Featured Review #55: Portrait in Rock ‘n’ Roll by ウワノソラ'67 (uwanosora’67)

**fitear1590** · August 15, 2015

Artist: ウワノソラ'67 (uwanosora’67)

Album: Portrait in Rock ‘n’ Roll

1. シェリーに首ったけ (Shelly ni kubittake)

2. 年上ボーイフレンド (Toshiue boyfriend)

3. 傑作映画の後で (Kessaku eiga no ato de)

4. 雨降る部屋で (Ame furu heya de)

5. 葉っぱのように (Happo no you ni)

6. Hey × 3 ・ Blue × 3

7. station No.2

8. 夢見るアクター (Yume miru actor)

9. 涙のフォークボール (Namida no forkball)

10. レモンビーチへようこそ (Lemon Beach e youkoso)

Rating: | A blast from the past: retro-pop perfection!

ウワノソラ'67 (uwanosora’67) appears to be a side-project of the ’70s inspired pop band ウワノソラ (uwanosora), featuring vocalist Megumi and the personification of “heavy lifting,” Hirohide, who handles everything from composition, lyrics, arrangement and production to playing instruments like acoustic/electric guitar, bass and even marimba. Their first album Portrait in Rock ‘n’ Roll might have been released in June 2015, but stylistically, it fits right in with the music from half a century ago. As their name implies, they mostly take their influence from the ‘60s, citing the sound of “girl group” legends like The Ronettes, the harmony-soaked tunes of The Beach Boys, and so much more.

In true pop tradition, the album hits the ground running with their biggest hit, “シェリーに首ったけ (Shelly ni kubittake)”. Backed by a whole slew of support musicians playing everything from saxophones to harp, the group’s lush arrangements shine through, recalling Phil Spector’s “wall of sound.” The song is jaunty and fun in a very classic way, but the composition has a few surprises, such as the oddly percussive and bass heavy section in the middle of the chorus and a short slide guitar solo. Vocalist Megumi delivers a very sweet performance, singing in a slightly higher (more “Japanese”?) register than the American girl group singers who influence her. If the song isn’t enough, be sure to check out the PV below for wonderfully campy synchronized choreography—it’s like Japan’s version of the Hairspray musical.

“年上ボーイフレンド (Toshiue boyfriend)” is more piano and orchestra-based than the opening track. In fact, I was first reminded of Welsh indie pop group The School, who also have similar '60s influences to ウワノソラ'67. This track adopts a slightly more melancholic, wistful mood, featuring gorgeous string arrangements and heartfelt vocals. It’s evident that Hirohide has a knack for classic pop songwriting. Every song is a joy, from the cheerful tracks like “傑作映画の後で (Kessaku eiga no ato de)” to the album’s gorgeous rainy day ballad, “雨降る部屋で (Ame furu heya de)”. What really makes the album pop, however, are the immense arrangements. Whether it’s the horns that punctuate the verses of tracks like “涙のフォークボール (Namida no forkball)”, the majestic fluttery harp in “夢見るアクター (Yume miru actor)”, Hirohide’s own marimba action in ”葉っぱのように (Happo no you ni)”, or the numerous rich sax solos sprinkled throughout, the lovely arrangements are what take the album to the next level, transporting the listener to another era. While the album’s creativity dips ever so slightly in tracks 5 and 6, the second half of the album finishes off almost as memorably as it started.

Vocally, Megumi also deserves some praise. She knows how to balance the innocence, charm, and heart most befitting of these colorful arrangements. While not technically a very soulful vocalist, she makes up for it (like many of the best singers of the '60s) with an enchanting naiveté that is equally as powerful. In ”雨降る部屋で” in particular, it amazes me how moving her delivery of the simple chorus gets with each repeat—I get goosebumps every time. While some listeners might find that she occasionally spends too much time in falsetto (such as in the choruses of ”夢見るアクター”), overall, she makes the most of her role in the group. Throughout the album, there are also a few instances of playful “shooby dooby” background vocals, such as in “station No.2”, further grounding the music in the '60s. The album’s already beautiful final track, “レモンビーチへようこそ (Lemon Beach e youkoso)”, ends with a glorious, choral outro.

It’s clear that ウワノソラ'67 have been doing their homework, paying homage to the musical styles of the past in such an authentic way. If there is one potential drawback to the album, it’s that the group doesn’t infuse their music with contemporary edge. British artists like Amy Winehouse and The Pipettes had similar musical “foremothers” to ウワノソラ'67, but their lyrical content was “updated” with a lot of contemporary sass and attitude; as far as I can tell, that is not the case here. But maybe that’s the point. Portrait in Rock ‘n’ Roll truly is like listening to the sounds of the ‘60s in fresh, modern recording quality, but instead of an LP in hand, you have a CD (or just mp3s)! Currently, I prefer this side project to the “normal” ウワノソラ output and I’m praying that this album isn’t just a one-off endeavor!

What did you think of the album?