It's not a Japanese festival or forbidden food additive, it's TMG!
My wife recently ordered some great Japanese rock music. Like in the movie This Is Spinal Tap (1984) the bands I grew up on are still Big In Japan twenty years later. One of the most respected rockers from the East is Tak Matsumoto,half of the duo B'z's which is extremely successful in Japan (successful like Hall & Oates at their peak but without the spastic dance moves or mustache). Matsumoto is so respected that Gibson guitars made a custom model sponsored by him (the only guitarist from the East to do so) and he was able to rope in some of AOR's top performers to form a band with him. To make the band Tak Matsumoto Group, he nabbed bassist/vocalist Jack Blades (Night Ranger, Damn Yankees) and vocalist Eric Martin (Eric Martin Band, Mr. Big).
Tak Matsumoto is an excellent guitarist, his playing has the big muscular riffs of modern rock with bluesy bursts and shimmering accents. At times, his Japanese influence shows up with almost Koto like sounds. It's all layered with the crystal clear sheen of AOR, Matsumoto plays with control and feeling. No wonder Martin and Blades were willing to work with him!
The album TMG I (2004) is one of the best latter day AOR albums to be made in this decade. There is a freshness to their performance that is lacking from many of the reunion albums that have marked the 21st century's AOR scene. Blades and Martin deliver the goods with the jaunty melodies and raspy vocals they are respectively known for.
Highlights include the anthemic "The Greatest Show On Earth" which rolls on a big beat with a fancy drum break. The near Koto guitar gives a distinct flavor to this track. "Two of a Kind" is a traditional power ballad that emotes and lifts in the chorus as effectively as any of the other tunes of this type. The single "Oh Japan" is another strong anthem with based on an almost metal style of guitarwork. My favorite track, "Everything Passes Away" has Martin and Blades trading off on lead vocals over choppy guitar riffs and intense, dramatic vocals.
TMG I retains the best feature of AOR, matching the power of heavy rock with the gracefulness of a catchy chorus. It is rooted equaly in both the present and past so fans of say Godsmack and
Skid Row could probably agree it sounds good. Below is my favorite track being played live in Japan with Spinal Tap staging. Tak Matusmoto is the best rock guitarist you've never heard of. If you don't believe me, just click below.
Tak Matsumoto Group - "Everything Passes Away"
Tak Matsumoto is an excellent guitarist, his playing has the big muscular riffs of modern rock with bluesy bursts and shimmering accents. At times, his Japanese influence shows up with almost Koto like sounds. It's all layered with the crystal clear sheen of AOR, Matsumoto plays with control and feeling. No wonder Martin and Blades were willing to work with him!
The album TMG I (2004) is one of the best latter day AOR albums to be made in this decade. There is a freshness to their performance that is lacking from many of the reunion albums that have marked the 21st century's AOR scene. Blades and Martin deliver the goods with the jaunty melodies and raspy vocals they are respectively known for.
Highlights include the anthemic "The Greatest Show On Earth" which rolls on a big beat with a fancy drum break. The near Koto guitar gives a distinct flavor to this track. "Two of a Kind" is a traditional power ballad that emotes and lifts in the chorus as effectively as any of the other tunes of this type. The single "Oh Japan" is another strong anthem with based on an almost metal style of guitarwork. My favorite track, "Everything Passes Away" has Martin and Blades trading off on lead vocals over choppy guitar riffs and intense, dramatic vocals.
TMG I retains the best feature of AOR, matching the power of heavy rock with the gracefulness of a catchy chorus. It is rooted equaly in both the present and past so fans of say Godsmack and
Skid Row could probably agree it sounds good. Below is my favorite track being played live in Japan with Spinal Tap staging. Tak Matusmoto is the best rock guitarist you've never heard of. If you don't believe me, just click below.
Tak Matsumoto Group - "Everything Passes Away"
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