Customer Reviews

Rough Guide: The Music of Japan

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Well, this CD certainly offers the listener an eclectic mix of Japanese music. It's hard not to like it for that reason alone. One strength of the album is that it includes the kind of music you'll never hear on any other compilation. Both traditional classical music and modern pop music are largely eschewed; instead, most of the tracks are what one might call contemporary folk music--urban satirical songs and sales-pitch ditties, country shamisen music from the Northeast, and lots of music from Okinawa, and such. Pretty much all of it is more or less interesting, though to assume that this is a representative sample of Japanese music would be way off. And never listen to this CD if you want a consistent mood...this stuff is all over the place.

As much as I've enjoyed the variety and oddity of this CD many a time, a few things about it do annoy me. First, music from Okinawa seems too over-represented. Don't get me wrong, the Okinawan tracks on this CD are great, but since there's a Rough Guide CD for "The Music of Okinawa" they seem a bit redundant here, and their lively tropical mood is very, very different from mainland Japanese music (Okinawa was an independent kingdom for centuries, after all). Second of all, while the liner notes are in general pretty good, it would've been nice if a translation of the lyrics for those songs with vocals had been included--much of the point of some of the songs resides in the wit and humor of their lyrics, and this is pretty much lost on you unless your Japanese listening comprehension is truly exceptional. Finally, a couple of the tracks are excerpts, and I'd really rather hear the whole thing when it comes right down to it.

Such nitpicks aside, though, this is an unusual collection of Japanese music that never gets boring. Some are gems, some are diamonds in the rough, and some are just pebbles--yet all have a distinctive charm.

This is not another CD of koto, shamisen, and shakuhachi. It offers a perspective on Japanese music not found on most other compilation CDs I've heard. Especially interesting is the last track, Shi Chome, which sounds like a Japanese version of Klesmer music.

This cd is one of the best cd's of Japanese music that I have ever seen. Most of it is traditional Japanese songs, but its been modernized and been given a kick. From the soothing song with just shamisen playing, to the james bond theme, to the song with the taiko drums that will shake your car apart if you turn the bass all the way up. This cd is great for the hardcore Japanese music freak, or the simply curious.

This is a great CD that features some Japanese psuedo-folk-rock songs. Not the stuff you hear in the Japanese restaurants, but not J-Pop either. Features a few selections of Okinawan-scaled music which is really interesting. I particularly like "Haisai Ojisan," one of the Okinawan tunes which has a Hawaiian slide guitar twang to it. This CD is definitely not for everybody, but I sure like it.

If this is representative of what is popular in Japan, there you have it, but I think it's missing so much and gives a false (small) impression of the amazing diversity and complexity in the Japanese music scene. Alternating between Taiko drums, cute westernized pop songs, a little shamisen and shakuhachi I find it lacks anything from the explosion of new innovative music from the Tokyo scene or even any Kabuki or Koto music. A little disapointing because I have come to expact great things from this series. Kudos and 1/2 star for the fun liner notes!

This collection is seemingly all embracing but actually it only scratches the surface.The highly distinctive and alluring 'Gagaku'(ancient Japanese court and dance music)is oddly absent.....i can't begin to imagine why.This music (violent yet poised) is quite unlike anything i've encountered and ought to have been represented.However,this warts and all portrait of Japanese music is full of surprises and there's plenty to enjoy.

I used to borrow this Cd regularly from the Cairns library. It either got lost or more likely stolen.
I requested that the library replace the CD / however the new copy stil bore the same name but
was a later issue from the Rough Guide crew.
This Cd got me started on Okinawan music and I,m due to visit there soon.
Compilations can never be perfect but this a wonderful introduction to Japanese music.

`The Rough Guide to the Music of Japan' is a compilation of tracks from various artists covering different styles of music in Japan. This has a good mix of the modern and traditional and whilst some of this isn't great to listen to all the time, that is only an opinion from a western perspective, although I'm sure even some Japanese people may find some tracks only good for the occasional listen. This comes with an excellent booklet with a brief essay about Japanese music, before a track by track introduction that gives some history of each band/artist and the song in question. This is an accessible introduction to Japans music and is required listening for those interested in the country or who plan to visit there at some point.

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I just bought this CD and I love it!!
At first it took some listening to really get into, but after a while I couldn't stop playing it over and over again!
It's really great for anyone who likes Japanese music and doesn't want to hear soft tunes, but very catchy,fast and mellow folk with an unusual beat!
Try it out, it's amazingly different than anything I've ever heard!

as a fan of japan brings this music back a lot of memories and feelings at my time in japan. i think this compelation is something for people which want to become behind the clichees of japan and see what japan really is
its like walking all over the country from okinawa to hokkaido, everything is there.
the best for beginners who interrested in people, land and music.
it blows your mind, when you open hearted.