I've been a fan of Japanese popular music for 40 years, and have managed to collect a lot of material during that time. So I decided I wanted to talk about Showa Era music with like-minded fans. My particular era is the 70s and 80s (thus the "kayo kyoku"). The plus part includes a number of songs and artists from the last 30 years and also the early kayo. So, let's talk about New Music, aidoru, City Pop and enka.
Credits
I would like to give credit where credit is due. Videos are from YouTube and other sources such as NicoNico while Oricon rankings and other information are translated from the Japanese Wikipedia unless noted.
For this final song in this edition of Urban Contemporary Friday on "Kayo Kyoku Plus", I think it's nice to place this one during the evening because of the title, the singer and the arrangement.
A recent commenter for the "If I Had an All-Night Radio Show..." article back in mid-June was quite happy to see Toko Furuuchi's（古内東子）"Dare Yori Suki Nanoni"（誰より好きなのに）on the list of songs that I would put on such a fantasy show, and that person suggested a very recent new song by Furuuchi as being part of the radio show. I would say any of her mid-tempo stuff and ballads can earn a spot in the lineup.
"Mangetsu no Sei ni Shite" (Blame it on the Full Moon) was just released as her latest single only a couple of days ago, and it's another winner. Written and composed by Furuuchi, it has the typical rolling soulful piano that is a regular part of her songs dating back to her early years of the 1990s, and though her voice sounds a tad more brittle in the beginning, it undeniably becomes the same Furuuchi sultriness and smokiness that we've come to expect and enjoy. On September 24th, her 21st album, "Long Story Short", will be released with "Mangetsu no Sei ni Shite" included as the second track. Thanks very much to the commenter for his tip.
I had family over tonight for dinner after which most of us ended up watching the New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox game and the Edmonton Oilers-Florida Panthers Stanley Cup matchup. Drowsing off a bit in my armchair which is something that I tend to do with alarming frequency these nights, I started entertaining one of my fantasies which is wondering how it would be like to be an all-night radio DJ.
"Man, you must have been hitting the Canada Dry pretty hard, J-Canuck!" is probably what a lot of you might be thinking. But yeah, I've always wondered about a career in radio, and not just during the daytime drive time but also in the wee hours of the morning. After all, although I'm not sure whether I have a voice for radio, I certainly have a face for it! Plus, not only have I loved Donald Fagen's classic 1982 album "The Nightfly" as you can see above, I've also loved the cover of Fagen himself dressed up as a 1950s or 1960s disc jockey handling the overnight shift in that tiny room while he's charismatically spinning tales and records between midnight and 6 am.
One reason that I would love to try to give this particularly distinct job a whirl despite the hours is that I've read recently that live overnight radio in North America, at least, has been dead for a long time now (wherever you're reading this, perhaps you can tell me if this is also true in your neck of the woods). Financially speaking and in terms of personnel, I can understand why a radio station manager would cut all ties to all-night radio with a real human being; subscribing to a nationally-provided streaming service from a computer while the lights are all out at the station can save a lot of dough. However, I've also read that there had been DJs in the past who relished the overnight shift because they were a whole lot more free to talk and play their own kind of music and talk with the other all-nighters out there ranging from desperate university students cramming for exams to security guards at their lonely stations. Maybe they could have their own favourite guests or buddies come by to keep them company and nosh on pizza and stuff. As someone who used to man the Tuesday night shift at the International Student Centre at the University of Toronto, I was accustomed to seeing and chatting with all sorts of people who passed by the front desk and enjoyed it most of the time. I could enjoy that too as a DJ perhaps (of course, as long as the station manager was a nice and generous person).
But what would I play? Well, this is something that I was musing about for a long time and the six choices that I have are only a mere fraction of what I would like to play during a stint in the booth. Not surprisingly, it would be a mix of Japanese and non-Japanese music. So, typing this close to 11 pm EDT, here's a sextet of cool-down nighttime music coming up here on WKKP in Toronto. I'd also welcome any contributions by you out there.
It's always nice to hear singer-songwriter Toko Furuuchi（古内東子）. As I've said before, she's about as close to Anita Baker in her Quiet Storm-iness as I've ever heard from a Japanese singer. Of course, I'm also open to any other suggestions from other fans.
And the wonderful thing is that she's celebrating her 30th anniversary in the music business this year with an album that came out earlier in March titled "Hateshinai Koto"（果てしないこと...Something Endless）. One of the tracks is "bare skin" which was composed and written by her, and it does have one foot planted in today but the other foot seems to be back in earlier days when it comes to the arrangement...something very 90s and soulful. "bare skin", about a woman trying to shed her memories of a past romance, begins sounding like straight pop but then almost a minute in, I can hear that cool Furuuchi soul waft in like a refreshing breeze. I can certainly do with a few more singers like her bringing back some of that melodic feeling again after so long.
When I first heard this song some weeks ago, there was that ASMR reaction up my spine since I've always had a soft spot for grand AOR balladry. Some of my examples would be The Eagles'"Desperado", Michael Johnson's"Bluer Than Blue", and on the Japanese side of things, "Kawa no Nagare wo Daite Nemuritai"(川の流れを抱いて眠りたい）by Saburo Tokito (時任三郎）.
The interesting thing is that "Ku-ji kara no Lily" (Lily From Nine O'clock) was also released in the same year as Tokito's ballad, 1981. It's just too bad that there is very little information on the source band Cappuccino（カプチーノ）. In fact, the only data I could find thus far comes from the vocalist's own blog. She identifies herself as singer Chie and in that year of 1981, "Ku-ji kara no Lily" was the band's debut single.
I don't know how it did on the charts, but it's one of those songs for me that has me thinking of a team pulling off a tough job really well and then staring off happily into the sunset since they're now free. Yes, it's Miller Time!🍺 Shunichi Tokura（都倉俊一）made the melody and he also produced the single while Yu Aku（阿久悠）came up with the lyrics that speak of a different scenario. It's wistfully about pining away for Lily, a nighttime piano player in a tiny bar who has seen better days but has to settle for her lonely existence.
I did get some further information from the emcee in the above video (unfortunately that video has been taken down). Found that the vocalist's full name is Chie Sato and she was only a high school senior when she recorded "Ku-ji kara no Lily". Those are some velvety vocals that she possesses.
Soulful chanteuse Toko Furuuchi（古内東子）gave her longer bluesy take on "Ku-ji kara no Lily" as a coupling song for her November 2005 single"Coat wo Katte"（コートを買って...Buy Me A Coat）. It almost sounds like she's taken on the role of Lily herself. Another coupling song on this single is the cheerful "Somewhere in Tokyo".
Ah, yes. Morning at the R&B Hotel right by Otsuka Station on the JR Yamanote Line in Tokyo. I stayed there for most of my time in Japan in October 2017. I don't know about far more seasoned travelers but I've always enjoyed mornings abroad on vacation for some reason. Maybe part of the reason is that while other folks have to rush off to work, I can take my sweet time with things; you know, savor the coffee a bit longer and walk over to the station at a much more leisurely rate.
Some days ago, I had a suggestion from a friend about putting up a certain list as an Author's Pick, but the topic struck me as being a little too difficult for me to even concoct a short list. But then right after, the bulb suddenly glowed above my head and I thought about morning-based tunes. I know that I have written about such songs individually and they all have that similar melody line of hope and renewed energy.
Off the top of my head, then, I have brought over six such tunes including one from America that's especially dear to me.
I know that for most working people, Monday mornings can royally suck eggs. But this calmly arranged "Monday Morning" by folk/City Pop duo Bread & Butter can take the edge off. The feeling is that this title track from their 1980 album may have that specific day of the week title but the overall impression is more of Sunday morning.
Of course, the promise of a sumptuous breakfast or brunch will set off any gastrointestinal alarms so this song by vocal group Circus can help accompany that kitchen scene of prepping Eggs Benedict or a heaping stack of pancakes. "Petit Dejeuner" has that skippy rhythm which can set the pace for poaching those eggs in the boiling water.
Oh, that businessman...always doing his best! I've already mentioned in the Makoto Matsushita（松下誠）article dealing with his 1982 album "The Pressures and the Pleasures" that the whole thing about the snazzy track "Business Man" is the main character getting what needs to be done over the day that always seems to be too short. I think of him enduring the physics-breaking rush hours on the train in the morning and drinking his sole fuel of caffeine. If there were a movie about life in Tokyo, then I highly recommend "Business Man" as the insert song.
When I first wrote the article on Toko Furuuchi's（古内東子）sultry "Asa" (Morning), it was back in June 2012, so very early in the blog's history, and I guess that it was OK back then to write one measly paragraph. Nowadays, ideally, I always try to go for three paragraphs. And since writing about "Asa" over a decade ago, my imagination regarding this appealingly woozy number has expanded a lot. I now think of the song setting the stage for a woman waking up alone, temporarily or permanently, but getting reassured by the sunrise that things will be OK. I always thought a sax solo was more of a nocturnal thing but the late Michael Brecker really makes the morning here.
Morning Musume's（モーニング娘。）"Morning Coffee" is the only non-AOR entry here on the list, but it did hit my head hard when I was thinking up the list earlier today. It was the official 1998 debut single by the original group that probably made quite the splash considering that unusual title. Considering all of the different types of music that Morning Musume in all of its incarnations has tackled over the past quarter century, it seems almost poignant to have the beginning start out as a Beatles-ish guitar pop tune.
6. Al Jarreau -- Mornin' (1983)
As of this writing, the legendary Al Jarreau has already had a couple of his smooth tunes included in KKP as ROY articles, and now I'm adding his "Mornin'" as a special entry here. The song, created by Jarreau, David Foster and Jay Graydon as a single in March 1983, not only sounds like it has to be played in the morning as some aural orange juice (with fresh pulp) but its music video appears like those old cereal commercials. "Mornin'" made it up to No. 2 and No. 3 on the American and Canadian Adult Contemporary charts respectively. It's been over six years since he left us and I still miss him dearly.
Usually when I write up an article on a song dealing with Ginza, it's a Mood Kayo number involving a band such as Los Indios or Los Primos. The lyrics might be dealing with some risky tryst through a swanky nightclub or bar in one of the world's most expensive neighbourhoods in Tokyo while the chorus work and the Latin arrangement sound somewhat wistful and/or mournful.
But "Ginza" by Toko Furuuchi（古内東子）in recording and songwriting is a very contemporary affair although it was released as her 11th single all the way back in January 1998. It's supremely soulful and romantic as would be the case for a Furuuchi song, and it all takes place in a wintry Ginza, perhaps in accordance with the release date, sometime between the Holidays and Valentine's Day. A couple returns to the area for the first time in a long time and the lady goes through a self-assessment of the relationship with her beau. Although she feels that there is always room for improvement, she ultimately believes among the snowflakes that things are pretty A-OK.
I don't know how "Ginza" did on the charts but the song is also available on Furuuchi's 7th original album"Mahou no Te"（魔法の手...Magic Hands） which came out in August 1998. It hit No. 1 on Oricon.
On February 21st 2022...so just a few days after this writing, velvet-voiced singer-songwriter Toko Furuuchi（古内東子）will be releasing her newest album, "Taion, Kodou"（体温、鼓動...Body Temperature, Pulsation）, exactly 29 years following the release of her very first single, "Hayaku Isoide"（はやくいそいで）in 1993. Being the late bloomer that I am, I found out about Furuuchi a few years later when I was living in Chiba-ken and first heard the wonderful ballad of hers, "Dare Yori Suki Nanoni" （誰より好きなのに）in 1996.
I thought it would be nice then to introduce what seems to be the advance single from "Taion, Kodou", "Ugoku Hodou"(Moving Walkway) to finish off Urban Contemporary Friday on KKP on a very elegant note. And after getting those six CD albums just in the last several days, I'm now gritting my teeth at the temptation of getting this album (and a few more) on the strength of "Ugoku Hodou" which was written and composed by Furuuchi.
Just from remembering Furuuchi's songs in the past, "Ugoku Hodou" has that quintessential feeling of AOR and soul. Basically, I see and hear her as someone akin to Anita Baker in the Quiet Storm vein, although I know that their vocals are very different, but this song also incorporates some pleasant and light piano jazz. Plus, that background chorus which helps launch things really sets the relaxing mood.
Furuuchi does have that career 30th anniversary coming up. All my congratulations to her!
Well, I figure that if I've just put up an article connected to Batman earlier this afternoon, then why not give equal time to The Man of Steel?
Now, both "Batdance" and "Superman" by Toko Furuuchi（古内東子）have been given the J-R&B label but that is where the similarities end. Whereas "Batdance" is the epic funkiness by the late Prince, "Superman" is some cool and smooth soul written and composed by Furuuchi.
A track from her March 2004 album"Futsu no Koto"（フツウのこと...The Usual Thing）, "Superman" is an upbeat urban tune about a fellow who feels like Superman himself as he drives the long distance in his jalopy to see his significant other, presumably after a period of time following a disagreement. I can imagine Clark doing the same with Lois although in his case, he obviously doesn't need the mechanical contrivance or even frequent flyer points. Will always appreciate some fine horns in the mix and generally the happy beats. Plus, it's a nice way to close out September in a season where the older Japanese music likes to usually take the melancholy road.
Whaddaya know? I found the Japanese dub of the opening credits for "Adventures of Superman" which was my own first exposure to the superhero as a toddler.
It's been a couple of years since greeting the lovely singer-songwriter Toko Furuuchi（古内東子）once more on the blog, and I'm happy to do so on this Friday evening.
Often has been the time that I've thought that Toko Furuuchi's blend of light soul and pop is so calming that it's nearly therapeutic on whatever stresses listeners may be suffering from. This first track from her October 2008 13th album"In Love Again" is another dose of her medicine.
"Hohaba" (Pace) seems to be about a couple of people who used to be romantically linked but have switched over to friendship although one of the pair may still harbor those stronger feelings. The two people are apparently far from each other now but have maintained some form of contact, and the man or woman who secretly still holds a torch for the other has vowed to maintain support in any shape or form. It's bittersweet and yet it's more palatable than the usual pill to swallow. The ballad can provide for any bad day, though, in my estimation.
As for the album, "In Love Again" managed to reach No. 15 on Oricon. I may have to take out those Furuuchi releases again to peruse.
Although the genre of Quiet Storm has been around since the mid-1970s, I only became aware of it when Anita Baker perked up my ears with "Sweet Love" in 1986. I had assumed that it was a sub-genre within the larger one of R&B, but according to Wikipedia, it's considered to be a "super-genre" enveloping "... contemporary R&B, jazz fusion and pop music that is characterized by understated, mellow dynamics, slow tempos, and relaxed rhythms".
If that is indeed the case, then I would consider City Pop in Japan to be along the same lines since it brings together genres such as soul, disco, jazz, sophisticated pop, etc. Getting back to America, though, Quiet Storm has a lot of singers included such as Sade, Luther Vandross and Smokey Robinson, but for me, I think my ambassador will always remain the divine Ms. Baker.
Various aspects of R&B have popped up within Japanese music over the decades. Of course, there was City Pop in the 70s and 80s, and then the parallel rise of hip-hop and soul in the late 90s going into the 00s. However, I don't think Quiet Storm ever got its representation through a large number of singers and/or groups. Yasuhiro Abe（安部恭弘）is perhaps one crooner who can be considered to be a Quiet Storm singer. As for a band, I often think of Sing Like Talking.
The other one who comes closest in reminding me of Anita Baker is singer-songwriter Toko Furuuchi（古内東子）who is celebrating her 25th anniversary since she released her debut single in 1993. Whenever I want to relax to the sounds of light soul and pop, Furuuchi would be the one to head for. And what better song title than "Daijoubu" (It's Alright) to provide solace?
This was her 10th single which came out in July 1997. I was actually viewing her collection of videos last night on the computer when "Daijoubu" popped up; I had completely forgotten about this one and all of the nostalgia juices started flowing again. Those strings and horns put me quite at ease. Furuuchi may not really get out of a certain range of music (can't really see her tackling rock or straight-ahead pop), but when one of her songs crops up once in a while through a compilation or on YouTube, it's enough for me to sit back and enjoy.
"Daijoubu" was also a track on her 6th album"Koi"（恋...Love） from August 1997. It peaked at No. 2 on the Oricon weeklies. Furuuchi hasn't really released anything since the earlier years of this decade, and it's understandable since she is now enjoying motherhood with her son. But according to her J-Wiki article, she did release a live album and cover album in 2016.
Not sure if it will happen but it would be really nice if an equivalent of a Quiet Storm arrived on Japanese shores. Perhaps one really subtle version has already landed through groups such as microstar, Blue Peppers and Blu-Swing in the past few years.
Initially, I thought the title of this article was going to be one of the most ironic of this year for "Kayo Kyoku Plus" since I'm currently in the Holidays which therefore means a lot more eating. As far as I'm concerned, the engorging began last Tuesday when I met up with some fellow translators at an old restaurant, Marche, close to Union Station. There was the chicken schnitzel on top of rosti potatoes with sour cream as my main course before I had the apple crumble pie for dessert.
Lighter is something that I will not be at the end of the year.
However, I misconstrued the meaning of the title for the lovely...and very svelte...Toko Furuuchi's（古内東子）track on her 3rd album"Hug" from September 1994. The singer-songwriter actually meant the cigarette lighter for this mid-tempo song. Ach...no worries here. It's a nice urban contemporary number that I've always expected from Furuuchi. Came across it earlier this afternoon while I was listening to some of the stuff on NetEase.
"Lighter" is something that I would love to hear in an intimate nightclub like the one above here. Actually, this is the Toko Furuuchi cover band, feve, as uploaded by OKAP1965, taking care of the song. Once again, I do love the saxes.
Better-late-than-never situation here. This song, and the album that it is included in, is now over 20 years old but didn't know about its existence until tonight.
I've known CHAKA and Toko Furuuchi（古内東子）separately as singers with some wonderful voices, the former during her time with PSY-S and the latter during her early career in the 1990s. Never did I think that the two would actually get together for a duet, though. But that is what they did for one track, "Huckleberry Friends", on CHAKA's 2nd solo album"with friends" in 1996.
CHAKA took care of the lyrics while Furuuchi came up with the groovy and relaxed melody in a nice collaboration about two friends sticking with each other through thick and thin. And as the title would suggest, I would say that the pair makes for good buds hanging out with each other on the weekend at a cafe or at a baseball game. The only other surprise is that "Huckleberry Friends" wasn't used as a theme song for a J-Drama or something.
If I had known about this song and album, it would have been up on my shelf for a couple of decades already. Just goes to show that there are still treasures to be found in the Japanese music iceberg.
On the night of Hump Day, it is nice to have something like this ballad to listen to, especially when I actually got hit with a lot of work from earlier this morning...the first time in several weeks, actually. I do like my translating but after several hours, it is also nice to be able to call it a day.
Well, time for some mellowness then. It has been a while since I put up a Toko Furuuchi（古内東子）song so it's great to hear her caramel voice once more. This time around, I'm writing about "OK, OK", a track from her 11th studio album, "Futsu no Koto"（フツウのこと）which was released in March 2004. It's not quite an R&B ballad to me although I feel some soul in there. Furuuchi has created a nice languid pop song for the night.
Furuuchi's lyrics talk about a woman's feelings of regret and sadness after that last big fight with her boyfriend which was punctuated by a slammed car door on her part. The days and nights have passed without any word from him so she's now starting to get worried whether she will ever hear his apparent catchphrase of "OK, OK" again. I wouldn't say that it's a tragic song at all since it's not known what the ultimate fate of the relationship is. It's more melancholy perhaps with a light at the end of the tunnel.
"Futsu no Koto" was able to get as high as No. 45 on Oricon.
I have to give my kudos to the fellow who crafted the video of those city nights in Tokyo and Yokohama. However, I don't think I really needed the abrupt sound effects of the helicopter and the like.
First off, I hope folks in Florida are doing OK considering that media outlets such as CNN are reporting that Hurricane Matthew could be one of the truly horrible storms to hit the area in years. Hurricanes are pretty much non-existent here in my neck of the woods although some of the old-timers still remember Hurricane Hazel from 1955. The only natural calamity that we face on any regular basis is the seasonal snowstorm.
I have to say that I love this video of Shinjuku representing Toko Furuuchi's（古内東子）"10%". East Shinjuku may have its gaudy and seedy side but even the most amateur of photographers (such as myself) can get the good side of the district in Tokyo. It is that photogenic.
And the music for the video is mighty fine as well. "10%" is some nice night music which was written and composed by Furuuchi as a track for her 12th album, "Cashmere Music" from November 2005. The song indeed has that luxurious cashmere feeling, thanks to the music and the singer's silky vocals. Plus the lyrics could describe a scene from any sort of romantic J-drama. It's sung from the man's point of view as he harbors feelings for a woman from a distance (perhaps a friend, a work colleague or an acquaintance) although she is already with another guy. As for the title, it refers to one line in Furuuchi's lyrics where the man states that he will once again hide 10% of his awakening love for the lass. Not sure what hiding a mere 10% will prove, but I digress; it's still a lovely song.
Having been learning the Japanese language for over 40 years, I've been able to gather some insights when it comes to comparing the two written syllabaries used in the language, the rounded hiragana（ひらがな）and the more angular katakana（カタカナ）. Aside from the fact that the former is used to symbolize authentic Japanese vocabulary while the latter represents how Japanese would write or pronounce foreign words, there is a certain emotional quotient that both syllabaries express. To me, hiragana has that softer and exquisite feeling which is perhaps why a number of parents have named their children in hiragana rather than in kanji recently. Meanwhile, katakana, with all of its angles and dagger-like slashes, gives off a harsher, colder and perhaps even more militant vibe.
My so-called "theory" was what I was musing about when I saw the title for Toko Furuuchi's（古内東子）22nd single from November 2003, "Sayonara Aishiteta Hito" (Goodbye to the One I Loved) when I saw its original katakana. By rights, it should be written in a combination of hiragana and kanji so I was kinda wondering whether lyricist and composer Furuuchi had something in mind. Perhaps, Furuuchi wanted to convey bitterness in the parting between former lovers.
(cover version)
Plus, when I heard Furuuchi sing it in the music video at the top, I thought that her delivery was halting as if she were biting off each syllable in anger, frustration and sadness although she still remained her usual lovely svelte self. The lyrics also expressed that the breakup was either not totally mutual or not totally unregretted on the side of the woman. But despite the unfortunate story being told in "Sayonara Aishiteta Hito", the music is that cool wonderful R&B that I have come to enjoy from the singer-songwriter.
Unfortunately, the single didn't seem to place in Oricon but it is a track on her 11th album"Futsuu no Koto"（フツウのこと...A Regular Thing）which came out in March 2004 and got as high as No. 45 on the charts.
It's been almost a year since I put up a Toko Furuuchi（古内東子）tune so I was rather wondering what to put up when I encountered this groovy number by her on YouTube called "Somewhere in Tokyo". Released as the coupling song to her 25th single"Coat wo Katte"（コートを買って...Buy Me A Coat） from November 2005, it was written by Furuuchi and composed by Takaki Horigome（堀込高樹）of Kirinji.
Furuuchi's lyrics talk about that regular Joe or Jane (or should I say Ichiro or Ichiko?) in the titular megalopolis who is ready to settle down and probably knows who he/she wants to settle down with, but gosh darn it, doesn't quite know how to express those feelings to the target of love. The words might sound melancholy but they're all lightened up by Horigome's playful melody which had me thinking of folks like Steely Dan. And since it's been a while, it was nice to hear the singer's velvet vocals once again.
The above video is by a tribute group by the name of Furuuchi Bukai（古内部会...The Furuuchi Subcommittee） giving their own nice version of "Somewhere in Tokyo". The song didn't get put on an original album by the singer but it is on her second BEST compilation "middle and mellow of Toko Furuuchi" which was released in February 2009.
Those lyrics in the song mentioned about renting that DVD late at night which reminded me of my old habit of getting together with my good Aussie buddy now and then in his old neighbourhood of Jiyugaoka for an overnight round of watching movies on his TV. The store Tsutaya was truly a good friend and it was nice to stop off at the local konbini for snacks and sweets on the way back to his place.
I'm writing this just some minutes into Christmas Day 2014. It's going to be a Green Christmas this year in the Toronto area, but like many others in my burg, I don't particularly lament the fact that this December 25th will go snowless. A long winter last year and that Ice Storm of 2013 pretty much have us celebrating to a certain extent that we won't be fighting snow and ice on the roads this time around.
Still I'm hoping the Xmas spirit is permeating throughout folks around the planet. And so allow me to add another J-Xmas tune in the form of this mellow ballad by the beautiful songbird, Toko Furuuchi（古内東子）. "Xmas Present" was written and composed by the singer-songwriter as a track on her 9th album from December 2000, "Dark Ocean".
Actually, I had been planning to profile her silky and sultry cover of Wham!'s"Last Christmas" but couldn't find any copy of it on the Net. However, I did find this romantic ballad about a woman trying her utmost to melt the heart of a young man she fancies and get him to finally open up to her. After all, it is Xmas! Hopefully, she succeeded. In any case, "Xmas Present" makes for some nice listening while wrapping the presents or basting the turkey. And it was nice of Furuuchi to include a hint of an old Xmas classic near the end there.
Wherever you are, whether you are reading this on Xmas Eve or are already full tilt into Xmas Day, I hope all of you have a wonderful start to the Holidays!
I was hoping for the longest time to feature this song by Toko Furuuchi（古内東子）. "Rule" shows up as the track following "Dare Yori Suki Nanoni"（誰より好きなのに）, her big hit from her 5th album, "Hourglass" in 1996. It's perfect listening material for that sunny Sunday morning breakfast or brunch with that groovy keyboard and Furuuchi's silky vocals. I think probably next to "Dare Yori", "Rule" would be my favourite song from the album.
Written and composed by Furuuchi, the singer-songwriter muses about why there has to be so much red tape and thinking involved in just trying to meet the person you like. Amen to that. The song comes off as a soft admonishment and encouragement to just do what feels right instead of wracking the old melon for days on end.
I heard somewhere that one way to learn about one's own country is to live in a totally different one. Yep, I did learn a fair bit about Canada while living in Japan. I think I can also adapt that theory when it comes to music. Having listened to Japanese artists go full throttle into R&B from different decades over the decades, I learned that I really enjoy the genre from the late 70s and early 80s. Notably, I love the groove and the horns (mellow and sharp)....Earth Wind & Fire is one such example.
So, that would explain why I have enjoyed Toko Furuuchi（古内東子）. She just celebrated her 20th anniversary in the business last year with the requisite double-CD BEST pack, but I am going to have my little presentation with her very first BEST album, "TOKO Best Selection" which came out (appropriately enough) on Valentine's Day 1998. To be honest, I have been somewhat laggardly of late over my following of her so I don't really know her recent stuff, but when it comes to her first 5 years, there are some fine entries. Listening to her works, I get reminded of some of the light funk and cool ballads from that particular corner between those two particular decades that I used to listen to on AM radio. All of the songs from the album were written and composed by Furuuchi.
As I said, I love the groove and the horns. And "Peach Melba" provides plenty of it. It wasn't an official single but a track from Furuuchi's 3rd album, "Hug" (1994), and the peach melba that the singer describes doesn't refer to the dessert directly (though I do love a good peach melba) but to the sweet perfume of that woman who passed by. I would be horribly remiss if I didn't mention that I also love Furuuchi's silky and sensual vocals through all of her songs. And for this song, those vocals are just like the best caramel on a peach melba. It would have made for a wonderful fit on a radio playlist back in my junior high school days.
"SLOW DOWN" is Furuuchi's reassurance and admonition to that guy who is getting a bit of cold feet at the speed their relationship is taking. The singer is firmly in the control seat here and just like that veteran airline pilot or mother, she's telling the fellow that things will be OK. What I love about this song is that it sounds almost like an AOR version of a lullaby. Perhaps it could work for that overworked employee hitting home after a bad day at the office. I also love the muted trumpet in the bridge. This song is the title track from the singer's first album from 1993.
"Aitai kara" (I Want To Meet You) is a beautifully done song about a fellow who's in love with a woman (perhaps a longtime friend or an old flame) who is in another relationship and can no longer really keep up the I'm-OK-you're-OK pretenses without his heart disintegrating. Not surprisingly, it was used as an ending theme for a TBS drama titled "Dessert wa Anata"（デザートはあなた...Dessert Is You）. This was also Furuuchi's 2nd single from October 1993 and was a track on her 2nd album, "Distance".
(cover version)
"Usotsuki" (Liar) has this 70s R&B vibe that reminds me of artists like Lou Rawls and Ashford & Simpson. The way her voice just glides and weaves through the music at that relaxed pace makes her great for these bluesy ballads. This track also originally came from the album, "Hug", and considering the suddenly dumped woman in the song, I think she could use that particular title.
"Shiawase no Katachi" (The Form of Happiness) is a mid-tempo song of hope and optimism with that feeling of "plenty of fish in the sea" and "get back on that horse". Although the liner notes don't mention any use of horns in the song, that horn section sounds way too authentic to be just synths. This track came from Furuuchi's 4th album, "Strength" (1995).
Of course, I can't finish this BEST article for Toko Furuuchi without mentioning once more about her biggest hit, "Dare Yori Suki nanoni" from 1996. The individual article for it was my first one for her. And I think any mention of her by anyone will bring this song up first in my head by default.
As for "TOKO Best Selection", it peaked at No. 2 on Oricon and became the 61st-ranked album of the year, going Platinum.
It's been over a full year since I posted my first article on the lovely songbird, Toko Furuuchi（古内東子）, and half a year since I posted my last article on her, so time to break the drought, so to speak. I've decided to go with a song that wasn't an official single but it was the opening track for her 5th album, "Hourglass"(1996), the same release that had what is arguably her most successful hit, "Dare Yori Suki Nanoni"（誰より好きなのに）, ironically my first article on her.
"Itsuka Kitto"(Sometime For Sure) is another one of those songs penned by Furuuchi which sometimes makes me wonder why this didn't get on one of her BEST compilations. But I guess it's a tribute to a singer when even her non-hit non-singles just sound so wonderful (my apologies, fanboy talking here). I bought "Hourglass" solely for "Dare Yori Suki Nanoni" but was happy to hear some more of her smooth-as-glass creations.
Again like her the first track, "Asa"（朝）, from her 4th album, "Strength", "Itsuka Kitto" sounds like something that can get me up in the morning, and it's a bit more uptempo than "Asa" Perhaps it doesn't quite have the same dramatic quality as her biggest hit, but it doesn't have to be. It has its own pleasant qualities to sway or tap your fingers to.
