Long Way Home

Singer-songwriter Nana Yanase, active in Japan, has released her second self-cover album, which she spent about five years recording. In addition to rearranging original songs released from 2005 to 2015, she also covers songs by musicians she was close to, including Akira Okabe & Yukina Nakayama, Motomichi Uyama, and Kimito Saijo. The arrangements feature support band leader Riho Oyama, along with Shingo Mimura, K-suke Tanaka, and Risaburo Matsuki, and were recorded in Nara and Hokkaido with a diverse array of instruments. The title track is a new English rendition of "Ieji," originally released in 2015. Now more than 20 years since her debut, her deepened vocal expression and tightly coordinated performances are highlights of this work. While including previously released songs, the album also represents a bold attempt at new musical challenges.