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Artist:    	Tama
Title:     	SANDARU
Production Co:  AXEC
Cat#:   	AXCR-1
Release:
Price:   	3000 yen
Length:    	51'49" (11 tracks)
Track Data:
         1      Houkou onchi                            3'00"
         2      Orugan                                  5'04"
         3      Ozon no Dance                           2'39"
         4      Nippon de yokatta                       5'03"
         5      Gakkou ni maniawanai                    7'58"
         6      Donburako                               6'16"
         7      Roshia no pan                           3'43"
         8      Sayonara Jinrui (Original Version)      5'34"
         9      Warutu oboete                           4'03"
        10      Rantiu                                  4'33"
        11      Reiko obasan no kuuchuuyuuei            3'29"

Goodies: none

Comments:
        Includes 1990 hit song "Sayonara Jinrui  (Good Bye Human Beings)"

(Masami Yokoyama : yokoyama@bode.ualberta.ca)

TAMA's music has it's own special flavour. If I were forced to describe it
in one sentence; TAMA seem to have invented a new form of children's song.
The music is acoustic, with guitar, piano, mandolin, harmonium, and various
percussion predominating. Vocals are distinctive and often reach into 
falsetto ranges, though I can't think of a song that is sung completely this
way. Lyrics are often meaningless, and one song (Donburako) isn't even
grammatical as far as I can see. There is no western artist I can compare them
to, the closest would be if Syd Barret had honed up his instrumental skills,
and decided to devote the rest of his life to children. "Bike" from the first
Pink Floyd album is about the closest western song I can think of to Tama.
Songwriting and instrumental ability is of a high standard, but due to the
distinctiveness of their music, people either seem to love them or hate them.

(Ross Clement: ross-c@scs.leeds.ac.uk)
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Artist:		Tama
Title:		HIRUNE
Production Co:  NIPPON CROWN LTD
Cat#:		AXCR-2
Release:	1991/../..
Price:		3000yen
Length:		56'02" (13 tracks)
Track Data:
	 1  USHIGOYA				2'19"
	 2  YUGURE TOKI NO SABISHISA NI		3'39"
	 3  UMI NI UTSURU TSUKI			3'39"
	 4  KAZOKU				4'02"
	 5  OKEI (?)				3'48"
	 6  KINGYOUBACHI			4'35"
	 7  ORIONBIIRU NO UTA (?)		4'50"
	 8  KANASHII ZUBON			6'05"
	 9  GETSUYA (?) NO BYOUIN		3'39"
	10  URARA				5'34"
	11  MUSHI				5'01"
	12  MARIMBA				3'49"
	13  WARABE (?) NO UTA			4'32"
Goodies:
	Tama sticker set.
Comments:
	Followup album to Tama's first wide release album SANDARU. HIRUNE is
fairly similar, but I feel that the distinctiveness of the music and lyrics
has been toned down a bit. Make no mistake, this is not a typical album,
even though some of the songs (UMI NI UTSURU TSUKI) are almost normal. 
Production is smoother than on SANDARU. Lyrics have been normalised slightly,
but standard Tama trademarks such as animal references (USHIGOYA) and
meaningless (KANASHII ZUBON = "Unhappy trousers") bits abound. KAZOKU is
blatantly (in my opinion) aimed at children, but is an enjoyable song
for adults too. Quite a melodic album, but with distinctive Tama melodies.
My favourite Tama album so far, but I haven't heard the third album much
yet.

(Ross Clement: ross-c@scs.leeds.ac.uk)
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Artist:		Tama
Title:		KYABETSU
Production Co:  Azec Co. Ltd.
Cat#:		AXCR-3
Release:	?/?/91
Price:		3000yen 
Length:		11
Track Data:
	 1  	KIMI SHIKA INAI
	 2 	BOKU WA HELIKOPUTAA
	 3 	SAKANA
	 4  	OKA NO UE
	 5  	UEKI BACHI
	 6  	MANGETSU KOUTA (?)
	 7 	HOSHI WO TABERU
	 8	ONAKA PANPAN
	 9 	OYASUMII NO SHISHI
	10 	TOKOYA WA DOKOYA
	11 	KOWARETA
Goodies: "KYABETSU" sticker.
	
Comments: TAMA's 1992 (effectively) album follows the pattern set by the first
two, except it's probably a bit better. MANGETSU KOUTA (?) is probably their
best song yet.

(Ross Clement: ross-c@scs.leeds.ac.uk)
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