Tokyo Jukebox 3

Tokyo Jukebox 3 is the long-awaited third installment of the cover project loved over many years, on which Marty Friedman again vividly translates classics of Japanese pop and anime music into his own guitar sound. More than a decade after the first installment, taking up songs of newer generations too, the project shows fresh fullness. His outstanding skill of playing the songs’ familiar melodies richly and emotively with guitar, as if singing them, has reached a realm of maturity. Rather than viewing it as a mere selection of songs, it is truly intriguing to listen to how Marty Friedman replaces external songs with his own spacing, tone and guitar resonance. Rather than relying on the songs’ fame, his own character vividly emerges through the powerful push of the rhythm, the rich thickness of the arrangement and the delicate air around the solos. A deep interpretation backed by long experience shines. A record on which one wants to turn an ear to the sure unity born within the album’s sequence, rather than the origin of each included song. His deep understanding of and unchanging affection for the Japanese music scene can be richly felt. Though a concept work a little apart from the flow of his major works, his sure aesthetic strongly appears precisely in the way he interprets. An engaging record showing the sure fullness of a long-continuing series — a record where the guitarist’s mature appeal shines.