Mariya Takeuchi releases 1st original album in 7 years
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0001592321
Singer-songwriter Mariya Takeuchi believes music should be universal and last forever, not cater to a fashionable moment.
“TRAD,” her first original album in seven years, serves this purpose well with its sophisticated sounds and warm yet fresh sensations that are characteristic of Takeuchi’s songs. The basics of the sounds she creates remain unchanged from the early days of her career.
“Make music that will last beyond time — that was my goal,” she said, explaining why she chose the title.
Some of the songs in the album are themed on a subject fit for a veteran artist, such as “Tasogare Diary” (Twilight diary), a song that seems to be sung from the perspective of a middle-aged woman, and “Shinshu” (Deep autumn), a song about the eternal love of a married couple. But the sounds as a whole are crisp and fresh.
“I think in this age and time, songs should let people sense a bright light,” she said.
The album also includes theme songs for TV shows and other tie-ups, as well as
covers of songs she wrote for other artists. The charms of her melodies and lyrics were enhanced by the arrangements of her husband, singer-songwriter Tatsuro Yamashita, and others.
Takeuchi said she regards these songs as an opportunity to face a subject she never imagined writing about, and in many cases it leads to a new challenge.
A case in point is “Saigo no Tango” (The last tango), a song filled with sensual drama. Takeuchi wrote the song for “Radio Shinyabin” (Radio overnight flight), an NHK radio program popular with elderly people. With people of her parents’ generation in mind, she wrote a tango that created a huge boom in Japan decades ago.
She ventured into the world of folk music in “Shizuka na Legend” (A quiet legend), a theme song for a TV variety show that tells the life story of the guest in each episode. She found the word “ikizama” (way of life) in the program’s production notes.
“That word gave me an inspiration about folk sounds, so I decided to use it to open the door to folk music,” she said.
“TRAD” also is a token of her encounters and friendship with various other artists.
“Your Eyes,” a song Yamashita wrote for her years ago, did not make it onto an album at the time.
“After more than 30 years, I finally sang the song,” she said.
“Whiskey ga osuki desho” (You like whiskey, don’t you) is a cover of the popular number sung by Sayuri Ishikawa. It was written by Masamichi Sugi, who used to be a senior member of a university club Takeuchi belonged to.
In “Shizuka na Legend,” Keisuke Kuwata and Yuko Hara of the Southern All Stars joined in as members of the chorus. They made their debut in 1978, the same year as Takeuchi.
In November and December, Takeuchi will go on a nationwide tour, her first in 33 years. “I’m looking forward to seeing every one of you!” she said.
Mariya Takeuchi’s nationwide tour, “souvenir 2014,” includes concerts at Nippon Budokan hall near Kudanshita Station in Tokyo on Dec. 20 and 21. For other tour dates and more information, visit
www.mariyat.co.jpSpeech