Heisei Fuzoku (Hong Kong Version)

Heisei Fuzoku can be considered part cover album (six tracks are new versions of songs that have appeared on previous Shiina Ringo/Tokyo Jihen albums), part new material (seven new studio recording tracks), and part soundtrack for the Japanese film Sakuran (for which Shiina acted as music supervisor). Heisei Fuzoku blends in so many different elements that it defies genre - it features too many foreign languages to qualify as "J-pop", and integrates so many different musical styles that it even escapes the usual "J-rock" label applied to Shiina's music. Heisei Fuzoku, for all its artistic indulgences, is less a proclamation of Shiina's return than a proclamation of Shiina's existence.

Heisei Fuzoku starts off with a bang with Gamble (Track 1), which previously appeared as a live track on 2000's ze-chyou syuu. Assisted by a grand orchestra arrangement, Shiina belts out the explosive opening track with a voice so intense that if turned up loud enough, it might just qualify as a religious experience. Shiina's delivery of the final chorus itself already makes Gamble Shiina Ringo's best ever album opening track.

Considering that Sakuran is a period film, Shiina defies expectation by leaning towards Western aesthetics for Heisei Fuzoku, drawing influence from jazz, Latin music, and even experimental electronic. Standouts among the new tracks include Confusion (Track 3), a breezy Latin track where Shiina's not-so-consistent delivery of English lyrics actually works to its advantage; Courtesan (Track 10), an electronic rock track the singer is more comfortable with; and "ending theme" Memory (Track 13), a duet with her older brother Shiina Junpei that brings both Sakuran and Heisei Fuzoku to a spectacular close.

Shiina also reinvents her old songs with new arrangements and lyrics. Though Stem (Track 2), which is making its third album appearance after Shiina's previous solo album Karuki Zamen Kuri no Hana and the soundtrack for 2004's Casshern, adds little to the album except to set up the mood, other covers manage to stand out even for this Shiina Ringo fan. Particular interesting are the covers for tracks that first appeared on Karuki Zamen Kuri no Hana, considering that it was Shiina's most baffling album with its rampant experimental stylistic touches. Hearing Saito Neko's jazzy new arrangements on Camouflage (Track 8) and Consciously (Track 6) make these songs feel just as fresh as when they were released four years ago. While some critics may accuse Shiina Ringo of lack of creativity for recycling old tricks, Heisei Fuzoku is about taking Shiina's musical aesthetics and reinventing them for the big screen. I haven't seen Sakuran yet, but listening to Heisei Fuzoku only makes one look forward to it even more.

The ultimate question is probably which audience is Heisei Fuzoku for, the fans or the newcomers? Obsessive fans would probably complain that Shiina has recycled old arrangements Saito did for previous concerts, and it's certainly a valid complaint. But fans of those concerts now have a chance to savor these arrangements in a studio recording, which should be a good thing by any count. On the other hand, listeners turned off by Shiina's gradual spiral into the realm of experimental with her previous solo album will be glad to know that Heisei Fuzoku is more of a continuation of Tokyo Jihen's Adult, which saw Shiina maturing into a jazz rock artist. In the end, Heisei Fuzoku is about reinvention - reinvention of the "Shiina style", reinvention of the traditional film score, and reinvention of what one can expect from the angriest (but also most polite) name in J-rock. Heisei Fuzoku may not be fresh, but it's no less brilliant than anything Shiina Ringo has ever done. It's not just an album, it's an experience.

by Kevin Ma