SONG WRITER

The debut by 'Japan's Jeff Lynne,' whose considerable talents burst into view. A brilliant British-pop pedigree underlies his unwavering enthusiasm for new music. The participation of senior musicians such as Masataka Matsutoya and Shigeru Suzuki is reassuring, while the chorus of Mariya Takeuchi, a companion from Mari & Red Stripes, can be heard throughout. Their friends give him a grand send-off into independence. A3, a self-cover of the fine song he wrote for her, moves from gorgeous horns to a driving R&B arrangement on A4 and finally to the mellow lounge of A5. The flow is overwhelming.