Jun & Syuku (Pearl Sisters) - Nima · Wakareta Ano Hito / Ai No Tabibito (Promo; 1973)

Kind of remembering the Korean War (6.25), this album will be one of peculiar albums I post here.

there are many Korean folk albums only released in Japan because of the censorship of the Park Jung Hee regime, and many heavily political themed albums like 그날이 온다 (The Day Is Coming; manufactured by Kojima Recordings Inc.) and apart from political reasons, there are many Korean songs in Japanese and vice versa in 70 ~ 80s because popularity of Korean 70s Psychedelic musics and 80s Japanese Electronic Disco musics. (Amusingly, A-Musik covered Nilririya and Come Back To Port Busan)

Anyway, this single by Jun & Syuku (준과 숙; Pearl Sisters in Korea) is including one of the Shin Joong Hyun's popular track Nima (님아; Oh Dear) sung in Japanese despite Jun & Syuku's most tracks in Japanese albums are popular Japanese songs. I don't know very much about the background of this album, but this version of Nima track is very different than Korean ones (Yeah, there are lots of different version), quite fast paced than original version and arrangement of guitar and wind instruments are shine brilliantly.

 D/L · Discogs

Me showing off some albums in Documentary "Retro : Dusting Off The Old Times".

Plus : I got a time off from work for 3 months, and for celebrating the "try to save money for changing my stereo", the big one is coming... some of you guys might hate spoilers, but it's original copy of John Duncan's Pleasure Escape, I'll try to post more frequently from now.

Sally May - Hibotan Iwa To · Kinpatsu Enka (1969)

Here's the Sally May (or Mae)'s Kinpatsu Enka, first I saw and got interested by this album was from blog DRILLPOP. While getting inspiration from Japanese / Indian / Korean pinups, Vinyl jacket and I saw this album and like "Wait, I need to buy that album" and bought it last year I guess.

Since I don't know about this album nor the singer Sally May, but according to some vinyl sellers, Sally May (half Caucasian/half Japanese) is better know as a Nikkatsu porn actress and concurrent to Kumi Taguchi in the early 70’s, but in 1963 she was scouted out by the lead singer of the Five Suns band and stated out singing occasionally with the band The Sharp Hawks.

Soon hereafter she debuted as a singer for commercial ads. And Kinpatsu Enka was a quite a hit in Japan in that time. And really, I heard some other Enka albums but sure Sally May's voice made this album unique than other Enka albums. Bought for album jacket, found a unforgettable gem.

(Information from : Japan'archives Mailorder · Tiliqua Records)

D/L

AVECS - Why Don't You Dance? (1987/09/13)

AVECS (proper romanisation is Abekkusu) is a pop group fronted by manga artist Uchida Shungiku. The music is tropical disco, but lacks the prominent bass guitar that one might expect from the genre. Fear not for although the bass is subdued trumpets blare from beginning to end.
Uchida Shungiku is an adequate singer; you can listen to one of her songs below although the accompanying music is entirely different to that which is one this cassette tape.

Listen** · D/L

 *For more information about Uchida you can listen to this presentation. Unfortunately, Uchida was a victim of horrific incidents during her childhood which likely contributed to her making poor decisions in later life (such as marrying, cuckolding, and divorcing four different men).

**I don't think her music is bad, albeit not fantastic either, yet her songs have many dislikes. It may simply be a matter of people who genuinely dislike her music giving her negative feedback, but it's also possible that the voters were influenced by a negative opinion of Uchida herself.

 

Finally, I noticed that there's a VHS tape available with Uchida Shinguku, Modern Hip, and other groups. Modern Hip were a new wave group signed to Koji Wakui's Box Records, I have one of their LPs. But I digress, I merely wished to declare that I'm considering purchasing this tape, and others, and may upload them to this blog.

Hirono Mio - Chloé (1989)

Hirono Mio's first solo album that I'm aware of. I like it a bit less than Fruits of the Moon but the two aren't radically different in genre/style. This one is a bit more relaxed, perhaps closer to Mio Fou. The usual suspect, Hirofumi Suzuki, plays on this album; as well as, I believe, Yoko Ueno from (at the time) Zabadak.

There aren't any tracks from this available on Youtube, so here's a video fo Hirofumi Suzuki and Hirono Mio advertising Mio Fou 3 · D/L

Hirono Mio - Fruits of the Moon (1988)

Originally I only wanted to post my own rips but someone requested this and it's too good to not listen to. This is Hirono Mio's debut-solo EP. The second track is one of my all-time favourite songs.
I was actually going to buy her first LP, IIRC it's called Chloe, from Yahoo Auctions but completely forgot about it and bought some other stuff instead. Maybe next time!

Listen · D/L

Mio Fou - Mio Fou (1984)

Mio Fou are a musical duo consisting of violinist Mio Hirono and Hirofumi Suzuki. These two were/are in some of my favourite bands: Moonriders, Shi-Shonen, Real Fish and have been involved with many other artists I enjoy.
Highly recommended. This is the 25th Anniversary Edition and features seven bonus tracks.
Tracks nine and ten are originally from the album 'Bright Young Aquarium Workers'; a synthpop record which includes the efforts of five artists, each having one song on either side.
Tracks eleven to fifteen were all recorded during the years 2006 through 2009.

Listen · D/L