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Tracklist | |
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01. レールのその向こう (Rail no Sono Mukou) 02. なみだの色 (Namido no Iro) 03. あの子のあの頃 (Ano Ko no Ano Koro) 04. 今日を問う Part2 (Kyou wo Tou) 05. アイレ可愛いや (Aire Kawaii Ya) 06. いてもたってもいられないわ (Itemo Tattemo Irarenai Wa) 07. long torch song 08. Lovers Rock 09. 絵空葉書 (Esora Hagaki) 10. 虚離より (Kyori Yori) 11. Temperature of Windowside 12. カーテンコール (Curtain Call) 13. 日向月 (Hinatatsuki) |
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Review | |
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My first exposure to Nikaido Kazumi came in the fall of 2003 when she accompanied Phil Elvrum of the Microphones, then touring as Mt. Eerie, on a tour of the United States' west coast. Some friends of mine had scored the opening slot on the bill and I went out to support them, and, as a Japanese music nerd, I stuck around to see what her music was like. Her set was a bit perplexing to say the least. Nikaido performed her songs passionately though accompanied only by an acoustic guitar, yet the slow and dense atmosphere of her music was a little trying, even lacking melody at times. The highlight of her set was when she let loose with a roaring trumpet solo, created solely by her powerful vocal cords. Subsequent listens to her recorded music revealed the same sort of atmospheric simplicity I had heard live, but with much more interesting layering of vocals and interlocking melodies. Her latest album, simply entitled Nikaido Kazumi no Album (Nikaido Kazumi's Album), isn't too different from her previous work in terms of mood, but the contributions of many collaborators this time around give her songs a welcome infusion of energy and personality to complement her innate talent and creative ideas. Somber album opener "Rail no Sono Mukou" features the work of pianist Shibuya Takeshi, who later appears on the song "Kyou wo Tou." On the former, Nikaido's vocals convey a sort of fragile beauty, while the latter's brisk energy summons a more confident and sassy performance from her. Illicit Tsuboi, known mostly for his hip-hop work, provides scratching and samples of rising horns which, along with Nikaido's own blaring trumpet, give the middle section of "Kyou wo Tou" a pleasantly panicked feel. Another well known name in Japanese hip-hop, the cartoonish Illreme, lends his production talent to the record, and arranged the music for "Aire Kawaii Ya" in particular, replete with kazoos and stuttered drums. On this song Nikaido's nasal vocals bounce through a universally folky melody seemingly from times past. The album's most exciting tracks are the two that feature the support of the instrumental jazz band Sakerock. "Itemo Tattemo Irarenai Wa," eerily similar melodically to Illreme's own "Kuru Kuru Rock" from the Minna Daisuki Katamari Damacy soundtrack, is a stomping swing tune, arguably more suited to Nikaido's deep voice than some of her softer tunes. "Lovers Rock," previously released on a seven-inch single by Kakubarhythm (also home to Sakerock and Illreme among others), is like the sweet response to the sass of "Itemo Tattemo Irarenai Wa." Of particular note is the lazily graceful trombone of Sakerock's Hamano Kenta behind Nikaido's coy vocals. Other collaborators such as Rubyorla, Tenniscoats and Rei Harakami helped to orchestrate the arrangements of several more ambient tunes, which work well thematically with the aforementioned songs, but contrast negatively with their organic energy. The songs are by no means bad, but the slowly building atmospheric pads and delay-drenched instrumentation lack the same soulful warmth. "Temperature of Windowside," arranged by Mama!Milk, threatens to fall into the same category, but is luckily buoyed by Nikaido's best vocals performance on the album. Delicately passionate vocals open the song, kind of like a female Yoshino Hisashi, and are then replaced by a playfully messy cascade of vocals at the end, reminiscent of much of Nikaido's earlier work. "Curtain Call" follows with several layers of Nikaido trumpets creating a sort of plodding and whimsical gumshoe swing. The light rock closer "Hinatatsuki" is the album's only true aberration, as it comes off kind of cheesy and insincerely sentimental. Otherwise, Nikaido has managed to maintain the feel of her earlier work while expressing her musical ideas in more interesting and creative ways, sometimes not too different from the Microphones even. Nikaido Kazumi no Album is the work of an artist hitting her stride, and keeping good company while at it. |
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