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I’m really excited about today’s album review because I’m finally reviewing Tokyo Jukebox, the latest CD from one of my all-time favorite guitarists, Marty Friedman, or マーティ・フリードマン as he’s known in Japan!!
This album has (to my knowledge) only been sold in Japan because it’s actually a collection of Japanese cover tunes, but I was able to get my hands on it from America and without further ado, let’s start the review:
Personal Backstory
Just like with housethegrate, my discovery of Marty Friedman is almost a whole post onto itself.
Speaking of house, it was through him that I heard about Marty. I was reading through house’s bio on his website (back when housethegrate.com was still up) and I read about his influences; of which, Marty was one.
At the time, I had known Marty only from his work in Megadeth, and even then, I only knew their radio hits like Symphony of Destruction and Angry Again. I had no idea even who the band members in Megadeth were. Then again, since the lineup often changed, I know that I wasn’t alone 
.
I then looked up clips of him from YouTube on Japanese TV shows like Rock Fujiyama, Hebi-Meta San, and even a cooking show. I absolutely LOVED how he turned the vocal lines in J-pop into killer guitar lines and meshed it with songs that are well-known here in America!!
Back in 2006-2007 when I was still going to UU, I came across a two-part guitar tutorial that he did that changed my life: Electric Guitar Day One and Two. It was the simplest, back-to-basics guitar video that I have ever come across, but the best thing was that Marty didn’t seem to look down on you like I’ve seen so many other teachers in beginner tutorials do. They also try to teach you how to play Ode To Joy or something when you really want to play Four Seasons by Vivaldi or a Metallica song. In addition to showing you what each part on a guitar and amp do and how to change strings and all that, when it came to playing, Marty just laid down the basics like power chords and some simple scales. He also gave some pieces of advise here and there for the burgeoning player.
Don’t get me wrong; Marty’s other guitar tutorial videos are pretty boss too, but they just didn’t have the same impact on me as Electric Guitar Day One and Two.
From there, I’ve been constantly watching clips of him on YouTube and keeping on the up-and-up with his singles and album releases, all the while learning more and more about not only guitar, but music in general.
The Track Breakdown
The first track, Tsume Tsume Tsume, hit me in the face with a hardcore romp that seemed out-of-character for Marty and yet it works wonderfully for him! The breakdown at 3:28 always gets my fist pumping like jams (l33t Jersey Shore reference)!
The next song, Gift, is a rock-meets-techno-meets-Hawaiian number that is one hell of a ride! This song combines so many different musical elements that it’s almost a fusion song.
Track 3 is Amagigoe, which would fit in just fine on Marty’s album Loudspeaker. It also has bits that remind me a lot of the Mute City theme from the SNES game F-Zero.
Up next is Story, a song that has quite an impressively upbeat melody! An image of Top Gun and maids from a maid cafe comes to mind for some reason.
After that, it’s Polyrhythm, which is probably my favorite song on Tokyo Jukebox! The original song by Perfume is also pretty good too, if you’re not turned off by the at-times abuse of auto-tune that is.
Kaeri Taku Natta Yo is probably what Green Day would sound like if they were a J-pop group. I can see this song being played at school talent shows like in the anime/manga BECK, but I’m not by any means downplaying this song!
The seventh track, Tsunami, is an epic rock track that is definitely multi-faceted! Just when you got this song figured out, Marty throws you a curveball that still fits with the song somehow!
Yuki no Hana has recently become one of my favorite tracks from Tokyo Jukebox, mostly due to the opening melody that cuts right through me! What was once a melancholic piano ballad quickly turns into an explosion of heavy metal flavor!
Eki starts off with an almost synth-like octave guitar line that kicks into a crying melody characteristic of Marty’s playing style. We also get to hear Marty really go to town on some exotic scales!
Track 10 is Sekai Ni Hitotsu Dake No Hana, a cover of a SMAP song that was originally on Loudspeaker. He didn’t redo it or anything, and although it’s really good, I hate how it seems like it was thrown on Tokyo Jukebox at the last minute to fill up space.
The next track, Romance No Kamisama, is a mellow piano-and-acoustic number that is nice to relax to. I also like that Marty’s getting to show off his acoustic skills more and more instead of just shredding on an electric all the time.
After that is the 12th and final track on this album, Asu E No Sanka, which continues the relaxing feel from Romance No Kamisama and closes out the album nicely. It would certainly sound right at home on Marty’s album Introduction, that’s for sure!
The Goodies, The Baddies & The Uglies
Since Marty moved to Japan going on 10 years now, I think his music has dramatically improved! Sure, I love the stuff he did with Cacophony and Megadeth and even on his early solo albums, but his playing became insanely versitle when he left Megadeth and moved to Japan on January 2000. With every album that Marty has ever done, he has saught to constantly improve and outdo himself, and Tokyo Jukebox is no exception!
Although the majority of Marty’s non-Japanese audience wants him to just drop the whole J-pop thing and get back with Megadeth already, I for one think it would be a huge step-back for Marty if he did that, unless it was for a short run (i.e: a Rust In Peace lineup reunion).
Besides, Dave Mustaine isn’t quite done gushing over how much better Chris Broderick is from any other Megadeth guitarist aside from Dave himself. Sure Chris is incredibly skilled as a guitar player, but on Endgame, he sounded incredibly stiff and generic. Hell, it sounded like Dave did all of the guitar parts by himself.
As I said in my review for Endgame, it would be a compliment in most cases to sound like Dave Mustaine, but when it comes to being the second guitarist in Megadeth, you can get easily lost in the mix if you’re sounding like Dave, unless of course you’re Dave Mustaine.
One of the things that I love about Marty’s playing is that no matter who he’s playing with, I can listen to a solo or a riff and say, “Hey, that sounds like Marty Friedman!” I can’t do that with Chris Broderick.
The Verdict
Despite adding in a song from one of his previous albums and the Megadeth fanboys wretching at his affinity towards J-pop and whining for the classic lineup to get back together, Marty Friedman’s Tokyo Jukebox is a solid album that goes well with his other post-Megadeth solo albums like Loudspeaker! Too bad the J-Haters don’t know what they’re missing…
7 Tracks To Give a Clicky-Click
- Tsume Tsume Tsume
- Gift
- Polyrhythm
- Kaeri Taku Natta Yo
- Tsunami
- Yuki No Hana
- Eki
TheAndySan
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February 3rd, 2010 at 04:12
I have to agree with you!! good review.
i also agree about the chris broderick part. I am a huge megadeth fan. they kick started my whole guitar obsession! it was around the time that Dave had that injury and couldnt play guitar is when i first heard them! put on the best of album and kill the king and dread and the fugitive mind just blew my mind and then the erst of the album too. was like nothing id ever heard bfore! and i eventually got to their heavier stuff too. for a year solid i listened to nothing but megadeth! but not knowing the release dates or who was wo at first was also an advantage. i listened to th whole catalog without and the “this guitarist that guitarist” bull. eventually i came to maryt’s solo stuff and again . . . was totally blown away! music for speeding. . . amazing.
so yeah i agree about the CB thing. . .very talented but not as inspiring as marty. i was delighted when the system has failed came out cos it was the fiirst new megadeth album to come out since id heard of them and it was great to have Chris poland back, but since then i havent been to moved by any of megadeths releases. without marty or chris it sounds generic as you said.
anyway i better get back to work!!
Thanks for the review!
Dean
August 6th, 2010 at 09:55
t is really exciting Tokyo Jukebox album.Time to watch some youtube. Thanks for sharing.