King Japan 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: Happy End was a seminal Japanese folk rock and psych band which featured Haruomi Hosono alongside Eiichi Ohtaki, Takashi Matsumoto and Shigeru Suzuki after prior band Apryl Fool disbanded in 1969. Happy End recorded three studio albums before going on to their various accomplished careers and it's their third record which is reissued here. If you appreciate the broader idea of early psychedelic music as explored by The Moody Blues as much as 13th Floor Elevators, you're in for a treat exploring Happy End. It's warm, fuzzy and full of brilliant songwriting chops to match the wild ideas and adventurous production style.

Review: Released back in 1979, Inga was Yagi Masao's first truly solo project released on vinyl. The late jazz pianist had previously created a tribute album to Thelonious Monk in the summer of 1960, a lovesong to one of the greatest jazz composers in history. The Japanese Americanophile is hardly a small star himself, scoring multiple movies and TV shows like the boxing anime 'Ashita no Joe' as well as live-action 60s classics like 'Good-bye Moscow' and 'Bad Girl, Yoko'. Well deserving of a third issuing, the first vinyl reissue since its original pressing, 'Inga' is a multi-instrumental masterpiece where Masao flexes his dexterity to the highest degree. No better is this shown than the dramatic, sweeping intro track ' Memories (Piano Solo)', a showcase in tempo and restraint unlike any you will ever hear today. Curiously, his name seems to be misspelt as Yagui on the 'Inga' cover, and that cover alone - one of numerous quirks to this spellbinding release.