Episode 7 sees a firm return to the glorious realms of Showa Kayo with nearly 2 hours of back-to-back gold from the Tokyo bargain bins. We have stand-out singles from gravelly voiced enka hardman Koji Tsuda, a ghostly prairie ballad by Tokiko Kato, a gorgeously gloomy 90’s love song by Mariya Takeuchi and a dramatic miniature masterpiece by Chiemi Eri, one of the best to every do it. Comparison tunes are back in the fold and you’ll be able to pick you favourite version of ‘Hibotan Bakuto’ sung by both chambara film star Junko Fuji and show regular Mina Aoe as well and two interpretations of ‘Ginza Blues’, with the original sung by Frank Nagai & Kazuko Matsuo. We also have some laconic lounge tunes by the delicately voiced Keiko Saijo, fist clenching enka by Yakuza film bit part actor Takuzo Kawatani and a run of taste testing 80’s audaciousness from Kenji Niinuma, Down Town Boogie Woogie Band and Tatsuhiko Yamamoto, closing the show with two very special low-key songs from Japan’s fertile experimental music scene. Full Tracklist below:
Hiroshi Mizuhara – If You’re A Man
Kiyoko Itoh - Flower Madonna
Kazuko Matsuo & Frank Nagai – Ginza Blues
Ken Kuroki – On The Rocks Rock
Reiko Kita – Woman’s Handprint
Tomoko Ogawa – Silver Rain
Tokiko Kato – I Want To Go Home, But Can’t
Kaoru Chiga - Charisoyo Soul
Keiko Fuji – Sai Hate No On’na
Ryotaro Sugi – Man’s Song
Chiemi Eri - Sanosa
Sachiko Nishida – Ginza Blues
Keiko Saijo – Don’t Even Know People
Keiko Saijo – Lakeside Inn
Frank Nagai – Tokyo 3am
Junko Fuji – Hibotan Bakuto
Mina Aoe – Hibotan Bakuto
Masaru Shiga – The Two Remaining Travellers
Koji Tsuda – Tokai Yukuden
Takuzo Kawatani – Killer Bushi
Takuzo Kawatani – Song of the Deadly Man / Black Dog
Ryotaro Sugi – Floating Song
Downtown Boogie Woogie Band – Blind Spot In The Daytime Theme
Kenji Niinuma – Tsugaru Koijo
Tetsuro Kashibuchi – Dazzling
Tatsuhiko Yamamoto - May Storm
Seiko Matsuda - The Tomb of Wild Chrysanthemum Theme
Mariya Takeuchi – Single Again
Ghost - Way To Shelkar
Hontatedori – Iron Fence