Vivid japanese folk
Joshua D. Smith | Berwyn, PA USA | 01/29/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"akeboshi is the best indie folk artist in japan at this moment. this album is a compilation of his previous three eps with the addition of two new songs. akeboshi rose to fame with it's song 'wind' as the into to the anime naruto. being the first song on the album, it is hardly the most uplifting. each song is re-recorded from the eps and lulls you into a state of complete comfort. there is no artist that can be compared to akeboshi because it's composed with instruments that seem foreign to japan yet the style is very connected with japan's contemporary youth culture, juxtaposing slow melodic guitar and violin tracks with edgy grunge beats.
this album is essential for anyone looking for the best of contemporary indie music in japan. it's well worth the price."
Sounds like Sting!
Dee Schendel | 01/05/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I was in the kitchen while my kids watched their Naruto movie. I'm not a big Naruto fan myself, but I loved the song that played at the end & I could have sworn it was Sting! After my daughter told me that it was some Japanese guy named Akeboshi I went to the internet & listened to some of his other music. And I think he's great. I got this particular cd for Christmas & the whole family listens to it often. It's just really nice, pretty music. Some of the lyrics are in Japanese (the liner notes are fun) and others are in broken English that somehow changes the pace of the songs, making them more interesting & unexpected. If you're looking for something folksy, melodic & pretty, I recommend this cd."