a r t i s t : Tokedashita Garasu Bako (Melting Glass Box)
t i t l e : Self-Titled
d a t e : 2008
l a b e l : Erebus (ERCD004)
g e n r e : Folk-Rock
r l s. d a t e : Sep/2008
t r a c k s : 08
b i t r a t e : VBRkbps
s i z e : 49,6 MB
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Writing as many reviews as we do each week, trying to sell
records to the people who will like 'em, we really appreciate
it when a band makes it easy, as in this case, like, by being
from Japan. And from the early '70s. Playing acid folk. And
then they've got a cool name like Melting Glass Box. All that
really remains is for us to tell you if is as amazing as it
seems it might be - and it is.
Of course, though they're pretty obscure, you may have heard
of them already, as this 1970 album has quite a deserved rep
among connoisseurs of Japanese psych stuff - though it's
mysteriously given short shrift in Julian Cope's
Japrocksampler book, though he does praise albums by another
band, Five Red Balloons (Itsutsu No Arai Fusen) from whom
comes the main Melting Glass Box guy, singer-songwriter Takasi
Nishioka, who is the pretty sharp looking denim clad hipster
gent in the Melting Glass Box cover photo. MGB was a one-off
studio project (though Takasi made many albums with Itsutu No
Arai Fusen, and a bunch of later solo records as well) that
also featured folks from such crucial underground Japanese
psych acts of the era as The Jacks, Apryl Fool, and AQ faves
Blues Creation. There's three members of proto-metal heavies
Blues Creation on board here, actually, including Iommi-esque
guitarist Takeda Kazuo. Not that this is at all heavy, it's
actually a mellow, melodic record, quite gentle and pretty and
placid, the lazy la la la's of their folky flowerpowered pop
punctuated with such surreal details as the sound of
shattering glass that startles the listener halfway through
the lead off track "Anmari Fukasugite". Likewise, electronic
FX, tape speed manipulations, ethnic instruments, and some
stinging acid guitar licks are sparingly stirred into the mix
throughout, this album one of many interesting, dreamy details
and odd arrangements, but that still succeeds especially due
to Takasi's balladic songs, that are so very melancholic and
emotional - even though we can't understand the lyrics. We bet
Masaki Batoh and Ghost grew up listening to this record!
Definitely a thrilling reissue that all of us here at AQ are
digging, it's been getting a LOT of in-store play. Nicely
done, too, by the Erebus label, with liner notes, original
sleeve shots, and discographical information in the CD
booklet.
http://www.aquariusrecords.org
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01-Anmari Fukasugite [05:29]
02-Nani ga nandaka wakaranai toki [06:06]
03-Kimi wa dare nanda [03:03]
04-Marude kimi to onaji nopperabo de [04:09]
05-Boku no migite no nihon no yubi [01:47]
06-Michal no kami [05:52]
07-Chisana hana ga michibatani... [03:50]
08-Saki kimi ga [02:52]
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33:08 min