AMG Review of Alien in Tokyo

Dave Thompson
All Music Guide

The long-awaited reissue of Alan Merrill's 1972 opus Alone in Tokyo, the subtly retitled Alien in Tokyo doubles as an anthology of Merrill's entire Japanese solo output of the early 1970s. Opening with the LP's re-recording of his first-ever hit (as a member of the Lead, "Blue Rose," Alien in Tokyo continues on with a dozen gently alternate mixes of the original Japanese language album's contents, and of course includes the Top Ten hit "Namida" ("Teardrops").

This redoubtable feast of orchestrated pop-psych is followed by two English language non-album tracks including "Of the People," a duet and co-write with Monsieur Kamayatsu, and the proto-power pop glory of "Everyday All Night People," before the album wraps up with the record that kickstarted glam rock in Japan, both sides of Vodka Collins' debut single, "Automatic Pilot"/"Sands of Time," the first time on CD for the original 45 mixes.