Howard Nishioka - Street Songs

http://www.lastfm.fr

Origine du Groupe : Japan

Style : Alternative Rock , Psychedelic

Sortie : 1979

By kidinquisitive from http://waxidermy.com



If I had to distill the essence of this album down to one word, I would go with Maelstrom. If I've got two words to work with then it's Shit Storm. Howard Nishioka, who plays electric and
acoustic guitar and bass guitar (and vocals on a couple songs), sounds like a man tearing holes in the atmosphere to get at those bright stars shimmering above his secluded Hawaiian compound deep
in the woods.

In truth, I don't know if he really recorded this out in the trees but that's how I imagine it. On the other hand, he called the record "Street Sounds" and the colors bordering the rather
incongruous street scene could cause one to mistake this for a reggae record, instead of the uncompromising fried improvised pyschedelic folk masterpiece that it is. Maybe the disconnect between
the cover and the music are what kept most psych afficianados off the scent for nearly 30 years (the album was released privately by Nishioka in relatively small numbers in 1979).



As ferocious and chaotic as this record gets at points, there's also an underlying calmness and gentleness and some mellower tracks that balance things out nicely. Howard is joined on two long
songs by drummer Byron Kitkowsky  (who compliments Howard's shambolic style expertly),  and recording engineer Richard Kon contributes washboard and shouts. On the back cover, one
finds a concise summation of Nishioka's approach to sound (and life?): "Screw Limitations!!!"



Tracklist :

1. Incresha 3:45

2. Ladies of the Seventh House 6:27

3. No Money, No Honey 4:05

4. Carnivourous Dogaramus 4:18

5. Fool's Paradise 5:09

6. Maria 8:21

7. Island Carol 6:27

8. Odyseas Over Seas 3:51

9. I'm a Pilgrim 3:33