Archive for June, 2011

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Suck a Stew Dry

June 29, 2011

myspace band of the week

Suck a Stew Dry is an unsigned band from Tokyo. They formed in 2009 and started to play shows May 2010. So far they’ve released two demo CDs and have been featured on the RO69JACK 2010 compilation.

The three songs on their myspace come from their second demo. “二時二分” unfolds like a 9mm Parabellum Bullet song; the singer’s voice is pretty similar too.  “人間遊び” slows it down a little and has somewhat of a shoegazey vibe. Things get weird with “Payment.” The chorus is a bit awkward, but it’s nice to hear them experiment with English. All three are very different songs, it will be interesting to see what direction they go in.

http://www.myspace.com/suckastewdry

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J-Rock Fridays Vol. 48

June 24, 2011

A- “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis”

Yep, that “Cruel Angel’s Thesis.” Come to think of it, I’ve never heard a visual-kei band do a cover before, yet alone the theme to a groundbreaking anime. KindA amusing.

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Reminder: Catch Perfume in Cars 2

June 24, 2011

Today’s the day that Cars 2 hits American theatres (July 30 Japan). Last month it was announced  that Perfume’s “Polyrhythm” would be used for a party scene in Disney/Pixar’s Cars 2 and is also featured on the soundtrack. The Perfume girls even made this first US appearance at the movie’s Hollywood premiere last week, where perfume444’s dream came true. A clip from the movie with the song used can be seen below.

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Posthumous Nujabes: Luv(sic) Part 4

June 22, 2011

In case you missed it, a new Nujabes song was released earlier this month. Shing02 returns for part 4 in the Luv(sic) series. DJ Icewater and Uyama Hiroto help out with scratches and sax. I don’t know the story behind this track, whether Nujabes intended for this beat to be used for Luv(sic) or if Shingo just picked it out of hat. In any case, it’s out and it’s great. Even NPR digs it. The track is available on iTunes and at Hydeout Productions (with an A cappella and instrumental version). A vinyl release will be out in July.

In related news, Word Is Bond released the An Eternal Soul OST today. It’s the official soundtrack for the Nujabes documentary directed by Abe Spiegel. You can download it for free at bandcamp. Songs from Ruto, Dela, Ahnnu and Marcus D are below.

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Lidery

June 21, 2011

myspace band of the week

Lidery is a female fronted shoegaze band from Tokyo. The band formed in early 2009 and recorded their first album One that summer. These songs were written by Matsueri. “See the Light” was the first song they wrote as a band. In 2011, Kozo Hibi (violin, piano) joined Lidery making them a six piece.

Their new single “Grandbleu” chimes in with a music box, guitar and vocals gradually added in. Matsueri’s vocals are  pretty, a nice song to wake up to in the morning. “Afterthat..” feels more like a transitional song and abruptly ends. The  preview of  “ソラノキミ ” is short but feels like a standard pop song. “See the Light” starts with a Gregorian-like chant but quickly turns into a shoegazer track. This is the only track in English and the vocals are fairly inspirational. It’s a little longer than it needs to be but is a nice contrast to the more pop oriented “Grandbleau.”

Download “Grandbleu” at CD Baby or the sixty one (free if you register).

http://www.myspace.com/1004388959

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The Midnight Blanket

June 15, 2011

myspace band of the week

The Midnight Blanket (真夜中ブランケット) is an unsigned trio from Tokyo. They formed under the name 大和三鬼人 in 2003 in Sapporo. After a hiatus they reformed as The Midnight Blanket in 2009 and relocated to Tokyo. Their first demo CD Giraffe was released last year.

“I HATE YOU” chugs along nicely building tension but never devolves into a scream fest. “Time Keeper” keeps the same structure but bumps up the masculinity a notch in the chorus. “二人は” and “second world” takes a more laid back approach that covers you like a blanket to rest.

http://www.myspace.com/themidnightblanket/

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New Dir en grey up for preorder

June 14, 2011

The End Records announced details for the US edition of Dir en grey’s 8th album Dum Spiro Spero. The 14 tracks will include the singles “Hageshisa To, Kono Mune No Naka De Karamitsuita Shakunetsu No Yami,” “Lotus”, and “Different Sense.” The album will be released as a standard CD, deluxe CD with 2 bonus tracks, and a double LP. All three editions are already up for preorder at The Omega Order and Amazon. There’s also a limited edition bundle at the Omega order with the deluxe CD, LP, t-shirt, and a signed poster going for $40 (hell of a bargain compared to the similar $150 Japan edition). However, it seems to have sold out already. Dum Spiro Spero comes out August 2nd in America, a day before Japan.

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J-Rock Fridays Vol. 47

June 10, 2011

Almost every band this week spells their name in ALL CAPS. I didn’t plan that.

TACOBONDS- “BPM4”

TACOBONDS get aggressive in this artsy video.

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moools

June 9, 2011

myspace band of the week

The band known as moools formed in 1997 in Tokyo. The trio has released five albums through 7 e.p. and opened for Modest Mouse three times in Japan. They developed a close relationship with K Records and toured America with Mount Eerie in 2003 and 2007. In 2010 they opened for Wolf Parade on their North America tour. When they’re not playing together, moools have separate projects going on. Uchino is the drummer for toddle while Ariizumi and Sakai formed the instrumental band Kabaddi Kabaddi Kabaddi Kabaddi.

Moools’ sound is similar to the indie bands they’ve toured with. “Iru Iranai” reminds me a bit of Ogre You Asshole. “Ad Balloon” is kinda funky. “Zippo” has some great guitar work. And “Tournament” is a nice chill out track.

moools albums are available on US iTunes. You can also find their CDs on K Record’s website.

http://www.myspace.com/moools

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Stuff To Look Forward To, June 2011

June 5, 2011

Summer’s here.

6/01 B’z- Don’t Wanna Lie (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

6/01 the HIATUS- Hatching Mayflies (CD Japan)

6/01 Limit3- Imaginaly number

6/01 lynch.- I Believe In Me (CD Japan)

6/01 OVERGROUND ACOUSTIC UNDERGROUND- Yume no Ate (CD Japan)

6/01 Quruli- Kiseki (CD Japan)

6/01 UVERworld- Life 6 Sence (CD Japan)

6/07 Ghost Company- PUNK EATS J-POP -MOSH PIT STYLE- (CD Japan)

6/08 Alice Nine- Blue Flame (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

6/08 ammoflight- Truthpeaker (CD Japan)

6/08 andymori – Kakumei (CD Japan)

6/08 The Bawdies- Live The Life I Love (CD Japan)

6/08 Buzz the Bears- Kodo (CD Japan)

6/08 the Canadian Club- cocoon (CD Japan)

6/08 Homosapiens- Dead Girlfriend (CD Japan)

6/08 Jazztronik- Dig Dig Dig (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

6/08 Kaminarigumo- Scrap Short Summer (CD Japan)

6/08 Man With A Mission- Man With A Mission (CD Japan)

6/08 midnightPumpkin- Recipe of “FOREVER” (CD Japan)

6/08 MotherMAN- MotherMAN (CD Japan)

6/08 Nothing’s Carved In Stone – echo (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

6/08 the pillows- Comic Sonic (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

6/08 T.C Speaker- Good-by My World (CD Japan)

6/08 Tribal Chair- Crows in the Crowd (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

6/11 cinema staff – cinema staff (CD Japan)

6/11 Elmoc- Shortly

6/15 9mm Parabellum Bullet- Movement (CD Japan)

6/15 A.O.W.- Counter Culture (CD Japan)

6/15 Bassui- Play Ground (CD Japan)

6/15 The Birthday- I’m Just A Dog (CD Japan)

6/15 BLOOD- Bathory (CD Japan)

6/15 Dunkelheit- lover in the soil (CD Japan)

6/15 exist trace- True (CD Japan)

6/15 Galileo Galilei- Aoi Shiori (CD Japan)

6/15 GPKISM- Reliquia (CD Japan)

6/15 Kettles- Me My Kettle? (CD Japan)

6/15 Last Alliance- for staying real BLUE. (CD Japan)

6/15 Saori@Destiny- Domestic domain (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

6/15 serial TV drama- Togenkyo Alien (CD Japan)

6/15 Shit Happening- This Memory To Me… (CD Japan)

6/15 Suicide Ali- Donor of lie (CD Japan)

6/15 Supercar- Re: Supercar 2 (CD Japan)

6/15 TV-Addictions- A Hymn for the TV-Freaks (CD Japan)

6/15 Versailles- Holy Grail (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

6/15 Yellow Magic Orchestra- YMO (CD Japan)

6/22 absentmindedness- Blind e.p. (CD Japan)

6/22 a flood of circle- AFOC The Mix (CD Japan)

6/22 DadaD- Go Around (CD Japan)

6/22 Dir en grey- Different Sense (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

6/22 DNA BAKS- Ichimatsu Moyo e.p. (CD Japan)

6/22 The Mirraz- Kanransha ni Noru Kimi ga Yakei ni Terasareteruuchi wa (CD Japan)

6/22 Mix Speakers, Inc.- It’s a Dream World (CD Japan)

6/22 Negoto- Merci Lou (CD Japan)

6/22 white white sisters – spectrachroma (CD Japan)

6/29 Ashigaru Youth- Like or LoveStory (CD Japan)

6/29 Base Ball Bear- yoakemae (CD Japan)

6/29 L’Arc~en~ciel- Good Luck My Way (CD Japan)

6/29 Scott Murphy- Guilty Pleasures Animation (CD Japan)

6/29 Tokyo Jihen- Daihakken (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

6/29 VA- ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION presents NANO-MUGEN Compilation 2011 (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

6/?? Ogre You Asshole- Ukareteiru Hito Twilight Edition EP (Jet Set)

6/?? Towa Tei- Sunny EP (Jet Set)

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