The Music of Japan.

[Sonik Wiz]

Tales from Earthsea [soundtrack] [TOKUMA Japan/Multi~CH SACD 5.1] a simply gorgeous discrete soundscape

Wowsers! I had no idea this was available in surround SACD.

I've seen the movie & liked it more than most others but I really don't remember much about the music. Considering this is Ghibli project & gets your endorsement, that's good enough for me.

Sadly I see this was a 2005 release sold out but CD Japan still has it listed at (out of stock) only $20 USA. Gladly I see there are 8 copies for sale on Discogs! The disc price is most reasonable but since it the sellers are in Japan, shipping is at least twice the cost of the SACD. But I'll make my selection & forge ahead. Thanks for the tip!

 

[4-earredwonder]

Wowsers! I had no idea this was available in surround SACD.

I've seen the movie & liked it more than most others but I really don't remember much about the music. Considering this is Ghibli project & gets your endorsement, that's good enough for me.

Sadly I see this was a 2005 release sold out but CD Japan still has it listed at (out of stock) only $20 USA. Gladly I see there are 8 copies for sale on Discogs! The disc price is most reasonable but since it the sellers are in Japan, shipping is at least twice the cost of the SACD. But I'll make my selection & forge ahead. Thanks for the tip!

I'm playing it as we speak. Amazing recording, simply gorgeous and I purchased it not too long ago from Deep Discount's 'blowout bin' at a fraction of its list price. Unfortunately, they have no more!

 

[4-earredwonder]

Fortunately, SW, CDJapan does list it as a back order but the price is NICE

https://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/TKGA-503?s_ssid=e41051624c68b1b273
AmazonUS' price is double but it is a multi~CH SACD

https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Earths...prefix=tales+from+earthsea+,popular,50&sr=1-5

 

[PurpleMoustache]

Oh man, I can’t believe I forgot to mention in my big post one of the best modern bands:
Kikagaku Moyo

You like psych rock, but think it doesn’t have enough sitar? Kikagaku Moyo has your back. Great psych rock band from Japan, quite a few albums (I recommend The House In Tall Grass).

The downside is the album they’re putting out this year is going to be their last (for now), as the band is going on indefinite hiatus. From what they’ve said it seems they think they’ve done what they can do with their sound and want to end on a high note. I’m willing to bet we’ll hear from them again in a few years time however

 

[Sonik Wiz]

Haroumi (Harry) Hosono. An outlier, in that he came to the US and recorded with help and production by Lowell George and Van Dyke Parks, then went on to make many records. Much of them in a style that was sort of Japanese tropes reflected by US culture, then reflected back by Hosono. It makes more sense to hear it. Paraiso is one place to start.
Also a cofounder of Yellow Magic Orchestra.
Lots more. Godfather of "City Pop".

It is certainly good to see Harry Hosono's name mentioned. I have a live performance DVD titled Tokyo Shyness of his. Very mellow, enchanting, great after dinner entertainment with some sake. I also have a couple of excellent lives by YMO, one very early that included Hosono playing in America. I think at one of the Fillmore's. Another considerably newer with out Harry in the band. I love the music. Sure they are techno but I found their music much more enjoyable, melodic, compared to Kraftwerk or Gary Numan.

I only discovered Harry Hosono after 4, maybe 5 years of exploring anime & J music. Not surprising Chisato Moritaka was my gateway. On her 5th video compilation DVD there was a song called Tokyo Rush. Rarely does she do a duo, but there was this older guy in it who was sorta cool & sorta dorky. I figured he must be someone important. And I did not know that the song was his composition. This video is great, and friends have told me that the included animation reminds them of the quirky stuff Terry Gilliam used to do for Monty Python. So there's that bonus too.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

I really enjoyed that selection, thanks for posting. One of the aspects of this thread is the range of music styles embrace by Japanese artists. Whether it is jazz, metal, mellow, pop, the Japanese have incredibly good versions of each. Again it's just a bit different from Western music to be unique.

The only genre I can think of that the Japanese fail miserably at is ersatz Country & Western. An American friend in Japan says this is called simply Cowboy music over there. The few examples I've heard are just awful. It would be the same if an American musician tried to make Enka style music. It would at best be just a parody. And so it goes for the Japanese trying to emulate popular C&W music.

I find her performance mesmerizing and magical; so much so, that when she gets back around to the opening phrase at the end (if I was there I’d jump up and yell “ yeah baby! You Rock!”.)

before being escorted out, I’d get pummeled with

座って黙って、あなたはばか

 

[McCrutchy]

Masayoshi Takanaka RAINBOW GOBLINS STORY LIVE AT BUDOKAN 1981 .....Start at 35:44 when Takanaka does a blistering rendition of PLUMED BIRD [Have the full concert on Japanese Laserdisc]

I've got that one on Laserdisc too! I have enjoyed it many times over the years. Indeed highly recommended.

FYI: Universal released this concert on Blu-ray as part of a five-disc (2xBD, 3xHybrid SACD) box set in November 2021:

Amazon.co.jp: 虹伝説BOX-40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition - (生産限定盤)(SUPER AUDIO CD)(3枚組)(2Blu-Ray付)(特典:なし): Music

Niji Densetsu Box-40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition- [3SACD Hybrid+2Blu-ray] [Limited Release] Masayoshi Takanaka SACD

虹伝説BOX-40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition - [生産限定盤] [SA-CD HYBRID][SA-CD][+Blu-ray] - 高中正義 - UNIVERSAL MUSIC JAPAN

TAKANAKA 50th Anniversary Project

Since its release in 1981, "The Rainbow Goblins", a masterpiece of Masayoshi Takanaka, a masterpiece that remains in the history of Japanese instrumental music, has been compiled as a limited BOX specification of 3CD + 2BD!
All CDs are the latest remastering from the original master tape in 2021 (SACD hybrid specification), and all the images are on Blu-ray for the first time!

[Scheduled contents]
■ DISC-1 (CD)
"The Rainbow Goblins" (1981)
■ DISC-2 (CD)
"The Rainbow Goblins II THE WHITE GOBLIN" (1997)
■ DISC-3 (CD)
" Rainbow Legend II LIVE AT BUDOKAN Time Machine to the Past ”(1997) * Latest remastering of all works in 2021
■ DISC-4 (Blu-ray)
“ Rainbow Legend RAINBOW GOBLINS STORY ”(1981) * Lined in 1982 The first Blu-ray of the legendary Budokan live that was lost
■ DISC-5 (Blu-ray)
"TOUR'97 Rainbow Legend II ACT-I THE WHITE GOBLIN" (1997) * September 5, 1997, at the Japan Budokan The first Blu-ray of the special live performed
"TOUR'97 Rainbow Legend II ACT-II Time Machine for the Past" (1997) * September 5, 1997, the first Blu-ray of the second part of the Japan Budokan performance -Ray version
CHARA, MIKA, Tsuda ☆ Hiro and other hit song sets with gorgeous guests!

 

[RustyStatic]

I always loved Pizzicato Five and this one in particular: “Magic Twin Candle Tale”

 

[4-earredwonder]

FYI: Universal released this concert on Blu-ray as part of a five-disc (2xBD, 3xHybrid SACD) box set in November 2021:

Amazon.co.jp: 虹伝説BOX-40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition - (生産限定盤)(SUPER AUDIO CD)(3枚組)(2Blu-Ray付)(特典:なし): Music

Niji Densetsu Box-40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition- [3SACD Hybrid+2Blu-ray] [Limited Release] Masayoshi Takanaka SACD

虹伝説BOX-40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition - [生産限定盤] [SA-CD HYBRID][SA-CD][+Blu-ray] - 高中正義 - UNIVERSAL MUSIC JAPAN

Many thanks. Ordered from CDJapan!

• 

 

[Sonik Wiz]

Many thanks. Ordered from CDJapan!

• 

Wow that's cool. Let us know how it compares to earlier releases. I am tempted but a $100 is a lot of Yen to me these days. I think I will wait till I hear from you about it.

However this previous talk of Harry Hosono & YMO got me poking around. I found this and snapped it up right away:

https://www.deepdiscount.com/paraiso/4560427447520
Remastered in 2019 & quite affordable. I have high hopes for this. This is the last of a series of three early albums that he considered travel music. That is, what music would conjure up visions to an exotic place visited? It is also unique because it is officially his last solo effort before joing Yellow Magic Orchestra but it had all the staff of the future YMO. So... last Hosono solo album, or first YMO band album?

 

[RustyStatic]

Many thanks. Ordered from CDJapan!

Same, Rainbow Goblins has been a long-time favorite since I was enticed by the cover and bought it on vinyl way back... had to grab a copy of this even though it's pretty pricey (especially with the shipping)—but I take your recommendations seriously so I'm sure I'm gonna love it. Grabbed a copy of the Tales from Earthsea multichannel as well! My wallet has been doin' the Wilhelm Scream all morning. ;P

 

[4-earredwonder]

Wow that's cool. Let us know how it compares to earlier releases. I am tempted but a $100 is a lot of Yen to me these days. I think I will wait till I hear from you about it.

However this previous talk of Harry Hosono & YMO got me poking around. I found this and snapped it up right away:

https://www.deepdiscount.com/paraiso/4560427447520
Remastered in 2019 & quite affordable. I have high hopes for this. This is the last of a series of three early albums that he considered travel music. That is, what music would conjure up visions to an exotic place visited? It is also unique because it is officially his last solo effort before joing Yellow Magic Orchestra but it had all the staff of the future YMO. So... last Hosono solo album, or first YMO band album?

Same, Rainbow Goblins has been a long-time favorite since I was enticed by the cover and bought it on vinyl way back... had to grab a copy of this even though it's pretty pricey (especially with the shipping)—but I take your recommendations seriously so I'm sure I'm gonna love it. Grabbed a copy of the Tales from Earthsea multichannel as well! My wallet has been doin' the Wilhelm Scream all morning. ;P

Yeah, SW, quite pricey but heck ...three hybrid SACDs and 2 BD~Vs for under $100 [$20 each] but of course that DHL s/h is RIDICULOUS. I ran it through my business credit card which helps considerably. Had a few CDjapan bonus points so that eased the price ... just a BIT!

Rusty [and SW, as well], glad you bought that Tales From Earthsea multi~CH SACD ...you will LOVE it ..... Looking forward to seeing the entire Rainbow Goblins Story in 1080p resolution [versus laserdisc] and all discs according to Universal are from the original master tapes

ヴィヴァJAPAN !!!!!

 

[Misterbee]

Wow that's cool. Let us know how it compares to earlier releases. I am tempted but a $100 is a lot of Yen to me these days. I think I will wait till I hear from you about it.

However this previous talk of Harry Hosono & YMO got me poking around. I found this and snapped it up right away:

https://www.deepdiscount.com/paraiso/4560427447520
Remastered in 2019 & quite affordable. I have high hopes for this. This is the last of a series of three early albums that he considered travel music. That is, what music would conjure up visions to an exotic place visited? It is also unique because it is officially his last solo effort before joing Yellow Magic Orchestra but it had all the staff of the future YMO. So... last Hosono solo album, or first YMO band album?

not the same thing, but possibly in a similar vein, is Toshio Nakanishi‘s Watermelon Group. Their album “Cool Music” helped me survive the 1980s.

 

[J. PUPSTER]

Tomita & Hatsune Miku (virtual singer)

https://www.discogs.com/release/4220703-Tomita-Symphony-Ihatov

 

[Sonik Wiz]

Tomita & Hatsune Miku (virtual singer)

View attachment 77688

https://www.discogs.com/release/4220703-Tomita-Symphony-Ihatov

Another good catch Mr Pupster! I've only seen videos of her "live" performances. They must be amazing in person.

Hatsune Miku is the selected waifu of so many otaku. Not me. that would be silly. Besides it would make Chisato jealous.

 

[Lute]

A couple of tunes from

Sayuri Ishikawa:

Amagi-goe
(Walk Over Amagi Pass)



Tsugaru Kaikyō Fuyugeshiki
(Tsugaru Strait - Winter Scene)

 

[beerking]

Tales from Earthsea [soundtrack] [TOKUMA Japan/Multi~CH SACD 5.1] a simply gorgeous discrete soundscape

Totally agree Ralphie, had this release for a few years now.

Can be bought via here:

http://www.sa-cd.net/showtitle/3953

 

[beerking]

While we're talking Japanese, yes I really think so...

An artist I admire is Cornelius.

I have his release 'Mellow Waves Visual'

A bit pricey but well worth it.

https://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/WPXL-90203?s_ssid=e4346d625150562ba3

 

[Sonik Wiz]

While we're talking Japanese, yes I really think so...

An artist I admire is Cornelius.

I have his release 'Mellow Waves Visual'

A bit pricey but well worth it.

https://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/WPXL-90203?s_ssid=e4346d625150562ba3

Ok now you did it. Something in your post reminded me of something else... Hmmm.



It's just a bit off topic as it's not music by a Japanese artist but I think it deserves a fun honorable mention. Produced by Mc G as a promotional video for the Super Flat artist Takashi Murakami for his first NY MOMA exhibit.

 

[beerking]

Ok now you did it. Something in your post reminded me of something else... Hmmm.



It's just a bit off topic as it's not music by a Japanese artist but I think it deserves a fun honorable mention. Produced by Mc G as a promotional video for the Super Flat artist Takashi Murakami for his first NY MOMA exhibit.

This is the song I was thinking of...