Can't seem to stop listening to this song (2nd song in the album):
https://youtube.com/watch?v=V0kPof5NWkE&t=3m17s

Such a wonderfully composed song, with jazz pacing, smooth vocals, guitar strumming, and a pop-folk feel to it. What's even more to like about the song is that it has an orchestra in the background, playing the soothing melody, enrapturing the listener in pure bliss.
They no longer make use of orchestras in pop music as masterfully as here anymore.

いしだあゆみ & ティン・パン・アレイ・ファミリー (Ayumi Ishida & Tin Pan Alley Family) - 1977 - Our Connection [full album]

YouTube

@jpopfantasia

this is great ❤

@mrgah Glad you like it! 👍

@jpopfantasia

it reminds me of the best parts of saint etienne

any idea if there's somewhere I could buy this track/album so I'll have it later? I'd hate to lose track of it

@mrgah Oh, there's another band I've heard the name of, but didn't get the chance to listen to their albums!
Did they do retro inspired music?

@jpopfantasia

yeah, their career started out with some light club/house elements (check out only love can break your heart, which probably fits into the #creativecovers tag https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZAajrxvDs4 )

but then they switched over to making chill, retro-inspired music

idk if it's considered one of their canonically best albums, but I've always liked Good Humor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoFM4BVYFOo

and Tales from Turnpike House has some nice tracks, too
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXsR63nMIwQ&t=1153s

Only Love Can Break Your Heart - Saint Etienne

YouTube

@mrgah Thank you, will definitely check these out now that you piqued my interest! 👍
Will get back to you once I did so.

Either way, really glad you genuinely enjoy the Ayumi Ishida song. Actually the whole album is pretty great, lots of mellow "new music" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J-pop#1970s:_Development_of_%22New_Music%22) and city pop songs!

Lovely talking with you... er... sunshine? Lollipops? Rainbows? MAKE UP YOUR MIND ALREADY! 😝

J-pop - Wikipedia

@jpopfantasia

brian is fine

@mrgah Hehe, was just messing with you!
Lovelu talking with you Brian! 👍

@mrgah
I don't know why, but I keep thinking I've heard "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" before. Sounds very familiar.

Most of the songs off Tales from both Good Humour and Turnpike House kind of remind me of the stuff Paris Match made in the naughties, like this one:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=CQKkw_L7IPI
Light jazz with some bossa nova elements thrown in. I also love the album cover on Turnpike House, feels like looking inside of a Doll House, or like playing The Sims :D

I see why you'd think Ayumi's song is very similar to Said Etienne, the voices of both singers are very similar :)

Now I'm making a mental note to get Saint Etienne's albums!
Thank you for sharing!

cream paris match

YouTube

@mrgah

I don't know why, but I keep thinking I've heard "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" before. Sounds very familiar. I know of the Neil Young song, but I meant the dance cover of it sounds very familiar.

Most of the songs from both Good Humour and Tales of Turnpike House remind me of the stuff Paris Match made in the naughties, like this one:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=CQKkw_L7IPI
Light jazz with some bossa nova elements thrown in. I also love the album cover on Turnpike House, feels like looking inside of a Doll House, or like playing The Sims :D

I see why you'd think Ayumi's song is very similar to Sarah Cracknell, their voices are very similar :)

Now I'm making a mental note to get Saint Etienne's albums!
Thank you for sharing!

cream paris match

YouTube

@jpopfantasia

glad you liked them!

I'll have to check out Paris Match