Houkago Tea Time

Lore & Background

The band name "After School Tea Time" was decided in the anime just before the second-year school festival (original volume 2, p. 74; anime episode 11). While all songs featured in the series are credited in-story as having lyrics written by Mio Akiyama and music composed by Tsumugi Kotobuki, the actual lyrics and arrangements were written and arranged by real life individuals. Marty Friedman, a guitarist living in Japan and former member of the American rock band Megadeth, mentioned K-ON! and this CD in his column “Marty Friedman's J-POP Metal Review” in the October 2009 issue of "Nikkei Entertainment!".

He wrote, "In America, 30 years ago, a band called The Archies became popular, born from the show 'It's the Archies!' I think the Archies that exist within the anime are a mysterious presence that makes you want to root for them. I think people in Japan who are hooked on ‘K-ON!’ right now feel the same way." Regarding the music, he analyzed the first track, "Curry Then Rice," saying, "If you remove the voice actor's vocals and the organ part, it's just a cool hard rock-style pop punk song, but the vocals are so baby-like you'd think an 8-year-old girl was singing, and the fact that the lyrics are about curry rice is shocking.

Lyrics about food are unheard of in Western rock music; it's something only Japan, with its world-class food culture, could produce."

Reader's Guide

As a first-press limited edition, it includes a glittery outer box and full-song melody sheets for one chorus of every track. The personnel listed are Aki Toyosaki, Yoko Hikasa, Satomi Satō, Minako Kotobuki, and Ayana Taketatsu. The album contains two discs: Disc-1 (Studio Mix) and Disc-2 (Live Mix).

Did You Know?

• The album ranked No. 1 on Oricon's daily chart on July 22, 2009, the day of its official release.
• It was the first album released under an anime character's name to debut at number one on Oricon's weekly chart.
• The Recording Industry Association of Japan certified this album Gold in July 2009.
• The 'K-ON! Music History's Box' (released March 20, 2013) includes this album's Studio Mix and Live Mix discs, but does not contain a separate disc that compiles them.