Kuni Kawachi & Friends
It is a bit unclear if this album can be regarded as a Flower Travelling Band’s release or not. 3 of the 5 members of this band participated, before their third album “Anywhere” which has only published after the band broke up in 1973. Band leader on this project, Kuni Kawachi had come from The Happenings Four. This project compromised a world in between both bands, a rock album with emotional, more high register vocals, but also ballad-typed modes, bluesy groovy drives into the songs, some good electric guitar solos, and experimental passages played slowly on their instruments, and progressive breaks and sudden turns, and some thoughtful and surprising arrangements, on vibraphone (last track), additional sitar (track 5), acoustic guitars and bluesy acoustic steelstring improvisations (track 6), or a bit of psychedelia (like the dreamy piano recalling The Beatles melody on track 3). The songs are in Japanese. The subtle progressive moves and smooth-grooviness in the songs surely makes this album interesting and special. I can imagine the album might need a few listens.
