Falling Sugar-Self-titled

CD released by Fuzzy Pals Records (Japan)
LP by Bachelor Records (Austria)

Every once in a while you come across an album where everything falls in place. I first encountered Falling Sugar on a graphic for Mike Rogers' Japan Indies 2024 Music Awards and then heard them on the Todd-o-Phonic Todd WFMU radio show when he played “West Coast.” I'm guessing their band name is most likely inspired by the fantastic Beatlesque ‘60s pop Nugget “Falling Sugar” by the Palace Guard. The continued influence of the '60s looms large on their debut album. They even pay homage to that decade by briefly quoting sections of the Troggs’ “Can’t Control Myself,” and “She’s Got Everything” by the Kinks as points of departure into their own songs.

Falling Sugar are the co-headliners for Mike Rogers' final Japanese Indies Music Awards show

Off the Cuff
On their originals, they exude a ramshackle charm with their catchy combination of ‘60s pop and ‘90s indie-pop played with maximum joy. They shape an amalgamated and shambling sound that approaches and lands near the first-rate pop that the Apricots and Dizzy Joghurt whipped up 25 years ago along with Mama Guitar, the Pebbles, Berry, and Tirolean Tape. When they go more into bubblegum mode, they are found somewhere in the same aisle as the Cherry Splits and the Strawberry Zots.

Disk Union display-notice the Each Time by Eiichi Ohtaki promo in 
the southwest corner. 

Listen People Their self-titled album contains the excitement and exuberance expected in a strong debut. Overall, they achieve a rounded-out sound with propulsive percussive momentum, strummy guitar, prominent bass, and buoyant keyboards-in other words the active ingredients of bubblegum music. They strike upon this captivating sound with Mikko’s keyboard playing providing the requisite bounce that pairs up with her gliding voice that is well-suited for this type of music. Monma’s bold and pronounced bass brings in both mod-ish and Motown elements, while Toyozo Toyoshima’s apt (punch & strum) guitar playing and experience plays a major role in the band. When not with Falling Sugar, you can find him somewhere in the world playing in the Fadeaways, Angel Face, Paul Collins Beat-to name just a few of his many involvements. All the original songs are co-compositions by Toyozo and Mikko.

Falling Sugar: Clockwise L-R 
Mikko (Vocals, Organ), Monma (Bass), Toyozo (Guitar, Vocals) Ani-Pon (Drums)

Short, Sweet & Succinct 

“Sugar N Honey” brims with vocals reminiscent of the aforementioned Mama Guitar and a ringing Rickenbacker guitar comparable to the McCharmlys. “West Coast” leans in almost an anorak direction with its brisk melodies that would appeal to both Peach Kelli Pop and Pedal Records listeners. Be sure to catch that "Eight Days A Week" riff on the outro. The band is also stellar when they slow things down and incorporate a charming and chiming xylophone on songs like “Take Around” that recalls the best indie-pop featured by Shredding Radio/Magazine 25 years ago. By the way, “Take Around” seems to be a wonderful combination of “You, You, You” the 6th and “Leave all your Old Loves” by the Liverbirds, (later covered by the Shebrews). “Sigh” is overflowing with Herman’s Hermits/Merseybeat influences that will have SFTRI fans recalling the Stool Pigeons. Their rendition of “After Hours” fittingly closes. This Velvet Underground classic pop song was famously sung by Mo Tucker as Lou Reed said the song was too innocent and pure for him to sing himself.  They ace the cover by adding a dash of Death By Chocolate, which should not come as a surprise.

Bubbling Under

The quartet displays a deeper understanding that the roots of the bubblegum lie in the cubicles of the Brill Building as their record is immediate, catchy, tuneful and made to endure. While most of the late ‘60s American bubblegum groups were uniformly male, it’s refreshing to have females on the forefront, which has long been a major strength and characteristic of mold-breaking Japanese music. Falling Sugar excel with their originals and overall their debut captures the undeniable and vibrant spirit of the Tokyo garage scene, while putting a new spin on the most welcome sound of strummy Japanese bubblegum garage pop.

As a display of their adventurous approach, they have been known to play the Equals’ classic “Police on my Back” as part of their live sets.  I hope they give this song the studio treatment for a future release.

Sachiko Kanenobu-Fork in the Road

Jacket design by illustrator Kendra Ahimsa @ardneks

This is a rare case of a re-recording for the better. In October 2023, Fork in the Road was released only in Japan by Nippon Columbia on CD and Tuff Beats on vinyl. This album is a restored, refurbished and refreshed version of a recording that was originally released in 1998. Fork in Road also stands as an exception to the usual dire results of re-recording in that the contributors actually enhance and expand the sound as they are highly complementary collaborators. It also helps when you have someone so finely-attuned and conversant like Makoto Kubota (Les Rallizes Dénudés, Sunset Gang) as the producer. I have been hoping Light in the Attic would pick it up and release (or distribute) it in North America as their 2019 reissue of her 1972 debut album Misora was such a critical and commercial success for them.  For a while, I thought Fork in the Road would remain only as a Japanese release and an expensive import as things appeared pretty quiet on this side of the Pacific. However, in early 2024, Sachiko's music came back to the international forefront as her song “Aoi Sakana” (Blue Fish) from the aforementioned Misora album was featured in the Wim Wenders film Perfect Days-joining Lou Reed, Maki Asakawa and Otis Redding on its soundtrack. Finally, in fall 2024, the Los Angeles-based Temporal Drift label made a very-limited vinyl pressing of Fork in the Road available through an special arrangement with Tuff Beats of Japan. 

At age 76, Sachiko Kanenobu is an inspiration as she remains open to artistic idealism when it can easily all be given up in the name of convenience. She is also a model of continuous creativity along with being an adventurous musician. Her admirable daily regimen places a foundation under her that allows her to further pursue artistic goals. Earlier this year, she explained to The Sonoma-Index Tribune, partly what keeps her going: “Each day is precious to me. Each day is a new day. I pray every day. I stretch, exercise, eat healthy.”  She is indeed an inspiration and her music on Fork in the Road reflects her expanded range of motion. Her healthy practices have also allowed her to start touring again (after the Covid hiatus) the expanse from Japan to the Eastern United States. 

While Misora is unquestionably exceptional as a singular statement, Fork in the Road is also impressive as it’s open to a wider array of East-West musical influences combined with a sagacious voice that conveys years of life experience, but remains open to boldly proceeding by intuition.  There is an overall forward slant to Kanenobu’s voice and ring to her guitar playing that expresses her resolute, but open-hearted and ultimately optimistic approach to music and life. 

Highlights and Standouts

The album opens with とべたら本こ “Tobetara Honko.” It's actually the theme song to a 1972 NHK's children's drama with the title supposedly referring to a type of jump rope once popular with kids in Kanagawa. The Kinks cover “I Need You” delivers a kick with its requisite thick and bold treatment and Dylan-esque vocal delivery that is coiled with “We Love You” by the Rolling Stones and reinforced with the backing vocals of Steve Gunn. The shuffling title song “Fork is the Road” is another standout and is most reminiscent of Chrissie Hynde-if she went other way and left Ohio for Osaka instead of London all those years ago. The fidelity is high and the production is lush and absolutely fitting to the music full of psychedelic flourishes.  不思議なメロディー“Mysterious Melody” unfurls out the speakers with its see-through clarity and submerges the listener with its conflicted and churning verses and flowing choruses. The keyboards played by Carwyn Ellis of Rio 18 are simultaneously haunting and luxuriant.

 

Bold and Instinctual

Don’t overlook 連れていって海に “Take Me to the Sea.” Initially the rustic song reminded of Led Zeppelin III's acoustic textures, but it reveals itself in its own time and it could be considered one of the most Misora sounding songs of this album. The song is also a showcase for Ryu Kurosawa’s sitar playing. “Everyday Friday” is lovely and languid in a good Beachcomber's Buffet way, which is heard Fridays on WFMU from an island of Hawaii. “Woman in the Rain” has a cadence that might appeal to Bob Marley fans with lyrics that might attract Sonny & Cher or even Player or the Equals listeners with its mashed-up chorus calls of “Baby Don’t Go”/”Baby Come Back.”

Paul Williams (May 19, 1948 – March 27, 2013) & Sachiko Kanenobu

Sunsets and Daybreaks
In this current world filled with distractions, conflict and strife, it’s good to have the sense of sanctuary made possible by Sachiko Kanenobu and her music. Her balanced approach shows it's possible to live a more artistic and peaceful way. Just being able to now hear her second album is pretty remarkable in its own right as her songs are highly evocative and full of feeling with her lively voice and inflections that remain singular. There have even been mentions of new music in the works according to this WFMU interview! Lastly, “Fork in the Road” is indicative of Sachiko’s brave embracement of elusive creativity along with being open to continual development as an artist, person and musician-regardless of age on earth. Her late and former partner Paul Williams would be proud of the commendable paths she has taken and continues to take. 

Photo by Robbi Pengelly- Sonoma Index-Tribune