Tokyo Nights

The Bee Gees made a commercial comeback outside the U.S. with 1987's E.S.P. and its single, "You Win Again." One, on the other hand, had an improved chart showing in the U.S., while sales fell off elsewhere. The Bee Gees are remarkable pop craftsmen – "It's My Neighborhood" is a canny, if blatant, rewrite of Michael Jackson's "Beat It," for example, and it only reminds you that Jackson's falsetto whoops owe something to Barry Gibb. And, say what you will, "One" and "House of Shame" are convincing pop music. ("One" was a Top Ten comeback hit that topped soft rock radio playlists.) This stuff works as pop for the same reason "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" and "You Should Be Dancing" did: the melodies are catchy, the hooks are deathless, and the vocals convey emotion over meaning. It may be weightless, but it's polished.

Live in Tokyo was recorded over 3 nights in March 2020 just as the Covid-19 pandemic was breaking out. These intimate, sold-out, acoustic shows from Tyla went ahead yet The Dogs D'Amour band shows scheduled for only 2 days later in the same city were cancelled. As such, the audience atmosphere at the acoustic shows was a cocktail of adrenalin, excitement & fear. Added to which, these were Tyla's first shows in Japan for over 2 decades and delighted fans were queuing around the block to see him. The shows didn't disappoint. All the hits and more were played including ad hoc requests for lesser known songs shouted out by the crowd. Live in Tokyo is another worthy & collectible addition to Tyla J Pallas & The Dogs D'Amour admirable canon of work.