#tadaima.

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矢野顕子 [Akiko Yano] - ただいま。 (Tadaima.) [FULL ALBUM]

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"Tadaima." (1981) by Akiko Yano (矢野顕子). I was hesitating to review it on this blog because it is not strictly just city pop, but it even borders on j-pop and becomes experimental. But in the end I have chosen to do it because most of its sounds are related to city pop and because it's very difficult to classify a record in an established music genre. First of all, we must talk about Akiko's voice, always compared to Kate Bush's vocal range; we are not going to be fooled: her way of singing is incredibly peculiar. She reaches many high tones. Now, let's review some tracks.

The song that starts the album is the title of it, "ただいま。", a fun piece mixes with a lot synthetizers. It reminds me of the opening of a children's anime. "いつか王子様が" is my personal favourite; it isn't an ambitious song, its rhythm is calm and the background voices make it an insurmountable song. It catches perfeclty the core of the record, although as we will see later, it will be lost through the songs. "Vet" is a dirty and heavily loaded song. I like that Akiko has introduced a bit of rock sounds into this album, it makes it different from others. The next song is called "Ashkenazy Who?", that retrieves a little bit of the sounds from the beginning of the record and adds dramatic violin sounds. It's a very enjoyable song and, like the album as a whole, very carefree, in the good way. Then it comes the disenchanted "いらないもん", almost an acapella song, which can easily be one of the weirdest song of city pop sphere. Despite that, its lyrics are cute. However, we still find more strange songs like "たいようのおなら / おとうさん / おとうさん / ぼくがおとなになったら / せんせい / おかあさんのおひげ / もし一億円あったら / いぬ / ぼくはなきみそ", a medley of Japanese songs sung by Akiko Yano, accompanied by her piano and not much more. It's an interesting track but too long and without much interest. Anyway, I like this kind of different songs. "I Sing" has a very innocent English lyrics and a very eighties instrumentation. I really like the purity of this track and it helps me to encourage myself in order to face the day in a happy way. And its outro is simply charming. The album ends with "ROSE GARDEN", a song in which Akiko plays with the rhythm changes and modifying her voice. The way Akiko perfomes this one sounds like traditional Japanese folk songs.

Let's say "Tadaima." is a weird record, which captures the essence of Akiko Yano's personality very well. It fits perfectly to her, but not everyone is able to appreciate it. All songs differ greatly from each other and the quality of them varies greatly depending on the track. But, overall, it has songs that makes it worth and I really have a good time listening to it.

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Record #029:  ただいま。[Tadaima.] - Akiko Yano (1981)

(07/08/2020)

Once again, Akiko Yano goes into a completely new direction, stylistically, with her (then) new album. After the psychadelic-jazz-funk of Japanese Girl to the fusion-avantgarde stuff on Irohanikonpeitō to her collab with the YMO on the preceding album, this is pure synthpop, still with her own personal spin (and lots of piano/synth playing), and that heta-uma cover by Teruhiko Yumura.

Another new pressing/re-release by Wewantsounds I am eternally grateful for and easily one of Yano’s best (although on a personal taste scale probably “only” Number 5 on my list of Top 5 Akiko Yano albums) this comes with a bunch of absolute bangers and classics with “春咲小紅“, “Ashkenazy Who”, “Rose Garden” and, my own Favourite Track, the title song and album opener, “ただいま。“ (Tadaima, which apparently means I’m home which would also explain the cover! See, I learned sth today) which has everything I want from a great Akiko Yano song - a great opening riff, weird sounds, and a telephone

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Yano Akiko Lyrics: Harusaki Kobeni (春咲小紅; Little Spring-Blooming Rouge)

English translation and romanization below the cut.

ENGLISH

Hey now, come and see, come and see the little spring-blooming rouge My heart soars, light as a feather Been waiting in vain for it to bloom Were you counting on your fingers? I’ll answer you, with a smile Bit by bit, parts of me turn the color red You’ll understand once you see me It’s strange, saying it myself But I’m kinda pretty today Hey now, come and see, come and see the little spring-blooming rouge Heat haze in a sunny spot, shimmering, a spring dream

Hey now, come and see, come and see the little spring-blooming rouge My glass flower vase twinkles, an afternoon star Spring, summer, fall, winter, then spring I spent them laying eyes on you, my sweet darling I’m sorry I'm late replying back to you I changed the view outside my window Waiting for you to come It’s strange, saying it myself But I’m kinda darling today Hey now, come and see, come and see the little spring-blooming rouge The memories spin, ‘round and ‘round, a pinwheel

Hey now, come and see, come and see the little spring-blooming rouge My heart soars, light as a feather Hey now, come and see, come and see the little spring-blooming rouge My heart’s dancing, with a flutter

ROMAJI

hora harusaki kobeni mini mini mi ni kite ne watashi no kokoro fuwafuwa maiagaru itsu saku kashira to machibouke yubiori kazoete ita kashira ohenji dashimasu hohoemi no dokoka ni pochitto akai iro watashi ni aeba wakarimasu jibun de iu no mo hen dakedo kyou wa nandaka kirei desu hora harusaki kobeni mini mini mi ni kite ne hidamari kagerou yurayura haru no yume

hora harusaki kobeni mini mini mi ni kite ne garasu no kabin kirakira gogo no hoshi haru natsu aki fuyu soshite haru yasashii anata wo mitsumete’ta ohenji okurete gomen nasai mado no keshiki mo torikaete anata ga kuru no wo matte’masu jibun de iu no mo hen dakedo kyou wa nandaka ijirashii hora harusaki kobeni mini mini mi ni kite ne omoide mawaru kurukuru kazaguruma

hora harusaki kobeni mini mini mi ni kite ne watashi no kokoro fuwafuwa maiagaru hora harusaki kobeni mini mini mi ni kite ne watashi no kokoro hirahira odotte’ru

Translator’s note: ‘Little spring-blooming rouge’ doesn’t refer to anything in particular besides the mini lipstick product it was written to promote.

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