Yuzo Kayama was a popular Japanese singer, songwriter, and musician who had a great deal of success in his home country between the 60-80s. Unfortunately for Americans, his popularity did not cross over to US shores, and thus, most North Americans have no idea of his wide body of music. His composition 'Black Sand Beach,' while not on this particular album, is the pinnacle of 60s Japanese surf pop. In 1966, Yuzo released  The Exciting Sounds of Yuzo and the Launchers, which consisted of re-recordings of Kayama's earlier Japanese songs, this time performed in English. Yuzo's smooth crooning voice is incredibly befitting for the record, and he sings each number with grace and excellence.

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'Dedicated' is a pretty typical late 50's ballad much in the style of Frankie Avalon. 'The Angry Man' is pure instrumental surf pop. 'Honky Tonk Party' is a fun beach number that suits Kayama's Dean-Martin-like voice quite well. 'Running Donkey' is a South American-tinged overdriven guitar instrumental. 'Boomerang Baby' is possibly the best vocal number. In a late-fifties/early-sixties style, it could've easily fit on any Ricky Nelson or Bobby Vee album. 'Demure Damsel' is a dreamy surf-laden pop number reminiscent of the Ventures. 'My Gypsy Dance' is emblematic of the . 'Three Blue Stars' is another top-notch mid-sixties guitar-driven surf instrumental. One of the album's most saccharine moments is the Hawaiian-tinged 'On this Beach,' which features a joyful ukelele and understated instrumentation to a solid tune. Flipping from the previous entry to the reckless 'Crazy Driving' is the audio equivalent of whiplash. 'Driving' is a powerful surf rocker. Surely it's one of the heaviest sounds of 1966. 'Sweetest of All (or 'Let's Have A Party')' opens up with a guitar riff so emblematic of early 2000s power pop. I'm always caught off guard by it. I could've sworn it was ripped from the opening of Sherly Crow's 'Real Gone.' The song takes full advantage of its brief runtime and packs a great deal of punch into itself. 'Blue Skies in Your Eyes' sounds almost like Meredith Wilson's 'Til There Was You' and closes the album.

 

As a 60s pop album, The Exciting Sounds of Yuzo and the Launchers is a phenomenal feat. It's an established Japanese artist performing well-executed US-style pop numbers in his non-native language. Kayama infuses each track with just enough veritableness to make each feel authentic and real. The Japanese-American combination really works here. As a surf album, there is just enough grade-A surf material to make a full listen worthwhile.