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Japanese female singers don't always work. Remember how great Cibo
Matto was? Remember how forgettable Deerhoof is? Exactly.
It only makes sense that Miho Hatori, the mastermind behind
the glory that was Cibo Matto, would go on to great things. Miho Hatori's
solo album Ecdysis probably wouldn't be the best album to ease
a virgin listener into - someone that doesn't already like her music
would write her off as just another J-Pop band. But Hatori is so much
more than that.
I like the meaning of the first song, "Ecdysis" which
gave the album its name. The entire album focuses around the system
of ecdysis, the cicada's system of shedding it's outer skin. Essentially,
Hatori claims that without ecdysis of humans, or change, that man
will stop his evolution in its tracks. Which makes sense, when you
think about it.
The third track, "In Your Arms," is a sweet song, simple
and meaningful, and written in a way more songs should be. With lyrics
like "I am lost in your words / I want to stay here for a while…slowly
I'm sinking into you," how could you not love the song, especially
with the knowledge that the song was written about her mother. If
you ignore the way she was "rost" instead of "lost,"
the song may become one of your favorites. The next song, "Barracuda,"
makes me laugh. If Hatori had the pipes, it could be the next James
Bond theme song.
Ignore the broken English on her website and check out her "comments
for songs" as you listen. Songs that had been simple before,
or just written in another language, unfold when you understand what
lies behind the lyrics. Besides, I dare you not to smile when she
talks about what it feels like to become an "Amazon worrier."
Come on, that's cute!
-Caitlin McGuire
Track Listing:
1. Ecdysis
2. A Song For Kids
3. In Your Arms
4. Barracuda
5. The Spirit Of Juliet
6. Walking City
7. Sweet Samsara Part 1 & Part 2
8. Today Is Like That
9. The River of 3 Crossings
10. Amazona
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