Warner (Japan), 1971. (reissue)
One of the heaviest albums to ever come from Japan – a wicked batch of tripped-out, fuzzy tunes to rival the hardest rock from the UK at the time! Flower Travellin Band have a basic approach that's build on pounding drums and rumbling basslines – and although the guitars are fierce too ...
Atlantic (Japan), 1972. (reissue)
A classic record by this important Japanese band, and one that was actually made in Canada, despite the title – at a time when the group were visiting, and managed to create this wonderful record with a very relaxed, organic vibe! Vocals are in English, and lead singer Joe Yamanaka has a ...
Pony Canyon (Japan), (reissue)
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Universal/Lawson (Japan), 1979. (reissue)
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Philips/Lawson (Japan), 1984. 2LP (reissue)
Great work from Junko Ohashi – one of those Japanese singers who seem to have a very global appeal, even if you can't understand the lyrics! Ohashi's got an expressive style that reaches back into older modes of vocalization in Japanese pop, but delivers the lyrics with this cool, focused ...
Kitty/Lawson (Japan), 1982. (reissue)
A slinky, soulful set from the Japanese scene of the early 80s – one of those records from a time when it really seemed that jazz fusion was informing some of the best records from singers overseas – and that's definitely the case here! There's a warm jazzy glow to the record that's ...
Kitty/Universal (Japan), 1976. (reissue)
Really lovely guitar work from Masayoshi Takanaka – music that's part of that great solo change after his work in Sadistic Mika Band – as he really expanded his sound on guitar with all these cool chromatic touches that are perfect for the light fusion-based sound of the record! ...
Universal (Japan), (reissue)
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Universal (Japan), (reissue)
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Ichiko Aoba/Jun Miyake/Tatsuhisa Yamamoto/Hitoshi Watanabe
Pneuma
P-Vine (Japan), 2LP
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Monica Lassen & The Sounds
Woman
Sony/Lawson (Japan), Late 60s. (reissue)
A set that's definitely all woman – thanks to the sexy sounds of Monica Lassen on vocals! The singer works at a wordless level here – breezily scatting alongside these slinky, jazzy lines from The Sounds – a Japanese group who've clearly drunk deep from the well of bossa nova and ...
Sony/Lawson (Japan), Late 60s. (reissue)
A totally wonderful little record that's every bit as sexy as you might guess from the cover – and which also has some of the groovy French elements you might expect from the title! The set's got this slinky, erotic vibe that's almost in Serge Gainsbourg territory – save for the fact ...
Warner/Lawson (Japan), 1983. (reissue)
That's a great 80s sense of design on the cover, and the album's got a nice sort of 80s vibe too – a bit more drum machine beats, basslines, and keyboards than work by some of the jazzier city pop artists of the time – a mode that really seems to bring out the best in the vocals of ...