If I Die Tomorrow, from Boston’s Tokyo Tramps, flows as effortlessly as the Mississippi. Straddling rock, blues, New Orleans funk, and more, this seventh record of the band’s 20-year career shows husband and wife team of guitarist/singer Satoru Nakagawa and bassist/singer Yukiko Fujii hitting an almost Zen-like groove in their songwriting.
After releasing 6 albums of original material and experiencing life’s ups and downs over the last 18 years, Tokyo Tramps have no fear in bringing their true inner voice to the world.
Thirteen tales of life, love, friends and fiends; universal themes to be sure, but told from a deeply personal perspective. Propelled by fiery guitar work as equally rooted in Delta mud as it is in Hendrix-inspired tones, Tokyo Tramps’ take on blues-infused classic rock is unlike anyone else. “This album is a watershed moment for us,” says Yukiko. “It’s a milestone. We went through so much to make this record. We almost lost hope on it ever seeing the light of day. But we didn’t, and now we have the best record we’ve ever made.”
“This is closest we’ve come so far to the original sound I’ve always been after,” adds Satoru. “American music changed our lives.”
Upon graduation from high school, Satoru Nakagawa left home for Louisiana. He was baptized by American roots music. It’s deeply embedded in his soul. Yukiko Fujii gave up her career in Tokyo and came to America to sing the music she grew up with and moved her deeply. Satoru and Yukiko met in Boston and formed Tokyo Tramps in 1999. It has never been an easy ride.
Like all great artists Tokyo Tramps have channeled frustration, anger, and aggravation into their explosive new album If I Die Tomorrow. This energy, propelled by a Jimi Hendrix influenced fuzz guitar sound announces, “If the world doesn’t care about us, why should we?” That emotion was the beginning of this new album. As they experimented with various songs and ideas, they found they were digging deep into the groove of modern and classic New Orleans music, which is inherently funky to its core.
Tokyo Tramps definitely are the blues. However, their music has never fit into one genre and they have never been your ordinary blues band. With these songs and this vision, it’s now or never. Because simply put, we all may die tomorrow.
