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View Full Version : Album Club - Week 130: 28/01/2014: Flower Travellin' Band - Satori (1971)



Album Club
28-01-2014, 00:06
Chris (The Grand Wazoo) has chosen this week's album for us to listen to, comment and vote on.
Please enter into the discussion if you wish to vote, and listen to the entire album before commenting.


Flower Travellin' Band - Satori (1971)

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51cl8tQ6m6L.jpg

Album on Spotify:

spotify:album:5XKyKCoEwQLtI9qqMwAXeY



Album on YouTube:

cmGibhq6MnA



The Soundbite:

Earlier today I was trying to describe this album succinctly and I said it's a bit like the bastard son of the first Black Sabbath album and 'Space Ritual', but born in the maternity ward of Fukushima General Hospital.


A Brief History:

It's 1966 and a famous rockin' teen combo from the UK fly to Japan to do some gigs. Yuya Uchida, a local lad who's released a few rockabilly singles but had already realised that this English band were going to change everything so he writes a song which is played by the support act for the gig at the Budokan Hall

The bass guitarist/singer of the headline band said:

There was a funny local group on stage before us. This was in the days when the Japanese didn't really know how to do rock'n'roll, although they've now got the hang of it pretty well. They sang a song that went, 'Hello Beatles! Welcome Beatles!' - something pretty naff in rock'n'roll terms, but it was very nice of them to do it. Our show went down quite well.

Yuya Uchida flies off to Europe to spend some time immersing himself in the new music scene in London and other cities. He's profoundly influenced by some of the bands that he experiences. Our man Yuya is shocked and amazed by what he hears and trundles back home after a while with a plan to form his own band so he can produce an album to introduce his fellow countrymen to some of the music that had such a profound effect on him.

The music he records (acting mainly as producer) is mostly covers of Cream, Hendrix, The Airplane, Janis..... It's released under the title of 'Challenge' by Yuya Uchida and the Flowers. The first challenge to ultra conservative Japanese society is that the album cover has a photo of the band standing around naked in a meadow!

The next album, 'Anywhere' is recorded by a mostly new band, with a mostly new name - Flower Travellin' Band. As before, it's also a covers record with a sleeve photo of naked band members - only this time they're roaring out of the meadow on motorbikes. The music has become rather more aggressive too - a long way from the pastoral hippy scene portrayed on the sleeve of the first album - much darker and moodier. And heavy....very heavy. The covers include a version of the track 'Black Sabbath' and an astonishing version of '21st Century Schizoid Man'. They are a clue to the sound of the other music that the band were working on at the same time, for what will be their third album - 'Satori' the first to contain all original material.


Why You Should Play It:

When I first heard 'Satori' I realised it's an album unlike any I'd ever heard. You can hear the Black Sabbath influence - that runs right through the very centre of the whole album, but there is also a raga-like Indian theme. The band had now become reduced to a trio of musicians and the sound is stripped down - no keyboards and the drumming is sparser but much, much more forceful. Yuya's musical contribution is reduced to playing a little 'lead tambourine'(!) This leaner arrangement accentuates what's going on with the remarkable guitar playing from Hideki Ishima. The tracks don't have names as such - just 'Satori, Part 1','2','3','4' and '5' and it's not exactly bursting with profoundly poetic lyrics but I love the guitar sounds and the jamming around a theme and just the fact that it's different. If you like a big meaty riff, then this album may be just what you're looking for. People who've discovered it rave about it and tell anyone who'll listen, however, some people just don't get it and dismiss it as noisy, repetitive and derivative, but I feel that's a rather superficial conclusion, because, if you reach into it, you'll find quite a lot of variety, should you make the effort to look for it. Also, given the time and place it was recorded, it was anything but derivative.

If you look around the web, you'll find plenty of people with such good things to say about Satori that you have to wonder why it's not more well known in the West.


The Reviews:

Allmusic: (http://www.allmusic.com/album/satori-mw0000469959)

From power chords to Eastern-tinged, North African, six-string freakouts, to crashing tom toms, to basses blasting into the red zone, Satori is a journey to the center of someplace that seems familiar but has never before been visited. It is a new sonic universe constructed from cast-off elements of the popular culture of the LSD generation. Forget everything you know about hard rock from the 1970s until you've put this one through your headphones. It's monolithic, expansive, flipped to wig city, and full of a beach blanket bong-out muscularity. In other words, this is a "real" classic and worth any price you happen to pay for it.


In the Wake of Poseidon (http://cropulis.blogspot.co.uk/2009/04/rock-of-ages-flower-travellin-band.html) (blog)

The record is druggy and epic with riffs that could end any stoner metal head's life......... "Satori, Pt. 1" is a triumphant blast of sludging riffage with howling moans care of Akira "Joe" Yamanaka. He is Japans answer to Robert Plant. When Yamanaka screams at the beginning of the song, you are sent into a destructive riff that starts slow and then picks up the pace. It is structured much like anything off of Black Sabbath's self titled record.


The Guardian Musicblog (http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2013/jun/05/101-strangest-spotify-flower-travellin-band)

Satori was – and still is – a remarkable album; heavier than a bull elephant's work boot, but still startlingly inventive, it blends edge-of-your-seat psychedelic shamanism with hair-shaking proto-metal rifferama. Ishima is a staggeringly good guitarist – Satori's separate parts are built on his scorchingly bright lead and thunderous crunch, while Joe Yamanaka's three-octave voice threatens – more than once – to boil the liquid on your eyeballs as it sails, somewhere beyond full-tilt, past your terrified earlobes and out into the ether.


Probably the biggest champion of the album in recent years is Julian Cope, who wrote an excellent book called 'Japrocksampler' (http://www.japrocksampler.com/japrocksampler/). At the end, he lists his Top 50 Japrock albums, at the top of which, resides 'Satori'. His final few words sum it up:

The sound was sensational and the playing superb, high above the Japanese standard of the day and infinitely beyond Flowers' feet-of-clay labelmates Speed, Glue & Shinki. Indeed, so out on a limb was Satori that it still defies comparison with other records. They just haven't really been recorded yet.


Conclusion:

I hope at least some of you will enjoy it. It's going to be a very split vote I think, but love it or hate it, you can't deny it's uniqueness, especially for the time it was recorded.

johnB
28-01-2014, 00:16
Chris, I've had a copy of Japrocksampler for years but have never been brave enough to dive in. Hopefully this will give me the momentum. Looking forward to listening.

John

The Grand Wazoo
28-01-2014, 00:22
It's a good book John, but only one person's view! I disagree with his rankings of some albums and I'd put a couple in and chuck a couple out, but it's probably an excellent place to start an exploration of a fascinating music scene, working well in conjunction with a Spotify account, as they have a fairly good number of those albums now - and seemingly getting more as time goes on. That's the beauty of Spotify - it's the ultimate opportunity to try before you buy.

John
28-01-2014, 05:31
I am loving this You can hear this real east meets west vibe going on; combining Japanese Shamanism with Heavy rock and a Psychedelic freak out
I am going to have to get this album I just love it
Well done Chris a brave choice that people will either love or hate a 10 for me
I just ordered the vinyl version

The Grand Wazoo
28-01-2014, 08:39
Glad you like it John. I suspect that your system is tailor-made to show it off well!

John
28-01-2014, 12:48
Yes looking forward to hearing it in its full glory

johnB
28-01-2014, 16:50
It's a good book John, but only one person's view! I disagree with his rankings of some albums and I'd put a couple in and chuck a couple out, but it's probably an excellent place to start an exploration of a fascinating music scene, working well in conjunction with a Spotify account, as they have a fairly good number of those albums now - and seemingly getting more as time goes on. That's the beauty of Spotify - it's the ultimate opportunity to try before you buy.

Thanks Chris. I will take your advice.

It may only be one person's view, but that person's view is surely to be trusted from all the evidence!:)

http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag89/Jrb1961/image_zps9e68c151.jpg (http://s1300.photobucket.com/user/Jrb1961/media/image_zps9e68c151.jpg.html)

http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag89/Jrb1961/image_zps05f303ae.jpg (http://s1300.photobucket.com/user/Jrb1961/media/image_zps05f303ae.jpg.html)

synsei
28-01-2014, 17:59
I'm sorry Chris but this really isn't my cup of tea, after a while the constant whine of the lead guitar really began to grate, brave choice though ;) 3/10

The Grand Wazoo
28-01-2014, 19:12
No worries Dave - I'm sure you won't be the last! Thanks for giving it a go though.

MartinT
28-01-2014, 20:08
Well I can certainly hear the Sabbath influence - raw crunchy guitar and big riffy vibe with meaty drums. Even the oh-so-Japanese vocalist is trying to be a cross between Ozzie and Coverdale. I hear less coming from Hawkwind, none of their sweeping organic spaceiness. It's fun, though, and quite infectious. I'm not sure how to mark it as I don't know how often I'd want to listen to it. 6/10, I think.

The Grand Wazoo
28-01-2014, 20:20
Yes, the Hawkwind reference was maybe streching a point a bit far. I was thinking of the chant-like repetitiveness of some Hawkwind stuff - the concept of the delivery rather than the actual sound!

loo
29-01-2014, 10:13
what a great intro had me hooked before I had even played it , I had never heard of this guy/band and am glad I now have, I don't think spotify does it justice on my system so have ordered the vinyl along with a copy of Anywhere, make up, and made in Japan , yep I've got it bad. Another great album club album cheers Mr Wazoo 8/10 from me
Paul

The Grand Wazoo
29-01-2014, 20:23
Wow Paul, that shows real commitment!
Glad you like it.

mr sneff
29-01-2014, 20:27
The closest I came to a Satori moment was when the music stopped! For me the tracks were just too long and repetitive, some uninspired riffs repeated ad nauseam. The lead guitarist isn’t as good as he thinks he is. Not enough contrast or variation between the Satori tracks to maintain my interest. Satori IV had its moments, which reminded me somewhat of The Plastic People of the Universe , which is the closest I can come to a compliment. Then we came to Make Up, and Hiroshima which sounded like they were recorded by a completely different and more accomplished band! Not something I’d probably ever listen to again.

loo
29-01-2014, 20:37
hi Chris,yes while it may not be the most polished playing they sound so into it and that's what I love , I bet they are/were phenomenal live ,thanks again for the introduction ,I cant wait to hear the other albums :guitar:
Paul

The Grand Wazoo
29-01-2014, 23:18
Thanks for your comments David. It's your prerogative to hate it, of course, but can I ask when you first heard it? You seem to already know the album and band and I'd be interested to know if you formed that opinion when it was relatively recently released, or if your comments are made more in light of other music that has come in the interim.

The Grand Wazoo
29-01-2014, 23:45
Even the oh-so-Japanese vocalist is trying to be a cross between Ozzie and Coverdale.
I'd be surprised if he'd ever heard David Coverdale by the time Satori was recorded, Martin, but here's an interesting fact about Joe Yamanaka: He was a friend of Bob Marley and after Marley died in 1981, The Wailers continued to perform and record (as they do now). Joe was the lead vocalist and recorded several albums with the band through the 1980's.

cT3Hahsw4GI

mr sneff
29-01-2014, 23:49
Thanks for your comments David. It's your prerogative to hate it, of course, but can I ask when you first heard it? You seem to already know the album and band and I'd be interested to know if you formed that opinion when it was relatively recently released, or if your comments are made more in light of other music that has come in the interim.

Chris, I'd not heard the band before this evening! Not sure what gave you the impression that I knew the band. Checking on Wiki, the Plastic People of the Universe album that parts of Satori reminded me of, Egon Bondy's Happy Hearts Club Banned was released in 1974. So Satori predates it, but I find PPOTU to be more innovative.

The Grand Wazoo
30-01-2014, 00:03
Ah OK, sorry I misunderstood slightly - it was your mention of Make Up and Hiroshima that made me think you'd heard this album and others.
I always think that when we hear something retrospectively, it's easy to forget the context of when it was released. The Beatles seem unremarkable to many kids of today because of all of the stuff that came afterwards that was strongly influenced by it. Most of what was shocking about punk to so many people at the time seems tame and poppy today.
Put yourself in the shoes of someone hearing this in 1971 - it will have seemed quite unique and as I said in the OP, if you listen into this recording there is more there than at first it may seem.

johnB
30-01-2014, 00:27
Yes I really like this album. Whilst their influences and references (early Sabbath especially) are never too far away they get into some nice looping repetitive grooves.....reminds me of some 1970s Faust stuff in places (Faust IV, Faust Tapes).....I'll certainly continue to listen and check out more Flower Travellin' Band.
Thanks
8/10 for me.

John

John
30-01-2014, 05:15
For me some of the receptive side is connected to more traditional Japanese music at times I can really hear those eastern influences along with the Sabbath influences

Audioman
30-01-2014, 08:33
If they shot the vocalist this would be better. Some nice guitar work and I enjoyed the lighter sections. The heavy stuff was a second rate Sabbath impression. The Japs were rather better at copying cars and hi-fi plus turning out a more reliable product than doing western rock. Still enough good stuff to give it a 5/10.

mr sneff
30-01-2014, 10:20
Ah OK, sorry I misunderstood slightly - it was your mention of Make Up and Hiroshima that made me think you'd heard this album and others.
I always think that when we hear something retrospectively, it's easy to forget the context of when it was released. The Beatles seem unremarkable to many kids of today because of all of the stuff that came afterwards that was strongly influenced by it. Most of what was shocking about punk to so many people at the time seems tame and poppy today.
Put yourself in the shoes of someone hearing this in 1971 - it will have seemed quite unique and as I said in the OP, if you listen into this recording there is more there than at first it may seem.

No, I just meant that , compared to the rest of the album those tracks sounded like a different band. I don't think that I'd have been over impressed even if I'd heard the album in 1971, there was much more innovative music around at the time. I take your point about context, but there are plenty of albums that I listened to back then that I still enjoy, good music is still good music 40 years on. You wouldn't say of Beethoven, "well, it was good for the time, but Wagner (say) makes him sound second rate." :)

high.spirits
31-01-2014, 15:08
Sorry Chris not my taste in music.
I can hear thew influences of eastern music mixed with rock, but it was hard going listening to the whole album - too repetitive for my liking. 3/10.

loo
03-02-2014, 23:44
having now received my vinyl copy I want to revise my score
this deserves a 9
awesome:rock:

The Grand Wazoo
03-02-2014, 23:53
Good stuff Paul, I'm glad you're enjoying it.

loo
03-02-2014, 23:57
Lovin it
these guys are to Sabbath
as the 5678's are to the spice girls
woo hoo

:sofa:

RichB
04-02-2014, 00:07
Sorry, I couldn't get through the whole album for the reasons the others have given, those vocals, the repetitive guitar, the iffy sounding production. Yes I could hear the east-west influence but it left me cold and I quit half way though... As I wimped out I didn't vote.

loo
04-02-2014, 00:16
I love his voice listening to shadows of lost days now on the make up album
wonderful

The Grand Wazoo
04-02-2014, 00:20
Did you buy 'Anywhere' and 'Made in Japan' as well Paul?

loo
04-02-2014, 00:27
certainly did Chris made in Japan is here still waiting for the postie to deliver Anywhere
in for a penny as they say:eyebrows:
desperately looking for a copy of challenge but not found one yet
thanks again for the introduction anymore like this?
Paul

The Grand Wazoo
04-02-2014, 00:41
They made an album called 'Kirikyougen' with Kuni Kawachi, which I've been playing a lot lately. It's excellent, but different because there is a greater emphasis on the keyboards (Kuni Kawachi's instrument) and the fact that all of the vocals are in Japanese.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41%2BJl3r%2BvIL.jpg

Here's a taster:

FH51Lia_9_E


The 'Challenge' album by the earlier version of the band when they were called Flowers is OK, but not brilliant. All covers and a female vocalist.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51qzg55T-yL._SY450_.jpg

wayw1AzEPRQ

loo
04-02-2014, 00:57
Cheers Chris I will dive into those tomorrow
I think I need to go and lay down now that version of Hiroshima on Make up has tripped me out:peace:
Paul

The Grand Wazoo
04-02-2014, 00:59
Excellent!

pjdowns
08-02-2014, 18:35
Not my type of thing I'm afraid Chris so 3/10...

Bazil
10-02-2014, 18:52
Whoa it really is Sabbathy , I may have liked this 40 years ago but today its too much of a sonic attack and hurt my brain :(
6/10

The Grand Wazoo
10-02-2014, 19:38
6/10's not a bad score for a brain ache - thanks for giving it a go Baz!

Bazil
11-02-2014, 10:17
6/10's not a bad score for a brain ache - thanks for giving it a go Baz!

yeah 6/10 , its not that I didn't like it just the delivery is a bit much for me ;)

Tim
11-02-2014, 10:25
I'll spin this after our Madeleine P has finished Chris ;)

Edit:

I really enjoyed this, some of the first section (parts I to V) got a little 'same same' in places, but overall pretty good. They are a band I have known about by name for aeons, but never really explored. I wish I had, as in the 70's I would have been all over them big time. Glad to have made the discovery finally and they will need some more research for sure, so thanks Chris. You mention Black Sabbath but there are some similarities to early Deep Purple in there for me as well.

It would be an 8, but because of some of the lengthy first tracks I'll give it a 7/10, but overall I really liked this :)

The Grand Wazoo
11-02-2014, 18:17
I'd have been uncertain enough not to put money on you liking it Tim! Glad you did though.
Strangely enough, that repetitiveness holds my interest.

As for there being some Deep Purple influences, take a listen to this. It's the title track from the 'Make Up' album. 'Highway Star'?.......never heard of it!!

spotify:track:0dpdovsHol1x5gtK4rRMIx

MartinT
12-02-2014, 16:27
LOL - it's that keyboard sound that is so typical.

losenotaminute
23-02-2014, 10:34
Sorry but I couldn't get the whole way through this one. Not my taste at all, just sounds like someone is messing around without any kind of plan!

Lawrence