Niningashi – Heavy Way

Time Capsule have been shining a light on lost Japanese gems for a while now. With two excellent comps, Nippon Psychedelic Soul 1970-1979 and Nippon Acid Folk 1970-1980 released in the last couple of years, the label aims to raise awareness of some of the lost bastions of ‘70s Japanese music, much in the same way as Light in the Attic’s Even A Tree Can Shed Tears. The Acid Folk comp included a lovely entry from Niningashi, the closer off of his 1974 private press LP Heavy Way. The song fit in nicely among more recognizable entries from Happy End or Ken Narita. Now, the label has sought to bring further recognition to songwriter Kazuhisa Okubo and his group Niningashi.

The record revels in American strains of country and folk, with a nice edge of fuzz creeping in on a few songs. Opener “Ameargari (After The Rain)” might feel a bit familiar to heads around these parts, serving as the title and flagship track for Torn & Frayed’s series of cassettes, After The Rain. The album balances bittersweet folk with slightly fried country as amiably as quite a few contemporaries, bringing to mind Dylan II, Makoto Kubota, or Yukimasa Takebe along with, of course, Happy End. Okubo would go on to more acclaim with later bands Neko and Kaze, but his early works with Ninigashi are contained on this sole album. It’s nice to see the label remaster and repress this for a new generation as the original has become a collectors-only rarity that’ll drain the bank. The record has been been lovingly remastered and re-wrapped in new art by Leon Moh-Cah. Recommended listening!

Support the artist. Buy it HERE.