This is a fairly eccentric vinyl lp from the 80s which a friend asked me to digitize for her. We previously featured a great track from Frank Chickens here. I don't find most of these track to be super poppy or dancefloor friendly, but they are certainly interesting compositions - ranging from slow 80's groove to 80s pop. I think in particular the theme of this album seems to be a commentary on the situation of these Japanese women performers in the UK. This was not their first album and it appears they are commenting on the way that others perceive them as strange foreigners. In particular I think the lyrics to the lady love song Two Little Ladies are amusing including this:
"One of their games was putting books all over the floor
So that they can walk without touching the floor
They put a big book on Impressionism by their favourite window
So they can stand close together looking at the sunset over bushes
They called this occasion romantic on top of Impressionism"
I think this LP was actually signed by one of the band members Kazumi (if you look in the picture above). Probably the most catchy track is Yellow Toast. By their own admission (video below) they sing "interestingly badly". What is what most indie bands dream of, from what I can tell.
Side A
A1 We Say You Say
A2 Sacred Marriage
A3 Street Angels, Tokyo
A4 Two Little Ladies
A5 Solid Life
Side B
B1 Japanese Girl
B2 Island Inside Island
B3 Young Summer
B4 Chicken Ondo
B5 Yellow Toast
Finally - my friend Matthew (Wowow) Stone has decided to start the "Interconnected Echoes" blog in which he links from interview to interview various people's ideas on what life is all about. It's a great idea that I wish I had started and you can read what I think about life here.
7 comments:
Thank you so much for posting this. I've been looking for more Frank Chickens since finding the 7" of 'We Are Ninja (Not Geisha)' many many moons ago.
This is a truly original blog. Great work.
frank chickens still perform. they were at royal opera house for chinese (sic) new year. amazing visual gig.
Wow - that takes me back...used to have that LP...stupidly got rid of it. yeah, saw them play live too many years ago..."We are Ninja" - yeeeah!
Hello there. Thanks very much for the kind words on our "Not Another Acid House Compilation" piece, it's gratifying to get some feedback. Especially from a blog that I've enjoyed reading for a long time. Any chance of a link?
went to see them circa 1988 - I think they did a half set / half karaoke night... i'm not sure, but i thought it was one of the first karaoke nights in London... mental stuff at the time
Hi
Love your blog...and Frank Chickens.
Can you post the 2 missing songs, Sacred Marriage & Street Angels, Tokyo?
Loved NME's Mad Mix II too.
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