Certainly one of the more bizarre albums out there, Hiroki Tamaki & SMT provide plenty of sophisticated variation for the discerning progressive rock fan. Starting out in hoedown / Ennio Morricone "Spaghetti Western" fashion, the album seamlessly moves east to India, back to the west via a brass rock piece, symphonic rock, indigenous (Japanese) atmospheric music, and finally we get to the title track. It's the grand payoff, as the album culminates on a high note. A brilliant progressive horn rock composition, with loads of ideas, funky wah-wah guitar, violin shredding, gothic chanting, and heavy rocking bits. As mentioned, violin is the dominant sound throughout, and we are left to presume that Tamaki is indeed the main protagonist on said instrument (for the record - he is the violinist). But for a Westerner like me, it's pure guesswork as the LP is entirely in Kanji.
Ownership: LP: 1975 Nippon Columbia. Single sleeve. No obi like the Discogs photos here. This is an album I traded for at the 1994 ProgFest swap meet in from a well known Japanese dealer. I had no idea what it was, but he recommended it, so why not? I had the CD once, but sold it off since it added nothing extra.
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