Rock of Asia – Asian Anthology
Rock of Asia is a folk/rock/fusion project led by a Japanese born artist, Nikki Matsumoto. Having spent 15 years in LA playing and writing rock music professionally, Matsumoto takes from his experiences and lends them to his latest fantastic rock fusion endeavor. Formed in 2010, Rock of Asia began touring in the US in 2010, the Middle East in 2012 and 2019. Their latest album Asian Anthology is a collection of their greatest hits from the past three releases commemorating the 10th anniversary of its first release on March 11th, 2011. Asian Anthology is a colossal undertaking with Matsumoto and the band compiling all their best hits into one record. With so many hits to pick from, this is the final-cut. Rock of Asia’s moving sound is on full display here for audiences to enjoy.
Asian Anthology begins with “Lal Dhaga,” where the sound of tribal drums starts off this track. Next, the sound of wind instruments and strings make for a rousing sound. Feeling very melodic in vibe, there was definitely an Eastern flair that was very arresting. The sound is intricate and is layered over one another, making for a driven sound. Once the combined vocal harmonies come in, the sounds rise and fall with great fluidity. There was just something so startling about the vocals that was really eye-opening. Coming right at you with a driven and full-on melodic sound, listeners will be swayed by the on-coming harmonies on “Solitary Friend.” The vocals are a bit buried by the music, so it was hard to make out the lyrics. The sound though was very poignant and sweet. The vocals were sung with a whole lot of power and feeling. More music on an upbeat pulse comes right at you at the start of “BELIEF.” The wind instruments and strings just build and build. Once Matsumoto’s vocals arrive, you can feel how invested in the music he is, as he bares-all with no holding back.
Some percussive beats start off “Guardian Of The Sea.” This felt like a fun-filled song back with a great feel-good energy. I enjoyed the rush of sounds and the positive vibes emitting from this track. Matsumoto’s vocals were also packed with lots of character. There was definitely a comical flair to the execution. Off to a more pensive vibe, the sound of violins creates a bewildering and contemplative stance on “MIKOTO.” Slowly as the sound of the flute flows in, there is an aching quiet to the sounds. The music is very somber and melancholy-filled. The melody meanders for a bit, growing in groove. The lyrics are entirely sung in Japanese and sounds like an old Japanese folk song. Starting off with fingerpicking on the acoustic guitar on “Kojo No Tsuki,” the intimate sounds are then joined by the flute. The melody meanders for a bit, taking on a sprawling and loose acoustic feel. The sound of the violins adds in a lush vibe. This is a pure instrumental interlude that just builds and builds, crescendoing many times over the course of the track.
On “Nanimo Shirazu Tada,” right away the combined vocal harmonies enter. The lyrics are once more entirely sung in Japanese. Though I can’t understand the lyrics, I can feel from the vocals and music the various emotions being displayed: from passionate, revved and energized to somber and melancholy. Matsumoto seems to be singing straight from the heart as he belts out the tunes here. The strings also added a dramatic flair to the music. The last two tracks “The Son” and “The Daughter” complement each other. The sound of drums, wind instruments, guitar and strings make for a riled rock affair on the former. “The Son” contains energized vocals that are shouted out with gusto, while the energy on “The Daughter” is more of a slow burn, with a quieter and stiller melody on simply acoustic guitar and vocals. The band departs from their raucous energy from before and finishes the album with this soft but resonating closer.
Nikki Matsumoto (vocals, biwa, guitars, bass, sanshin, percussion, taiko) and his band of musicians, featuring the likes of Yasuhisa Murase (acoustic guitar), Kizen Ohyama (shakuhachi), Kay Suzuki (violin), Kouzan Oyama (shamisen), among others, come together on their best hits record to create rock-fused concoctions with Japanese instruments. The tunes here on the album are very lovely, with the ability to transport listeners to a far and distant land. Audiences will find a whole lot to explore on this record. With 14 tracks packed to the brim with expert musicianship and great chemistry, the band plays with a rapport like that of good friends. On this album, you can see them jamming out to their hearts’ content, throwing themselves fully into the music. Bursting with great energy that will definitely take you away from your everyday life, this acoustic record proves that instrumental music can be as equally dynamic as a sound with vocals.
Although there were some vocals, at front and center was the compelling acoustic arrangements of each piece. Each instrument on this album has a voice of its own, something that we can each hear loud and clear. The much-anticipated best-of compilation for Rock of Asian is now here and we couldn’t be happier. 7.7/10
My My Nguyen
Stream / buy Asian Anthology