Vacant World

by Jacks

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Record/Vinyl
First official vinyl reissue in decades of this 1968 stone-cold masterpiece. Remastered from the original analog tapes by Kevin Gray, and packaged in a deluxe, film-laminated tip-on sleeve. Includes a full-color booklet with photos and an essay by esteemed rock writer Manabu Yuasa (in both Japanese and English).

Check out an audiophile's deep dive into our reissue here:
trackingangle.com/music/it-s-a-great-big-vacant-world

Vinyl only release, no digital.
Records ship in a sturdy Mighty Music Mailer to ensure safe delivery.

ships out within 3 days

Purchasable with gift card

$30 USD or more
Record/Vinyl
Order both releases together and save some money.

ships out within 3 days

Purchasable with gift card

$90 USD or more

about

Check out excerpts here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSSHjINqftM

Arriving on the Japanese music scene during the Beatles-inspired cover band boom of the late ’60s, Jacks instantly distinguished themselves from their fluff-peddling, copycat peers with stripped-down, original compositions, nihilistic lyrics and raw performances.

Their tenure was short - ’67 to ’69 - but Jacks managed to cut a handful of singles and two albums in that time, the first of which, Vacant World, is now widely considered in Japan to be one of the greatest rock albums the country has ever produced. The combination of Yoshio Hayakawa's arresting baritone and austere guitar work, drummer Takasuke Kida and upright bassist Hitoshi Tanino's jazzy, loose interplay, and lead guitarist Haruo Mizuhashi's searing fuzz leads was alchemical, and Vacant World captured the band at the peak of their powers.

Some have described Jacks as the Velvet Underground of Japan — a singular, revolutionary group that had little commercial success in their day but whose influence and legend grows exponentially with each passing year. The comparison is apt. Unlike V.U., however, Jacks remain largely unknown outside Japan, and Mesh-Key hopes this first-ever officially licensed international release does something to fix this injustice.

“The album that gave birth to Japanese underground/psychedelic rock, and the one that influenced me the most when I was young.” — Shintaro Sakamoto

Vinyl only release.

credits

released October 28, 2022

about

Jacks Tokyo, Japan

Easily the greatest of all 60s Japanese psychedelic groups, Jacks instantly distinguished themselves from their fluff- peddling peers with Yoshio Hayakawa's arresting, booming baritone, drummer Takasuke Kida and upright bassist Hitoshi Tanino's jazzy, dexterous interplay, and lead guitarist Haruo Mizuhashi's searing fuzz leads. ... more

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