Background

Love Psychedelico is a retro-rock band hailing from Shibuya, Japan. Kumi and Naoki Sato, the band's two members, got together in 1997 by way of their college's music club, and in late 1999, they signed a contract with Tower Records. The Delico have come a long way from their first cassette-only release of Lady Madonna; at present, they have three albums, nine singles, and a DVD (THE FILM 1999.12〜2002.05) to their name, with another album slated for release in early 2005.

Kumi and Naoki's personal musical tastes are fairly evident in the band's sound: to various extents, Sheryl Crow, the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, and The Rolling Stones all have some influence in their overall style. Most notably, Sheryl Crow's bluesy country-pop is often cited as similar.

Kumi's vocals are fairly difficult to follow. Having spent some of her youth in San Francisco, she speaks English well, and it shows in her lyrics. She mixes Japanese and English seamlessly, often switching back and forth between the two diametrically opposite languages right in the middle of a sentence.

Discography

The Greatest Hits

Release date: January 4, 2001

Yes, this is the title of their first release. Early Times (below) is an actual compilation.

1. LADY MADONNA〜憂鬱なるスパイダー〜 (Lady Madonna Yuuutsunaru Spider — yuuutsu = melancholy; naru = "to become")
2. Your Song
3. Last Smile (extension mix)
4. I mean love me
5. Moonly
6. Are you still dreaming ever-Free?
7. I miss you
8. ノスタルジック'69 (Nostalgic '69)
9. These days
10. LOW (ver.1.1)
11. A DAY FOR YOU

Singles

• LADY MADONNA〜憂鬱なるスパイダー〜
  April 21, 2000
  1. LADY MADONNA〜憂鬱なるスパイダー〜
  2. LOW
  3. FLY
• Your Song
  July 5, 2000
  1. Your Song
  2. ノスタルジック'69
  3. 2人だけのGroove (futari dake no Groove, "Just our groove")
• Last Smile
  November 1, 2000
  1. Last Smile
  2. Moonly (single edit)
  3. Wasting

Love Psychedelic Orchestra

Release date: January 9, 2002

The title of Love Psychedelico's second album harks back to the band's early days, when they called themselves "Psychedelic Orchestra." The reason behind their name change isn't evident, but it has been suggested that it was an attempt to shake off any drug-related connotations. (I doubt this is the case — if so, they certainly removed the wrong word!)

1. Standing Bird
2. Free World
3. unchained
4. green
5. dry town
6. I will be with you
7. days of days over you
8. You ate it
9. waltz
10. life goes on
11. "0"
12. California

Singles

• Free World
  May 23, 2001
  1. Free World
  2. amp' box
  3. "0"
• I will be with you
  November 7, 2001
  1. I will be with you
  2. Merry X'mas

Love Psychedelico III

Release date: February 25, 2004

Continuing the trend of interesting names, Love Psychedelico have coined their third album with a subtle Led Zeppelin reference. (In fact, Led Zeppelin is one of Kumi's favorite bands.) It's every bit as strong as the last two, and at 59 minutes, it's also their longest to date. A couple songs from this album were used in the movie The Hotel Venus.

1. Everybody needs somebody
2. Mind across the universe
3. My last fight
4. all over love
5. Happiness
6. I am waiting for you
7. fleeing star
8. 裸の王様 (Hadaka no Ousama, "Naked King")
9. Silver dust lane
10. Hello
11. neverland
12. III
13. GRAPEFRUITS

Singles

• 裸の王様
  July 24, 2002
  1. 裸の王様
  2. This is a love song
  3. GRAPEFRUITS
• I am waiting for you
  January 22, 2003
  1. I am waiting for you
  2. Happiness
  3. another night
• My last fight
  November 5, 2003
  1. My last fight
  2. fleeing star
  3. Dreamer

Early Times

Release date: February 9, 2005

After three albums, Love Psychedelico have put together ... what, a compilation already? Considering Japanese CDs sell for $30 or more overseas, buying all their albums would be prohibitively expensive, so this is a convenient way to get a handful of their best songs together. The first 333,333 copies of this album are in a limited-edition digipak with a serial number stamped onto the cover.

1. Your Song
2. Free World
3. Everybody needs somebody
4. fantastic world
5. LADY MADONNA〜憂鬱なるスパイダー〜
6. "0"
7. life goes on
8. My last fight
9. Standing Bird
10. Silver dust lane
11. Last Smile (extension mix)
12. green
13. neverland
14. A DAY FOR YOU
15. Everyone, everyone
16. Rosy

Singles

• fantastic world
  December 8, 2004
  1. fantastic world
  2. romance