involving common business sense came up earlier today which I have to tamp down, but it looks like it's not going to end up too badly since there was a mistake on the other end as well. But what usually happens when my craw begins to heat up, though, is that I really focus on my work and then try to find something soothing to watch or listen to.

Apple link

(excerpt only)

This particular song definitely helps. "Hope II" was the coupling song for Sing Like Talking's June 1989 3rd single "City on My Mind", and it was also placed onto the band's 2nd album of the same title which was released a month after. Created by SLT members Chikuzen Sato（佐藤竹善）and Chiaki Fujita（藤田千章）, the song has that characteristic sound and Sato's wonderful vocal style which have kept me enthralled all these years. The keyboard work just sounds like flowing water in a brook. 

I'd say that there is something especially TOTO-esque about "Hope II" and it's no wonder that whenever I used to see their notices on the CD shelves in places like Tower Records and Yamano Music, they were often referred to as the Kings of AOR.