CMJ Music Marathon 2008 Day 2: Shugo Tokumaru

It’s so nice to see that someone like Shugo Tokumaru can still break into the musical market with a sound that eschews pretension and hype. His latest record came out of nowhere and is already one of 2008’s most highly regarded releases. There’s a reason for that. His hushed melodies and virtuosic guitar playing formed the basis of this low-key, but top of the line performance. Backed by a 3-piece band, and a vibrant mix of accordions, xylophones, bells, and whistles, Tokamaru not only left an impression, he left it in his native language (Japanese) — something not many people can break into the American market doing.