Review Summary: In the wee small hours of the morning
City pop existed at a unique intersection of time, culture and genre. Japan's postwar economy was booming in the 70's and 80's, and the overwhelming mood within Japanese culture was one of tremendous hope and optimism that contrasted with the darker times of war and occupation. City pop, and in many ways Taeko Ohnuki specifically, was heavily influenced by American pop artists like Joni Mitchell and Steely Dan who brought *their* influences from the jazz fusion greats like Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock. That is to say, this genre (and by extension, this album) is so perfectly a product of its time period, and at the same time it is no cheap imitation of its American counterparts, but something uniquely Japanese.
What must always be admired about city pop is that it's more than meets the eye. To the initial listener, it could be mistaken for something more basic, akin to feel-good yacht rock from Japan (think "What You Won't Do For Love" by Bobby Caldwell). But there's a melancholy edge to so much of this music that gives it a real emotional depth that you can miss it if you're not paying attention. Some people hate ballads, if you do you won't like Mignonne, but give it a chance anyways, it's full of them. The album's name is literally French for "cute", and it's a perfect characterization for what you're going to hear.
The centerpiece of this album is very obviously Ohnuki's voice which is in so many ways evocative of a jazz singer, her voice feels so soft and mournful on tracks like (1) 雲のゆくえに and (3) 黄昏れ , it's just so close, it's like you're sitting in a smoky lounge in 1978 Japan and you have front row seats while she sings to you with her band behind her. But don't be mistaken in assuming this is an album of just ballads, lots of upbeat tracks even beyond 4:00A.M., esp (4) 空をとべたら which has a killer flute solo about a minute in (and another one around 2:26, you be the judge of which is superior.)
This was an era where we become so much closer culturally, and it speaks to the fact that that you don't need to speak the language for the music to move something heartfelt and real within you. We all know the feeling of heartbreak, of a love unrequited, of a future you hoped for with someone vanishing before your eyes. That pain is real, and so much of it is given voice in Taeko Ohnuki's music.
The songs are composed such that they unfold exactly how you would expect them to, not in a way that feels boring or derivative, but in a way that's deeply satisfying. (2) 横顔 and the lead single (5) 4:00A.M. do this masterfully. The former feels like the brightest, happiest sunshine pop you would hear on a warm spring day of museum dates, holding hands in the park, picnics on the beach, like some montage out of a romance movie. The latter we're going to talk about in a second.
You never want to read a review that says the best track on the album is the lead single, but here's that review anyways because it's true. There is no bad part of 4:00A.M., from that smoky flute intro to the chorus "Lord, give me one more chance" and its perfect contrast with Ohnuki's voice that cuts through it all as if through a thick fog. And the transition into (8) 突然の贈りもの is just a divine blend from the irresistible power of this album's anthem to the slow, sad ballad that has this gorgeously unexpected chord change around 0:28 that makes the space between these songs something that you have to hear.
So what are we to make of Mignonne? Many would say it fails to reach the heights of its immediate predecessor album Sunshower, and this album does lose a lot of its momentum after the climax of its single towards the end. But it's a favorite, and deserves its moment in the spotlight. As the world we live in continues to change, so too will music. May it evolve something as beautiful and rare as Taeko Ohnuki's work.
