Here is the super-rare, way out-of-print first recordings by the Japanese psychedelic band Up-Tight. Self-released by the group on their eponymous record label in 2001, it contains five tracks of killer space/noise rock. It was recorded at A.B.U. Studio, and features Aoki on vocals/guitar, Nakanishi on bass and Q on drums. Housed in a slim-line jewel case, the CDr comes with a two-sided insert printed on high-quality computer paper. It’s about as D.I.Y. as you can get.
“Melt Rain” will be recognizable to fans of the Up-Tight compilation issued by aRCHIVE in 2007 called Early Years, as it was the first track on that album. Elsewhere, the third track on this self-titled CDr also appears on Early Years, although the title was changed from “Just A Dreamer” to “I’m Just A Dreamer” for the latter album.
The album opens with the labored, dare-I-say post-rocking “Melt Rain,” which features some searing guitar explorations by Aoki juxtaposed to his monotonous but by no means boring rhythm section. The second cut is a bit more composed, as a slow, snaking guitar lead works against a two-or-three-note bass line, punctuated by heavily-affected vocals. There’s a lot of build-up to a blistering crescendo, and the intensity is kept up for a considerable amount of time (5+ minutes?) before finally retiring.
Depending on your patience when it comes to long-ass psych jams, the highlight might or might NOT be the last track on the record, a 17+ minute sonic assault. Somewhere around the 13-minute mark things start to fall apart, as the singing transforms into shouts and anguished pleas over a wall of feedback. I’ll let you decide whether it’s awesome or melodramatic.
As with most of the Japanese CDs in my collection, the track names that are not in English always import with their Japanese titles, so I have no idea what the translations are for tracks 2, 4, and 5. Though I’m sure if he sees this, Stephen in Japan will undoubtedly let me know what those characters mean. WON’T HE, STEPHEN?
Up-Tight
Up-Tight
(Up-Tight, 2001)
MediaFire DL Link
01. Melt Rain [MP3]
02. ???
03. Just A Dreamer
04. ??????
05. ??
