MARTY FRIEDMAN – Tokyo Jukebox 3 (2020)

Uber talented guitarist MARTY FRIEDMAN will release tomorrow in Japan his new solo album, “Tokyo Jukebox 3“. After almost ten years the previous volume of this series, the CD features Marty’s cover versions of a wide variety of Japanese pop songs, including such contemporary numbers as LiSA’s “Gurenge” and OFFICIAL HIGE DANDISM’s “Shukumei”, along with DA PUMP’s dance track “U.S.A.”, etc.
Some throwback J-pop hits from the ’90s are included on the set as well, such as ZARD’s “Makenaide” and EVERY LITTLE THING’s “Time Goes By”.
Of course, all dome with Friedman’s hard rockin’, melodic attack.
There’s also a couple of Friedman originals, one with vocals courtesy of Japanese singer Arufakyun, a killer metallic tune.

Marty says “Just like everyone, I’ve had a real tough time dealing with 2020. We all suffered from a massive lack of fun this year, so I made it my mission to make feel-good, serotonin-level-raising music of the highest order, stuff that will hopefully kick you all in the feels, and hard.”

“Making the album during a pandemic had its hellish challenges, but everyone is facing hardships now, so I was just thankful to have such cathartic work to do.
Guitar fans will notice, and hopefully enjoy, some pretty cool updates to my guitar sounds. I’ve discovered that when you take off all spatial effects like reverbs and delays, your solo expressions can often live and breathe more, and have an urgency and unique attack to them, that I’m really digging.”

Released in Japan in 2009 and 2011, respectively, “Tokyo Jukebox” and “Tokyo Jukebox 2” — the ninth and eleventh chapters in Friedman’s influential solo discography — featured energetic instrumental covers of Japanese pop (J-Pop) songs that can be enjoyed by anyone with a sweet tooth for melody, and captured Friedman’s passion for the music of his adopted home country.

01 – Don’t lose / Makenaide [Zard cover]
02 – Senbonzakura (White Flame cover)
03 – Gurenhua (Lisa cover)
04 – Wind Blowing (Ikimonogakari cover)
05 – Echo (Little Glee Monster cover)
06 – The Perfect World (feat Arufakyun) [Friedman original]
07 – USA (Da Pump cover)
08 – Fate (Beard Man Dism cover)
09 – Go! Kaito Shoujo (Momoiro Clover cover)
10 – Sasanka (Sekai No Owari cover)
11 – Time Goes By (Every Little Thing cover)
12 – Japan Heritage Official Theme [Friedman original]

Marty Friedman – guitars, bass
Kiyoshi – bass
Jeremy Colson (STEVE VAI, BILLY IDOL) – drums
Arufakyun – vocals

PRE Order:
www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/AVCD-96526