I talked to Megumi Wata — along with primary songwriter Shintaro Sakamoto — for The Japan Times today. And in some shameless synergy, I also waited until today to write about “Blindman,” the title track to her fantastic album released last week. Whereas as her breakthrough single and first album leaned heavily on unease, “Blindman” (and the album) balance the feeling of something being not right with a greater sense of drama, using the unbalanced feeling as a way to push a story forward. “Blindman” is a slow burner, one that puts the emphasis on Wata’s vocals and balances it out with a mix of out-of-place and sad sonic details — the male vocals popping up beneath her at times, and those lonesome guitar notes drifting through like early fall wind. It’s the centerpiece on an album that’s equal part blurry-eyed and triumphant, and absorbing all its own. Listen above.
