Chanchiki ostensibly play minyo- or Japanese local folk songs. However, not since the heyday of Takio Ito has minyo sounded this vibrant, this fresh, this...alive. Under the guidance of multi-instrumentalist Tsutom Tanaka, their take of minyo is a wild mix of traditional Japanese sounds and rhythms with rock, jazz, Latin, African, and other elements. The album comes flying out the traps and apart from a couple of welcome rests doesn't really let up, leaving the listener satisfyingly exhausted by the end. Their music is dominated by the sound of the shamisen (lute) Japanese taiko and various other percussion (including the metalic chachinki instrument used in chindon, from which the group takes its name) hayashi backing chanting, great female vocals from Makiko Ikeda and fue (flute) shakuachi (bamboo flute) from Koushi Tsukuda which are all at the core of minyo. These are augmented by electric bass, guitar, more percussion (including by Mari Sekine of Shibasashirazu) tuba (Daisuke Takaoka also of Shibusashirazu) sax (Akira Kitoh of Tokyo Chutei Iki) and trombone. The songs originate from all over Japan from the tsugaru shamisen style from the north, to one of the gentler ballads, Ayagu from Okinawa. Invigorating stuff. 1. Rasshoi!! 2. Yaga 'F' 3. Funakogi-Nagashi-ua 4. Minato no Uta 5. Ayagu 6. Buzah? Nisai? 7. Gondola no Uta 8. Ukikusa Bushi 9. Hounen Mansaku Bon Odori 10. Chug Chug 11. Kodaijin 12. Konpira Fune Fune 13. Arigataya Bushi.
