Never has the style of the person so perfectly matched the records scored.
This is Mikuna who I spotted with Takumi in Shimokitazawa. These two were nothing but smiles, and when I asked their ages, they confirmed what I keep suspecting, and that is that for every middle-aged collector who never stopped collecting records (I guess me, am I middle-aged?) or every made-of-money Boomer now re-collecting, for ridiculous prices at that, all the records from their youth, there are twice as many 20-something gen Zer’s out there buying vinyl. “Why?” I keep asking them? None of their answers are wrong to me even the “Um… just because.”
Mikuna said something like to me when I asked her why she scored not one, but two seminal and influential masterpieces, Eiichi Ohtaki’s “A Long Vacation” and Tatsuro Yamashita’s “For You” both special extended-edition, master-revival re-releases of beloved classics from ‘81 and ‘82 respectively, best-selling albums that were said to define Japan’s new sophisticated urban era of aspiration at the time, stylish and mature, contemporary and refined, melodies, rhythms, and lyrics reflecting sentiments that have now proved to span the generations, two monuments of the made-in-Japan “City Pop” genre, both on vinyl.
“Wow, Nice records!! So why did you score these on vinyl?” I asked Mikuna.
Confused, head tilting, like my question had shorted one of her circuits, “Uh… Do you not know these albums? Do they really need explaining?” (…or was it a simply an abbreviated: “Uh… Duh?”)
I’m snark-ifying Mikuna’s voice for effect, but as you can see by her smile, she was nothing but congeniality. She actually told me her parents had these on MD and she loved them growing up. She also said that she loved the band Sunny Day Service, and as we were just a short walk to City County City, a cafe a record store run by one of its members, I walked them over there before saying goodbye!
Thanks, guys! Enjoy those amazing records!! I will be too! More Tokyo Record Style on the way!
Tatsuro Yamashita – For You
Label: Ariola – BVJL-90
Series: Tatsuro Yamashita RCA / Air Years Vinyl Collection
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo, 180g
Country: Japan
Released: May 3, 2023
Genre: Jazz, Rock, Funk / Soul, Pop
Style: Ballad, City Pop, Funk, Soft Rock, Soul
https://www.discogs.com/release/26948018-Tatsuro-Yamashita-For-You
Eiichi Ohtaki – A Long Vacation (40th Anniversary Edition)
Label: Niagara Records – SRJL 1234
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Repress
Country: Japan
Released: Aug 4, 2021
Genre: Rock, Pop
Style: Rock & Roll, Pop Rock, City Pop
https://www.discogs.com/release/19722757-Eiichi-Ohtaki-A-Long-Vacation-40th-Anniversary-Edition
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