2005 Winter
Jpop Music
Steve McClure's picks for the best Japanese popular music in 2004
text by Takashi Kikuchi
Steve McClure
Born in 1958 in Vancouver, Canada, McClure came to Japan in 1985 and worked as an editor for the Japan Times. In 1991 he became Japan correspondent for Billboard magazine, through which he introduced Toshinobu Kubota and Shang Shang Typhoon to the Western world. In 1999 he became Billboard's Asia bureau chief.
Few Japanese pop musicians have made an impact on the global scene. Among these are the Yellow Magic Orchestra, which pioneered a fusion of pop and electronic music in the late '70s and early '80s; the heavy metal band Loudness, which was popular in the United States in the '80s; and keyboardist Kitaro, who won a Grammy Award in the Best New Age Album category in 2000.
We asked McClure what it is that attracts him to the Japanese pop music he has been listening to over the years, and who we can hope to see great things from in the years ahead.
"Compared to when I came to Japan in 1985, the stylistic range of Japanese pop music is much wider," McClure says. "There have always been a variety of genres, but there are lots more now: Japanese rap, Japanese trance, Japanese techno, Japanese hard-core, and Japanese reggae, for example. Of course, commercial pop music and kayokyoku are still a big part of the popular music scene."
He goes on to say, "Perhaps I'm prejudiced, but I think the development of the Japanese music scene was greatly stimulated in the late '80s with the arrival of foreign music retailers like Tower Records, Virgin, and HMV. That was a real revolution. These stores introduced Japanese people to music from all over the world. They made it possible for young people to enjoy different types of music that were previously popular only among small core groups of fans. Young people expanded their listening base from Japan to the whole world. In the past, the Japanese music scene was much more dominated by puppet-like 'idol' stars. Such performers aren't really musicians—they're 'talents' for whom image is much more important than actual singing skill. But nowadays we see many musicians who have a firm grasp of sound production and can produce their own music. They can do this because they have learned to listen to all kinds of different music. I believe that Japanese music will continue to improve in the years to come."
Following in McClure's words are his five top recommendations for 2004.
Steve McClure's recommendations
 Minmi (Imagine)
Minmi is a good example of how many Japanese musicians are confidently adapting and incorporating musical influences from all over the world into their music. She's created a distinctive sound that mixes rhythm and blues with reggae. Her second album, Imagine, was recorded in Jamaica and Japan, and it's clear from listening to it that Minmi truly loves reggae. She has taken the music that she loves listening to and uses it to express herself. Her music has a real sense of originality. It's not 100-percent reggae, but she plays it totally naturally. Minmi writes most of her music herself and her sound production is very good. But her biggest plus is the power of her vocals, which expresses her personality in a strong, convincing way.
www.minmi.jp (in Japanese only)
 Bonnie Pink (Even So)
Of the five artists I'm introducing here, the one with the longest career is Bonnie Pink, who debuted in 1995. When I listen to her music, I'm somewhat reminded of singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell. Their voices are quite different but they are similar in that they are both female singer/songwriters who have an intellectual air about them. Bonnie Pink has a distinctive style and a good voice. For this album she once again chose to work with Swedish producer Tore Johansen. Time and place are important factors when listening to music. I like to relax and listen to Bonnie Pink on a rainy afternoon. Looking out on a garden, aimlessly watching the rain, is the perfect setting for her music. I believe she could really make it overseas if she were truly interested in doing so, since she speaks English well and often sings in that language.
www.bonniepink.jp (in Japanese and English)
Hiromi (Brain)
Hiromi graduated in May 2003 from Boston's Berklee College of Music. While still studying there she was signed by U.S. recording label Telarc and she made her debut before graduating. Her first album, Another Mind, was a big hit, selling more than 100,000 copies in Japan alone, and she won the Jazz Album of the Year award at the Japan Gold Disk Awards in 2004. Her second album, Brain, combines acoustic piano and electronic "fusion" material. She has great imagination as a jazz pianist and energy to spare. Besides being an amazingly fast player, Hiromi's music is funky and rich in improvisation. Listening to just 10 seconds of her music is enough to recognize that it's by Hiromi—she has her own style.
www.hiromiuehara.com
syrup16g (Mouth to Mouse)
Once, after a rehearsal session, this band took a break in a cafe and noticed that the little containers of sweetener that came with their iced coffees each contained 16 grams of gum syrup. So they took that as the inspiration for the name of the band. Syrup 16g's music is basically rock, but with pop harmonies—you could call it Japanese power pop. They remind me of the British band Badfinger. Syrup 16g is a trio led by songwriter Takashi Igarashi, whose lyrics and melodies are beautifully melancholic. I've liked their music since I first heard their debut mini-album a few years ago. Like Fuji Fabric, Syrup 16g started out by making their own self-produced cassettes and selling them at their gigs. And like many other new Japanese indie bands, Syrup 16g are very good musicians as well as having a healthy commercial instinct. I expect to see more and more indie bands become popular in the near future.
www.keycrew.jp/syrup16g (in Japanese only)
 Fuji Fabric (A la Mode)
When I had my own FM radio program here in Tokyo, I would listen to CDs by up-and-coming bands from the Japanese independent-music scene. One that appealed to me as soon as I heard it was called Fuji Fabric from Fujiyoshida at the foot of Mount Fuji. The band takes its name from a textile company owned by the father of one of its founding members. Their music combines pop, rock, jazz, and even disco. As a result, this kind of band is very difficult to promote because it's hard to place their music in a particular genre. But their songs are cool. Sometimes they sound like the Doors, one of my all-time favorite bands. And, like the progressive rock of years gone by, their music often changes tempo. They do that extremely well. The person at the heart of it all is Masahiko Shimura, who is a genius as a songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist. The band's latest release is their first full-length album, simply titled Fuji Fabric.
www.fujifabric.com (in Japanese only)
Articles from the 2005 WINTER issue:
Kateigaho International Edition Issues:
2005 SUMMER - 2005 SPRING - 2005 WINTER
2004 AUTUMN - 2004 SUMMER - 2004 SPRING - 2004 WINTER
2003 AUTUMN - INAUGURAL ISSUE
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