Album Flashback #4: Shiina Ringo - Sanmon Gossip
In between releasing Karuki Zamen Kuri no Hana and the album
we shall look at here, Sanmon Gossip,
Shiina Ringo started a band you may know called Tokyo Jihen, released an
orchestral album and explored various musical directions with a variety of
collaborations. The result was an album firmly divided her army of listeners
into two distinct camps.
The bright pink, faux
nude cover art turns the contrast up completely from KSK’s darker visuals and
sound overlays. This is evident on the album as well. The usual mix of dilettante
melodies is present and very correct and the genres flip as rapidly as the
Prime Minister of Japan changes. (And that’s often for those who didn’t get the
cultural reference!)
In all honesty
though, as much as her experimentation pleases the ears on most occasions there
are rare moments when it fails to. The beginning of Sanmon Gossip is a case in
point. The jazzy beats and cameo from rapper Mummy-D on Ryuukou (trans. Fashion) are on first listen
somewhat jarring and on later listens they fare no better. Thus, despite the
good intentions it doesn’t add up instantly to love. Things only improve when
you get to third track Mittei Monogatari (trans.
The Secret Agent Story) where we get
woodwind and spy escapades with some nicely succinct English vocals. It’s an
excellent and playful way to engage the listeners and for this reviewer it
works.
Things get better as
the album proceeds down its very strange path – There’s a plethora of keys lead
songs such as the average Zero Chiten kara (trans.
From The Beginning) and the
engaging Shun (trans. The Best Season)
but thankfully there is still some of the wonderful weirdness that makes a
Shiina Ringo album what it should be. The psychedelic fairytale orchestra
backing of Tsugou no ii Karada (trans.
The Convenient Body) is quietly brilliant with an equally surreal
promotional video and the frenetic beats of earlier albums return on Togatta
Teguchi (trans. Sharp Trick) and the
Soil & “Pimps” Sessions backed Mayakashi Yasaotoko (trans. Counterfeit Gentleman).
And as the album ends
we get odd chanson-style songs such as the excellent Bonsai Hada (trans. Ordinary Ability) and a rather unnecessary
remake of Marunouchi Sadistic from her debut album that is nice but feels very
much a tagged on bonus track. So it’s a return from an artist that is ever restless
that is steeped in domesticity, slower melodies and grander awareness of the
sounds of the vast Japanese music scene but is it entirely successful?
Certainly, it’s not anything like its predecessors but that’s not a bad thing
in hindsight. When this was released in 2009 much was said about its
ordinariness but perhaps that’s the point – there is excellence in eccentricity
as there is excellence in a more rounded, comparatively ordinary sound. What you
think is entirely up to yourself!
The title: Sanmon
Gossip = Threepenny Gossip (ie: Cheap Gossip)
Highlights: Tsugou no
ii Karada (trans. The Convenient Body);
Mayakashi Yasaotoko (trans. Counterfeit
Gentleman).
Reviewed by Sebastian
Gahan.