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.
When it comes to Anri's（杏里）albums, I've devoted articles to them such as her 1981 "Kanashimi no Kujaku"（哀しみの孔雀）and her 1988 "Boogie Woogie Mainland". And then there are times when I cover individual tracks from an album through individual articles over many years. I think her "Mystique" from June 1986 is one such example and I'm going with the most updated version with the bonus tracks from 2011. Thus far, I've done "Innocent Time", "Morning Squall/Evening Rain"（モーニング スコール）and "Honeymoon Shuttle"（蜜月船）.
From what I've read of "Mystique" on J-Wiki (which peaked at No. 6 on Oricon), it seems as if Anri had wanted to once more have a clean slate with a new album with help from new songwriters and new sounds, without any assistance from Toshiki Kadomatsu（角松敏生）who had been producing and writing for her for several years prior. In a way, it reminds me of the aforementioned "Kanashimi no Kujaku" which was also quite a different project for Anri which involved her trying out different things there as well.
I have here her second track from "Mystique", "Sentimental Express". And although this is not a Kadomatsu-penned number per se, it is still City Pop with that crystalline synth, boppy bass, a good bouncy rhythm and a nice battery of horns. What's interesting is that "Sentimental Express" may have been the first collaboration among composer Anri, lyricist Yumi Yoshimoto（吉本由美）and arranger Yasuharu Ogura（小倉泰治）. Getting into Japan in 1989, it became a tradition for me to buy up new Anri albums at the CD shops. Starting with "Boogie Woogie Mainland", I saw that songwriting triangle of Anri, Yoshimoto and Ogura becoming the main engine behind the next few albums of hers leading from the late 80s into the early 90s as the singer adopted more American R&B dance pop. If "Sentimental Express" had been an audition of sorts for Yoshimoto and Ogura, then they passed swimmingly.
Admittedly, I'm beginning the KKP Xmas season a tad early but it's just for this song and I won't be officially getting into Christmas season until November 25th.
About a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned Scott's podcast,"Holly Jolly X'masu", regarding Masamichi Sugi's（杉真理）1997 compilation"Winter Gift Pops" from which I posted one of the tracks, Miwako Saito's（さいとうみわこ）cover of "Anata dake I Love You"（あなただけ I LOVE YOU）. The album itself may have that feeling of enjoying the wintry life but it isn't specifically Xmas-based for all of the tracks, according to Scott.
Case in point, we have another track which shows up at about 26:57 on the podcast titled "First Flight", a bubbly duet with Caoli Cano（かの香織）and Hiroshi Takano（高野寛）. One reason that I got impatient enough to put this one up is that neither Cano nor Takano have popped up all that much on "Kayo Kyoku Plus", so I wanted to further add to their files on the blog. Written by the two singers, composed by the aforementioned Sugi and Kiyonori Matsuo（松尾清憲）and arranged by Yasuharu Ogura（小倉泰治）, "First Flight" dances on the line whether it's a Xmas tune or a general winter tale of cool and breezy romance punctuated by the appearance of an aurora. Regardless of that short argument however, it's the story of two friends meeting up for the first time in a while and having the time of their lives with the potential promise of a more permanent relationship.
You can take a gander at my first article for Cano for her song "Gensou Game"（幻想ゲーム）. Cano also contributed another track to "Winter Gift Pops" but unfortunately it hasn't shown up on YouTube, so I'm glad that at least "First Flight" is available. As for Takano, he's also done another winter-themed duet which got out several years earlier with Takao Tajima（田島貴男）, "Winter's Tale ~ Fuyu Monogatari"（冬物語）.
I guess I'll leave Kayo Grace and her boyfriend to their tender moment alone. 💕Anyways, I was listening to Scott's "Holly Jolly X'masu" podcast from several days ago, and he was focusing on the album "Winter Gift Pops" from November 1997. It was compiled by singer-songwriter and producer Masamichi Sugi（杉真理）and it isn't strictly a Xmas album, but then again, the title is able to skirt that accusation since, well, gifts can be given on Valentine's Day and White Day which are still in the winter season.
Track 5 on "Winter Gift Pops" which starts at around 19:00 of the podcast is "Anata dake I Love You"(I Love Only You) by Miwako Saito（さいとうみわこ）. It sounds just like a song that either Sugi or the late great Eiichi Ohtaki（大滝詠一）would create, and guess what? It is indeed Ohtaki who wrote and composed this one while Yasuharu Ogura（小倉泰治）took care of the arrangement which adds a few more interesting bells and whistles to what is a 50s or 60s girl pop song.
Scott goes into Saito's history but I'll also come in here to say that the Tokyo-born singer began her career in 1978 as the vocalist for the girls' band Neko Musume（猫娘...Catgirl） before starting up another similar band Tango Europe（タンゴ・ヨーロッパ）in 1980 while attending Nihon University College of Art. The band broke up in 1984 after which Saito went on a solo singing career with four singles and seven full albums and mini-albums.
Since listening to Saito's take on "Anata dake I Love You", it didn't take long before YouTube steered me in the direction toward the original singer behind the song, Kaoru Sudo（須藤薫）. This was Sudo's 7th single from November 1981 with Ohtaki and Masataka Matsutoya（松任谷正隆）handling the arrangement which really brings back those girl pop vibes from sixty to seventy years ago, and Sudo was one of the masters of the genre. "Anata dake I Love You" was also found even earlier on her debut album"Chef's Special" which had been released in June 1980.
In
Arisa Mizuki’s (観月ありさ) debut album, “ARISA” (December 1991), I think she
went into a full cute aidoru look and sound, with singles like “Densetsu no Shoujo” (伝説の少女) and “Eden no Machi” (エデンの都市) giving a nice
idea of what I’m saying here. As for “ARISA II
SHAKE YOUR BODY FOR ME”, which was released in October 1992, the girl aimed for
a more edgy output, with the hit “TOO SHY SHY BOY!” serving as a prime example
of the new and fresh sound she was pursuing.
While half of “ARISA II SHAKE YOUR BODY FOR ME” was
composed by Tetsuya Komuro (小室哲哉) when he was experimenting with house music,
including a busy extended house remix of “TOO SHY SHY BOY!”, some of the other
songs by different composers are also great, as they give the album some
variety in sound, while also maintaining its overall dance and upbeat mood.
“WILD-ERS”, for example, was composed by Anri (杏里) and it really shows, since I can’t help but think of
Miho Nakayama’s (中山美穂) marvelous
“VIRGIN EYES” or even her own “BOOGIE WOOGIE MAINLAND” when it starts playing.
The funky groove and horn arrangement are just irresistible, and I always find
funny how the background vocalists sound like the ones in Mariah Carey’s
“Emotions”. In the end, Komuro’s sound may be a good treat for any pop lover,
but Anri’s “WILD-ERS” offers a breath of fresh air in the middle of his house
party.
“ARISA II SHAKE YOUR BODY FOR ME” reached #6 on the
Oricon charts. Lyrics for “WILD-ERS” were written by Yumi Yoshimoto (吉元由美), while music was composed by Anri. As for the
arrangement, Yasuharu Ogura (小倉泰治) was the responsible.
Beijing's Winter Olympics are pretty much on our doorstep, so my memories go back to 1998 when the Winter Games were being held in Nagano Prefecture. How could I ever forget? It was also the time when I smashed my ankle at the Export-Import Bank of Japan going down the stairs and I was stuck at home for three weeks.😭 Fortunately, I was able to see the nation's ski jump team win Gold live as it happened because I was cooped up on my sofa.
One other thing that I remembered although the Opening Ceremonies took place before the accident was seeing singer-songwriter Anri（杏里）take to the stage to sing a song. But let's not remind ourselves that a lot of us are in a bitter winter. Instead, why not get that summer feeling that Eiko Kawashima usually brings us? Therefore, here is "V.S. Space Power" from her June 1990 No. 1 album"Mind Cruisin'".
I'll be honest when I say that on seeing that title for the first time, I was scratching my head for a while (luckily Head & Shoulders shampoo cleared that up). Was that nomenclature for some starship? Still, it was darn catchy and funky enough which her go-to triumvirate at the time in the late 80s going into the early 90s: herself as the composer, Yumi Yoshimoto（吉元由美）as the lyricist and Yasuharu Ogura（小倉泰治）as the arranger, was handling here. As it turns out, once I finally read through Yoshimoto's lyrics, "V.S. Space Power" stands for "versus space power", as in encouraging those young lovers out there to not get caught in those fortune-telling traps (the titular space power) such as horoscopes and to rely on themselves to generate that sustainable love.
Also, have a go at the title track for the album which later became the No. 5 album of the year.
Recently, I’ve been listening a lot to Miho Nakayama’s (中山美穂)
“Hide ‘n’ Seek” album, which was released by the charming aidoru in September
1989, and that’s probably because I was finally able to buy a used copy of it
here in Brazil – probably lost at someone’s basement, or something like that.
Anyway, it was one of the singer’s first albums I listened to more than a
decade ago, so it was very nice to have it in my collection after all these
years.
Like happened with many aidoru in the late 80s, Nakayama’s works were
getting more ambitious and sophisticated with the help from talented producers
and songwriters such as Toshiki Kadomatsu (角松敏生) and Cindy. It’s not
that in the early 80s famous aidoru stars like Seiko Matsuda (松田聖子)
or Naoko Kawai (河合奈保子) were not bestowed with great songs by famous musicians, since we all
know they were, but in the mid-to-late 80s – and this probably connects well
with the bubble mindset of the time – there was this will to directly adapt
trending sounds from the West right into the mainstream Japanese music scene.
So, with that in mind, “Hide ‘n’ Seek” seeks (pun not intended) a more Western
sound, far from happy-go-lucky aidoru tunes Nakayama released from 1985 to
1987.
More precisely, though, we can divide it in two halves, like it was
probably conceived, since, besides CD and Cassette, it was also released in Vinyl
format. The first half of “Hide ‘n’ Seek” is heavier, with a strong New Jack
Swing and R&B sound, courtesy of singer-songwriter Cindy, while the second half,
focused more on Anri (杏里) and Nakayama herself as the masterminds, is more
dance-pop oriented, even though it still maintains the R&B touch. Of
course, there are a couple of ballads in there too, like “Endless My First
Love” right before “VIRGIN EYES” and a stripped-down version of “You’re My Only Shinin’ Star” closing the album, but I’ll not talk about them in this article,
since I don’t think “Endless My First Love” is among Nakayama’s strongest
ballads, and this special “Album Version” of “You’re My Only Shinin’ Star”
lacks the magnitude of the single’s version, especially in the arrangement.
After an intro called “Party Down”, the album starts for real with the
title track, “Hide ‘n’ Seek”, an urban contemporary and New Jack Swing song. Think of Paula
Abdul, Janet Jackson or Bobby Brown and you’ll see what type of sound Nakayama
was trying to accomplish here. Personally, even though I’m not a New Jack Swing
enthusiast, I respect her artistic choice here, since Nakayama really started
exploring more intricate R&B/Western sounds in 1988, with the “CATCH THE NITE” album, produced by City Pop legend Toshiki Kadomatsu.
“Destiny”, which follows right after “Hide ‘n’ Seek”, is the other New
Jack Swing song from the album, and I like this one better. While I do love
Nakayama’s sultry performance, what really gets me every time I listen to “Destiny”
is the groovy bass line, which reminds me a lot of some Sonic the Hedgehog
music from the Sega Genesis era in the early 90s.
Like I said at the beginning, this second side of the LP explores
R&B in a different way than the New Jack Swing from before. Starting off
with an “Edit Version” of the dazzling and classy single “VIRGIN EYES” (the
horn section is amazing), we follow right into “Stardust Lovers” and its
equally engaging groove (I really love how Anri made these two gems connect).
In my mind, “Split Love” have always been “Stardust Lovers” sister
track, even though they’re separated by “Island Blue” in the album (another
good song that I didn’t select for this article, by the way). Anyway, it’s
straightforward post-disco sound just reminds me of something almost futuristic
with its spacey keys and the brief yet full of impact instrumental synth
breakdown, even though it’s very dated for the same reasons (I can’t tell why,
but I always think of Mtume’s “So You Wanna Be A Star” when I listen to “Split
Love”). The fact that Nakayama’s vocals are smooth is just a big plus. Well, to
be fair, she’s smooth in the whole album, and while she may not be the greatest
singer out there, especially in live performances, I truly enjoy her voice in
the recordings. Especially in the late 80s/early 90s.
According to generasia, “the album reached #1 on the weekly Oricon
charts, selling 189,930 copies. It also reached #62 on the yearly Oricon chart
for 1989”.
Fall supposedly came at around 5:30 this morning. Folks can be forgiven if they thought of that announcement as fake news, because it's feeling pretty summery hot and humid out there right now. In fact, I've got the fan going on as I type, but it is a meteorologically changeable time and it is Toronto, so I gather that I can't really be that surprised by today's developments. Plus, things will cool down later in the week.
To commemorate the official arrival of autumn and the lingering feeling of the hot season, let me bring in Anri（杏里）for the first KKP blog entry of the week through her "Banka no Koibito tachi e" (To The Late Summer Lovers). This is a track from her 1990 14th album"Mind Cruisin'" from which I've already spoken about the title track.
Created by that solid triumvirate of Anri, lyricist Yumi Yoshimoto（吉元由美）and arranger Yasuharu Ogura（小倉泰治）, "Banka no Koibito-tachi e" is that perfect romantic ballad for that transitional time going from summer to autumn. It would absolutely match that couple's sunset walk along the beach or even that relaxing view from the lanai. Just sit back and cool down.
I have yet to give a write-up on Anri's（杏里）album of self-covers "Meditation"(November 1987) although I did post an article on one of the songs from that release, "Last Picture Show" early in the blog's history. "Meditation" has stood out for me since I saw it as a farewell album of sorts to the second phase in the singer's career when she enjoyed those funky City Pop years with Toshiki Kadomatsu（角松敏生）. Mind you, the album struck me more as a BEST ballad compilation but I also treat it as if Anri had decided to give a final concert number 11 times over.
Earlier in May 1987, though, Anri released her 11th studio album, "Summer Farewells", whose cover is probably my second-favourite picture of Eiko Kawashima（川嶋栄子）, next to the cover for her 1983 album"Bi-Ki-Ni" (you can see the cover at the bottom for my article on "Kanashimi ga Tomaranai"). There's something so nostalgic yet cool about seeing her in those high heels in front of a suburban California or Hawaii garage next to the red convertible.
Speaking of nostalgia, the first track is "Dance With Nostalgia" which was written and composed by Anri. Certainly the arrangement has that feeling since it reminds me of American dance-pop from the 1980s. You can take my next opinion however you want, but the song could fit in as background music in any of those Arnold Schwarzenegger/Sylvester Stallone action flicks from that decade. As it is, the lyrics talk about a woman struggling with her own feelings about a guy who may have been her beau but has perhaps moved onto someone else on the dance floor.
I actually thought "Boyfriend"（ボーイフレンド）was released as a single since it has been one of Anri's notable songs from the 1980s but nope it never was, although on the J-Wiki article for "Summer Farewells", it has been labeled as the hyodaikyoku（表題曲）or title song of the album. Anri composed this drive-friendly song with Yumi Yoshimoto（吉元由美）as lyricist. In fact, outside of "Dance With Nostalgia" and the final track on the original LP, "Honolulu Birthday Eve", Yoshimoto wrote all of the other songs. It's got that funky beat but I can't really say that it's either City Pop or even R&B. Perhaps I can dub it Anri Pop.😉
Ahhhh...come in horns! "Happy End de Furaretai"（HAPPYENDでふられたい...I Wanna Be Dumped With A Happy Ending） was the official single, her 20th, that was placed onto "Summer Farewells". Another Yoshimoto/Anri concoction, there is something about this light and bouncy number that is reminiscent of her early 1980s work despite the late 1980s arrangement. Perhaps if there is an overarching lyrical theme to the album, it would probably be tackling the aftermath of a relationship. So far, the three songs that I've written about seem to all deal with the post-breakup era. In this case, the lady in "Happy End de Furaretai" is racing cheerfully off to the airport to head over to Honolulu while the fellow is desperately trying to catch up with her to make amends. The single peaked at No. 17 on Oricon. One other interesting point here is that Yasuharu Ogura（小倉泰治）arranged this one and "Boyfriend", and he along with Yoshimoto and Anri would form the triumvirate who would spearhead the production of the third phase albums from 1988 into something more wholly American R&B. Perhaps the arrival of those horns hinted at the new reincarnation.
Gotta have something a little slower here so here is "Kirisame ni Kiete Yuku"（霧雨に消えてゆく...Fading into the Light Rain） which starts off with a saxophone-led intro that fairly yells out a movie based on Mickey Spillane novels. Although this one is another Yoshimoto/Anri collaboration, this number sounds quite a bit different. It seems to be a mix of Anri Pop, smoky nighttime jazz and maybe even late 70s/early 80s Fashion Pop in Japan. The song certainly takes things back more to the shores of Tokyo and Yokohama. Interestingly though, I would say that there is a glancing resemblance here to Michael Franks'"Antonio's Song", a ballad that Anri would actually cover with Franks himself some years later.
Well, I already mentioned "Honolulu Birthday Eve"（ホノルル・バースデイ・イヴ）so let me use it for the final song for the article. Anri took care of both words and music, and once again, the theme is bittersweet separation for whatever reason. Someone is going to celebrate that important date alone, unfortunately. He/she may have tons of friends around him/her at the pool party but the feeling of loneliness will be paramount. The song has got quite the atmospheric presence although the arrangement here eventually takes on a homier bent once those Hawaiian instruments (through synthesizers) come into play. "Honolulu Birthday Eve" may be bittersweet in tone but Anri's voice packs enough power to make it a grand statement.
"Summer Farewells" hit No. 4 on the album charts and became the 39th-ranked album for 1987. As I said at the top of the article, "Meditation" was Anri's farewell album to the second phase of her long career. If that is indeed so, then I consider "Summer Farewells", ironically enough, to be not so much of a farewell album but more of a transitional release, paying some affectionate tribute to the past, taking advantage of the then-current 80s dance-pop scene, and, with the cooperation of Ogura and Yoshimoto, providing a sneak peek at the new sound, starting with the 1988 "Boogie Woogie Mainland".
Last week, I was watching the popular Fuji-TV program "HONMADEKKA!?TV"（ホンマでっか!?TV）when it went into a certain segment with the excerpt from a popular song. The variety shows all like to do that...borrow snippets from kayo kyoku or J-Pop or even anime soundtracks to add as appropriate introductory music. Well, the snippet in "HONMADEKKA!?TV" was introducing a segment where the hosts and guests had to make a decision between two choices, so the song went as follows:
Sexy na no? Cute na no? Docchi ga suki na no?（セクシーなの？キュートなの？どっちが好きなの？...Which do you prefer, sexy or cute?）
If you could name that tune with that lyric, then congratulations. It is indeed Aya Matsuura's（松浦亜弥）"Nee?" (Hey?),her 9th single from March 2003. That lyric alone can pretty much represent the former Hello Projectaidoru, and it's one of the lines that I know her by.
What is notable about "Nee?" is how much it sounded like a DeVol-produced 60s American sitcom theme song or background music for a game show from the same nation and time period. And that is because although Tsunku（つんく）was the fellow behind the lyrics and music of "Nee?", the arranger was Yasuharu Ogura（小西康陽）, one-half of Shibuya-kei band Pizzicato Five. Also what helps out is that Ayaya delivery.
It's all bubbly fun as Ayaya does her cute stumbling around the stage and in the music video while she sings about how she tries to get her boyfriend to pay more attention to her. Coincidentally, I saw an article in The Toronto Star today about how relationships have often hit the rocks because one of the two is simply too drawn to the smartphone. In "Nee?" though, it's done in a much more lighthearted vein.
"Nee?" reached No. 3 on the charts and was also used for a Tessera shampoo commercial. After all, do you want your hair cute or sexy?
It wouldn't be a "Kayo Kyoku Plus" summer without an Anri（杏里）song to throw into the mix. Here is "Girls in Summer" from her 16th album"Moana Lani" which was released in June 1992. I did acquire this album via the Eye-Ai mail order system, and "Girls in Summer" was one of the standout tracks, although the album as a whole hasn't really occupied that grand a place in my memories of Anri's discography.
The same trio behind Anri's late 80s full embrace of an earlier brand of American R&B, Yumi Yoshimoto（吉元由美）, Yasuharu Ogura（小倉泰治）and Anri herself, was also behind the production of "Moana Lani". However with "Girls in Summer", the three decided to go for the sound of a laid back Hawaiian sunset from the comfort of a lanai instead of the rambunctious horns. In fact, my impression has been that the singer-songwriter was melodically heading for the 50th State from the 31st State of California as the 90s went by. And basically my interest in her work was starting to wane as the decade progressed.
"Moana Lani" peaked at No. 3 on Oricon and became the 25th-ranked album for 1992.
Well, Happy Monday to you all! I realize that going back to work or school is probably not the happiest thing of the week but in my own piece of the planet, it's looking pretty summery out there. I may actually need to put up the fan in my room. In addition, with the hot weather coming in, where this blog is concerned, it's also time to bring in some Anri（杏里）.
Thinking about Anri's long career, I have to say that my personal favourite period when it comes to her is when she and Toshiki Kadomatsu（角松敏生）were making some of that beautiful music in the early to mid-1980s. Still, there is also some of that fun-in-the-sun R&B that she, lyricist Yumi Yoshimoto（吉元由美）and arranger Yasuharu Ogura（小倉泰治）were making from the late 80s into the new decade.
Case in point: I was nearly through my first of 2 years on the JET Programme when I saw Anri promoting her latest album, "Mind Cruisin'" through some frenetic dancing on TV. Having savored my purchase of her previous album of "Circuit of Rainbow" the year before as an eventual memento of the start of my first post-university job in Japan, it didn't take too much of an arm twist to get "Mind Cruisin'", her 14th album from June 1990.
I had some indication that Anri could pull off some dance moves but the music video had me convinced that she could keep up with her dancers. Then again, I was truly impressed when I discovered the same year that Yumi Matsutoya（松任谷由実）was also more than able to bust a move on stage. In any case, the title track was notable in that I couldn't hear any of that horn section which often populated an Anri tune but that didn't bother me at all. The synths and the bass kept the fun going well enough.
As for the album, it hit No. 1 on the charts and ended up as the 5th-most popular album for 1990.
It's not even June yet and I'm already feeling that natsubate. So I had the usual Japanese summer lunch of soumen.
Yep, just a few more days before we officially enter Summer 2015, so I figure it is time to bring in another Anri（杏里）album. This time, it is "Neutral" from June 1991, her 15th original album whose title sounds awfully bland for a typical Anri release, especially during that time when she (composer) and her go-to team of lyricist Yumi Yoshimoto（吉元由美）, arranger Yasuharu Ogura（小倉泰治）, and Jerry Hey and his horns were coming up with all those high-octane upbeat tunes. I remember her 13th album, "Circuit of Rainbow" as being one of the first CDs that I bought while working up in the mountains of Gunma; "Neutral" would be one of my last purchases before heading home.
No singles were included on "Circuit of Rainbow", but there were three for "Neutral" including the first track above, "Back to the Basic". Anri took care of both writing and composing duties for her 25th single from June 1991, and I remember it as being the commercial song for aToshiba VCR. The original music video was pretty dynamic, too, as I recall, with all of the usual fast rhythms and choreography that I had gotten accustomed to hearing and seeing in an Anri tune...with CG.
The album version has the extended mix which starts off with what sounds like an audio time trip through a woman's life (that frankly gets a bit weary with all of the "I love you") before the synths and the Hey horns burst in like gangbusters. Strangely enough, it's not all about the hedonism. In fact, Anri seems to be pushing folks to not focus on the luxury seaside life at the expense of the basics of life. It's my favourite track which is not to say that it's all downhill after that...there are also some other gems.
One such gem is "Ku-gatsu no Hometown kara"（9月のHometownから...From the September Hometown） which had Anri and Yoshimoto cook up this comfortable song about discovering and savoring the love. It may be set in September but it's one of those songs that can be enjoyed on any Sunday morning although in keeping with the overall theme of the album, the lovers are most likely waking up on some tropical island paradise somewhere. With the summer coming to a close, I'm pretty sure a lot of folks would also love to be in that sort of setting.
"Sweet Emotion" is Anri's 24th single from February 1991 which was another oft-heard CM song, this time for Kanebo Cosmetics. I also like the album remix version here as well although I was never all that enamored with the singer's rapping here and in some of the other tracks. All of the typical remixing effects that seemed to have been crammed into the song had me getting nostalgic about all those 12-inch singles that I used to buy on LP back in university.
"Private - Sold Out" has that soul that reminds me of a Kahoru Kohiruimaki（小比類巻かほる）song. It's got that nighttime urban vibe as a couple paint the town red, energized by that first feeling of love for each other. I especially love the horns and sax here.
The last track also happens to be Anri's 26th single, "Uso nara Yasashiku"（嘘ならやさしく...If It's a Lie, Then Be Gentle） from August 1991. There's also plenty of energy and Hey horns in there but the feeling is decidedly more bitter as the song goes into a relationship on its last legs...with amputation imminent. One half of the soon-to-be former item has decided to shack up with somebody else but just won't blurt it out although the other half is stubbornly holding out for a chance.
"Neutral" managed to reach as high as No. 2 on Oricon but unfortunately didn't place in the annual Top 50 rankings. Obviously, Anri continued to keep on with the summery sounds for many more years, but that period of time from the late 80s into the early 90s ending with this album was the notable one for me when it came to the singer's big embrace of American R&B.
"Anri, Tom Mix called. He'd like his wardrobe back."
Up to 1989, my musical knowledge of the ever-smiley Anri（杏里）was restricted to two of her big hits: "Olivia wo Kikinagara" (1978) and "Cat's Eye"(1983), both of which were representative of her earlier eras as a pop idol (not aidoru) and summery kayo singer under the aegis of Toshiki Kadomatsu（角松敏生）. But then thanks to one episode of "Sounds of Japan" on CHIN-FM, I had my first experience of Anri's 3rd era when the program decided to highlight her 12th dynamic album, "Boogie Woogie Mainland"(1988) with its infusion of American R&B and the production team led by composer Anri, lyricist Yumi Yoshimoto（吉元由美）and arranger Yasuharu Ogura（小倉泰治）.
The success of "Boogie Woogie Mainland" led to her next album, "Circuit of Rainbow", released right on the first day of summer 1989, continuing on with her new sound (although compared to what was going on with R&B in the United States at the end of the 80s, this new sound was probably more akin to what was being heard on the radios and stereos in America nearly a decade previously) and team of Anri, Yoshimoto and Ogura. I bought Anri's 13th album as one of my first purchases since starting my 2-year stint on JET in August of that year. Having been a fan of hers since those early 80s and seeing this fresh 6-week-old album on the CD shop shelves, it was simply a must-have for me as my very first Anri album.
Track 1 starts with the instrumental "Break of Dawn" before things start flying like that proverbial image of a jet plane leaving the runway on a lot of those City Pop albums with the title track itself. Although not quite as explosive as the title and opening track on "Boogie Woogie Mainland", "Circuit of Rainbow" is Anri's welcome to all of us listeners to her brand of summer holiday fun. The strings that start things off almost feel like the perfect cue for one of those California radio DJs to rat-a-tat off the beautiful weather before Anri comes on in. And the Jerry Hey horns let us know that the singer and her team are going to promise a nice smooth flight.
Somewhere deep in the bookshelves in my living room is the VHS tape (yes, folks, I do like my antiques) of "Circuit of Rainbow" which includes the official videos for the above title track and this one, "Groove A Go Go"(Track 8), an example of nighttime funk and pop which could be quite Janet Jackson-friendly. As for the video (which got taken down), I wonder if the Wachowski siblings had gotten their inspiration solely from watching "Ghost in the Shell".
"Who Knows My Loneliness?" is a nice mellow breather among the high-tempo tunes that incorporates some gospel blues with a fine assist by the Hey horns. And among the backup singers is one Philip Bailey from Earth Wind & Fire.
(cover version)
One of my other favourite tracks is "Shitsuren Game ga Owaru made"（失恋ゲームが終るまで...Until the Lovelorn Game Ends） which has made me wonder if Anri internalized every one of Earth Wind & Fire's uptempo songs while she was creating this one. I mean I could actually imagine Bailey and Maurice White doing an English-language cover of Anri's love advice. Bailey himself is not listed in the liner notes for this one but it wouldn't surprise me if he snuck into the session. And since I've mentioned him, let me also state that the late great drummer Jeff Porcaro from TOTO was also part of the album recording.
My final track is the final track of the album, "Lovers on Venus". The somewhat cheesy sci-fi impression of the title aside, Anri does a marvelous job delivering this ballad about reminiscing of a past love. I was surprised that it had never been released as its own single since I think it is up there with "Summer Candles", the big love song from her previous album. In fact, none of the tracks were ever released as singles at all.
Still, "Circuit of Rainbow" did even better than "Boogie Woogie Mainland" by reaching the top spot on Oricon, the first Anri album since her 1983 "Timely!!" to do so (that album contained "Cat's Eye") and going on to earn 6th place on the annual rankings. It also received a Grand Prize for Album at the Japan Record Awards. And personally speaking, buying this one made for a nice impression in my Japanese CD-collecting hobby.
Several months ago, I did a profile on Anri's（杏里）"Boogie Woogie Mainland", the album that had Eiko Kawashima embracing her full R&B-ness. As the beginning to another phase in her then-decade-long career, she and co-producer Nobuo Tsunetomi amped up the instruments and the music to create something that sounded like the spirit of Earth Wind & Fire had decided to descend upon them. And I mentioned in the article that the one song that I wasn't able to get was this really snappy track called "Goodbye Future".
Well, hello "Goodbye Future". The track finally got uploaded (and hopefully will stay that way), and the reason that I was so keen on this one was that out of all of the tracks on "Boogie Woogie Mainland", this song just seems to have everyone working even harder to make it as funky, groovy and lively as possible. Starting with a staccato blast from the Jerry Hey horns, the drums pound on in followed by some thick bass by Neil Stubenhaus, before Anri hurls out the sunniest delivery accompanied by that horn section and then a blistering electric guitar interlude. Those people were in a very good mood.
As was the case for the rest of the album tracks, Anri was behind the music with Yumi Yoshimoto（吉元由美）as the lyricist and Yasuharu Ogura（小倉泰治）as the arranger. I mentioned in the article on the album itself that I thought "Goodbye Future" was an ironically depressing title for such a power-packed tune. But it turns out that there was a reason behind it. In the lyrics, the protagonist is a young lady who willingly throws away her predicted (and probably predictable) future with an erstwhile beau to run away to the big city for a chance at a better life. Although the tone of the words sound a bit bittersweet, the music probably reflects how the runaway girl really feels. Time to pack those bags for LA. Still, I feel sorry for the guy.
But lyrics aside, I just love the music and I'm glad that I could get the song in here at last.
As I mentioned in a comment to JTM about his fine article on "The Anri", as he was posting it, I was just listening to Anri's（杏里）"Boogie Woogie Mainland",her 12th album released in May 1988. JTM was stating how the singer had wanted to shift from pop idol to a more summery-themed chanteuse and did so in the early 80s, thanks to folks like Sho Kajioka（梶岡勝） and Toshiki Kadomatsu（角松敏生）. Well, for me, the late 80s was another period of change for Anri, and I think "Boogie Woogie Mainland" was the album that perhaps started things off for this third phase in her career. The album that preceded this one was a ballad compilation released in November 1987, "Meditations", and I thought it was well-titled since I felt that this was a final musing or a goodbye on that half-decade period of music which included "Surf City" and "Last Picture Show".
Well, over 6 months later, "Boogie Woogie Mainland" was a further evolution in her music. The summer themes were still there but now there was even more of an importation of American R&B brought into the mix, thanks to Jerry Hey's horn arrangements and Anri's deeper work in the production of her music. The singer took care of the composition of all of the tracks while Yumi Yoshimoto（吉元由美）wrote all of the lyrics and Yasuharu Ogura（小倉泰治） held the reins for the overall arrangement. And it was obvious that Anri wanted to show her love for popular music of the USA. "Boogie Woogie Mainland" takes things from the aerobics studios of Tokyo to places like Venice Beach in LA. As if to march in this new phase, the title track launches things off with a tight snare and percussion as the background chorus of Joey McCoy, Howard Smith, Jon Lind and Sarry Dworsky, and Hey's horns swoop in. The Third Age of Anri roars in like a lion, and makes quite an impact especially since 1988 was the 10th anniversary of her debut single of "Olivia wo Kikinagara"（オリビアを聴きながら）. My old radio program, "Sounds of Japan" even gave me my first taste of the album by devoting one of its shows to it (I would finally buy it several years later).
Another dynamic track is "Saigo no Surf Holiday"（最後のサーフ・ホリデー...The Last Surf Holiday) which is also a tour de force for the brass and disco beat. Every time I hear this and the title track, images of running along the beach and hanging ten are pretty much there by default. One other song that I couldn't find anywhere on the Net which is actually my favourite from "Boogie Woogie Mainland" is "Goodbye Future". It may have a somewhat depressing title but the song itself is anything but. It's a really fun song in which Anri, Hey's horns and the electric guitar fight for top billing. (September 27 2013....guess what I found)
But probably the most famous track from this album is the final one, "Summer Candles", which also served as Anri's 22nd single (peaking at No. 16 on Oricon). It's regularly included in any of her BEST compilations and is most likely a requested tune at her concerts. As the title suggests, this evokes an image of having that final beach party at night to candlelight while romantic couples snuggle under blankets, and it has become a favourite at wedding parties (in 1988, Anri herself got married). The ballad was also the theme song behind a drama "Koibito mo Nureru Machikado Urban Love Story"（恋人も濡れる街角...The Corner Where Even Lovers Get Wet). It makes for a relaxing way to finish off the proceedings of what is mostly an album of high-energy rejuvenation.
"Boogie Woogie Mainland" was able to sell close to 400,000 albums and was the 17th-ranked album of the year, peaking at No. 2 on the Oricon weeklies. And this musical launch pad would go further into her next albums, such as "Circuit of Rainbow" and "Mind Cruisin". Also, both Anriand Yoshimoto would branch out and help other singers such as those who JTM mentioned in his article. An infusion of energy indeed.
For some reason, this reminds me of an old
Toyota commercial.
