We Got Summer Right Here In Our Hearts / Tatsuro Yamashita - Big Wave (1984) Album Review

Overall Rating: 7/10

Favorite Track: The Theme Of Big Wave / Jody / Magic Ways

1982 marked the beginning of a new era for both the life as well as the professional music career of Tatsuro Yamashita. With the release of some of his most acclaimed studio works in the form of Moonglow, Ride on Time, and For You, as well as with their respective singles, Yamashita cemented himself as a respected and extremely talented figure in the Japanese music world, finally getting the fame and recognition he deserved after rough years of pushing forward with little to no success. For You specially had marked him as a summer figure, with a very upbeat and charming sound that captivated the hearts of many, with the constant touring across the entire country showing the versatility and dynamism of his voice and the performances of his entire band. That same year he married young pop idol/singer Mariya Takeuchi, making 1982 the start of a stable period in Yamashita's life. Of course, this meant that sales for most of his material were on the rise, also aided by the release of various compilation albums that threw light at the songs he had been writing since the mid 70s, but with those successes came some uncertainty over the direction of his career. May have been superstition, or just a very old fashioned custom, but it was not usual for a Japanese artist to turn 30 and somehow manage to push forward with his career, and Tatsuro himself was very close to that number. 

But instead of looking at this on a very negative light, both Yamashita as well as his long time manager/producer Ryuzo Kosugi saw this as an opportunity for him to have even more creative freedom with his work, ending his long contract with RCA/RVC and signing in with Kosugi's affiliated Moon Records in late 1982. Of course, a glimpse at this calm and easy going state of creativeness was seen not long after the success of 1980's Ride On Time (both album and single), with Tatsuro somewhat spoiling himself by making the first volume of "On The Street Corner" (a release that showed the artist's love for Doo-Woop acapella music on a very broad way), but with the separation of the main label he had been working with, as well as starting the process of creating his own office, Yamashita didn't have the responsibility to create any big singles in order to sell his material. The plan was work for some years with Moon until cementing himself in the exclusive role of producer and songwriter, releasing a few albums, that were not meant to be a success, in the mean time. It was all going back to the Sugar Babe way of writing music, having enough freedom to try as much genres as it was seen fit, making up for varied and somewhat unfocused records, with the main difference being the budget and the reach of the artist's work. 

The first try at this was in 1983's Melodies, a record that surprised audiences for many reasons, mainly due to the fact that it was a return to the mellow atmosphere developed until Ride On Time instead of further embracing the upbeat and cheerful melodies of For You, but also being something without a big focus on its structure and flow, being a more polished, well-spirited, and better produced version of "Go Ahead!" more than anything else. Despite the fact that the record wasn't really consistent all the way through, the wonderful lineup that Tatsuro had formed for both live and studio kept on delivering with some impressive and admirable performances, with an album that was still full of pop masterpieces that only a master like Yamashita could be able to provide. But regardless of the mixed and unexpected reception at first, Melodies would go to become his biggest selling album up to that point, a surprise for everyone involved in the project. It would also put to light another facet of his image as an artist, complementing the summer sound with the help of クリスマス・イブ, the song that would become the biggest single in his career, being an attempt at tackling baroque arrangements and chord progressions, eventually ending up as a Christmas song, as well as one of Yamashita's most personal and significant songs.  

The rising fame of Yamashita started to show hope for a sustainable career as a solo artist even with that age, further proving that he could try any sort of concept he pleased in order to keep releasing music the way he wanted. But if one thing truly stayed consistent with him even after years of starting his music career was definitely the big western influences from baroque pop and surf rock artists that had pushed him to start with his career in the first place. In 1984 he started working on his own music publishing offices, properly starting the "Smile Company" (named in honor of The Beach Boys' Smile album sessions, and that would also take the names of Smile Music Publishing for other artists and Wild Honey for delivering the merchandise for Tatsuro's official fan club) along side Ryuzo as the office's president, as well as affiliating with Mariya to stablish the "Tenderberry & Harvest" company, something much more private and small in scope and operation. That same year, Mariya would go back into the music world, having left it due to her marriage as well as her pregnancy, with Variety (the first where both Tatsuro and Mariya worked officially as a full time musical couple, presenting original material from Mariya, gifted as a wedding present in 1982), the album that would end up becoming her most popular work decades later mostly thanks to the massive explosion in popularity of the song Plastic Love (which also turned out to be a composition and arrangement by Tatsuro himself). Along side all of that, the man also kept on working with other artists as either a producer or a guest musician, but as it was custom already, both touring and work on his solo material were a constant deal. The thing was that, by that time, no one really knew what he would deliver with his next release, with everyone practically expecting a christmas album or a mellow record in the same vein as Melodies, just to then be surprised with the release of 1984's single "The Theme From Big Wave".

At that point, and as it was custom for many Japanese pop artists at the time, Tatsuro had worked in multiple commercials by writing and performing the jingles, some of them being relatively big in popularity, so he did have a reputation in television, but he never really worked for any official big soundtrack. Therefore, the surprise that he was working with American singer Alan O'Day (who had already worked briefly on For You, as well as with Mariya on her solo album Miss M) in order to write material performed entirely in English for an upcoming summer documentary directed by Walter Marconnery came as a big surprise for everyone. It wasn't only bringing back the summer sound and melodies found in For You, but it was also showing Tatsuro's big Beach Boys influence on full splendor (with the soundtrack itself containing full covers done by the Japanese artist, just like he did back in "Add Some Music To Your Day", his first musical project that basically started his career as a whole), making up for something that immediately stood out within the man's discography. Of course, the single was received on a very nice way (with Tatsuro's self taught and somewhat polished English accent being incredibly charming and captivating, going along the wonderful instrumentation and arrangements that were to be expected from any of his works), and fans were curious to see a full project on this same spirit, culminating on the release of 1984's Big Wave. 

Big Wave is a very interesting release, for many different reasons. In the first hand, the album is divided into two different parts, the first one being all original compositions, and the second one being covers that are related for the most part to The Beach Boys, with every single track and interlude being performed with English lyrics, written by O'Day and Taeko Onuki, produced by Kosugi, and having a small amount of performers on each track (mostly consisting on Tatsuro himself performing most instruments). Not all of the material is entirely original, presenting some tracks that already appeared on previous albums, with the difference being an updated production and mixing so that they fit better within the flow of the soundtrack, as well as some re-recordings from previous material. As a whole, the album is quite charming, captivating, and full of a summer like atmosphere that makes this a very enjoyable experience, but it is also in a same vein as Melodies, being a record that isn't crafted with much focus, separated from the mindset of creating any sort of masterpiece or extreme consistency whatsoever, but still providing some of Tatsuro's best as well as most popular material (popular in the sense that this particular album would end up gathering a lot of attention in the west with the online boom of city pop, making some of these songs gather attention in a very big way). In other words: the production is great, and so is the songwriting at some points, but as a whole this could have certainly been better.

Of course, this aspect of freedom in consistency is further justified due to the fact that it is music written and used for a very particular context in mind. As for that matter, the documentary itself is very odd and not particularly good (in fact, I dare to say that all the best parts are usually so thanks to Tatsuro's music). For the most part, Marconnery's film is all over the place, at first being sold as a surfing documentary but then derailing to other summer related topics. The movie itself provides the phrase that describes it perfectly: 

"As long as there is a summer, there always will be something to do"

Throughout the entire film we are guided by the main narrator, which intonates everything on a very similar and somewhat forced joyful tone, only introducing dialogue for some interviews with some people. At first it starts by showing a surfing tournament on Hawaii's shores to the tune of Yamashita's main theme, we are introduced to different footage accompanied by brief descriptions and comments, and shown some important figures for that sport back then (such as four times world champion and surfer of the year, even if he ended up in third place, Mark Richards). The editing is very amateur, with some rough transitions and easily recognizably dumb Japanese sound effects during surfers falling. Concepts such as barrel rides, tunnel rides, tube rides, going up and down while riding, it is all focused around surfing at first. Suddenly, after the end of the tournament, there is a transition introducing Tatsuro's cover of "Girls on the Beach" while showing a lot of bikini shots, girls getting undressed, a very unnecessary montage of close shots to bottoms and breasts (on bikini of course), before changing abruptly to the first interlude of "I Love You". Close shots of men's bulges, people on roller skates, all of a sudden a shift to the California desert in order to show racing activities, it is all random and without much sense, so the quality of the film itself really isn't the main attraction. Things like roller sailing (a particular mix between roller skating and wind surfing, except that you don't get wet!) are introduced without any sort of justification in mind, only carried forward with the music being used. Falling compilations, a lot of them, with a lot of wacky sound effects. There really isn't much of value to take from the film, but the narrator does take a lot of liberties due to the time context, adding some charm to his narration, with wonderful lines such as: "It's a bird! It's a plane! It's an idiot!"

Going from California to Houston Texas, shown building jumping (an illegal sport portrayed to the clever use of "Guess I'm Dumb", showing the act of parachuting from buildings and then portraying idiots running the fuck away from the police), airplane parachuting to the sound of surf music to finally reintroduce a sea based sport, Catamaran sailing, to no music whatsoever. Something as romantic as "Your Eyes" is put to people sailing and falling, and "This Could Be The Night" to very specific and carefully focused bikini closeups. Very "subtle" product placement for Terra's beer, women playing volleyball, then some very random instructions on how to windsurf all of a sudden. Over the film Yamashita's music is not the only music that comes on, with other cliché and unoriginal stock surf rock music appearing also at different points. But for the most part, the use of Yamashita's music makes up for the best parts of the documentary, with things such as the inclusion of the instrumental reprise of the main theme being a highlight overall. Skateboarding, dogs on skateboards, bike riding, motorcycling up a hill called "The Widowmaker", snowboarding, female windsurfing competition, breakdancing with a peculiar electrical tune that just repeats "breakdance" over a drum machine, and finally bringing back surfing again to close the experience. 

Well yes, the Big Wave documentary isn't really anything special, and it is honestly a much better experience to just listen to Tatsuro's soundtrack on its entirety even without watching the film. Because if there is one thing that the artist does incredibly well on this album is capturing the atmosphere of summer, joy, and love on a very pleasant and consistent way. But even then, it is not a completely perfect experience all the way through.

As it was said before, the album is divided on two very distinct parts, with the first half, and the first set of tracks, being the immediate highlight of the entire experience. The Theme of Big Wave opens up the album on a beautiful and perfect way, being a stand out track written by Taeko Ohnuki and composed by Tatsuro himself. Koki Ito's bassline and Jun Aoyama's simple yet powerful drums complement Tatsuro's multi-instrumental upbeat performance, with some excellent guitar grooves and some fantastic background vocals from his part. His English pronunciation is definitely a stand out, something quite charming that makes such a track work on the best way possible, with a catchy and memorable chorus and a wonderful guitar solo complemented by the doo-woop vocals. It is one of Tatsuro's most straight forward and accessible compositions, but the wonderful production and mixing (making everything very surrounding and impactful within the cheerful atmosphere), as well as the joyful and energetic performances, make this work on such a fantastic way. Right after this, the English re-recording of Jody takes the spotlight. It is a much more atmospheric version, specially with the way the vocals are mixed as well as having the background vocals and almost all the instruments being performed by Tatsuro himself, with the exception of the brief yet captivating saxophone solo from Daisuke Inoue. The lyrical performance, the instrumental arrangements, and the great production make this the better version, much more impactful and memorable on most aspects, starting off the album on a fantastic way. 

Only With You comes right after, showing a more melancholic yet emotionally charged track, very romantic and mellow, but still falling within the consistent summer atmosphere. This time around, Tatsuro takes charge of all the elements used in the song, an impressive thing that is pulled of on a fantastic way, making up for one of his sweetest and most captivating compositions up to that point, regardless of the apparent simplicity and straight forwardness of the track (it became so iconic within his catalog in fact, that it was used as the aperture song for Sunday Songbook, even to this very day). After this point, Magic Ways (the track from the album that is probably the most popular song nowadays, gathering millions of views on YouTube) takes the spotlight, shining bright due to its fantastic performance and arrangements. As it could have been inferred, this turned out to be an outtake from the For You sessions, having a very similar guitar chord progression to the one on Sparkle, performed on Tatsuro's iconic guitar. Aoyama and Ito come back on their respective roles, with a very groovy bass and some rhythmic drums and percussion, being complemented by Hiroyuki Namba's mesmerizing keyboard playing, as well as Yamashita's talented background harmonies. The popularity the track received is very much justified, being one of Tatsuro's best songs post-RCA, offering a memorable and catchy tune that doesn't go for too long, using its straight forward structure and elements in order to deliver a fantastic highlight. After this, a shorter version of "Your Eyes" comes in, having a slightly different mix in order to suit with the consistency of the first half, but still being the charming closer from For You. Finally, to close the first half of the record, "I Love You Part 2", one of the B-sides of the main single as well as one of the interludes on the soundtrack, takes the spotlight, being one of the many variations of the I Love You theme, having lovely lyrics, a captivating atmosphere, and fantastic performances from both Tatsuro and Satoshi Nakamura, making up for a very suiting closer. 

The second half takes over, showing a very noticeable step back in quality, perhaps due to the fact that these are all mainly Beach Boys covers, with the main difference being some things on the instrumentation and the fact that all the backing vocal harmonies are done by Tatsuro himself. Girls On The Beach has little to no difference with the original version, also being a track recorded before the Big Wave sessions (perhaps on the same For You sessions), being a very charming and simple track that ends up being engaging due to the vocals and the bridges. Please Let Me Wonder was used as a B-Side for Sprinkler, and it has once again little to no difference compared to the original (with a very subtle and quiet "I Love You" sang right at the end). Darlin' finally made its way to a studio album, being a live track that was performed since the Sugar Babe days, and definitely the stand out from all these cover tracks, having a very upbeat and energetic performance full of charisma and personality due to Tatsuro's vocal harmonies and the catchy drums and wind arrangements taking over the entire song (it would become and even more usual part of his setlists, making itself very recognizable within his live shows at the time, and for very good reasons, being a proof that his covers could clearly become something charming and very unique, arguably better than the original version, instead of just staying very close to the original cuts). Guess I'm Dumb, written by Brian Wilson but not performed by The Beach Boys, has no difference whatsoever to the version found on Melodies, with no changes even on the mixing or length. A re-recording of Go Ahead's "This Could Be The Night" (a song written by Harry Nilsson and apparently one of Brian Wilson's favorite songs), with better production and mixing, better vocal performances, and the shift from guitar solo to a sax solo for the interlude, but still staying as something rather underwhelming in the long run, mainly due to the fact that it is a song written for orchestra instead of a simple approach, as well as the big difference between the use of the keyboard. Finally, the original version of I Love You, that contained no lyrics whatsoever, just using "I Love You" and doo-woop backing vocals to carry the entire track due to the fact that it was supposed to be a jingle written for TV, being the superior version due to the appreciation of the instrumental arrangements and the vocal harmonies. It ends up being much more effective and memorable in the long run (becoming a very significant track for Yamashita, appearing on various compilations afterwards, as well as a definitive highlight of the experience), primarily due to its simplicity and straightforwardness, closing up the album on a great way.  

Big Wave is a very special album, but it is so more for Tatsuro himself than for any of his fans. Of course, considering the fact that this was a soundtrack written for specific contexts in mind, something consistent or extremely well made was difficult to expect, with the album ending up as something that doesn't really build up towards any sort of payoff or deliver an enlightening or extremely polished experience (on the contrary, staying in line with Tatsuro's desire to be as free as possible in the creative aspects, bringing back songs from previous albums and giving them a spin for the most part).But regardless of the fact that it was something written for an audiovisual project, this turned out to be quite the personal work for the artist, with Tatsuro himself taking the role of multi-instrumentalist and only backing vocalist on all the songs. Of course, the joyful and energetic summer-like sound from For You was brought back on full splendor, with the entirety of Big Wave being a definitive love letter to the music that inspired Yamashita to start his own music career to begin with, more in particular being a clear love letter to the music of Brian Wilson. If something is really consistent here it is not the quality of the performances or the songwriting, but the wonderful and highly enjoyable atmosphere that is built from front to back. 

The two distinct sides that make up the album show a clear difference between the approaches that Tatsuro was able to take with his music. It is very obvious that the first half, the one full of his original compositions, is the one that has much more to offer, being the side that has the biggest highlights from the entire experience, with masterpieces such as the fantastic Theme From Big Wave, the wonderful and impactful English version of Jody, and the groovy and energetic Magic Ways being reason enough to check this entire album. However, the second side definitely lacks in comparison, being a bunch of covers in the same spirit as the ones seen on "Add Some Music To Your Day", having almost little to no difference for the most part with their original counterparts (with the main differences being Tatsuro's vocal performances). But still, there really are no bad songs to be found within this record, and even the second side has worthwhile and remarkable things, such as the wonderful cover of Darlin' and the original jingle version of the memorable and engaging "I Love You".  But as a whole, this really doesn't stand among the best material that the Japanese master has to offer.

But that last statement is not to say that the record itself is terrible or that it is not worth a listen, but it does mean that it is definitely far from perfect in a lot of aspects. Big Wave sure is full of elements that make it enjoyable and charming front to back, with a fantastic production and mixing that make up for a captivating and consistent atmosphere as well as some undeniable masterpieces that serve as further proof of the talent and versatility of the artist (with tracks like Magic Ways blowing up in popularity decades later for very good reasons). However, Big Wave is not a consistent experience regarding songwriting. It certainly is something that drops in quality considerably during the second half, and even though none of the tracks are bad or mediocre, they do feel like a very underwhelming step back considering the charm and consistency found on the first half of the record. Sure, fans of The Beach Boys might find a lot of value in this, it was made as a love letter to that particular band after all, but this album wasn't made to be a fully focused project even with that particular mindset, but more of an opportunity for Yamashita to be as free as possible with a soundtrack that allowed him to approach the style of music that made him fall in love with the medium in the first place, taking everything on a much more simple, straight forward, and personal, approach.  

One just has to look to the film itself (which can most certainly be done due to it being up on its entirety on YouTube) to further confirm these aspects. Marconnery's documentary is honestly laughable, random, with a lot of unnecessary transitions and scenes, as well as lacking any sort of focus whatsoever; but in the end it is not meant to be taken seriously as a complete masterpiece of cinema, but a similar thing can be said about Yamashita's soundtrack work for this film (of course, this being of a higher quality than the documentary itself). It was more about having fun and a lot of passion for something like this, also considering the fact that we can hear more of the artist's work for the soundtrack within the documentary itself, with a lot of cliché and simple instrumental work themed around surf rock, as well as some odd and very particular deep cuts such as the "Breakdance" theme. But still, Tatsuro's work is honestly the main reason why some scenes work the way they do, and it is very understandable why it captivated the heart of audiences back then, and why it continues to do so now. It was a really personal and lovely project for him (with the movie itself putting "This Music Is Dedicated To Dennis Wilson" on a very proud way), and even if it is not really one of his best releases regarding consistency or quality, it did make up for something charming, memorable at points, and very enjoyable as a full experience, as well as being something that presents a bunch of tracks that hold a lot of significance for Yamashita himself.

It is something that invites the listener to relax and get lost in the wonderful, upbeat, joyful, and captivating soundscapes that summer has to offer. Because as long as there is summer, there will always be something to do, and Yamashita sure knows that very well. 

There Are Times Where She Must Sigh / AB'S - AB'3 (1985) Album Review

 

Overall Rating: 7/10

Favorite Track: Heavy Mental Rock / Borderline

The release of AB'S 2 marked a very crucial point for the history of AB'S in general. First of all, it would mark the departure of one of its most important founding members, guitarist and vocalist Makoto Matsushita, in order for him to focus on his personal projects as well as the new progressive rock band Paradigm Shift, marking the beginning of the end for the first iconic lineup of such a peculiar band on the Japanese pop scene of the 80's. Second of all, this particular departure from one of the band's members didn't mark the complete separation of the project, or unless not at that point. On their very essence, AB'S was more of a Fujimaru Yoshino driven project, or at least that is how they started, eventually branching out to become a full time band that was based on the collaboration between all the members in order to create something special. The chemistry had been very present and very promising from their great debut album, something that received an interestingly different approach with the release of the mellow and straight forward AB'S 2, but that still put the band on a promising light due to their fantastic live shows. Their career could have gone to different places, and it could have ended up being something much better with time, but Matsushita's departure seemed to mark an end to all of that, but that end would come a little bit further down the line.

Makoto himself had left the band, but the four remaining members were still part of AB'S, and they still seemed to want to push forward with the project. In late 1984 they entered recording sessions in order to try and build more material regardless of the loss of one of an important member, with Yoshino and Watanabe taking much more presence in the arrangements and compositions, while Ando stayed on lyrical duties for the most part. The loss of one guitarist made Yoshino put himself as the main guitar player of the group, working with multiple compositions that overlapped each other at first in order to retain the main essence of the band, but eventually backing up to seek convenience and try to adapt to the new conditions that the members had found themselves in. After production and mastering, AB'S 3 would be released in 1985, with the group trying to prove that they could push forward regardless of the complications with a fully fleshed out studio album. 

Well, if there is something to give to this record is the fact that it is definitely an improvement over AB'S 2, but at the same time it is a simplification of the formula that made the band special. AB'S 3 is a good album, but it is a slightly different, and at the same time noticeable, approach to songwriting and composition. The technicality of the jazz fusion aspects, with its respective tension building, its unconventional interaction between instruments, and the way everything was handled with a tight and polished production, is replaced for a more conventional approach to pop, focusing more on straight forward compositions and structures that end up being catchy more than intriguing. Of course, the loss of an important member justifies this change in many ways, being a band that just adapted to the conditions that they found themselves in due to a very sudden and unexpected change. This is not inherently bad, since AB'S 3 is definitely a very well crafted release, with very enjoyable pop songs that do have things to offer in the way they are built, but at the same time there is just not a lot to talk about.

There are great songs (like Heavy Mental Rock, Borderline, or the memorable opener By The End Of Century) that end up showing a new promising side of the group with more conventional pop tunes that end up being pulled of in a great way, but there are still a lot of things missing overall. There is just nothing that separates this from the standard and that makes this AB'S outside of the vocal performances. And even then, songs like Ethnic Cosmic, Cry Baby Blues, and Sequence Life end up breaking the pace a bit due to sudden tone changes that don't work all that well due to the lack of build up or a proper setup. The atmosphere could be called consistent, but at the same time it is something that doesn't have a lot of focus, and the same thing could be said about songwriting, arrangements, as well as even the production and mixing found here. It ends up being somewhat odd to find an album that has a lot going on behind it in what makes things right or wrong, but that also feels underwhelming and simple to the point of not being able to elaborate further about why things are the way they are.

It can be inferred that the band thought on a similar way as well, with the band not lasting for very long after this point, eventually breaking up for the first time, but not due to personal or creative differences (the members remained as friends, even collaborating between each other on multiple points across their career), more due to the fact that the initial spark seemed to have faded at that point. It is curious really, AB'S started as a very promising, talented, and very dynamic group that had a lot to offer due to standing out with their personality and musical abilities that differentiated them from the pop standard in 80's Japanese music just to then simplifying themselves even further in order to try to keep pushing forward. As it has been said many times before "it is better calling things to an end before starting delivering mediocrity", and it seems that the band just called it quits before whatever outcome the future could have had for them. 

Personally, 1985 marks the end of AB'S, the end of that group that had a lot to offer from their very first fantastic album and that still managed to provide enjoyable experiences with their following studio efforts. Yoshino would briefly bring back the project in 1988, with a different lineup of musicians and an even more conventional pop approach to songwriting and structure on AB'S 4, but it just wasn't the same, and the quality of that album was definitely nothing compared to their previous work. After that, the original lineup would reunite in 2004 and would keep on releasing music, disbanding and reuniting time and time again over the years, bringing back old and new members, and even getting to the point of Yoshina, Matsushita, and Okamoto, with the help of other new musicians, releasing a new album in 2020, with re-recordings of songs from their first studio effort. The band has produced four more albums after their first breakup (five if we count their 2004 reunion EP), but none of them come close to what they had to their last two albums before 1985, let alone to their wonderful debut. It is a shame really, but things are the way they are. Yoshino and the rest of members seemed to be most proud of that classic period, being that material the one that makes up for most of their usual live setlists nowadays, and for very good reasons. It is such a shame that the band didn't really took things to the next step, but still, their fantastic live shows show their fantastic chemistry even after all these years, regardless if that aspect hasn't been able to be put on studio form yet. Maybe AB'S will redeem themselves in their next project, which is highly unlikely, but one can still dream. Thankfully we have their first three albums as a very pleasant memory of what was a very special band for the deep and convoluted world that is City Pop.

And even if it doesn't stand out that much, AB'3 is still part of that sweet memory, providing simple and captivating melodies that just distract from everything and take one to a place of joy and emotion. A nice album, somewhat underwhelming for a final note to their first era, but still something that I would listen to without complaining one bit.

Midnight Blue / AB'S - AB'S 2 (1984) Album Review

 

Overall Rating: 7/10

Favorite Tracks: Destination / Morning Dew / Do You Remember Me?

With the release of their self-titled album in 1983 AB'S found themselves with a very unexpected minor success on both sales as well as on the album charts. Why wouldn't they? The group that had been formed as part of Yoshino's personal back up band and that had grown to be a full time band had provided a very enjoyable, polished, and quite unique record, something that caught the eye of many due to how unusual it felt for the pop scene in Japan during the 80's. Indeed, their first album was very well done, a very special blend of pop with the aspects of jazz fusion, making up for tracks that shined due to the technicality in their execution, all of this possible thanks to the outstanding production and mixing that was present on every single song. The atmosphere that was presented was a very consistent one, but the album itself tackled two distinct sides, one that was much more upbeat and the other one which focused on the melancholic aspects of the night-time ambient that covered the entire project.

It was more of a collaborative effort than anything else, presenting an unusual lineup of talented and recognized musicians, making AB'S a sort of "City Pop Supergroup", with every member fulfilling a vital role in how the songs ended up. From Yoshino and Matsushita's wonderful guitar interactions and arrangements, Watanabe's powerful bass, Okamoto's explosive and simple drumming, as well as Ando's wonderful atmospheric keyboards and lyrical contributions; the first and most iconic lineup of the band had a lot to offer, and with their debut they showed their abilities and charm on the best way possible. It was a very special chemistry that made for a first studio effort that, although not perfect, was very promising for the future of the band, and these expectations were increased with the wonderful and energetic live shows that they provided across Japan.

But at that point, and with what seemed like a promising run just starting in such a competitive world, what could the next step be? Well, the most obvious and predictable answer would be to record a follow up that tried to take things a step further, and that certainly was the plan at first. In order to do this, the band went to London and started recording sessions in early 1984, with practically the same lineup and intentions to make something that stood out from what was common on pop at the time. During that time period, the band released their second and last single from their first period, which would be nothing else than "Deja Vu/Asian Moon", the two long tracks that opened each side of their debut (with Deja Vu ending up as perhaps the most popular song from their career). The single surprisingly charted on the British charts, which, along side some performances on small festivals and closed gigs, started gathering attention towards the band's upcoming second album, which would eventually come out under the name of AB'S 2 that same year.

While their debut had built some expectation towards a very specific kind of sound that was made possible thanks to the technical performances, AB'S 2 was somewhat of an odd follow up. For starters, the album was almost a step back compared to the unusual compositions and arrangements on relatively conventional song structures, instead going for something much more simple and straight forward in most of these aspects. The technical aspects were still there, as much as the chemistry between all the members, but things were obviously different in the music that was being presented. The tone would also be quite different as well, leaving aside the dynamic and varied aspects, but tackling a more mellow, calm and emotional atmosphere that would be consistent throughout the entire album. There is also a clear influence from their environment during recording sessions, with songs like Flight 007 and One Night In Moscow using very peculiar elements in their songwriting. In many ways, there was more balance regarding who wrote the songs and their placements on the album, but the end result was certainly less focused than their debut, ending on a mixed bag of an experience. 

To what extent does this go? Well, it goes to the point where the best highlight of the album, the track that achieves what it sets up to do and that does it using all the elements on a fantastic way, is the opener. Destination is an immediate stand-out track, presenting the new style of melancholic atmosphere while being very close to the technical aspects in the performances that could have been found on the previous album. A strong bassline and powerful drums open the track, with very simple, yet effective, guitars following right over. Once the wonderful vocals step in, guitars and keyboard become one, offering a dynamic interaction that carries the track, eventually separating and making up for a very engaging melody until the upbeat and joyful chorus. A small reprise of this entire first half happens in order to further progress the song into the final section, with a wonderful guitar solo blending with the vocals, serving as a very memorable outro for such a fantastic opener. Destination sets things up on a great way, and it builds expectation for what could be a very pleasant experience, being on the same level as the songs of the debut, but sadly, that is not the case. The rest of the songs are all nice, none of them are bad or mediocre, they all have something to offer, but they also feel somewhat of a downgrade, specially compared to the level of quality that the opener presents.

Japanese Punkish Girl follows right after, presenting a slower and relaxed romance track, very much conventional for the pop standards around that time, feeling as if it were material for a very pleasant radio single. That was most likely the case, being a Matsushita track that stays simple in composition and arrangements, being laid back and almost reggae-like in the guitars and bass. There are no unexpected shifts in tone, no instrumental passages, and it doesn't really need those things in order to be good, but it is all very much calm in the structure, with a verse-chorus-verse pattern that repeats until a very sudden ending. It can feel somewhat repetitive, and even if the vocals are supposed to convey an emotion of love and emotion, they do feel somewhat out of place at first due to their intonation. But still, a nice change of pace, staying mostly under a consistent mellow atmosphere carried from the previous track. Morning Dew follows right after, and it offers practically the same approach to a simple composition and structure, but being carried on a much better way. Watanabe steps in putting his iconic bass as the backbone of the arrangements and the melody, being complemented and complementing both guitars as well as the calm drums. The vocal performances are sweet and dynamic, changing up and getting more upbeat with the chorus, offering a more effective and engaging hook. The production and mixing start showing their importance with how everything is balanced and subtly changed depending if there is a bridge or a verse. This time around the straight forward structure works at its best, offering something that doesn't stay still and that offers somewhat of a slight variation in tone depending on the segment while still progressing on a conventional way, until fading out slowly right at the end. It definitely helps to prove that the laid back and relatively simple style of arrangement and songwriting could very much work with the talent and abilities of AB'S, with very precise instrumentals and beautiful vocal performances. 

Finally, Just A Rainy Blues follows right after in both consistency and execution, presenting a very adequate and charming closer for a pleasant first half, tackling a very peculiar mix of blues with 80's pop elements such as the synths or the drums. Yoshino takes the spotlight once again with his vocals from the very beginning, guiding the main melody of the track until the chorus, just to then introduce a versatile and engaging guitar solo carrying very conventional rock influences from the west, seen for the most part on songs from their first album. The chemistry and coordination of the band works very well with a relatively simple structure and arrangement that carries from beginning to end, with Yoshino's composition only breaking to leave space for the great guitar solos (the last of them closing the track on a very sudden way) and it all shows a promising premise that could work out nicely if it ended up being pulled off well, closing the first side of the record on a very nice note. However, all of the expectation doesn't last for long, with the sister tracks of the album, Flight 007 and One Night In Moscow, being somewhat of an underwhelming follow up as openers of the second side. The intentions of changing the tone while adapting even further to a passionate and mellow atmosphere don't work as well as they aim to do, being very much the most simple songs regarding arrangements and structure, with odd vocal performances and underwhelming instrumental arrangements, ending up as the most forgettable tracks on the entire album. There really isn't much more to say, the songs themselves are pretty decent for the most part, they just feel like a step back compared to other material from the band, even within the same release. Somewhat unfocused, unpolished, they could have fleshed out into something much more special and better executed (and I am sure that was the case on the live renditions), but as studio versions they leave a lot to be desired.

The pace is picked up once again with the final two tracks, with Correspondence somehow bringing back the aspects seen on the first side under a more upbeat tone, while still carrying the mellow atmosphere all the way through. A catchy chorus, a prominent bassline, simple drums, atmospheric keyboards, and dynamic guitars, all courtesy of Matsushita's compositions. The song itself has somewhat similar flaws to Japanese Punkish Girl, also a Matsushita track, in the way that it stretches for a bit too long, ending up a little bit repetitive at the end, but still making up for a very enjoyable track that brings back some of the main qualities of the record. Finally, Do You Remember Me? closes things off on a similar vein as the opener, being one of the songs from the record that is the closest to the style and approach of the first album, presenting arrangements that are varied and very dynamic, making up for interesting interactions between all the elements. An upbeat instrumentation that still carries a mellow tone on the guitars and the vocals, all being carried on a simple structure that keeps building up to a very engaging final section with a guitar solo and some potent drumming. The way everything is balanced and presented only improves the charisma and quality in the straight-forwardness of the composition and the performances. Definitely an improvement on the second side, a highlight on the album, and one really enjoyable closer for such an interesting experience.

AB'S 2 is an album that could have been so much better but that ended up being somewhat of a step back on the AB'S catalog. The lineup stayed the same, and the promises of a follow up that improved on what was seen on the wonderful debut were still present, but the scope and execution of the ideas on this new project went on a different road. The mellow atmosphere that stays consistent throughout the entire album is certainly pleasant, but the songs that want to adapt to that particular mood end up being quite the mixed bag in quality, with no song being bad or mediocre, but at the same time being somewhat underwhelming. Every song has something to offer on its own particular way, and there are tracks such as Destination, Morning Dew, or Do You Remember Me? that prove that this new focus of the band could have worked on a great way, but at the same time there are songs that don't end up working as well, feeling somewhat incomplete or out of place at times. If more time had been invested on the record it could have possibly ended up being as fleshed out as their first studio effort, but the result here is something that really leaves a lot to be desired in the end. The band is still full of five talented musicians providing a unique style of City Pop, regardless of the new straight forward and conventional approach to songwriting this time around, with a production that is as clean and wonderful as before, but it could have been so much more with the right execution of ideas. But, regardless of the unmeet expectations and a mixed result, AB'S 2 is still a good project overall.

Perhaps things could have improved in a follow up, refining the new ideas presented on this record, keeping up with the chemistry of this promising first lineup. It can be said that not a lot of attention had been put on the album, perhaps due to the fact that it was done at the same time as Yoshino and Matsushita were working on their own personal projects, so there was still some hope that the band could keep on growing further with each new release. Sadly, that would not be the case, because following the release of the 1984 record, Matsushita would leave AB'S in order to focus on his own music, starting the progressive rock band Paradigm Shift not long after, and bringing an unexpected shift to the future of the band. AB'S would still keep pushing forward, with the four remaining members releasing a follow up the following year, but it wouldn't last for long, with the original lineup breaking up completely not long after. Yoshino would still try to keep the band alive by bringing new members in 1988, but it certainly wasn't the same. 

After that point, the original lineup was brought back in 2004 with some tours in 2005, then reuniting at different points throughout the years, with old and new members performing live and keeping up with new studio projects (even releasing a new one in 2020, with re-recordings of songs from their first album), but things had obviously changed. Still, the band keeps on performing their old songs with as much passion and talent as possible, and things like the excellent 2019 live version of Destination prove that perhaps AB'S 2 could have turned out to be something much more special and perhaps even better than their debut, but it is all in the past now. Still, the memory lives on, and oddities such as this one still remain as very special events on what was otherwise a somewhat generic and overwhelming music scene. 

But not everything is bad, and AB'2 remains as a mellow journey that wonders around the realms "what could have been?", but that does so on a pleasant way. Sometimes living in the midnight blue is more than enough.

And Breaking Off Wasn't Hard To Do, But I Couldn't Stay Away From You / Tatsuro Yamashita - Melodies (1983) Album Review

 

By the time Ride On Time was released in 1980, Tatsuro Yamashita's career seemed to have arrived to the end of an era that had been on a constant build up ever since he properly kicked his solo career with Circus Town in 1976. Throughout his first five solo projects, a double live album, and the many side collaborations he had, the artist had faced a very rough path towards the success he truly deserved from the very beginning on his early days as being part of Sugar Babe. Problems with critics, issues with the label ending up on his artistic visions being limited in many different aspect, off putting experiences while recording his music abroad, and even unsuccessful sales due to the lack of singles. His name was only being recognized on Tokyo's underground music scene, with the mainstream barely acknowledging his existence regardless of the fact that he had offered nothing but captivating projects throughout until that point. However, every barrier that he was faced with ended up bringing him a positive outcome in the long run, with most of the negative experiences being the reason of why Tatsuro's musical ambitions and attitude ended up being the way they were. The bad experiences with the recording of Circus Town lead to him constantly looking for musicians that met his expectations (even if it meant to risk things with the budget by working with giants like Haruomi Hosono), as well as being introduced to a variety of new influences that would shape his musical approach for years to come. The unsuccessful sales almost lead to the end of his career, with his solo ambitions being pessimistic and unmotivated, ending up on messy records like Go Ahead!. But even then he managed to deliver some pop masterpieces in the form of songs like Bomber, a funk influenced track that was used as part of his first official single, becoming his first notable success, and being the thing that reignited his passion for music and his hope for a better solo career.

Those years of stress went by along with a constant refinement of a formula, and a constant search for a unique identity and personality on the music that was being written. But everything started to come out on a better light, leading to the creation of Yamashita's main successful records under the RCA/RVC label. Moonglow in 1979, presenting the beginning of a streak of focused projects that had a lot to offer musically, with it putting what were previously loose ideas to better use, giving them a purpose within the context of an album, with a record that presented one unique atmosphere and tone throughout all its runtime (as well as marking the proper start for his career to find success with the singles that were being released). Ride On Time on 1980, being the culmination of the mellow atmosphere and the musical ambitions he had been showcased since 1976 on a record that simply catapulted his career and personal life to stardom, finally getting recognized by the mainstream as one of Japan's most talented and prolific musical artists. It practically symbolized the end of an era by celebrating the past on a lighthearted way, and presenting some of Tatsuro's most iconic songs on a mature and emotional project where he finally found a stable lineup that met his expectations both onstage and on studio. 

The success of the record and the single brought the beginning of a new era where Tatsuro was finally free to handle the writing and recording of his records the way he saw fit, with constant touring where he was able to constantly write new material in order to try it on stage and then decide if it was to be recorded on studio, tack ling a much more upbeat and joyful atmosphere (mainly due to him inclining more towards a "summer like" feeling) while keeping the things that made him unique as present as ever, ending on the release of For You  in 1982. Once again, Tatsuro had reinvented himself, but this time for the best, and with a mindset full of happiness and love, with his popularity only keeping on rising constantly with the release of  different TV jingles, different singles, and constant touring all over Japan. Both his musical career and his personal life (more stable economically, and even with him getting married with Mariya Takeuchi that same year) shining brighter than ever. Tatsuro found his instrument of choice, with the Fender Telecaster finding its place on the new summer-like atmosphere that had taken over his music. It was not a perfect album, but just like Ride On Time, it became an undeniable classic of Japanese pop, with a considerable amount of successful tracks taking over its runtime, making up for an engaging and memorable experience that only Tatsuro was able to provide.

With one fairly successful release, two number one albums, a considerable amount of popular singles, a successful "Best Of" compilation, and even having his previous releases having a slow rise in sales; Tatsuro's career had a lot of expectation built around it, with fans and people waiting to see the things that would come up with in the future. 1982 was a year of important events in Yamashita's life, and not only because of his second #1 album. He got married with Mariya Takeuchi, he had achieved a positive and joyful attitude in most aspects of his life, he had finally found a stable lineup of talented musicians that gave their all on each concert and studio recording, but above all that, he finished his contract with RCA/RVC after six years of working together. By 1983, Yamashita would turn 30 years old, and due to the many tendencies of the mainstream pop music industry at the time, it was very unlikely that he would be able to keep delivering material and finding success at that point in his life, after the two incredibly popular breakthroughs of his career (with the label itself also thinking of not risking sinking in sales, which made Tatsuro's constant output of popular material the more impressive with each passing year that came along). In that sense, Riuzo Kosugi, the person responsible for Yamashita having the possibility to star his solo career to begin with, suggested that the best option for Tatsuro's future was to plan only a few months ahead, as well as changing to another label that was less strict than RCA in order to see how things would work out (with Kosugi himself following along, starting to expand his own name in the music business thanks to his independent Air label, affiliated to RCA).

Eventually, Tatsuro would start doing business with Alpha Moon records, but he was very clear about his ambitions and desires before signing any contract. Tatsuro had finally managed to get successful sales, but he had been limited to what he was able to do with each project, something that went against the artistic drive that he had presented early on his career. At that point, he wanted to go back to the Sugar Babe era of writing music, a place where he would be free to try as many different styles as he pleased, regardless if it ended up being commercial or not. Asking this to a label was a highly risky move from Tatsuro's part, but Alpha Moon had already seen what the man was able to accomplish, even with simple singles, so letting him have a knock at this style of crafting a record was the least they could do in exchange for what they thought as their next big sales, and these predictions would most certainly pay off rather quickly. Either way, with Tatsuro feeling nostalgic about his different ambitions and his desire to return to that old style of writing and recording process (but still having the support of most of the iconic stable lineup that had been part of the last two RCA records, only excepting Kazuo Shiina this time around, with the help of only a handful of guest artists like Mariya Takeuchi as a background vocalist, Tsunehide Matsuki on some electric guitar sections, or Hiroshi Sato on some piano roles), the production of his seventh studio release was lead by the slogan "Melodies and Memories", temporarily leaving the "summer like" sound behind in order to return to the mellow atmosphere that he had embraced on his early career, ending up on the release of Melodies in 1983.

In many ways, the final product would be something very similar to what was presented on Go Ahead! in 1978, but there were some evident differences. Melodies wasn't born out of frustration and a pessimistic attitude, it was instead carried with a positive and lighthearted view of life, a desire to simply explore the genres and musical styles that he wanted to dive into or pay tribute to in the best way possible. This sudden change in tone was certainly shocking for the new audiences that had gotten into Tatsuro 's music due to the sound on For You, being presented with a record that dived into different styles of music, without a clear focus in mind, which lead to the release having a somewhat rough reception by a portion of the critics and audiences. However, and contrary to what happened on Go Ahead!, the album was a big hit, becoming Tatsuro's third #1 charting record, and this was mainly due to the successful singles that were released both before and after the release of the album (with the later singles leading to Melodies becoming his best selling record up to that point). And even if Melodies didn't turn out to be as polished or focused as the projects that came before it, it stood out for being surprisingly consistent from beginning to end, presenting tracks that would go down as big classics from his catalog, as well as introducing ideas and concepts that would be further explored in future releases. 

The very first track is enough proof of this. 悲しみのJody (She Was Crying) is, as to be expected at this point, a fantastic opener and an immediate highlight of the album, a track that stablishes the tone of the record on its own particular way. Of all the tracks found on the record, this is definitely the more inclined to the style found on For You. A very "summer like" inspired track, written in x/8 time signature to accentuate that aspect, although covered with a veil of melancholy on all its runtime. The instrumental is built in part as an extension of the theme song that Yamashita wrote for the "Sounds With Cork" TV show in 1982, but its also a love letter from Tatsuro to resort music. The six drum kicks catch the attention of the listener as they mark the beat on a very superb way, presenting the main rhythm where the rest of the arrangements would be built upon. It is all kept on a very simple manner, with a very precise bass, the use of a very laid back acoustic guitar, the calm and potent piano, the atmospheric and complementary background vocals, and Tatsuro's main vocals taking the spotlight with a sweet and passionate performance, certainly being one of the main reasons as to why the song works so well in the long run. It is not as explosive or as completely fleshed out as other Tatsuro openers, but it doesn't really have to be. It sets up the mood of the record, on that mellow tone found within a catchy and upbeat valley, while presenting the laid back and simple approach to songwriting and arranging that would be found in most of the tracks on the album while still managing to provide for a very iconic and memorable track that stands out in Tatsuro's catalog. The 60s pop atmosphere conveyed on the track is pulled off on a great way, so much so that it ended up being re-recorded with English vocals the next year for the Big Wave soundtrack, where it fitted on a much better way. Even then, the Japanese version found on Melodies is an essential Yamashita track, but the album still has a lot to offer after this point.

高気圧ガール follows up offering a nice contrast and bringing balance on the tone conveyed with the arrangements, being much more upbeat and joyful in the way everything is executed, which lead to it being used as the main single in promotion of the record. It follows along with Yamashita's desire to experiment and try new things with his music, providing a very interesting and engaging blend of styles, with the standout being the Acapella inspired background vocals courtesy of Tatsuro himself, giving the track a lot of personality thanks to that very unique and memorable melody. Mariya Takeuchi's background vocals, the saxophone taking presence on a very subtle way while sitting in the background, Ito's straight forward bassline, Aoyama's powerful and precise drums, the extra layers of detail thanks to the percussion, and Tatsuro's vocals having a very captivating tone while displaying an impressive range; it all makes up for another highlight of the album, a track with a tropical atmosphere that simply does everything it has to do on a very charming way. After this point, the melancholy is embraced on a very clear way with 夜翔 (Night Fly), a track written with a night-time Tokyo in mind, and that certainly shows on the entirety of the track. String arrangements are implemented along side some sweet trumpets (with a beautiful violin and a trumpet taking presence on different parts of the verses), while Tatsuro's vocals stay calm and passionate, with a steady bass and some simple drums to mark the rhythm. It is not a particularly brilliant or unique track, but it sets a tone and an atmosphere that are fleshed out on a great way, with everything being calm and inclined towards a mellow mood that accomplishes everything it sets out to do with the help of the simple instrumentals. 

The next track breaks the pace presenting a cover of Glen Campbell's "Guess I'm Dumb", a track written and composed by Brian Wilson, and having a sweet rendition from Yamashita's part, following the tradition of covering Beach Boys/Brian Wilson songs as part of his catalog. Just like Jody, this track would be re-recorded and used as part of the Big Wave soundtrack, but contrary to the first track, this cover doesn't really do anything particularly unique in the long run. The main highlight are certainly the string and trumpet arrangements that appear in different parts of the song, but the rest of the track doesn't really end up doing something special. It is all executed on a correct way, and Tatsuro's english pronunciation is certainly charming to say the least, but it is not a track that feels more forgettable than anything else. Finally, the closer of the first side of the album comes in the form of ひととき, a song that continues with the mellow atmosphere of the previous tracks due to it being inspired by Tom Rush's style of writing music. The acoustic guitar is brought back, having a very suiting interaction with the electric guitar (both of these being played by Yamashita, as well as him having some acapella style background vocals), with minor percussion elements complementing the drums and the bass, with an atmospheric keyboard further reinforcing the atmosphere on a subtle way, with Tatsuro's vocals being the key element in settling the calm tone with a laid back performance. Far from being a bad track, but not particularly unique or memorable either. It works for what it is, but it certainly stands on the forgettable side of Tatsuro's catalog. 

However, the somewhat underwhelming second half of the first side of the album is followed with another masterpiece from the man himself in the form of メリー・ゴー・ラウンド, the opener for the second half of the record. Following along Tatsuro's funk driven tracks, Merry Go Round tackles this aspect on its own particular way, being one of the less upbeat tracks on this style of music, instead choosing a calm and laid back tone for all its runtime. Ito's powerful bassline sets a simple and catchy main rhythm, complemented by Aoyama's drums, Namba's relaxed and atmospheric keyboard, and Yamashita's funky guitar. Unlike other Tatsuro funk tracks, this song lacks the presence of any type of solo, instead fleshing out the chorus and verses with the catchy melody while complementing that aspect with the help of different layers of small details present across the song, ending up on a song that feels shorter than what it actually is. Without a doubt, this stands out from the rest of tracks as a very peculiar masterpiece from Tatsuro's part, a highlight of the album that shows this type of atmosphere working on a wonderful way, even if it ends up coming out as a big contrast in tone to what was seen on For You (while also being a great song to expand live, something that would be proven right in JOY, the second live album from Tatsuro). After this point however, something very odd happens with the pacing of Melodies. Surprisingly, the tone and atmosphere stays very consistent with each passing track, but the quality of tracks, the way then end up being executed and performed, certainly feel as a step back from what was presented up to that point.

Blue Midnight (the only song written by Minako Yoshida on the album), あしおと, and 黙想 present three tracks that are not out of the ordinary from what has been seen on Tatsuro's catalog. Going from a somewhat generic mellow tone, an upbeat track that works for what it is due to the intriguing production and the sweet performances (being a track written along side Merry Go Round trying to give a twist to the formula found on For You), and what feels like a different take on what was seen on おやすみ, the closer to Ride On Time, although pulled off on a less engaging way, perhaps due to its placement on the album. These three songs are far from being mediocre, but they are also far from being perfect or well executed. They all have their own particular aspects where things could have been pulled off on a much better way, where the weaknesses somehow end up dragging the things that the songs do very well on their own right. They are different in musical style, tone, and songwriting aspects, being the parts where Tatsuro clearly felt like trying different approaches to one atmospheres, and pulling them off on good ways, but at the same time not providing something fleshed out or all that well written overall. However, all of the underwhelming result on the last three tracks is contrasted with クリスマス・イブ, the closer of the experience, as well as the second big single of the album and one of Tatsuro's biggest songs in general. On Go Ahead! there were minor hints at a track that tried to convey a Christmas emotion, but that failed due to the odd production choices on the vocals and the mixing in the instrumental. This time around, everything is pulled off on a much better way, surprising mainstream audiences with a different side of Tatsuro that was as memorable as his "summer like" reputation. The song would go down as one of his essential tracks, kicking off a Christmas classic that would let Tatsuro get his own season special on the radio every year, as well as further expanding his reputation as one of Japan's best pop artists at the time. It is a sweet closer, a song that simply bleeds of "Christmas", doing so on a great way, with calm and charming performances from everyone involved, closing up the album on a sweet note. 

Melodies is a very interesting album. On one hand, it is very surprising to see such a contrast in atmosphere and tone to what was presented on For You (going from a "Summer Like" record to something that was more inclined towards a mostly mellow mood, taking audiences by surprise and being received on a mixed way at first). On the second hand, the collection of tracks that are found on Melodies is not as strong or as consistent as the ones seen on his last three major albums. The thing is, that there was no intention to create that sort of project in the first place. Tatsuro thought that this would be the beginning of the end for his professional solo career, considering himself "too old for the job" at the age of 30 and in the middle of a highly competitive music scene, deciding to keep writing and releasing records for a couple of years until getting a job as a production manager in the early 90s, at least according to his predictions. Of course, he would certainly end up accomplishing that job position, but for very different reasons, and would still keep on releasing music even to this very day to great extents (it is no secret that Tatsuro kept on delivering hits across the years, regardless if there were new records or not, with the recognition and reputation of his name only being more and more respected with each passing year). At that point, his contract his RCA had ended, but his musical ambitions were as big as ever, and now that he had accomplished success, as well as being on a much more positive mindset in general, he finally had the freedom to do whatever he wanted in studio.

If anything, Melodies would end up becoming the beginning of a new era for Yamashita, an era where he was finally free to be as loose and creative with his projects as he pleased, without feeling pressured to craft something that necessarily had to sell or appeal to mainstream audiences. The main slogan for the production and recording of this new album was that of "Melodies and Memories", serving as a way for Tatsuro to go back to the style he had developed for years before the release of For You, tackling it under a different mindset, while also going back to the Sugar Babe style of recording and writing music, trying out as many genres and styles as he wanted to  (going from a nod as his main RCA mellow and passionate style, to even full records dedicated to his love for the Beach Boys and Vocal Surf). Even then, he still managed to deliver pop masterpieces on a very constant pace, crafting a lot of songs that would end up going down as undeniable classics of Japanese pop, and Japanese music in general (one just has to look at the singles for the record in order to see songs like クリスマス・イブ going down as a Christmas classic from Tatsuro). It wasn't about selling albums anymore, because his singles were popular enough already to make up for sales, it was that newly found freedom that he found regarding the way he wrote and arranged music.

Melodies was the first try at this new desire to write music that didn't have to please audiences, and in many ways it could be compared to Go Ahead!, where the variety found on the tracklist was born from being comfortable with life instead of being frustrated at his career. Contrary to Go Ahead!, Melodies holds a surprising consistency from beginning to end, presenting a main atmosphere and tone that are tackled in different ways with each passing track, being the reason why this album is engaging and captivating as a full project. On closer look however, Melodies ends up being a mixed bag regarding the musical aspects found throughout the record. The record is much more calm, laid back, and simple regarding the songwriting and arrangements (with Kazuo Shiina being left out in guitar duties, with Tatsuro fulfilling them on a good way). This means that some technical aspects that could be found in previous records are replaced with a much more straight forward and simple perspective in the way tracks are structured (with things like the background vocals or the different orchestral aspects also being simplified and applied on very particular ways), which ends up suiting the atmosphere and tone of the record on a much better way.  There are a lot of ideas that end up being executed on a fantastic way, but there is also a lot of tracks that don't really flesh out their style to their full potential, leading to tracks that are far from being mediocre, but that simply end up being somewhat underwhelming in the long run. But still, Tatsuro is Tatsuro, and he is still able to deliver a collection of different pop masterpieces where every element is just in the right place. Tracks like Jody, 高気圧ガール, and Merry Go Round are fantastic highlights that make this album worth a full listen, even if the things that are placed in between don't end up being as engaging or fleshed out. 

It is completely understandable why some fans turn towards this record as their favorite Yamashita release, because even in this new laid back atmosphere, it manages to offer a sweet and engaging release, full of memorable moments that stand out from Tatsuro's catalog in general. And even back then, with the initial mixed reception and some of the criticisms, this was Tatsuro's third #1 album, and it would eventually surpass For You in sales, making it his best selling album, going along one of his best selling singles. Personally, Melodies is far from being a perfect album, and even if the highlights overshadow most of the material found here, it is not enough to make up for what feels like a somewhat underwhelming project on his catalog. Of course, Tatsuro would only keep polishing this new way of crafting records, but Melodies was the proper start of this new golden era for his music.

A project where he wanted to go back to his old ambitions under a different, much more positive and passionate, mindset. A place where he found a liberating freedom that let him be happy making whatever he wanted to make. He was making his music thanks to the help of some good memories, eventually delivering some sweet and captivating melodies. 

Overall Rating: 7/10

Favorite Track: 悲しみのJody (She Was Crying) / メリー・ゴー・ラウンド

Your Stars Will Shine In Heaven / Tatsuro Yamashita - Go Ahead! (1978) Album Review

Yamashita was a pioneer at implementing trends that would become staples of the new wave of pop that would take over Japan in the 80s, being already ahead of its time with his first two solo albums in the 70's, and even with his work with Sugar Babe and Niagara Triangle, but throughout all that early period, the reception towards his work was very rough. Songs, in 1975, can be considered as the first City Pop album, presenting a unique blend of pop with soft rock, coming up with a very polished and layered album where Tatsuro found his love for arrangements and music production, but even with a single released, the band wouldn't be able to be properly recognized at the time. He then followed in 1976 with his solo debut, Circus Town, where he challenged himself musically by recording the album in the US, where he learned how to be selective with the musicians he picked for his music, expanding his musical influences to jazz, funk, and rock; but more importantly, learning a new, more professional, way of writing music with partitures. Circus Town was a mixed bag, a first try at some new ideas, as well as presenting wonderful tunes that represented his slow evolution on a great way, but he would look to refine all those aspects with his future records, wasting no time in implementing his new knowledge into his next solo project, leading to the release of Spacy in 1977. 

Circus Town received poor sales and harsh criticism, leading to a rough relationship with both critics and the label, but the only thing that pushed him forward was his desire to work on his solo music. For his second album, he gathered an all-star cast that was up to his standards, and proceeded to record the album that for many would be the proper start of his career. It was something much more technical and methodical in the instrumental approach, with a big jazz and funk influence, but it was still catchy, easy going, and memorable, with Yamashita's vocals being the soul of the performances on a very dynamic, varied, and polished production where giants like Haruomi Hosono and Ryuichi Sakamoto worked on more than willing to make up for a great experience. Spacy was not perfect, it was essentially built to show its true colors on a live setting, but it would be the proper start of Yamashita's career, setting up ideas and approaches to songwriting that would find themselves expanded on future releases. But despite having this cast, the sales were not as expected, barely making up for the big budget that went with recording the album the way Tatsuro wanted, and even then the money would come mostly from the concerts that were given on small venues in promotion of the album (these were highly regarded and respected by those who attended, and they lead to the idea of recording two of these gigs in order to make a live album and try to recover some budget, leading to the fascinating and wonderful double album of "It's A Poppin Time" in 1978, showing Tatsuro with a high charisma accompanied by talented performers, including a young Ryuichi Sakamoto on keyboards, and expanding ideas from his solo albums, as well as showcasing new material). But even then, it wasn't enough.

Tatsuro Yamashita seemed to have reached the lowest point of his entire solo career by 1978, and it appeared as if his solo career was almost coming to an end. It is not like he was doing bad financially, mainly due to the fact that working with big names in the Japanese music industry at the time, while also being recognized as someone extremely talented by those names as well, led to him being a very popular and respected musicians who worked without giving out his name as a producer and songwriter with other artists and labels. The main issue relied on the solo aspects of his professional music career, where sales were poor and mostly restricted to Tokyo for both of his studio albums, and specially his double live record, leading to problems and restrictions with RVC/RCA at that time. The music that Tatsuro was working on had a big range of influences, coming from almost exclusively occidental sources, and it was mainly focused on a particular and varied pop aesthetic that had both incredible and polished instrumental arrangements that were complemented by Yamashita's memorable and impressive vocal performances. However, this was not popular in the mainstream, being mostly attacked by critics at the time, and its positive reception was only restricted to a very loyal underground fanbase, as well as all the professional artists he worked with, but that, as well as the fact that he had not released any single in promotion of his work, was not enough to get a career floating. 

There were still minor glimpses of hope that still made the label stick with Tatsuro, with them knowing very well the quality of his music, as well as looking at related projects where he participated doing well on sales and slowly building up his status as a widely recognized artist (with the 1978 Pacific project, an instrumental collaboration made with Shigeru Suzuki and Haruomi Hosono being one of the main things that lead to Tatsuro still being hold as an artist with a huge potential). Despite all that, Tatsuro started to feel as if the rock and folk world in Japan was changing abruptly, entering to a new age that seemed like it had no reception for artists with a love for pop music such as him, thinking that he would had to quit playing his solo music in both live and studio settings. That way of thinking, plus being well aware of the poor reception that the music he worked really hard on had, led to him getting a pessimistic mindset that his third studio album would be his last one. His way of thinking, stablished in Spacy, started to get affected (plus having a variety of rough times with him trying to stablish his own office), with him deciding to work loosely on concepts to finish this third album, thinking that he would quit his music and venture on becoming a full time producer and composer for other artists, there simply was no high spirit or will to finish an album properly, and it all culminated on the release of Go Ahead! in late 1978. Due to that, recording sessions and songwriting for his new project were unfocused and all over the place, unlike the ones for Spacy, leading tracks that dived into different genres and approached different styles that Yamashita simply felt like trying out, and that is the simple factor that lead to this being a mixed bag of an album, having some great and hard hitting tracks, while others could evidently need to be properly fleshed out to achieve their full potential.

It all starts with Overture, a small acapella introduction that was slowly expanding Yamashita's desire to dive deep into these kinds of recordings (with a first proper try with the recording of Marie for the live album). It mostly starts developing Yamashita's trend of developing multiple choruses and segments just using his vocals, and it does serve the purpose of opening up the experience on a short, charming, and sweet way, setting up the tone and atmosphere of the album. This is followed by Love Celebration, the first track of the album, starting with a simple drumbeat to then give place to the groovy main rhythm lead by the bass. Songs for the album were dragged from many places, and this one was no exception, being a scrap from an abandoned project for Linda Carriere produced by Haruomi Hosono, aimed to be a mix between the musical styles of Chicago and Miami, making up for rhythm and blues segments, as something much funkier and disco driven. Instrumentally wise it all flows really well, being a wonderful track that is engaging with the main rhythm, leaving space for small solos and the implementation of string, trumpet, and background vocals that complement the track's atmosphere, fleshing out throughout the track. The main step back are Yamashita's English vocals, they are not horrible, they still hold the charm and passion of his work, but it certainly doesn't end up mixing all that well in the final product. It is a good opener, a nice track to follow up in setting up the mood of the record, but it could have been polished to an even further extent.

Let's Dance Baby takes over, being one of the early highlights of the album, and also being an important track in Yamashita's discography. Along side Bomber, this would be released as the first single in Yamashita's solo career, in promotion of Yamashita's fourth album "Moonglow" months after the release of "Go Ahead!", and while Bomber would be the first main hit, this would also receive an equal amount of attention, leading audiences to slowly take notice of Tatsuro's previous projects and slowly leading to the jump in popularity that he would experience in 1979 and 1980. It was originally written as part of three songs composed for The King Tones, with only two of those being used and Yamashita using this remaining one for his own solo project. It is a very captivating, catchy, and sweet track that really serves well as a memorable and catchy single, with a calm instrumental that engages due to the way its presented, with the keyboard being the main element that makes everything work upon the cowbell beat set in the beginning. Tatsuro's vocal performance, along side the wonderful background vocals, all integrate really well with the instrumental and make up for a great song that does know how to set the tone throughout all its length. Just another lovely masterpiece by the master himself. 

However, this short and sweet song is immediately contrasted with the rather lengthy and mellow Monday Blue, a long ballad that tries to flesh out its ideas, but ends up feeling as lasting more than it should. The main melody is carried by a wonderful interaction between Yamashita, Shuichi Murakami on the drums, Akira Okazawa on bass, Hiroshi Sato on keyboards, and Tsunehide Matsuki on guitar; creating a wonderful and lovely dynamic between all the members, ending up on a very mellow and well executed melody, supported by extra layers thanks to the inclusion of strings and similar elements, such as a harp, that just add to the atmosphere. Up to the four minute mark, with Sato's fantastic and calm solo, it all flows very well, but it feels as if lasting more than it should, fleshing out for another three extra minutes, when it could have perfectly faded out after the first solo, having stablished everything already, only to be repeated on the second half. Still, a beautiful melody that engages and certainly has a lot to offer to the listener. That melancholic tone is embraced even more with the mellow keyboards and vocals present on the beginning of ついておいで , misleading the listener into what seems like another mellow approach at songwriting, but suddenly, and wonderfully, shifting tone into something much more upbeat and funky, very reminiscent of songs on Spacy, with a killer bassline and a trumpet solo that just end up stealing the show. It was written to try and integrate a rhythm style popular on the US around that time, with both verse and instrumental parts having distinct melodies, but interacting very well between each other, complementing into something that really shines for being very unexpected and engaging. 

The second side opens with Bomber, a one of a kind song on Yamashita's career, being an experiment from the artist at trying to write a polyrhythmic funk song, while also trying to record a track with new artists (being written by Hiroshi Uehara and Akihiro Tanaka, and having Hiroyuki Naniwa and Kazuo Shiina as guest musicians), that would eventually become a part of the Moonglow recording sessions, ending up on a very unusual masterpiece that would be the key element for how both Yamashita's career and creative optimism would see hope in the future. This track is simply iconic at this point among both Japanese pop fans, and specially Yamashita fans, mainly due to Akihiro Tanaka's impressive, groovy, and explosive slapping bass that takes over the entire track.  It was released as the B side of the Let's Dance Baby single, but an inverted version of the release started to become popular among Osaka's disco establishments, mainly due to having a very danceable and catchy melody present throughout all its length. It is a very straight forward track on the song structure, but it is executed on an excellent way, with a mix where all the elements simply complement each other very well, leading to Tanaka's bass solo and both Riingo's guitar solo segments being the payoffs to what was already a rewarding build off, with Yamashita's wonderful vocals adding to the already powerful spirit found here. This track, although rather unique in approach and instrumental execution, would be the turning point of Tatsuro's career, with him inclining towards this style of funk on following projects, and being the spark to reignite his creative flame. There is simply nothing more to say, an essential pop track, insanely well performed and memorable, and the reason why Tatsuro's career kept providing excellent music throughout the years. A bombastic explosion of joy and talent, and a more than enough excuse to check this album all the way through.

潮騒 follows up shifting the upbeat mode to something much more mellow in spirit, trying to emulate the structure and chord progression of a Todd Langren song. In many ways, it would serve as a sudden contrast to something as engaging and explosive as Bomber, as well as being something that almost feels out of place within the record, even having classic waves crashing as the outro even when they don't really have a reason to be there. It is far from being a bad song, but it does fall more into the category of "the enjoyable mellow/ballad like B-side that works well for what it is, having no elements outside of the comfort field of the artist and that gives not much to talk about, but that simply contrasts the explosive main highlight of the A side of the single" (which in fact, would be the case, being used as the B-side to the masterful Let's Kiss The Sun a year later). The tone is once again contrasted with the second main highlight of the album, Paper Doll, and one of the odd decisions take by the label in regard of their moves with Yamashita's solo career. This was a song that was intended to be used as a single in the early part of 1978, but the label rejected it thinking that it would not have a warm or successful reception from the mainstream, therefore never being used in that form and being one of the reasons for Yamashita's pessimism during this time. It is somewhat understandable, considering that it is not as upbeat or engaging in dancing as Bomber, but it is still something catchy with the way the instruments are arranged and performed, with a calm Yamashita providing a soft and calm guitar solo and vocal performance. It was not released as a single, but it was popular on concerts, being able to be expanded with improvisation, specially in the solo segment, and it already made an official debut appearing as part of "It's A Poppin Time". A simple, groovy, catchy, and relaxing tune that simply lasts what it has to last, offering a very satisfying and engaging listen.

The last two songs found here are some of the most intriguing in approach, but they also stand out for being the weakest and least memorable songs on the record. This Could Be The Night shifts the mood once again, and even the production and mixing aspects, towards something almost radically different in tone, tempo, atmosphere, and arrangement. It is a cover from a Phil Specter song, with Yamashita doing almost all of the instrumental work, while he is joined by Ryuichi Sakamoto playing a Polymoog Synth giving out the main element that leads the tone and atmosphere of the track. The little bells being used, along side the synth and the production aspects of the song, certainly give off a simple and direct version of a Christmas track (also considering that the album was released on December), but it is really out of place compared to what was seen before, specially with the production aspects seen here (particularly on the vocals, even shifting in the mix for something much clear at one point at the end), something repetitive and of an almost odd quality, with the only particular things to remember being the use of the Polymoog and the simple instrumental performances provided by Yamashita. And finally, 2000トンの雨 comes as the closer of the entire album, being something that almost seems to follow along with the production aspects of the last song, but having more in common with previous songs on the album. Apparently, this track's lyrics would be re-written along side the instrumental arrangements into Space Crush, a live song featured on It's A Poppin Time, and one could certainly see some aspects being similar, but also concluding that the live track is simply the most engaging and well executed version. However, it is something sweet and passionate on its performing, but nothing particularly unique coming from Yamashita. Curiously, it would still become a sort of small classic among some fans of the artist, specially due to it being used on some love films as a main theme. A simple and short track that works very well on being sweet and calming, with some solo segments that do add to the atmosphere, and a very charismatic vocal performance, closing up the album on a nice way. 

Go Ahead! is a curious record. Curious in the sense that it is an important album for Yamashita, but it certainly has more value on it's significance to Tatsuro's career more than on being a carefully crafted or polished masterpiece of a project. On the one hand, it almost marked the end of Yamashita's solo career, with a frustrated artist finding himself pessimistic about the reception of his music, having the resources and the talent, but lacking the income to let him push his creative vision even further. On the other hand, it would be the spark to reignite his artistic mindset, with Bomber particularly (used along side Let's Dance Baby as the first singles of Yamashita's career just some months later in 1979 in promotion of his fourth album, and finding itself as the artist's first notable hit on his career), being the turning point that would lead him to record more funk driven, danceable, catchy, groovy, and technical tracks that just worked on composition, arrangement, and performance; culminating on the release of Moonglow and Ride On Time just some time later. But on second hand, it would be a mixed bag of some incredible tracks, some nice and engaging ideas, and some loose attempts that end up feeling almost completely out of place within a 10 song project. 

In many ways, Peter Sato's album cover depicts perfectly the main problems that this album has. It is a colorful and vibrant experience, just like any other Yamashita project is, but something just doesn't end up being completely right. Upon closer look there simply is a lot going on, with some random strokes and odd decisions being made on some aspects, becoming a little messy or even a little off putting in the final product (the reason why Yamashita is depicted smiling like that will always be a mystery to us mere mortals). Go Ahead!'s main issue is the inconsistency found within the album, but it certainly reflects the frustration and attitude of the artist during that point. The first side holds some sort of consistency and coherence, while the second side simply takes liberties and drifts away towards small little experiments of melodies, chord progressions, arrangements, and production aspects that Yamashita simply felt like wanting to try out; resulting on some of the best songs of his entire career, as well as some of his most forgettable and uninteresting material. It is not a horrible album, and it is not a mediocre experience either. There are a lot of things to take away from the album, with Bomber and Paper Doll being more than enough reasons to check this album on its entirety, and there are evident ideas that would be greatly expanded on future albums, finding its roots here, executed to a better or worse extent. It is still an enjoyable album, and certainly something that would give place to something much more worthwhile and well crafted in future projects. 

Despite Tatsuro being frustrated and pessimistic about it, the album still manages to push through with some masterpieces, and it really is worth it to go ahead and check this experience front to back. 

Overall Rating: 7/10

Favorite Track: Bomber / Paper Doll