[Mellow & Funky]
No.68 "Ni-banme no affair" by ANRI
Hi. Today's song is "Ni-banme no affair" (The second affair) by "ANRI".
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Index
1. Song data
| Title | Ni-banme no affair (The second affair ) |
|---|---|
| Artist | ANRI |
| Album Title | Heaven Beach |
| Catalog Number | FLCF-5036 |
| Track No. | 1 |
| Duration | 4:40 |
| Released | 1982 |
| Publisher | For life records |
| Lyricist | Toshiki Kadomatsu |
| Composer | Toshiki Kadomatsu |
| Arranger | Ichizo Seo |
About the creators
Toshiki Kadomatsu is an artist representing a music genre called "City-pop", which features refined and urbanized sound like AOR or Crossover jazz, and was the most popular from late '70s to the end of '80s.
His music later shifted to the funk side, but his contribution to the city-pop wasn't small, and quite a few of songs and artists were produced by him.
This Anri's album "Heaven Beach" is his early work featuring refined tropical sound. Actually, this is a very good album, and determined "Anri" as a singer with active & tropical image.
Ichizo Seo is a talented arranger particularly active from the '70s to the '90s.
In 1973, he participated a produce of a live album of a prominent folk song star "Takuro Yoshida", and this became his lead-off work.
Since then, he produced the artists like "Anri", "Ban-ban", and "Chage&Aska" and successfully released big hits.
He soon recognized as an ace arranger in the pop music society and actively participating in various arrangement works.
One particularly unique point is, he prefers to record in the Los Angels and used to do it frequently since 1970s.
Cover art today
- Sound impressions
Pop and calm
This is a slightly sentimental, funky pop song in upper middle speed.
After beautifully sustained electric guitar sound starts the introduction, the drums, bass, keyboards and the side guitar join soon.
Slapping bass and fast play of the percussion creates funky cheerful rhythm, while the melody has touch sentimental atmosphere.
Anri's smooth and serene vocal could provide us a relaxing moment.
By the way, you can see a gummed paper tape like matter on the cover art of this album.
It is not a mistake nor censorship for naughty stuff. That's just a paper shopping bag.
This large & plain paper shopping bag was a symbol of an exciting American life style which young Japanese longed for at that time.
This album has an image of tropical America, that maybe why.
- About the artist
The tropical queen
ANRI debuted in 1978 with single "Olivia wo kikinagara". Since then, 44 singles, and 25 original, and 12 best albums has been released until now.
(Wikipedia, ANRI)
Anri's debut song "Olivia wo kikinagara" (Listening to Olivia) is a slow sentimental ballad written by talented song writer "Ami Ozaki".
Initial sales of this song was not particularly remarkable, but it became a sleeper hit, and now, the song is one of the standard number in the J-pop.
Here is the sample.
Apple Music(jp)
Olivia wo kikinagara, Anri
(Listening to Olivia)
By the way, the name "Olivia" in song title means "Olivia Newton-John" in this case.
In the '70s music scene in Japan, "Olivia" was exceptionally popular in a foreign artist category. Some fashion-conscious young were eagerly listening her musics, for example like this.
And Olivia's song referred in Anri's title is this.
Back to the subject, she continued idol star like activities for a while after debut.
In 1982, she had good luck with a petit hit song in cheerful resort taste. And, the office she belonged to used this as an good opportunity for changing her song style.
Competent artists like "Takeshi Kobayashi", "Hiromi Kanda", "Bread&Butter" and "Toshiki Kadomatsu" were invited, and created a tropical & resort feel new album. That was a "Heaven Beach" we had been talking this time.
(Ref, Wikipedia, Anri)
We would like to have a break before it becomes too long, and continue the story for the next time.
- Samples from online music stores
Please go to the page below, and just play or click track No.1.
Trial button is on the left side of the song title.
AD : Free listening samples
Amazon JP(en)
recochoku.jp
Apple Music(jp)
1
7. Japanese Letters
| Song Title | 二番目のaffair (Ni ban-me no affair) |
|---|---|
| Artist | 杏里 (ANRI) |
| Album Title | Heaven Beach |
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