Hiroshi Narumi -- Oyasumi（おやすみ）

 

Around a month ago, I highlighted the late Hiroshi Narumi's（鳴海寛）"Ame Agari"（雨あがり）which first got onto his 2017 album "Boku wa Uta Tsukuri (Early Works 1975-1978)"（僕は詩つくり...I am a Writer of Songs）, although it was obvious that the recording had been done many years earlier. The song also got onto his 2022  "Around the Thru Traffic".

Well, it looks like the same is true with another song, "Oyasumi" (Good Night). Despite the title, Narumi's melody seems to be reflecting a fun night in progress in downtown Tokyo, including some welcome brassiness. Starting off with some mighty fine funky licks, his vocals seem to fly right up into the stratosphere while the arrangement including the chorus reminds me more of the City Pop of the 1970s rather than anything in the 21st century. The title aside, it is indeed a good night for listeners and urban hedonists.