Happy End — the legendary band comprised of Haruomi Hosono, Eiichi Ohtaki, Takashi Matsumoto, and Shigeru Suzuki, a group you simply can't discuss the history of J-pop without. Though effectively already broken up, the band reunited to record at Sunset Sound Recorders in LA under the production of Van Dyke Parks, creating this masterpiece — their third and final album, released in 1973. Every track is captivating, brilliantly showcasing the individual personalities and growth that would carry over into each member's later solo work. And above all, B5 "Sayonara America Sayonara Nippon" (sample 3) astounds with Van Dyke Parks' rich, vivid Discover America-style production. An all-time classic that deserves to be heard on vinyl. (Original Japanese text by COMPUMA)