Michio Kurihara - Sunset Notes (2005)

Once upon a time I listened to a ton of music from Japan. Something refreshing about it. I guess it started with Boredoms, but then took a turn to Keiji Haino, Merzbow, Ruins, etc. etc. Something was just so refreshing about this weird noise coming from East Asia. At the time, Boris's Pink was getting rave reviews out here, so I snagged it, liked a lot of it, but I wasn't a huge fan of the metal-garage burners that Boris was putting out. I did search their back catalog, and enjoyed a lot of what I heard, less concise and more expansive than Pink. But I mean, drone and half hour noise sometimes leaving you want a crisp A-B-A song form. Then Rainbow comes out, and I love it. I had that on so much. And quickly enough I realized that the reason I loved it so much had little to do with Boris, but rather Michio Kurihara's fuzz-pedal laden guitar solos. Just mind-blowing phrases; I'm not sure what gear he's using but dang. So I've listened to some of his other work with other groups, but not enough to really know what I'm talking about. But somehow recently I stumbled upon Kurihara's only solo album, 2005's Sunset Notes. This is exactly what I needed. It's Kurihara's guitar without the gloom of Boris (not to say I don't appreciate Boris's sound, it's just nice to have Kurihara's own arrangements - a bit more light-hearted, pensive, and more psychedelic). Overall, it's just a solid album. A couple tracks feature some Japanese lady, but the tension and release of Kurihara's axe-work is the obvious focus of each album - even the surf-rock track "Twilight Mystery of a Russian Cowboy." But that track is pretty uncharacteristic of the other 8 songs. The Boomkat review basically sums up my experience:

"...Yep this man is a demon when confronted with six strings and a pick, and across nine tracks Kurihara shows us his severe and virtuoso skill, drenches it in reverb and implores us to punch the sky with the kind of glee only ever gleaned from extended guitar solos. Melodic, jubilant and effortlessly experimental 'Sunset Notes' is just the album I've always wanted from Kurihara, and now sidestepping from his supporting roles in Ghost and Damon & Naomi his talents are framed quite wonderfully. It might not sound too tantalising to be sold an album which is balanced around guitar solos, but this is where 'Sunset Notes' differs from all preconceptions, and rather than sink into self-indulgence it seems that the record is made with the listener in mind. I read somewhere that Kurihara still has a full time job at a factory in Japan, and this kind of connection with 'real life' is evident as his fretwork lets us soar into oblivion, it's rock 'n roll without the meaningless excess, and in that there is real beauty."

I'm a college student with no income. Chances are if you're reading this, you are too, or you work for Lexmark and spend all of your money on cheap whiskey. None of his songs are on youtube or anything, so if you want this album, the link is below. Enjoy.

Michio Kurihara - Sunset Notes