Hiroyuki Usui

Solo darkness from remarkably pedigreed but rarely recorded Japanese legend (Ghost, Fushitsusha, L, Marble Sheep, A-Musik, August Born, etc). Raw and gripping, like a darker version of his all-time folk-psych classic Holy Letters. Performed completely solo on voice, guitar, banjo, bass, steel guitar, and cornet, the music is almost uncomfortably blunt and rough around the edges – a “Tonight’s the Night”-like offhandedness that only serves to increase the feeling of existential seriousness. Like Holy Letters, most of these tracks are undeniably “blues,” but there’s nary a familiar blues progression or guitar phrase. Vocals are a whisper, accompanied by simple guitar or banjo. Clever overdubs add to a few of the tracks – untutored (but just right) blats of cornet here, some electronic static there. Limited edition includes CD version of the album.