Okamoto Issei / Moonlight Singing LP Record

CITY POP IN VINYL 2020 Catalog Number HRLP196 Release Date 2020.8.8 "Moonlight Singing," a 1978 release under the name Kazuo Okamoto. From jazzy pop songs like "Moonlight Singing" to light melodic and City Pop tracks such as "Moon Magic" and "Escape Route," featuring contributions from Tatsuro Yamashita and Hiroshi Sato, this album offers a wide range of listening experiences. Okamoto later changed his name to Okamoto Ryo and provided songs for many artists, while also continuing to work as a solo singer-songwriter. His 1978 release "Moonlight Singing" features songs that evoke feelings of loneliness and wabi-sabi throughout, as suggested by the cover art depicting him standing alone in an empty night pool. From jazzy pop tracks like the title song "Moonlight Singing" to light melodic and City Pop songs like "Moon Magic" and "Escape Route," which feature Tatsuro Yamashita and Hiroshi Sato in arrangement and performance roles, the album showcases a diverse musical spectrum. A stellar lineup of musicians including Ryuichi Sakamoto, Haruomi Hosono, and Shigeru Suzuki participated in the recording. While there are elements to appreciate in the compositions and sound itself, it is the vocals that most strongly evoke nostalgia and melancholy. Their expressive power is particularly noteworthy. This reissue deserves even wider recognition. [Tracklist] A1. Atelier A2. Escape Route A3. Moonlight Singing A4. A Winter of Pining Thoughts A5. Intoxicated B1. Moon Magic B2. Street Life B3. Rainy Street Corner B4. Just Like This B5. Nightstand