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Artist:		Sakamoto Ryuichi
Title:		ONGAKU ZUKAN
Production Co:  MIDI Inc.
Cat#:		MID-1001
Release:	1984
Price:		3800yen
Length:		11 tracks
Track Data:
	 1  Tibetan Dance		5'01"
	 2  Etude			5'16"
	 3  Paradise Lost		5'24"
	 4  Self Portrait		4'43"
	 5  TABI NO GYOKKITA		5'12"
	 6  M.A.Y. In the Backyard	5'36"
	 7  TSUBASA NO MORI DE		5'39"
	 8  MORI NO HITO		4'59"
	 9  A Tribute to N. J. P.	2'47"
	10  Replica			5'27"
	11  MA MEERU ROWA		4'28"

Comments:
	Sakamoto Post-YMO solo album. In an interview he said that this 
album contained many of the melodies that had been hanging around in his
head for the last few years. My fav. RS album, many of the songs are quite
melodic, including many quite catchy instrumentals (e.g. Tibetan Dance).
Arrangements are interesting but never strange. Some songs (e.g. MORI
NO HITO) are simple pop songs, but they have an interesting bent to them.
Some Asian (but no really Japanese references apart from possibly the last
song - I'm not sure if it's Japanese or Chinese influence).

This album (with intersecting though different list of songs) was released
in the west as "Illustrated Musical Dictionary". I think the Japanese version
is better, though it is expensive! Cover is cute (Sakamoto playing piano
with shadow of giant ant playing piano behind him).	

(Ross Clement: ross-c@scs.leeds.ac.uk)
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Artist:		Sakamoto Ryuichi
Title:		NEO GEO
Production Co:  CBS/Sony
Cat#:		32DH 700
Release:	1987
Price:		3200yen (rerelease much cheaper, but ??)
Length:		34'29" (8 tracks)
Track Data:
	 1  Before Long			1'20"
	 2  Neo Geo			5'05"
	 3  Risky			5'25"
	 4  Free Trading		5'25"
	 5  Shogunade			4'33"
	 6  Parata			4'18"
	 7  Okinawa Song - CHIN NUKU JUUSHII	5'15"
	 8  After All			3'08"
Comments:
	Some excellent songs, but this collaboration with Bill Laswell (remember
Herbie Hancock's "Rockit"?) seems a bit short of ideas. Both "Neo Geo" and
"Okinawa Song ..." incorporate traditional Okinawan styles, and are covers
or remakes of traditional songs. "Risky" is sung by Iggy Pop, and is a slow
song (though not really ballad) that appeals to some but not others. "Free
Trading", "Shogunade", and "Parata" are highly Laswell-influenced instrumentals.
Worth buying though, "Okinawa Song" sounds gorgeous, with the Okinawa-chan's
vocals.

(Ross Clement: ross-c@scs.leeds.ac.uk)
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Artist:         Sakamoto, Ryuichi
Title:          Beauty
Production Co:  Virgin America
Cat#:           CDVUS 14
Release:        1990
Price:          $14.00
Length:         55'58"
Track Data:
         1  You Do Me (Edited Version)
         2  Calling from Tokyo
         3  A Rose
         4  Asadoya Yunta
         5  Futique
         6  Amore
         7  We Love You (Remix)
         8  Diabaram
         9  A Pile of Time
        10  Romance
        11  Chinsagu no Hana
Goodies:        Standard jewelbox.  Booklet with lyrics.

Comments:
Sakamoto's work with YMO, and his work on varios soundtracks is reflected
somewhat in his own albums.  On this album as in Neo-Geo, Sakamoto
pulls Okinawan influences, techno, jazz, rock and pop together for
some unique sounds.  Among others, this album has a guest apparance
by Youssou N'Dour.  Most songs in English, with a couple in the
Okinawan language and Japanese.
Cover:
B&W photo of toplit Sakamoto's head and shoulders.

Grade:  B       Genre:  Rock, Pop, World, Techno, Jazz
Bought somewhere in Hong Kong

(Benjamin List: list@scf.usc.edu)
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Artist:         Sakamoto, Ryuichi
Title:          Heartbeat
Production Co:  Virgin Japan
Cat#:           VJCP-30093
Release:        1991
Price:          Y2200
Length:         46'49"
Track Data:
         1  Heartbeat
         2  Rap the World
         3  Triste
         4  Lulu
         5  High Tide
         6  Song Lines
         7  Nuages
         8  Sayonara
         9  Borom Gal
        10  Epilogue
        11  Tainai Kaiki
Goodies:        Clear jewelbox.  "Booklet" is folded and glued in such
a way as to make it useless (I broke the seal).

Comments:
Perhaps Sakamoto's most "accessable" album.  This one includes guest
appearances by Marco Prince of French funk-rock band FFF, DJs Towa
Tei and Dimitri of DeeeLite, jazz great Arto Lindsay and once again
Youssou N'Dour.
Cover:
"heart"
"BEATbreak the"
"code and read the message RYUICHI"
"SAKAMOTO"
Orange-toned close-up photo of Sakamoto's right eye and hand.

Grade:  B+              Genre:  Jazz, Pop, World, Rap, Dance
Bought at the Wave in Ikebukuro

(Benjamin List: list@scf.usc.edu)
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