I wrote a thing about how Queer Eye pissed me the hell off. Also penned a piece about some recent re-releases of 80s J-pop gems you need to track down. Also have a planned review of the Super Mario Odyssey Soundtrack if I can make my way through all of it enough times in order to form a writable opinion. It’s four discs!

In other news, next week I am going to Osaka for the very first time and I am incredibly stoked. I’m going to go to the massive aquarium. I’m going to check out all the cool museums. I want to see the amazing parks and gardens. And of course, I’m going to go to as many record stores as my boyfriend will allow.

You all saw that coming, right?

I’ve already done my research, I have a map, I got a plan, I’m good to go on this. But if anyone in the know wants to recommend a record store in Osaka to me, I’m going to going to stop you.

Now Disco Beatles. I’m sorry.

M. Uehara & His Disco Makers – Disco Octopus
Cover caught my eye, “disco Beatles covers” caught my wallet. Although it wasn’t much of a fight, this record was only abut five bucks and I was rather depressed when I saw it. I really should be careful when I go record shopping depressed. On the one hand, I can afford the retail therapy so yay, it makes me feel better. On the other hand, I end up with over a dozen anime soundtracks and I don’t know why.

I bought this hoping for some J-funk. I’ve mentioned before that Japanese funk is the secret best funk because it combines funk, jazz, disco and sometimes even electronic music in really amazing ways. What I ended up getting was much more disco, although I guess I really shouldn’t be surprised or disappointed about that. It’s not like the album was committing false advertising. The name of the group is “Disco Makers” after all.

But it’s still a halfway decent album. The opening cover of “Octopus’s Garden” isn’t great, but the covers of “Lady Madonna” and “Hard Day’s Night” are my jam. The albums closes strong with a funky take on “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” too. In between those bangers are covers of “Hey Jude” and “Let It Be,” as well as a medley that features “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,” “She Loves You,” and “Get Back.” The medley isn’t bad, but both “Hey Jude” and “Let It Be” are probably two of my least favorite Beatles tracks. And even the most ardent “Hey Jude” defender would have to admit that it doesn’t really lend itself to the disco treatment. It’s just too slow. Ditto for “Let It Be.” Neither of these covers sound like disco, they sound like bland instrumental versions performed by an airport hotel house band.

But who were the Disco Makers, and who was their frontman, M. Uehara? Great questions, I have no idea! Can’t find anything in English about this dude or his group. I really have to step up my Japanese game at some point so I can at very least track down a modicum of information on acts like this. I’m sure there’s some insane Japanese person out there who has written about stuff like this, i.e. my Japanese doppelganger.

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