Junko Ohashi – Tea for Tears (1981, Philips 28PL-12, Japan Original)
By 1981, Junko Ohashi had moved beyond the bright funk of her late 1970s releases into a more reflective and adult sound. Tea for Tears stands at that midpoint between city pop’s nightlife sophistication and the emerging mellow direction that would define early 1980s Tokyo studios.
Produced by Minoru Hirata and recorded with veteran session musicians, the album trades flash for subtlety with steady electric piano lines and restrained rhythm arrangements. The minimalist sleeve and cropped typography mirrored this new image: professional, introspective, and modern.
