Usui, H. – “Sings The Blues” – [VHF Records]

mickeyslim   7/23/2014   12-inch, A Library

Hiroyuki Usui sings the blues! Usui (Ghost, Fushitsusha, etc..) lends vocals to most of the tracks (all in Japanese?), and accompanies himself on bajo, guitar, steel guitar, bass, and cornet. From what I can tell, this is his first available solo work.

While this isn’t exactly blues music, it definitely has a blues theme. Very spacious sounds with minimal instrumentation, and yet Usui still evokes hypnotic rhythms. The sounds are very clear and each note has intent. Dark, woodsy, morose. Some Delta-ish slide guitar works it way in there.

The first two and second to last track utilize silence to create a feeling of coldness and solitude. The gaps are just uncomfortably too long. Very well done. Dig it!