MILK TIME

The solo debut of Hiro Yanagida, Milk Time was released after the February 1969 dissolution of his band The Floral, and supposedly whilst playing for both Food Brain and Love Live Life + One; however that time-math works, I'm certain someone can get back to me. I'm still trying to understand exactly, but I believe The Floral's timely, and albeit regional, success [regional being an assumption] was the result of winning a contest via Japan's Official Monkees Fan Club, the ultimate reward being--again, I assume--the recording, production and Club-wide distribution of their debut '67 release (a three-song single, according to Discogs). I feel it's worth explaining too that The Floral released only one LP, but after a name-change to Apryl Fool. Seriously though, worth checking out that Official Monkees Fan Club Single, because it's like really fun Garage Pop (it's on YouTube). Listening to a smattering from their singles reveals an at times darker, LA-style Psychedelic sound, like the Doors perhaps, but otherwise like a Japanese Trad Pop(?). Now, onto the next decade and the album at hand!

When the album opener "Love St." began, I was honestly taken aback. This short, sub-minute intro consists of a Baroque-apparent keyboard figure, now-distinctly Psychedelic to my ears. That ballsy, American Rock style mentioned about The Floral can be heard on the grungy "Running Shirts Long", but also feels somewhat as if Jimmy Page was replaced by Jimi Hendrix in Zep? [A half truth, honestly.] The bass (Keiju Ishikawa) is thumping and the extended guitar solo (Kimio Mizutani) growls and barks loudly. And then we get a surprise electric violin solo from Hiroki Tamaki [I wouldn't have been surprised if I had done barely more 'research' leading up to this]. Assuming they were as big then as they are important now, the violin is making me think of Mahavishnu Orchestra's Jerry Goodman (The Inner Mounting Flame came out a year later in '71, although Goodman's band The Flock's debut was from a year before this). This extended jam then shifts to a great organ solo from our band leader, Hiro Yanagida, and then closing out what feels to me like introductory solos is drummer Hiro Tsunoda. Now reading as almost video-game ready (like something out of the Zelda catalog) is the bucolic and quite lovely "When She Didn't Agree", a suitable interlude featuring the one band member I certainly didn't catch with the last one, flautist Nozomi Nakatani. Seriously beautiful.

Up next is one from the time, "Happy, Sorry". Bright and bubbly, the guitar solo is pretty fantastic. What's wild to me is the Blues solo to follow from violinist Tamaki, calling to mind, as it frequently does, Don "Sugarcane" Harris and specifically "Directly From My Heart To You" from Weasels Ripped My Flesh (also 1970). It is fun that this changing-hands, solo-after-solo direction is represented in the Psychedelic Rock/Pop genre, as it's something that feels very Jazz-oriented (even now). The organ takes another, the light buzzing tone soaring perfectly over the accompaniment. My mind was brought right back to some rolling fields of green on "Yum", a duet between flute and what sounds like harpsicord [Oh, it is haha]. This is fairly classic, conflicted melancholy, if I can put it into words; a bittersweet mood. Won't be for everyone, I can imagine. Next, calling '66/'67 Beatles to mind, the dark-tinged Classical "Love T", a violin solo totally other than what we got before from Tamaki. I really like this one. With it beginning the original album's second side, I was more than half expecting "Love T" to seamlessly go into the next. I can imagine I'm not the only one...

"Fish Sea Milk" calls to mind some of the Avant-garde experimentations of the late-60s by Zappa and even the Beatles, but also Krautrockers like Can and Amon Duul II. Of course, these kinds of synthesized experiments were only furthered by Progressive Rock and Avant-Rock/RIO. To be frank, this shimmering weirdness is certainly the most interesting thing to me thus far. The tastiness continues on "Fingers of a Red Type-Writer". The guitar is just so sexy on this one... I cannot tell a lie haha. I'm not a fan of 'the Blues' per se, ya know, in and of itself, but when utilized to bring out grit and emotion and balls, I'm more than game. I'm sure this feels like a given to many. This song, another extended guitar solo, is really bringing out yet another genuine Zappa parallel... In this, its staying power will vary. Once again, we change hands in soloing as violin takes over with an increase in pace. I could have gone for less soloing myself, yet the song overall is pretty damn good. As we approach the close, we get one more interlude, the titular "Milk Time", a Classical string ensemble lasting less than half a minute. Viol continues in the sweetest sweetness on our final track, "Me and Milk Tea and Others", and I can't explain it, but that's the perfect name haha. Really very lovely. Don't pass this one by.

All I know is I'm so pleased I got to hear this and I can't wait for the next one. The Hiro appreciation on the site generally is no mystery to me now.

True Rate: 3.75/5.00