As he enters his 50th year in the music business, Haruomi Hosono hasn't lost his talent for making you wonder what the devil he's up to. After using modern studio technology to recreate the sounds of mid-20th century pop on "Vu Ja De" in 2017, his latest effort looks to his early career for inspiration.
Following the breakup of Happy End in 1972, Hosono retreated to a house on the outskirts of Tokyo to make his debut solo LP, installing a 16-track mixer in the living room and turning the bedroom into a recording studio. The resulting album, "Hosono House," is one of the most popular in his diverse back catalog: a breezy set of songs in thrall to the sounds of The Band and Dr. John, with a tossed-off charm that has inspired countless indie rockers since.
Hosono never much cared for it, though, so he's remade it. On "Hochono House," he presents a new version of the album that replaces its no-frills, home-recorded aesthetic with an uncanny digital construct, where the fakery is always close to the surface.