Iroha ni konpeitou

"As with any reissue, the key lies in whether or not the music and production stand the test of time, and Yano and her set of Tokyo/New York collaborators, including Harumi Hosono and YMO's Hideki Matsutake, pass that test with flying colours. The combination of Yano's vocals and spare, spacey funk don't lose an ounce of their previous charm and tightness, while on tracks like "Hourou" and particularly the slow closer "Yamase", Yano reminds us of another New York soul legend - Laura Nyro. It seems that originally many Yano fans shied away from this one enamoured by her previous work, but it seems some serious reassessment is necessary on their part".

Read review

"Since Iroha No Konpeitou's initial release in 1977, Yano has gone on to a successful career, both with the Yellow Magic Orchestra, and as a solo artist. With a discography that's largely unavailable in North America, this reissue also works as an introduction to her music: it's poppy, but with a foot firmly in the jazz/funk idiom".

Read review

"Yano's funk-infused second album reissued ... On first listen, the of-its-time singer-songwriter fare of her 1977 follow-up is less strikingly original than [her] debut. Yano albums are rarely prosaic affairs however, and tucked in among the brilliantly crafted, funk-laced pop music are moments of oddball genius aplenty with a quirkyness that's mirrored by its brilliantly bizarre sleeve ... An exceptionally gifted pianist, Yano was clearly in her element when experimenting with a panoply of the latest off-the shelf keyboards, programmed by soon-to-be Yellow Magic Orchestra man Hideki Matsutake. Varieties of Moog, Clavinets, and the Yamaha CP7C alternately chug, bleep and chime in mind-bending ways that add increasing depth on each listen".