Elaborate Eastward, AKA Take on Ishoku-Sokuhatsu

 Surreal normalcy.

Progressive rock remains a... tricky beast to study and appreciate. Birthed in the 1960s, artists pursuing this tag have been recognized for their Byzantine arrangements, interest in technological manipulation and the flowery language lyricists dangled. Also, the style is home to a great many pieces that can last for HALF AN HOUR -- some songs are capable of exceeding that! Surprising no one, itʼs a genre met with a discordant reputation among ‘professional’ journalists and simple consumers partial to less chi-chi matter. 

The majority view is that the few marketable acts in this scene were more liable to become critical darlings. There was another band who bore a clear pop appeal -- an obscure outfit in league with Japanʼs equivalent of the European phenomenon. Meet Yonin Bayashi, a foursome who gained traction after performing an offhand variant of Pink Floydʼs 23-minute wonder “Echoes”. Their 1974 record Ishoku-Sokuhatsu quickly made them the cock of the walk.

Literally meaning ‘Dangerous Situation’, Ishoku-Sokuhatsu  has some of my favorite illustrations tied to a studio outing. Playing Captain Obvious for a moment, artwork is the first discernible facet to any record be it good or bad. Yonin Bayashiʼs debut sports an especially striking cover. Graced by a sloth and its tobacco pipe in what appears to be a desertesque abode, Isao Aoki does a resplendent job capturing the moods and breadth of sounds explored for the whole of the album.

Apropos given the odd aesthetic, the oeuvre is a VIBE -- a concentrated, abstract vibe that still reads as graspable despite the language barrier. Ishoku-Sokuhatsuʼs modest ~34:41 runtime sees the quartet demonstrate an allegiance to psychedelia, instantiated best in their use of extended passages and several keyboard instruments (e.g. they LOVE that mellotron). The songs wouldnʼt fall under obtuse if Yonin Bayashi didnʼt incorporate any classical influence -- which they do, mainly on the projectʼs bookends “[hΛmǽbe ⊖]” and “Ping-Pongdama no Nageki”. Further piling on my aforesaid accessibility claim is Katsutoshi Morizono, whose vocals are an endearing mix of subtle and earnest; he doesnʼt play up the histrionics habitual to singers in a prog setting. 

 Overlooked by creatures who donʼt adamantly advocate prog, Ishoku-Sokuhatsu is a disciplined treasure thatʼll attract the casual camp as easily as the hardcore crowd. Even lengthier, multiplex compositions a la “Omatsuri” and the reigning victor that is the title track inject a decent helping of catchiness. Yonin Bayashi craft a product that borrows major inspiration from their Western counterparts all without sacrificing any semblance of identity.