Yadokari + Shura No Hana 7"

Japanese actress Meiko Kaji, born in Tokyo, has become a worldwide cult icon, partly thanks to Quentin Tarantino, who heavily based his Kill Bill films on the 1973 revenge classic Lady Snowblood, one of Kaji's most famous roles. Renowned for her performances in the acclaimed Stray Cat Rock and Female Prisoner Scorpion film series, Kaji was one of Japan's most iconic exploitation film actresses of the early 1970s.

Beyond acting, she was invited by film studios to perform theme songs for many of her films leading to revered music career. Between 1972 and 1974, she recorded five albums for Teichiku, which have since become highly sought after.

Yadokari ("hermit crab"), released in 1973, was Kaji's third album for the lable. Like its predecessors Gincho Wataridori and Hajiki Uta, it offers a rich mix of kayōkyoku (Japanese pop), traditional enka, psychedelic rock, and cinematic '70s funk. The album includes two tracks, "Hagure Bushi" and "Kiba no Ballad," from the cult 1973 TV series Sengoku Rock Hagure Kiba, in which Kaji starred.

"Hagure Bushi" stands out as one of the album's funkiest tracks. Like "Kiba no Ballad," it was composed and arranged by the legendary producer Yuji Ohno (best known for his work on Lupin the III). The album as a whole is a superb blend of atmospheric songs, from the haunting, slow-burning title track "Yadokari" to "Ah...," which features groovy guitar licks, harmonica, and sleek string arrangements, evoking a subtle Morricone influence.

To complete this reissue, Wewantsounds has included the rare 1973 7" EP Shura No Hana / Hō Yare Ho as a bonus. Only released as a single, "Shura No Hana" (Flower of Carnage") is a cult classic, famously featured on Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill Vol. 2 soundtrack. Reflecting on its use in the film, Kaji told Hashim Kotaro Bharoocha in an interview for this release: "I couldn't fathom how an enka song like 'Shura No Hana' would work in a Hollywood film. But when I saw the screening, it felt very natural, which I couldn't believe."

A key release in Meiko Kaji's 1972–1974 Teichiku Records catalog, Yadokari is a testament to her singular talent as a singer. Wewantsounds is delighted to reissue the album in its full glory, remastered from the original master tapes and presented in its Japanese-style gatefold sleeve.