Psychedelic Folk from Hako Yamasaki

Hako Yamasaki didn’t have a lasting commercial career in Japan, but she did leave behind some of the best forlorn and depressing pop songs from the Japan’s 1970s music scene. Hako had one of those haunting, lingering voices that works its way into the musical arrangements of her songs.

I am a little surprised that the New-Weird America crowd has not picked up on her psychedelic tinged tunes the way they have other artists from the same period. I have no doubt that she had an influence on the Japanese scene that would develop decades later (I first learned of her existence from a record store clerk in Tokyo, who was kind enough to show me some unsung Japanese artists), and hopefully a rediscovering of her music will take place.

You can download her entire record from The Flying Teapot, a very nice music blog that generally covers Japan. Thankfully, the record was re-released on CD but like most imports, it fetches a rather high price. Good luck finding the original vinyl.
Shiroi Hana (from "Tsunawatari")


Himawari (from "Tsunawatari")