Search - Sayuri Ishikawa :: Kamomeno Nyobo/Otokono Matsurisake

Unrepresentative selections from a great Princess of Enka

Philip Blosser | Detroit, Michigan | 05/20/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Ishikawa Sayuri is probably my favorite female Enka singer. I wasn't familiar, however, with the songs on this particular album. I was not prepared for the driving, masculine energy of "Otokono Matsurisake," which is not typical of Ishikawa's best work, which usually highlights her vocal gifts more dramatically. She is at her best in quieter songs that allow her to express the emotions of wistfulness, nostalgia, or sadness, which she does with unspeakable grace. Those are the kinds of songs that can make a man weep. "Kamomeno Nyobo" comes closer to the norm. The album contains only two songs, with the usual supplementary Karaoke sound tracks. For one of her best albums, try her 1993 "Super Best" album with 17 songs."