Friday, 1 April 2016

Tsuki-otoko To Stick (Black Page, 1986)

Even if this Japanese band took their name by a Frank Zappa's song, they actually played a traditional progressive rock. But as you may  remember, that song by Zappa was a particularly tricky and difficult one, so that the intricate and virtuosic style of these musicians is somehow related to their name. "Tsuki-otoko To Stick" ("The Stick And The Moon Man") is a highly dynamic instrumental, kind of an explosive display of technical skills and elaborate composition.

Oneof the most elegant cover arts I can imagine for a prog album.

That said, this track is no way cold or affected: it has a good deal of passion inside, and a muscular, rocky side, especially thanks to the rythm section. Bunmei Ogawa is a Wakeman-inspired keyboardist, but his bombastic style is perfectly supported and empowered by the rest of the band, so that the final effect isn't that of a solo project: there's a real, effective interaction between all the instruments. Another good reason to regret the very short life of Black Page.

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