II

Artist: SHOW-YEN
Label: Musea/Poseidon
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 742630045869
EAN: 0742630045869
ASIN: B0009SY7VG

Release Date: 2005-05-27

Related Categories:

General

| Rock | Styles | Music

General

| Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Tracks:

Sakura (I. Part One)
Life Game
Ceremony For The Evil
The Moon Knows Everything
Insanity
Sakura (II. Part Two)
Quappa
Kirin
A Thorny Path
Sakura (III. Part Three)
The Power Of The Earth
Sakura (IV. Part Four)
Rock N' Roll Again - I Can...

Product Description

SHOW-YEN is a Japanese band led by guitarist-composer Yasuhiro NISHIO, that has existed as an instrumental trio since 1998. Its other members are bassist Hiroaki FUJII and drummer Masanobu TONOMURA. Their eponymous concept-album (2003) is actually built on a new idea, called "Free-concept". The listener must invent his own story while listening to the music ! The fifteen tracks are quite dense and concise, and represent a very wide range of musical tendencies, that can evoke KING CRIMSON or RUSH in the Seventies among other influences (Oriental for example). After a two years-break and a drummer change, SHOW-YEN strikes back in olympic form ! An album published as a joint-venture between the Musea and Poseidon labels, "II" includes thirteen tracks made of pure beauty. Those first class musicians like both melodies and power: riffs and solos are predominant here ! But the rhythm section is also perfectly precise and the music quite adventurous, with surprising breaks and quiet acoustic moments. To be discovered !

Customer Reviews:

Instrumental progressive hard rock from Japan.......2005-10-25

The Japanese instrumental trio Show-Yen have released their sophomore disc simply naming it II. On this album, the band opts for a more focused and defined form of instrumental music, sticking to songwriter and guitarist Yasuhiro Nishio's expressive and precise guitar work. The album sees bassist Hiroaki Fujii and drummer Naoki Itoi mostly supporting Nishio with a strong rhythmic anchor prevalant through the whole disc. As a whole, it could be argued that this is more like Nishio's solo album with a solid rhythm tandem backing him up. However, that doesn't mean the album is bass or drum shy in any way. There is plenty to be heard from each instrument; especially Fujii's bass playing is quite vital to the overall success of the album.

Compared to their heavily fusion-inspired eponymous disc, their second album is more direct and perhaps groove-friendly. Moreover, there seems to be a subtle musical theme going on through its entirety, as it begins with the hysterical crying of a baby which can also be heard later on towards the end of the album on the eleventh track. This theme glues the songs together, giving them a character that is preserved through and through, regardless of the genres the band likes to explore. From the groovy hard rock numbers "Life Game" and "Insanity", both littered with thick guitar chords, pummeling drums, and fat bass lines; to the more bluesy guitar statement on "Kirin" coloured with awesome bends; to their usual fusion-driven aggression on "The Moon Knows Everything", the general flow of the album is not distracted for even a second. Give a close listen to Nishio's picking on "The Moon Knows Everything"; each note comes out differently evoking mixed feelings, especially when put into the same context that features beautiful sweeps reeking of classical music. The fretless bass solo in the middle is simply awesome as is Itoi's cymbal hitting. "Quappa" is also a tune with jaw-dropping slap bass, something we'd normally expect from the likes of Stu Hamm.

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Black Orchid ~ Al McKibbon

At the Festival ~ Marian McPartland

1949 ~ Herb Morand

Caricia ~ Olga Milla

Twin Best ~ Pink Lady

Etsi Ki Allios ~ Pera Vrehi

Beneath Southern Skies ~ Tarika Sammy

Kidoshinsengumi Moeyoken Theme ~ Hiromi Sato

Foreign