SHUGO TOKUMARU – Hoxton Bar & Kitchen, London 14/05/2013

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On the whole, one tends to associate Hoxton Square more with floppy haircuts, detached irony and a generalised contempt for one’s fellow man than joy, happiness and so forth. But tonight, for one night only, the fog of bitter cynicism is emphatically swept away by the blissful indie-pop whirlwind of Shugo Tokumaru.

On first impression, you wouldn’t necessarily expect this Tokyo-based songwriter to be particularly engaging- he comes across as a shy character, perhaps a bit of a daydreamer. But with his two friends in tow, he creates a sound as beautiful as it is quirky; a exuberantly melodic broadside of classic pop songwriting somewhere between the Beatles and Mercury Rev, combined with the slightly off-kilter eccentricity Japanese bands tend to do so well.

Shugo is undoubtedly a skilled musician, his intricate, light-fingered guitar playing recalling the marvellous Dustin Wong, but his bandmates definitely deserve similar, if not equal kudos. Yumiko Hishinuma, the wonderfully stoic glockenspielist/accordion player/glove puppeteer/all-purpose purveyor of instrumental miscellany does an fine job recreating the myriad (literal) bells and whistles that are Tokumaru’s trademark, and the endearingly nerdy Yoshinari Kishida’s infectious enthusiasm is almost as enjoyable to witness as his drumming.

The live arrangements are also a marked step-up from their recorded incarnations. Shugo has the occasional tendency to overdo the twee on record, but tonight, everything sounds perfect, from the impossibly lovely ‘Katachi’ and twinkly whimsy of ‘Parachute,’ to his signature, ukulele-centric cover of ‘Video Killed The Radio Star.’

A near flawless performance from an ever-impressive talent, Shugo Tokumaru may not change the world, but he certainly makes it a better place.

Photograph by Sara Amroussi-Gilissen