Southern Fried Sushi
Harry & Mac - Road To Louisiana [MHJ7-14 JPN RSD2021 24-Bit FLAC]
Originally released on a ridiculously rare album on Epic Records (Japan) in 1999.
Haruomi Hosono (ex-Happy End, YMO & Sketch Show etc) and life long chum Makoto Kubota (ex-Sandii & The Sunsetz and Les Rallizes Denudes) recorded this album of New Orleans influenced southern blues rock and bayou soul using an ensemble of American and Japanese musicians at the end of the last century. Originally pressed in limited quantities, it has finally been repressed (again as a limited run) for RSD2021 in Japan.
I managed to obtain a copy through a local distributor who shares a similar taste for Japanese musical obscurities. Harry & Mac cover themselves and a few others (inc. Van Morrison) in Japanese & English languages, often skillfully swapping between tongues on some tracks.
Expect vinyl mastering of the highest quality on this delightfully pressed gatefold package ...which doesn't come with an obi.
A1 Night Shade
A2 Hoo Doo You Love?
A3 Easy Rider
A4 Choo Choo Gatta Gotto '99
A5 Mãlama Pono
B1 Magnolia
B2 Coyote Wedding Song (Instrumental)
B3 Crazy Love
B4 Pom Pom Jõki
B5 Louisiana Lullaby
B6 Night Shade (Gong Cake Mix)
https://mega.nz/file/iEplgS5B#Kw-UyxkBDpRxfsK6zQhXgbVRooqvW3HZxC1URUVe1h4
ReplyDeleteThis is a pleasant album. It chugs along in a New Orleans mode for the most part, sounding more like a Dr. John or Leon Russell style of New Orleans music, rather than a full-on Meters or Professor Longhair style. The "New Orleans" sound covers a lot of ground, to be sure, as a descriptor or in reality.
ReplyDelete"Coyote Wedding Song" sounds like Hot Tuna invaded the studio with their easy, loping style. And the "Crazy Love" Van Morrison cover isn't quite the same as the rest either. "Louisiana Lullaby" sounds like an Arizona cowboy, round-the-campfire lullaby.
Just listening to this, without any prior knowledge, I wouldn't guess this had anything to do with Japanese musicians, which I guess speaks to their skill at style emulation, creating a nice mix of "everything" style, which is kinda New Orleans in a nutshell. Maybe if I had the volume up a bit more to hear the lyrics more clearly, it would be clear that they're not singing in English, French, Cajun, or Creole.
This a nice groovy album. Thank you.
No Obi? I'm out.
ReplyDeleteFantastic find, another Hosono album to add to the growing library! Big thanks!!
ReplyDeleteSounds interesting; hopefully with Makoto involved it's southern fried. Thanks!
ReplyDelete