TAMA: Sonoroku

Tama

Sonoroku

© 1995 Chikyu Records

CD permanently out of stock. Sorry!

Surreal acoustic pop of alternative, this time with a little bit more folky a feel.

tracks

1 Hakoniwa
2 Tokyo Baby
3 Gessyoku Kamen
4 Hutatsu No Tenki
5 Atsumare
6 Atama No Hukureta Kodomotachi
7 Luna
8 Daruma Damaruna
9 Neko Wo Narabete
10 Carnival

notes

Tama is a japanese word,"gaia". So their words are from "new age thinking". The songs of "Tama" sound very eccentric and european acoustic. Tama really brings dreamy tune.

Tama has already released 11 CD titles for these 8 years,which was formed in 1984. Members are Chiku as a vocal and a guitar,Takimoto as a bass player and Ishikawa as a percussion player. In 1990,Tama's debut song "Good-by,fellows" had top hit and million sales. It made big boom here in Japan. In 1994, Tama had performances New York and Paris.

reviews

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  • Totally great album by a totally great band...............
    author: doc mongoose

    Okkie dokkie good and folkie and thats no jolkie!Some things don't have to be over analyzed to be enjoyed.The japanese use vocals to create great effects and personality this cd is a fine example.There is much here to love.So damn it lighten up and love it.

  • Not the band's best... but a mind-expanding effort still.
    author: toast666 (null5555@hotmail.com)

    I wish this band was more exposed in the west. Tama's unique sound will appeal only to a few people, but if you can handle the childishness, the exuberance, the sadness of their music... I don't know of anything more beautiful than their first album, Sandaru (except maybe the live performance I saw in Japan by their guitarist Chiku - mindblowing!). Sonoroku is the best album available on Tama's own Chikyu Records. It contains some pretty decent songs and all the basic ingredients of the Tama sound (acoustic guitars, twisted vocalizations, absurdity, fun, lyrics about the end of the world). This is not, however, the best introduction to the band, nor their best album. How to really describe this group's sound... it's so incredibly unique that the only Western reference point I can really think of is the damaged yet whimsical acoustic work of Syd Barrett, or perhaps in some senses early Beck. However, neither of these comparisons do the group justice. Okay, the little thing above this box says "keep it short," which I'm not gonna be able to do. It also says to keep it "about this CD, not the artist in general." So to please the dudes at CDBaby by actually saying something significant about this disc, here's a quick play-by-play... The first song, "Hakoniwa," is a friendly little pop-ish tune with rather normal vocals. Its happiness feels genuine and it works. The song also features ukulele, accordion, and rappa, as do many of Tama's songs. Okay so far, right? Just wait until track two for a blast of vintage Tama weirdness. This is really an extremely good song, despite the fact that I do not feel this is the band's best album. Toy percussionist Ishikawa screams and shouts about a "Tokyo Puppy" over happy, cartoonish backing music. Fun. Other highlights... "Neko o Narabete," another upbeat and rather normal tune with a very catchy little acoustic guitar hook. The title means "Line up the Cats." Huh? "Carnival," probably the least characteristic Tama song ever, ends the album. It's an improv bit, featuring perverse vocalizations and plenty of piano abuse. It took me a while to get used to this one, but now I like it. As I've said, this album does lag a bit in spots... I love Tama probably more than any other band, but I'll say this about them. They started out fantastic, were very good for a while, and are now just okay. They've gone away from the folkishness of their early sound. Very sad to say as Sandaru blows my mind to this day. I can't tell you how many times I've listened to this album. It was made for me. Maybe it was made for you, too. Track it down by any means possible. Buy it. Then buy this, cause it's cheap. Then buy all the other stuff on cdbaby just for the hell of it. Most of it's not as good. And, let me warn you, it may take you many listens to get used to Tama's sound. But if you've got a taste for the strange, this sound just may engrave itself into your brain. Then you'll be like me, and you'll be like all the others in Japan who follow the band around from show to show. Remember: Tama. Sandara. Then Sonoroku. Okay? Do it for me. (P.S. Sorry for the rambling. Can you tell I'm passionate about this band?)

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