Search - Takako Minekawa :: Chat Chat

Fascinating "pop" record

Eric Swanson | New Jersey | 09/08/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"...This is a great album for those who have lost all faith in "pop" music. I'm not sure how this kind of record was marketed in Japan... was it meant for little girls? Was it meant for bored 20-somethings like myself? I'm not sure how they would be able to sell this in the USA. Puffy is currently trying to sell some more records over here (a USA-only compilation and a mini-tour), but Minekawa would be even tougher to get through to the "mainstream."So, this album is all over the place musically. "I Love" is a quirky little ditty with something that sounds like a toy drum providing the beat. Then, "Summertime Blues" comes out of nowhere with an intro that sounds like something on Steve Winwood's "Talking Back to the Night" followed by distorted guitars - and a hilarious 80's hair-metal guitar solo as well!Some of the tracks sound a little more like "typical" Japanese pop music, but check out how the stripped-down acoustic guitar & voice of "Clover" is followed by the huge "Moonlight Shadow" (is that a mandolin on the intro??? it sounds like somebody's actually TRYING to make interesting pop music here, folks.) Then, the song explodes into a Celine Dion (sorry...) overproduction with Minekawa sounding like Ronnie Spector above the mass of sound - tons of synthesizers & percussion. Gone is the "little girl" voice... and she belts it out like a pro.Then - on "My Love" - is that a Dobro i hear? Is that a pedal steel guitar on "Love?" It's fascinating how Japanese pop artists have been inspired by typically American musical ideas and, as the MTV-fueled music over here becomes more and more sterile, they are feeding it back to us!I cannot explain the cover of "Drive my Car" - it is pretty funny, though... ...but if you have the cash (it's always an expensive import) check this one out. This is certainly Minekawa's most pop-oriented record... her collaborations with Buffalo Daughter, various DJ's, and Dymaxion tend to have even LESS "American commercial potential" than this record!Cheers,
Eric"