Who doesn’t like strings?

Helloooo! Welcome back the the J-Music Exchange/Rate! … It kinda feels weird to say “welcome back” when it’s actually me that’s been away for some time (check out what I was up to these past couple of weeks here!), but all the same, glad to be back, and glad to see you guys back as well 😁

Assuming of course that this is in fact NOT your first time here on the blog, because if it is and you’re actually wondering what this post even is, please read the following ー

The Exchange/Rate is a tandem album review series conducted every month by yours truly alongside my good friend and fellow Japanese music fan Al (from Omunibasu). Each month we decide on a specific theme with which our reviews would revolve around. We then pick out albums from our respective libraries which we think best coincides with that theme. We will then give the album we chose to the other person and vice versa (exchange), after which we then listen to and subsequently review the album we were given (rate). This project has not only allowed us to explore music beyond our libraries, but it provides an opportunity for us to see our favorite albums from a different point of view. It is our hope that this series is able to do the same for you and that you either find a new artist to try out and/or we offer you a fresh take on one of *your* favorite albums 

Al and I take turns on who gets to decide the theme for the month, and this time around it was my turn to do so once again. This one’s pretty cut and dry compared to some of the more off the wall themes we’ve thought up in the past, and it’s simply us having a go at some of our favorite acoustic albums. Just to clarify, and I guess to differentiate as well from acoustic albums which are comprised of acoustic covers of songs, these are albums wherein the songs were originally written and composed with acoustic instrumentation. Don’t you worry, we’ll get to the former too at some point 😉

For now though, I went ahead and had Al listen to Are-kun’s Kokyuu (check out his review over at Omunibasu here!). I, in turn, was given THE CHARM PARK’s Bedroom Revelations to go over with you guys.

Let’s… go to bed? Wait, that’s not-

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THE CHARM PARK is the name of the solo unit project of Korean-born, LA-raised, and now Tokyo-based singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist who goes by the name “Charm”. Having had a fondness for Japanese music since early childhood, Charm would develop an affinity to it in once he started making his own music while attending Berklee College of Music in Boston. After graduating, Charm would begin a career writing songs for Korean artists from his home in LA, before then deciding to make Japan his base of operations in the pursuit of his own music career. Now the former guitarist for the band Hemenway, THE CHARM PARK has since become a presence in the Japanese music scene as early as 2015, marked by his debut EP “A LETTER”.

＜Ｂｅｄｒｏｏｍ　Ｒｅｖｅｌａｔｉｏｎｓ＞
(＊Spotify link to the full album)

CDJapan Affiliate Link(s):
Bedroom Revelations [Regular Edition] / THE CHARM PARK
Bedroom Revelations [w/ Blu-ray, Limited Edition] / THE CHARM PARK

＜T ｒａｃｋｌｉｓｔ＞

０１・Revelations
０２・君と僕のうた/kimi to boku no uta
０３・昼寝/hirune
０４・ad meliora – Album ver.
０５・子守唄の果て/komori uta no hate feat. fifi leger
０６・until you fall asleep
０７・in heavenly peace
０８・wake me up
０９・Revelations – Reprise
１０・Sunflower

Ａｌ：In many ways, it’s a little unfair to consider THE CHARM PARK as the second coming of Ohashi Trio. But I really do think he hits the absolute right spots and exemplifies so much of what I love about Ohashi Yoshinori and his songs: incredibly feel good music, beautiful performances on the acoustic guitar, soothing vocals and heck, he even wears a similar pair of glasses as Mr. Trio… plus, you know, THE CHARM PARK has worked with him in the past and even created an entire collaborative album alongside the man (lol).

And while I have really enjoyed Charm’s music for those aforementioned reasons, I feel like listening to Bedroom Revelations also paints an interesting reflection of when we all had to stay in our rooms for an extended period of time. Going through the pandemic was a very strange and strenuous moment in most of our lives, but it also gave us the opportunity to take some time for ourselves and do/take in the things that bring us joy, in order to distract us from what felt like the entire world falling apart. As THE CHARM PARK mentioned in an interview, many of the songs on this album were conceived and even recorded in his own bedroom, during the series of ‘stay-home/lockdown’ orders back in 2020 and 2021. And I do believe the music heard in these tracks are very reflective of that, with “Revelations” and “until you fall asleep” giving off incredibly simple-yet-serene atmospheres through the almost sole usage of an nylon-stringed acoustic guitar, of which I can totally imagine Charm just coming up with and playing alone in his room. Add on the man’s soft, tranquil vocals to the mix, such as his accompanying & muffled voice in the piano-focused “wake me up” or even him being able to hit some high notes really well in “Hirune”… I have always been a fan of lighter, relaxing acoustic-style music and THE CHARM PARK has definitely become one of my favorite artists to put on whenever I’m in the mood for it. And in the context of when this album was released, I wouldn’t be surprised if many people found peace and calmness from these compositions, especially during a time when we all needed it.

＜Ｓｏｎｇｓ　ｏｆ　Ｉｎｔｅｒｅｓｔ＞

０１・Revelations
I’ve noticed that lately, whenever I write my reviews for the J-Music Exchange/Rate, I can never seem to resist talking about the instrumental intros that albums choose to open with. I’ve always been appreciative of when albums set the tone with a dedicated opener, like THE CHARM PARK’s Revelations. It makes the album listening experience feel intentional, like you’re meant to start here. I’ve often compared it to reading a book, where these tracks serve as the introductory chapter of what’s to come. What’s particularly interesting about this track, though, is how it might actually contextualize Bedroom Revelations more than you’d initially think.

Something worth noting is the time period when Bedroom Revelations was released, which was around the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. This was a time when most people, including THE CHARM PARK’s Charm, were unable to leave their homes. In an interview with DIGLE MAGAZINE, Charm mentions this as the driving force behind the album—Bedroom Revelations was born out of the idleness of being confined to his room, leading him to reflect on both music and life. I’ll dive deeper into the greater implications of this throughout the review, but for now, it’s important to highlight that “the bedroom” doesn’t just serve as a thematic concept. Because of the restrictions at the time, Charm couldn’t go to a studio to record the songs that would make up most of the album, so they were instead quite literally recorded in his room. While the tracks were professionally mixed and mastered, you can still hear subtle details like the rustling of cloth as he shifts his weight or the ambient sound of the room, all captured in the recordings. Although Charm aimed more so to deliver a raw, authentic sound, it also transports you back to that moment in time, further grounding the album in its context. It’s a nice added touch that really enhances the intimacy of the listening experience.

０５・子守唄の果て/komori uta no hate feat. fifi leger
As you might expect, given the context in which Bedroom Revelations was conceived, many of the songs on the album—particularly in this middle section—carry a somber tone, both thematically and sonically, with a hint of weariness. In the interview with DIGLE MAGAZINE mentioned earlier, Charm even jokes about how a lot of the songs on Bedroom Revelations revolve around sleeping and waking up. This, of course, may be a reflection again of his own experience during the lockdowns. He then explains that the album is structured to illustrate a day cycle of sorts. The earlier tracks represent sunrise, while the middle section—including Komori Uta no Hate (lit. “The End of a Lullaby”)—signifies nighttime, with the final parts of the album ushering in a new day. It’s a subtle, yet beautiful way to mirror the emotional ups and downs of that period, capturing the inertia of being stuck indoors and the introspection that comes with it.

I chose to highlight Komori Uta no Hate for a different reason, though. This track stands out as the only song on the album to feature a guest artist—singer-songwriter fifi léger, whose EP Lighthouse Charm helped produce earlier the same year Bedroom Revelations came out. Not to mince words, I thought their voices complemented each other beautifully on this track. I’ve noticed this before in songs where I’ve heard Charm, but I believe some of his best vocal work comes not when he’s performing solo, but when he’s harmonizing with others. There’s a certain weightlessness to his voice, a softness in his delivery, that allows him to blend effortlessly with other vocalists. fifi léger really captures the emotional essence of the track with her delicate, airy vocals, and together they create a heartful and lovely duet. Her presence adds an extra layer of emotion, enriching the atmosphere and elevating the song beyond what it might’ve been as a solo piece.

０７・in heavenly peace
Something peculiar—but more readily apparent as you’ll notice in in heavenly peace here—happens midway through Bedroom Revelations, aside from the previously mentioned day cycle-like sectioning of the songs. There’s a notable shift in THE CHARM PARK’s performance: Charm transitions from singing in Japanese to his native English. Looking back at other artists and bands I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing, THE CHARM PARK stands out in that Charm’s the first non-native Japanese speaker who (if at least for Bedroom Revelations specifically) splits his time performing songs both in Japanese and his native English. This differentiates him from artists like Wez Atlas for example, a native-English speaker who mostly sings in English, or Misato Ono, a Japanese native who predominantly writes and sings in English.

Being raised and taught to be bilingual myself, I’ve always found it fascinating seeing how singer-songwriters navigate their artistry between two different languages. Ideas don’t always transfer directly, and sometimes the right words exist only in one language or require creative adaptation in the other. The fact that Charm is able to traverse both Japanese and English the way that he does is in my opinion very impressive in that regard. Notably, though, something I noticed once he switched to singing in English that I thought was interesting was the manner in which he modulates his voice also changed, albeit only subtly. Specifically, it feels as though his voice is much fuller when he sings in English, compared to when he sings in Japanese. That is to say, his singing isn’t as weightless as was described in the earlier half of the album, where it otherwise carries a bit more strength to it, which directly translates to his delivery.

１０・Sunflower
The final section of the album, as mentioned, represents the dawn of a new day in the overarching narrative of Bedroom Revelations. This shift is evident in how much more optimistic and full of life Sunflower sounds, both tonally and lyrically, compared to earlier songs. The music video’s imagery mirrors the cycle Charm refers to, depicting a sunflower as it moves through the stages of day and night. This ties into a sense of longing, much like a sunflower yearns for the sun, which in this context could symbolize a desire to see someone or simply the outside world after a prolonged period of isolation. Despite this yearning, the tone remains hopeful, with a steadfast belief that brighter days will follow even the darkest times.

It’s a beautiful message, one that Charm expands on thoughtfully in his interview with DIGLE MAGAZINE, where he briefly discusses the song. He shares how he finds the Japanese word for sunflower, “himawari,” especially meaningful. In Japanese, it can be interpreted as “to turn with the sun,” with “hi” meaning “sun” and “mawari” meaning “to turn.” Charm sees a certain romanticism in this idea of always facing toward the new day. While “himawari” isn’t actually formed from these two words, and Charm’s interpretation is more of a creative, shower-thought kind of insight (lol), it offers a glimpse into his mindset. It also hints at the personal reflections (or “bedroom revelations” if you will), that he may have experienced while conceptualizing the album.

＜Ｗｈａｔ　Ｉ　ｔｈｉｎｋ　ｏｆ　Ｂｅｄｒｏｏｍ　Ｒｅｖｅｌａｔｉｏｎｓ＞

In a previous Exchange/Rate review of Rhymester’s RESPECT (check it out here if you haven’t yet!), we explored how albums can sometimes become too contextualized, limiting their appeal to a specific audience and potentially affecting broader enjoyment of said album. THE CHARM PARK’s Bedroom Revelations shares a similar sense of being tied to a particular moment in time, but unlike RESPECT, its context—in this case the global COVID-19 pandemic—instead makes it much more relatable. This isn’t just a local or niche experience; it’s one that touched nearly everyone across the world, allowing listeners to connect with the album’s emotions on a deeper, more universal level.

That is to say, at some level, most of everyone right now should be able to relate to the emotions evoked by this album. But will that remain the case in the future? Perhaps in a decade or two, the pandemic will become just another chapter in history, and the emotions tied to this period may feel distant. When that happens, Bedroom Revelations might not have the same immediate impact. Yet, *right now*, the album feels special because it was born out of such a specific and extraordinary event. It’s a byproduct of Charm’s experience of being confined to his room, unable to engage with the world in the way he was used to.

This isn’t about finding a “silver lining” by saying, “Well, at least we got Bedroom Revelations out of the pandemic.” That’s not what makes this album special. Instead, it’s in how it serves as a concrete record of that time. Within its tracks lie someone’s personal thoughts, feelings, and reflections from a very specific moment—many of which mirror what we may have felt ourselves. In his interview with DIGLE MAGAZINE, Charm mentioned that his goal was for the album to act as a diary, capturing everything he experienced during that year. In that sense, I believe he succeeded perfectly. Bedroom Revelations does indeed serve as a personal chronicle of those times, both in practice with how it was made, and the revelations found within it.

＜Ｍｙ　Ｒａｔｉｎｇ＞


３.７５ ｏｕｔ ｏｆ ５

＆

７.５ ｏｕｔ ｏｆ １０

But… does that make it a good record to listen to? I would say, yeah, it does… during times you would actually want to listen to gentle and melodic acoustic guitars accompanied by calm and soothing vocal work. Other than that, I honestly think that this album, as perfectly relatable as it is thematically, requires you to be in a particular mood to be able to really get into music-wise. It’s just the kind of record that resonates when you’re in the right headspace (in my opinion). If not, it can at the very least still make for an ambient vibe if you’re just looking to chill and relax to some songs while doing something else. What’s funny about that is Charm himself said that “background music” was a style of music that he was looking to try his hand at prior to the pandemic. So it comes full circle in a way too in that regard, lol

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What are your guys’ thoughts on THE CHARM PARK’s Bedroom Revelations? Lemme know down in the comments! Likewise, let us know too what are some of your guys’ favorite acoustic albums? We’d be happy to know 😊

Lastly, don’t forget to check out Al’s review of Arekun’s Kokyuu over at the Omunibasu Substack if you haven’t yet already!