LE SILO

Though I was a bit hesitant at first, now I can say with no doubts that this might be Le Silo's finest release yet. Yamai presents our lovely japanesee trio in a truly grand shape: Miyako Kanazawa's piano playing is as glamorous as it ever was (maybe more!), Michiaki Suganuma's drumming is agile, precise and full of little percussive surprises, and Yoshiharu Izutsu's mighty guitar bonds the whole band together, sometimes going rough and angular, sometimes dreamy and soothing (there are some moments that, to my personal delight, remind me of Allan Holdsworth's style).

There is plenty of pure musical joy to discover on the album. The record is filled to the brim with little earworm melodies, motives and passages - fantastic as always, perhaps a bit more consistant than before. Ozakko No. 2 is as good an opener as any, with its dancy melody and squeeky-freaky vocals (which, I might add, I love dearly). Fantastic guitar solo here too, one of many. Ping-Sama opens up with a persistent guitar riff which thrusts the whole song onwards. I very much enjoy the operatic vocals towards the end. Fantastic stuff. Doizumiki is perhaps the most "old-style" or "classic" Le Silo track in here, with a cheerful intro that soon goes darker and leads to a disfigured improv. Zunda No. 2 doesn't sound like Zunda Tsu Tsu at all, instead it goes for delightful piano-guitar unisons with a classic progressive rock feel to it. Matasaman is yet another example of the band's unique chemistry - the way the trio plays together on this one is just beyond words. Love that one! Center of Diamond has quite a venturous feel to it and sounds to me like a soundtrack to a great adventure. I Want Some Coffee is lighter, a bit humorous, but endlessly caprivating. Getting some classic RIO vibes here as well, such as Present or Miriodor (but just a little bit). Protesqurugari is, oh well, such a ravishing song, my favourite on the album! Grand dramatic vocals, gloomy piano and another improv in the middle, followed by one of the most beautiful piano solos I've heard. Perfect. Feels So Good!! brings some nice, goovy jazz-fusion to the table, and, as the title would sugest, it just feels so good! The closer, Sauna, might feel a bit underwhelming due to its slowness, but oh well, after an hour of such material you can't go wrong with a bit of peace. It is majestic anyway.

The only real bit of my criticism would regard the mix, especially the fact that guitar tends to be hidden behind much more louder drums and piano. Fortunately the most important parts (incuding the solos) are audible enough.

Yeah, what else is there to say? I'm really glad this album is going to be a part of my life from now on. Arigato, Le Silo!

Favourite tracks: Ozakko No. 2, Ping-Sama, Doizumiki, Matasaman, Center of Diamond, I Want Some Coffee, Protesqurugari Least favourite tracks: Mi Ra Do

Miyako's beautiful and well-balanced piano play, Yoshiharu's redhot, deep, heavy guitar explosion, and Michiaki's precise, ultrapowerful drumming and percussion sounds regulate their musical attitude, their perfect harmony as always. Anyway in this opus they show various appearances and expressions. "Ozakko No. 2" is a crazy happy one as well. Always looks like they're happy and cheerful upon stage or in a weekend banquet. Much appreciated. In "Mi Ra Do" is somewhat tragic, depressive, and sorrowful ... their sincere feeling in front of illness, methinks ... I love their seriousness nonetheless. "Matsaman" is always played as one of their repertoires upon stage, that lets me know how they get impressed and amazed to come across such a novel cuisine. "MMM (My Majestic Maneuver)" consists of repetitive dreamy phrases with complicated, perverted melodic / rhythmic lines, obviously drives me into kinda nightmare. "I Want Some Coffee" can be thought as the one man show by Yoshiharu, a hardcore coffee fan. The last "Sauna" tells us their happiness in a sauna, even upon a hurricane day.

Let me say this album features all of their intention and philosophy for life and music. And cheers for the three madnesses each of whom has played and communed with the others for twenty years or more. "Yamai" might be their life itself.

In the first track "Zunda Zunda Tsu", played upon the gig at Rooster North Side upon April 18, 2015 too, the three Le Silers enjoy their funky, multirhythmic play "with the audience". So difficult for the audience to make a handclap rhythm to the song but they always say "Our rhythm should merge with each other", and it might be true lol. Exactly this is to feel unified around the stage I suggest. "Ha-Hi-Ho-Hi-" is one of their repertoires upon stage, that sounds quirkily jazzy with their meaningless, passionate phrase shouting. Sounds quite cool indeed but not simple. Pretty eccentric and full of pleasure as well. "Paro Paro" can be called as one of their gems along with complex multi-polarized rhythm steps, crazy danceable uptempo ballooning, and excellent rigidity under their sound shower. Listen and you will repeat the word Paro Paro with Miyako, I guess. A short acoustic guitar solo (by Yoshiharu) "Snow-capped Land" might be sung as his hot impression when he stumbled upon a snow-filled ground.

"Kenji" ... wonder they sing for whom. A fine, enjoyable track really, that reminds me of somebody familial with them, maybe as a party friend. Surely very pleasant for us to dance to this track under freakout condition yeah. "Hypochondria In May" sounds very suggestive. Suppose they be very enthusiastic but very nervous for music and their life style, and they sometimes suffer from everything around them and create lots of fantastic (and usually mysterious) stuffs. "Numazapa III", always enjoyed upon their gigs, was created and produced by Michiaki aka Mitchie, the drummer / percussionist / singer / iron man. Quite tough, strong, hard edged, and exaggerated, but simultaneously all Le Silers can play / sing the track very hopefully and naturally. Oh, it's exactly their real essence. Superb.

"A Girl Possessed In Kotatsu" ... basically a song of a girl keeping herself warm in a Japanese leg warmer, but not safe and sound. Wonder why not sounds warm but also in this track their attitude for every work and life could be heard. As brilliant musicians and hard workers, and especially Japanese sake reviewers (like me :P), they might consider there is no useless time for them, I'm sure. Sometimes sounds soft and smooth but sometimes sharp and tense. "Breath Of Ice" is a piano solo piece by Miyako, one of fantastic artists and beautiful mademoiselles, where are short but gorgeous piano paragraphs here and there. "Whisky And Soda" is another repertoire of theirs, and notifies us of their incredible enthusiasm for whisky or sake or alcoholic beverage. Oh not forget their symbolic facility of recreation and life, public baths. In "Overture Of Let Me Take You A Public Bath" something unstable or mysterious against an institution that they visit for the first time can be heard, but at the same time we can find they get immersed or addicted in such a mystery. Interesting indeed. The last massive attack "Hevika Shot" sounds like they make a battle against a terrible snake, or they exert a tough tribal texture upon the audience, along with complex rhythms and intriguing music vibes. Another gem of Le Silo, let me call.

Totally this can be called as an excellent album, and let me say this creation could be more fantastic if the remixer clarified their sound more and more explosively upon the mixing of this album, I'm sure. A tad regretful their sharp and strict play sounds slightly softer and dimmer than in the previous two albums. But no suspicion this is a must for us. Thanks to Yoshiharu, Michiaki, and Mademoiselle Miyako for letting us enjoy such a great creation ... and yes, make us crazy forever via your incredible stages.

This is the second work by three flexible soundmasters, playing as if they could jump toward another (outer) world. I guess they should play just as they could think and feel at that time...we can feel their pleasant feelings deeply. Be remarkably amazed that they could play more heavily, more powerfully, and more completely. One of the important points is, I think, they should be absolutely natural to play and sing, without any awkwardness or artifice. Therefore we may accept such an avantgarde stuffs...yep at least I do feel so. Anyway, look at the back of the sleeve. What smiley smiles they have...with full of pleasure!

At Clucking, two roosters and a hen named LE SILO might hand the work over to three dogs named LE SILO. :-P Three dogs enjoy Fascinating Travel To Hawaii with fascinating plays and titters. Ah feeling exotic flavour in Hawaii, and the flavour can let them be purely childlike on the warm sea. For lots of Japanese, travel to Hawaii is a fantastic dream. Their dream may come true and this song can be born...in this album. Next track can show three dogs playing with each other...exactly Behavior Of The Dogs. Miyako's piano is as heavy (playing also bass part) as usual and the battle (ah, no hostility) between Michiaki's drums and Yoshiharu's guitars is terrific. Make Sure Not To Disturb Me By Knocking The Door On Sunday Afternoon (Call Knock For Short)'s sounds should be just the same as the title itself! :-) Can you feel you understand them clearly...really? Hahhaha, I dunno. Indeed I may be angry (like the song) if you wake me up in the Sunday afternoon. Honestly. Numazapa 2 is a song with impressive and graceful piano sounds, and heavy and strong trio like espresso coffee. This instability or inconstancy is comfortable for me. An experimental rap music is Le*xture...for all musical genres fans...hip hop, heavy rock, metal, classic & jazz, and of course progressive rock fans! Even in this song each member can fully enjoy. Great! Dancing Snake and A Abandoned Town again can remind us their flexibility and sharp vision. Well can we see in our mind a dancing snake without any explanation or annotation? :-D And can we feel the loneliness and sadness in our mind town? :-D Must laugh out loud listening to 94k2 - Reminding Me Of Osaka! Ah, sorry...because I'm really an Osakan man. For them, born and living in Tokyo, Osaka should be ANOTHER WORLD, I suppose. They show the eccentricity of Osaka with a food named KUSHIKATSU - a broiled cutlet on a skewer. Oh I see...I guess they be amazed and shocked at Osaka atmosphere and humanity...the shocks should get to be their shout in the track. (On the contrary, I, an Osakan guy, should NOT be surprised at Tokyo itself...hahhaha, just kidding. :-P ) About interesting songs I wanna say: In Alternative Le Silo 1~3 each exchanges his/her instrument and plays as he/she wants to. Their funky and freaky acts are really warm and wonderful!

Let's listen, enjoy, laugh, and keep your heart warm! Highly recommended from Osaka. :-P

Like as a toy box - Le Soleil is absolutely a masterpiece. Three soundmasters can throw various toys up toward us listeners. My first listening to this song could make me shiver with amazing. Indeed Miyako's dancing piano, Michiaki's jazzy and flexible drums, and Yoshiharu's sharp and straight guitar sounds are all terrific. We have no suspicion they should be skilled and talented. However, at least for me, the most worthiest gems to praise of all should be LE SILO's adventurous mind and the spirit of inquiry. Through the whole album, heavy beats and waves with piano, guitar and drum sounds they spun out in quick succession. Well it doesn't mean their sounds be only heavy and avantgarde. Trust me but the sounds can remind me Red by KING CRIMSON. Furthermore, KC in the second period should have needed heavy rhythm sections by Bill and John, but LE SILO can play without bass sounds! Because Miyako's piano can play the role of rhythm sections with bass and drums, I consider. Exactly her piano is full of bold adventure. And surprisingly her voice melting in their songs is very pretty and mischievous, but so strong and impressive into my bone and marrow. LE SILO can fly not only in a local area or a countryside but all over the progressive world.

Extremely fresh, freaky, selfish and crazy music 8.8 can mosh on your turntable!

Suganuma's cowbell signals the opener 'Soleil', a dizzying intro to these three maestros' music which will either immediately excite or alienate you to this extraordinary band-- beautiful, silky 20th Century classical rubs elbows with Leonard Berstein, George Gershwin, and some madman rock fusion. It gives way to 'Enormous Trees With the Holy Spirit', a marvel of timing and arrangement. 'Oseaux' is even more challenging with headsplitting direction changes and intense free-mania. 'The Doctor's Helicopter' is dramatic and recalls Keith Emerson's pomp with Rachmaninoff's class. In fact, all the cuts on this album are brilliant examples of what these artists are doing and is yet another jewel in the Rising Sun's prog crown. One of the best records of 2004.

The instrumental palette is quite basic - piano, electric guitar and drums with occasional vocal interludes - but the trio are sufficiently accomplished musicians to sound like a much bigger ensemble. The absence of bass isn't generally that noticeable - Miyako executes some dazzling left hand runs when the guitar takes the lead, while the drummer has the jazz player's knack of keeping the pulse of a piece beating without ever explicitly stating the rhythm, and fills in the gaps with some deft fills on the tom toms. The guitar sound is generally fuzzy, although the tone and phrasing occasionally recall Phil Miller in the glory days of the Canterbury sound, and this gives the album a hard rocking edge which acts as a reminder of the band's roots in the Japanese punk/hardcore scene. The album was recorded in a single day (the recording date was the 8th of August, which is where the title came from) and there are no obvious overdubs, except perhaps some of the vocals; from the sound of it, most of the tracks were first or second takes performed live in the studio.

Not everything on the album comes off perfectly, and the 60 minute playing time could perhaps have been trimmed a little to a leaner, harder 50 - 55 minutes, but this is a minor quibble. The overall standard of the writing and playing is extremely high, and most listeners will be amazed at the imagination, skill and precision in evidence here. Strongly recommended.