Julian Cope
Japrocksampler

After practically single-handedly reviving a scene that had been more forgotten than ever, like Krautrock (with the beneficial effect of finally making certain groups and albums, which were previously difficult to find and at high prices, available to the "general public") through his Krautrocksampler, Cope attempts an encore, this time dedicating his loving care to the Nippon Empire. And while it is now possible for the novice to find information on at least the main groups regarding kraut on practically every portal that deals in a minimum in-depth manner with rock and its derivatives, Japan still remains an enigma for most, although lately many groups like Ghost, Boris, Boredoms, or Acid Mother Temples have managed to carve out a substantial fan base among the alternative public.

But despite the success of more recent exponents, very little is known about the country's past, both due to the significant difficulty posed by the language barrier and the Japanese people's own reserve in talking about their recent past (since rock emerged parallel to the protest movements, becoming an integral part of them) and finally, let's admit it, also because, however interesting, the contribution of Japanese groups to the history of music is certainly not comparable to that of their Western counterparts. Well, with this work, Julian attempts to shed some light into the darkness, dividing the book into two parts; the first briefly analyzes Japan's post-world war history (obviously with a musical focus and therefore anything but exhaustive, but sufficient to achieve the goal), explaining the socio-cultural context in which the first timid attempts to play "Western" music took root. The second part delves into a detailed exploration of the most deserving groups (obviously according to the legitimate and subjective opinion of the author), with a personal top 50 in the appendix.

The book presents the same strengths/weaknesses as its predecessor: that is, Cope writes first and foremost as a lover of the scene and with a very informal and personal style, which might not thrill those who prefer more detached/objective analyses. Personally, I had a lot of fun reading this book, which flows smoothly, entertainingly, but at the same time also provided me with a lot of information, thus excellently achieving its purpose as far as I’m concerned. I can't yet commit too much to the quality of the groups discussed, as I'm only just beginning to listen, but for now, of the three recommended groups, two have thrilled me, and the third, though below expectations, certainly didn't disgust me—all in all, quite a good average.