Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Yasuaki Shimizu - IQ 179 LP (Columbia Japan, 1981)

Tracklisting

Side A
Crow
Lizard Hako
Doll Play I
Puzzle 34
Cloud 9

Side B
△E=△mc2=Amnesia
IQ 179
Little "L"
Doll Play II
Shashin
Lost Horizon

Confounding electro-jazz-fusion moves from this ex-Mariah saxophonist. Just when you think you've got this record figured out, it turns on a dime. Seriously, the range of quality here is astounding, whizzing from Wha-Ha-Ha-esque levels of synth blippiness to white wine soaked Mom-Jazz, Grover Washington Jr style. I sure hope that comparison didn't just turn you all off from downloading this, as there are some pretty brilliant moments to be heard!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

wanted to hear this just on the strength of the cover: what is that?! a giant soya bean striking the sacre coeur? a flying egg-yolk perhaps?

there are a couple of tracks i find interesting on this - such as Doll Play II and Puzzle 34 - but the rest is a bit too MOR for me tbh.

and the opening synth line on Lost Horizon is all but identical to YMO's Behind The Mask. A shame.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for posting this. I've been wanting to check it out for a long time.

Anonymous said...

I think this album is excellent, I love all of his work, and I think IQ179 is a terrible and obnoxious name for an album. I can't understand why he would name it that.