NIHONJIN

As 1980s Japanese prog is diverse, distinctive and mature, so 1970s Japanese prog is raw, planar and derivative, even dependent. The only studio album by Far Out is the brightest example. While Flied Egg or Cosmos Factory show at least a hint of originality, Far Out is a clone of an average early 1970s UK/US psych/space rock band of the second echelon. Amazingly boring, poorly creative, non-inventive and uningenious. The album consists of two cyclopean side-long tracks, but none of them might be considered epic, concept, multi-part etc, both are just very long. OK Nihonjin at least seems to be a sort of prodrome to Far East Family Band (unfortunately spoiled by a fantasy on Black Sabbath's Paranoid theme closer to the end). But Too Many People, based on four 'street' chords, sounds almost vulgar. No idea why this album is internationally recognized as classic. I'd better say that for Japanese prog as a national school, it was what's usually called the first pancake.