Thought I might as well start a thread about the release. Even though it was advertised as a limited, 2000 copy, release, the limit has been removed and orders are being taken again. For those of you who don't know, this mini album contains four songs, all composed by ToshI, after being sick in hospital at the end of 2009. Guest musician's are Pata on guitar and Sugizo on violin.
Tracklist:
1.エアポート (Airport)
2.雨音 (Amaoto / Sound of Rain)
3.武士JAPAN (Bushi JAPAN / Samurai JAPAN)
4.春の息吹 (Haru no ibuki / Breath of Spring)
After having a listen to the CD, I feel that it Toshi has been influenced by both his 90's and his healing career. The second track, Sound of Rain, definately sounds similar to that of Masaya's healing styling, both in the song structure and vocals. Airport, my favorite track on the album, starts off with some interesting harmonized vocals in the beginning, and the song stays interesting enough for the 4 or so minutes....(sorry, what with my dislike of his 8-14 minute, repeteative healing songs, I like his songs that reveal all they have in 4 or so minutes with a minimum amount of repetition.) Samurai JAPAN sounds like a T-Earth song, with some shouting here and screaming there. Great fun that, again doesn't drag on. The final track, Breath of Spring, is a great song and, like all the tracks on the album, is very thin in its texture. Just a guitar and vocals. Very nice final track that ends his solo career nicely.
Overall, it is a great way for him to say goodbye. Sure, the production hasn't been dragged out, with nothing fancy, but it is that that makes this album good. Very simple songs that really show off his vocals. (Something I found interesting is that in the first track, ToshI goes to hit some high notes that he purposely, I assume, hits weakly....at first this showed to me a weak side to his voice but....upon hearing it again....sounds very effective....)
O well, for those of you that wasted your time reading this, tell me what you think about the album and discuss here. I would like to hear peoples opinions on his vocal work here and if they thought it was a good way for him to finish an....interesting....career.