compiled by Nicholas D. Kent
email: ndkent "at" optonline.net
Last updated 03.03.03
(*) means I don't own this album.
(@) Means I've listened to, but do not own this album.
Info from Ralf Kraus, Ron Kane, Terry Green, Buggle (with material from Ara), Frederic Guyader
her current label, daisyworld , with info in Japanese
Early pop material. This is like an idol album. She's transformed herself 3 times to some extent. First her early idol career. Her new wave period starting in 1983. Then her transformation into a chanteuse with ecclectic european art songs starting in the mid 1980s
Frederic adds all the following: --> Very eager to launch Miharu Koshi as a new idol act, RCA released three singles just after Toy Box was on the market. Two are from the Toy Box album and the third is totally original material. Here are the details :
(*) 1979 RVC Corporation 7"
single RVS-1151
Track one is from Toy Box. Track two is previously unreleased.
Please note (for die-hard fans) that there are two different covers for this
single. First is Miharu facing us, near a piano, on brown background. The second
is Miharu, closer, playing piano on a bright red backgroung. On the second,
she is MUCH cuter.
(*) 1979 RVC Corporation 7" single RVS-1165
Both tracks are from Toy Box.
(*) 1979 RVC Corporation 7" single RVS-1184
Both tracks are previously unreleased. Apparently, this single was to be included on the never released Toy Box 2…
(*) 1980 RVC
More young pop idol material as far as I know. No CD re-issue.
Tachiiri Kinshi / Itazura Ennui 7" 1980
(*) 1981 RVC
Still more young pop idol material as far as I know. No CD re-issue.
Akai Yoru Aoi Asa / Tokumei Kubou 7" 1981
Tutu1983.10.26 YEN/Alfa lp: YRL-28011, cd: ALCA-378, ALCA-5124, ALCA-9117 (current), Pick Up (Holland) lp: LPU 0003A technopop classic. Features a song and performances by "The Telex". More accurately Marc Moulin from Telex does the arrangements for a cover of his popular track by Telex and Lio.The entire album is slightly Telex-like, but has much of MK's personality too. Hosono produced. The picture on the right is the reissue cover art. In the 80s a completely different piece of cover art was used. This, I'd say is the best known and I'd guess most authentic and trend leading Japanese pop album that shows clear influence of Telex. Around this time quite a few women singers in Japan seemed to have been influenced by Telex and even more specific, Telex's 1980 production for Lio's self titled album. (@) L'amour Toujours / Scandal Nights Pick Up (Holland) 7": SPU 0008 Oops!!! Pick up records put a photo of Tamao Koike on the sleeve of this single instead of Miharu Koshi by mistake! (*) Petit Pardis Japanese and English versions Pick Up (Holland) 7": SPU 0012 these alternate version singles
and unreleased karaoke versions are on YEN BOX 1&2 |
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Arrangements by "Miharuomi" and on Yen Records. A guarantee of excellence. Similar style to the last album though it has a less overt Telex feel. The melodies are a bit less catchy though.
European style art songs produced by Hosono/F.O.E. Here she begins the crossover to chanteuse, though it is still technopop. Reissued in 2001.
out of print. Indie release. Rare.
Reissued with extra tracks in '93. That version was rare and limited too.
"Directed by Haruomi Hosono, 1987"
- liner notes say that "L'acqua sonora" is 'unreleased from 1983'. (info
from Ron Kane).
NK: This album alternates eccentric takes on old American songs eccentric takes not American songs ;-) Some material sounds like her later Art Song style which is generally her on her own while some retain distinctly Hosono sounding arrangements and even a some backing vocals.
Frederic adds:--> Actually, the original version of L'acqua sonora is from 1983. The version included here is a Koshi / Hosono re-recorded version from 1986.
(*) La Chanson de Marseillno 7" 1987 - I'm not sure if the B side is on the album, I don't think so.
Witty classical music + some Leroy
Anderson and standards. HH executive produces. I think her transformation to
chanteuse is complete at this point.
(*) 1989 Fun House cd single: OOFD-4025
Frederic adds: These two tracks are the same than on the Passepied
album.
(*) 1990 Fun House CD book / CD reference : FXD-7014
a quite elusive book with a CD
Frederic adds: Medium
format hardcover CD book from Miharu Koshi and Zin Akagi (graphic designer and
illustrator). 90 pages. Black and white and monochrome texts and illustrations.
For those who have Passepied, Der Vater und die Pistole, Source d'espoir
or Chanson Solaire you know who Zin Akagi is, since he did all the design
and illustrations for these four albums. The cover of this book looks a little
like Passepied : a girl with an orange dress, playing hide and go seek with
a little tiger.
The CD given with the book is more a mini-album than a full length album. All
tracks are classical music re-arrangements from very popular composers like
Erik Satie, Maurice Ravel, Paul Hindemith, Tchaikovsky, etc… Haruomi Hosono
and Koji Ueno play various instruments.
produced by MK & HH. Follows
in the chanteuse style. The twist here is a substantially German language album.
More songs. Eccentric clockwork type musical show type stuff.Seems to rare.
1- Madonna (complete version)
2- Clepsydra Sanatorium (japanese version)
Frederic adds: The album version of Madonna is a very short, faded out (43 seconds!) version. Here, we have the full 3:30 version. This version is on Autoportrait, Miharu Koshi's best of… Track two is in japanese. The album version is in german.
Original material. HH executive produces. A live version exists on video.
(*) 1992 Funhouse cd-single FHDF-1194
1- Bonjour Coucou
2- Chanson d'amour
Frederic adds: Bonjour
Coucou is from Source d'espoir. Track 2 is from La voix de Paris.
Same versions.
This single is quite unique in its presentation. It's vertical, like almost
all japanese singles, but the front part unfolds right and left. On the cover,
Miharu is in a magician's box. On the right part, there is a seal playing with
a ballon and a straw mannequin putting swords through the box where Miharu is.
On the left part, we can see the magician itself : a man with the face of a
cat…
Early 20th. Century French songs. HH executive produces. This one is pretty straight art music in farily simple arrangements. Indie release. Might be a bit hard to find.
More chanson. Mostly synths compared to the more traditional arrangements of the prior album. Nice as usual.
95.11.21 Denon cd: COCY-78624
This is a collection of pop songs written by Toru Takemitsu and sung by a female vocalist named Seri. I believe this album was made under the late composer's supervision. I had this album for several years before Sonoko pointed out that Miharu Koshi arranged several songs on it. Listening again, her arranging style is really clear. It was the combination of the first song not being arranged by MK and in a sort of jazzy style, Seri instead of her singing, plus her name only appearng in small print Kana text which lead me to never realize what's obvious in hindsight.
This is a retro lounge album. It's cute and funny. Good Morning Mr. Echo cracks me up with HH singing and Miharu providing the voice of Mr. Echo. Sometimes there is clever use of synths substituting for lounge instruments. (Terry Green let me listen to his copy)
10" limited edition
Compilation Tracks:
Compilation Track: Contains the Hosono billed track Ether Vibes (7:51) which was written by HH and Miharu Koshi and appeared with a different mix on Swing Slow
this is witty eccentric French music with a Wild West flare. (playing up the leather, ropes and whips part in the art direction) Hosono shows up on a track, Koji Ueno co-arranges one, Sô-si Suzuki (World Standard) works on 2. Pretty unique.
(also includes ayuo takahashi and Voices by Yoshiaki Ochi featuring a Miyako Koda vocal)
(@) 1997 Nippon Columbia COCA-14224
compilation track: Bachibouzouk Marche (info: Ron Kane) Credited to "Koshi et le Bachibouzouk Band" - they are the usual back up band to "Arthur H", who is the son of French folk singer/cultural icon Jacques Higelin.
rare tracks are (info from Ron Kane)
Frederic mentions Caramel Mou is on La voix de Paris !
The Murder on Pelican Street -- art songs with a touch of intrigue. Hosono drum programs on several tracks. Sô-si Suzuki collaborates on one. Most tracks composed by MK though we have a Raskin/Mercer tune and Ave Maria . Seems to be out of print.
(*) 01.04.21 RWCL-20012
Haven't heard it yet. This seems to be a charming 30s style. ReWind, the distributer seems to have shut down so especially this last one is hard to locate as it seems to have been the last Daisy World release with them. Seems to be out of print.
(@) 2002.4.3 CTCR14214
compilation track: BONNE NUIT MINOUCHE -Miharu Koshi (Haruomi Hosono Remix)
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Corset(*) 03.3.5 daisyworld CTCR-16049 scan courtesy of Ron Kane |
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