Japanese Progressive Rock presented by DamoX

I would love to...first I need to get a job which can fund such an expedition. 

I still haven't checked out any Musica Transonic, but I know there are some on our team who have.  

I do prefer Japanese soysauce, darker and more flavor
 

Harry Hood wrote: These guys are awesome though: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S94RjalUZKE

Fantastica!

Keishiro, I see that you're at least partially familiar with the band Rovo.  I've just ordered Tonic 2001, as it's the only one available here in the States for a decent price.  I've enjoyed the tracks available to stream on their PA page as well.  

SaltyJon wrote: Keishiro, I see that you're at least partially familiar with the band Rovo.  I've just ordered Tonic 2001, as it's the only one available here in the States for a decent price.  I've enjoyed the tracks available to stream on their PA page as well.

As to Rovo, you can also enjoy Condor surely.

DamoXt7942 wrote: SaltyJon wrote: Keishiro, I see that you're at least partially familiar with the band Rovo.  I've just ordered Tonic 2001, as it's the only one available here in the States for a decent price.  I've enjoyed the tracks available to stream on their PA page as well.   As to Rovo, you can also enjoy Condor surely.

I plan to check out Condor next - I loved the sample available here at PA.  The only problem is finding it for a reasonable price here in the US.

Hello, and sorry for my long long absence here ... but I've come back, with a wonderful Japanese Proto-prog album.



JACKS, a prototype outfit in Japanese Psychedelic Progressive Rock world

In 1965, a student of Wako High School (Tokyo, Japan) Yoshio HAYAKAWA with his mates formed a three-piece folk band Nightingale, the roots of JACKS. Soon after appearing in TV folk show in summer 1966, they changed their band name into JACKS. In May 1967 JACKS' members and music style could be confirmed by Yoshio HAYAKAWA (voices, guitar), Haruo MIZUHASHI (guitar, voices), Takasuke KIDA (drums, percussion, flute), and Hitoshi TANINO (bass). From 1967 to 1969 periodically they played host to live concerts called Jacks Show and released the first single 'Vacant World' in March and the same-titled debut album in September 1968. In those days these stuffs could not be approved at all around Japan for reasons of much progressiveness and less commercialism, despite of appreciation by very few psychedelic freaks. Although Hiro TSUNODA (drums, percussion; later formed Food Brain, Strawberry Path / Flied Egg) tried to strengthen their rhythm section in the end of 1968, sadly they were disbanded in August 1969 a while before releasing their second (and last) album 'Jacks Super Session' (1969).

JACKS have been much approved by younger musicians since early 1970s as a prototype outfit in Japanese Psychedelic Progressive Rock and Acid Folk scene.


Vacant World (1968) - JACKS' debut album

Exactly remarkably shocked by my first listening to this album - and at the same time what a wonder that such a psychedelic progressive outfit could be alive in Japan, short-lived though.

I'm amazed at this album's freshness, never discoloured even over 40 years after. JACKS could not live long in the end of 1960s and we can understand easily - they had kept their policy and originality not to accommodate themselves to commercialism or popularity (on the contrary their policy itself might disband them in the following year in my humble opinion). An intense impact or shock can come just from the beginning - the first track "Marianne", that can knock violently us down with by eccentrically whacked out drums & percussion technique by Takasuke, a psychedelic fuzzy guitar solo by Haruo, a simple but heavily deep bass creation by Hitoshi, and especially crazy Yoshio's lead vocal. By this tune only, we can realize the reason why they must be called as an Underground Rock Band ... over 40 years ago. Basically the eccentric music attitude of JACKS might be constructed by the frontman Yoshio HAYAKAWA methinks and his sticky stony stormy garagey voices could pollute (very cheap and cheesy) late-60s Japanese Rock world I guess - naturally they could not get any adaptation anyway.

Indeed there are some poppy (Japanese Group Sounds-ish as it is said) songs like "Love Generation", but let me say Yoshio's critically mind-expanding voices and their lethal lyrics should continually possess psychoneurosis. Twin perverse guitar sounds by Yoshio and Haruo can remind me Eiji Kikuchi's sharp-edged vibrant guitar in Apryl Fool. "Vacant World", already released as their debut single half a year before (wonder why they had released such a ghostly depressive song as the first shot), is a very impressive one featuring Takasuke's floating flowering flute, eerie guitar solos by two guitarists, and Yoshio's near-death voices ... oops they may kill me seriously as honestly I say. Hitoshi's production "Bara - Manji" can be characterized by a loud guitar solo and funky voices - pester stickily, very doggedly. In the last "500 Miles From The Sky" Yoshio's narration (depressive too) and Takasuke's quiet keyboard sounds can take us into another sky - the heaven. Can we stop breathing till the end of the album? No.

Whatever everybody says, please listen to this terrific album - you can enjoy, and understand the dawn of Japanese psychedelic Progressive Rock.


Vacant World (1968) - JACKS' debut single


Thank you for reading this blog.

The Truth wrote: This album has so much win on it (somewhere in it's vast four hours of music):

Overdosed!

And your review is very good The Truth.

The Truth wrote: Thanks man  I'm trying to become a reviewer so that's good to hear

Great.
Good luck guy.