Masari Hiraro and his Stars Wagon
This album, with perfect representation/booklet etc. shows some rather good imitations/style interpretations/variations with a few convincing Elvis Presley-alike or crooner/ballad rock’n roll related songs. That late 50s/early 60s style is I must say usually not particularly the kind of reference I dig into more often and especially not for recognition interests. But the compilation still has several tracks to my taste for momentual inspirations. Most special is “Itsuki No Komoriuta Rock” which is appealing to my interest of local crossovers. It is a rockabilly as a mixture of Japanese melodies with rock’n roll, as a great Elvis imitation with a Japanese sensibility of tuning / context. Also “Shimabara Chiho Komoriuta” sings moodily, tastefully and gently and more whispery in Japanese melodic singing style, with acoustic strums and bass, some Fender guitars slide effects, a bit of glockenspiel and calm clarinet played somewhat in the old tradition, repeating the returning Japanese melody. Good to mention also is the slower “Minami No Shima Wa Koi No Shima” with first slow acoustic ukulele-alike strums and double bass and Hawaiian guitar, and an up tempo part with a Klezmer jazz-styled clarinet solo. “Kurumi-Chan” has a good and successful in-between style of styles, between Japanese emotional song and an interest for rock’n roll, not playing it too wild, but calm and moodily instead (Hawaiian guitar, bass, brushed drums). “Blues de Memphis” is nice and smoothly slow blues roller song. Comes with an attractive booklet and photo’s.
