Today is somehow a very 'wonderful day'

This series is not a review of albums. It is meant to record my memories of how I used to listen to music back then.

First impressions

Is this a Ghibli soundtrack?

If you just look at the album cover of It's a Beautiful Day, you can't help but want to say that. In reality, it is a work from 1969, so it is an album from long before Ghibli, but it is a bit different from the so-called rock or psychedelic image. It has a somewhat fantastical and calm atmosphere, to the point where it is hard to believe it was born in the middle of the hippie culture of San Francisco at the time.

I learned about this album relatively recently. Driven by a personal psychedelic boom, I ended up trying my hand at buying the record on an auction site.

My first impression upon listening was an atmosphere that somewhat reminds me of Jefferson Airplane. When listening to White Bird or Hot Summer Day, I find myself imagining, 'I wonder if this was the sound that was popular back then.' Violins and blues harps blend in naturally, and the organ colors the whole thing. It is a record that feels nostalgic, yet does not feel old-fashioned.

Rugged rock based on the blues

If you only listen to side A, you might think it is a typical psychedelic work of the time, but side B shows us a solid blues rock instead.

Bombay Calling is an instrumental where a beautiful organ solo and memorable phrases race through an exotic atmosphere. And 'Bulgaria' is a sorrowful ballad with an impressive, beautiful chorus.

And the biggest highlight is the closing track, Time Is. At the point where it is just the intro piano, bass, and drums, something is already off. Gradually, the tempo and intensity increase, and you are drawn back into an exotic world. The sound continues to thicken, and I, the listener, even get the feeling of being rushed by something.

Once it drops down to just the bass, and with a drum fill as the signal, the real rock begins. By the time phrases like 'there's no time to laugh' are repeated and the piano is being played intensely, you are already completely captivated by this song. After that, while repeating 'Love' and 'Time' over and over, the violin, percussion, and guitar all become one and run wild. The guitar even produces metallic sounds as if it is being played near the pegs, and it is pure chaos. Yet, it is wonderful how it does not fall apart and stands as a single world.

Along the way, it even includes a drum solo, and finally returns to the exotic theme again. I really have no choice but to take my hat off to this creativity and ability to develop. While it is psychedelic, there are moments that foreshadow later progressive rock, and I find new discoveries every time I listen to it.

Summary

Music aside, I think this album is worth having on hand just to look at the jacket. I bought a reissue on an auction for less than 2,000 yen, but reading the liner notes, it seems it was hardly introduced in Japan at the time of its release.

Perhaps being able to encounter such works by chance after more than half a century is one of the joys of digging through records and used discs.