Tatsuro Yamashita - Artisan

This summer was a little (too?) ambitious with long distance driving.
Stockholm —> Amsterdam —> Cologne —> Italy —> Cologne —> Dresden —> Stockholm.

Playing CDs in the car was a real highlight.
In our storage container in Amsterdam we stumbled upon old CDs to bring along. Most were 90’s CD’s that I once found on a trash pile in the street some morning (Destiny’s child, Linking Park, Best of Bryan Ferry, etc.), but my collection also contained a souvenir from Japan’s Tower Records store that I never listened to: Tatsuro Yamashita’s 1991 Artisan.

To me it is Japanese “City Pop” at its finest. Somehow always fitting the mood, car temperature, and time of day. Could be played for hours on end.

Yamashita is a real superstar in Japan. I once heard a rumor that you may only attend his concerts if you are part of his official fan group. Not sure how true that still is though.

His other (more popular) albums are also highly recommended. Maybe the 1982 “For You” album has been pushed to you already by the Youtube algorithm, which gave it quite a revival I think. Terrific songs as well.

~ Mark

Check out the album on …

OOPS. I already finished my post, and see that you can’t really find it anywhere hahaha. Sorry about that. Maybe order the CD if you are super committed? Join a roadtrip with me? Or send us an email and maybe I can send you a CD rip, 2005 style. Back to Nero-burning ROM. Hellyes.

Consider this small consolation: Here is a MIDI-instrument-style Mario version of the album from a fan.