Archive for July, 2011

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Chuck G. & The Napkins

July 26, 2011

myspace band of the week

Chuck G. & The Napkins is a R&B/soul band from Tokyo that formed in March 2010. They named their band after Booker T. & The MG’s, the house band of Stax Records in the ’60s. The band consists of Chuck Goto on vocals, Yusuke Mori on guitar, Takehiro Mikami on bass and Hideaki Baba on AKAI MPC sampler. Yusuke Mori is also a member of Plastic Soy Sauce, a Chicago based band formed by four Japanese students at Columbia College. Chuck G. & The Napkins released their second EP in June.

There’s not a whole lot going on on Chuck G. & The Napkins’ myspace page (time to drop myspace from this column’s title?) except for some bandcamp links. Their demo EP has more of a standard indie rock/pop feel while their newest lays down the funk. You can buy their music at  bandcamp or CD Baby. The first EP is free!

http://www.myspace.com/chuckgandthenapkins/

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J-Rock Fridays Vol. 50

July 22, 2011

Fifty seems like an important number. If you can’t wait for J-Rock Fridays, I’ve been posting a few videos a day on my Tumblr account.

Comeback My Daughters- “Always on your side”

Outta Here is a great album. And since I’m too lazy to write album reviews I’ll just give CBMD top billing again. Awesome country sound!

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Posted in 99RadioService, arukara, Ashley Scared The Sky, BIGMAMA, Comeback My Daughters, CRAZY HiTMAN, DAMAGE, Envy, J-Rock Fridays, Monica Uranglass, mudy on the 昨晩, sakanaction, The Novembers, To overflow evidence, Veltpunch | 3 Comments »

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Super Cool Bucket Relay

July 20, 2011

myspace band of the week

“I am a bucket. As yet I have no name. I’ve no idea where I was born.
All I remember is that I was miaowing in a dampish dark place when,
for the first time, I saw a human being.”

Super Cool Bucket Relay (スーパークールバケツリレー) combines video game chaos with anime cuteness. Kind of like Shinsei Kamattechan but with chibi mascots. The band originally formed in 2003 but dissolved in 2007. Original members Mukikofu and Tatsuya put the band back together in 2009. They are currently a three-piece and drumless.

Download Noを探す旅 and Ninja for Nothing at CD Baby.

http://www.myspace.com/super-cool-bucket-relay

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hemlock

July 14, 2011

myspace band of the week

Hemlock is the type of band that left a few comments on my profile but whose advances I largely ignored. Until they decided to make a Durarara!! MAD (now airing on adult swim!!).  Hemlock formed in October 2009 around Shimokitazawa. Naturally their band name comes from the poison Socrates was sentenced to drink in prison. Their first mini-album Shinokosho came out in June.

The song used in the Durarara!! MAD, ” ブルーローズ (Blue Rose),” is a nice aggressive rock tune. The rest of the songs on myspace are samples from Shinokosho. Although “Blue Rose” is absent from that mini-album, the songs here are in the same vain. “メコノプシス・ホリドゥラ” is especially rocking, while “君と宇宙と愚かな僕と” and “君と宇宙と愚かな僕と” are slow numbers. I would like to see Ms. Tomiki do more vocals but I’m okay with her being eye candy for now.

Buy Shinokosho at CD Japan. Download “Blue Rose” here.

http://www.myspace.com/hemlock6969

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Polyvinyl releases Japan benefit compilation

July 12, 2011

Polyvinyl has released a compilation entitled Japan 3.11.11 benefiting the ongoing relief efforts in Japan. The compilation includes b-sides and rarities from the label’s artists including Asobi Seksu and Deerhoof. It also includes Shugo Tokumaru’s cover of “Video Killed the Radio Star” and toe’s “Ordinary Days,” previously released on iTunes. The MP3 version of the compilation is available now while the 2LP will be released in September. All proceeds will be donated to the Red Cross. Order here.

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Posted in Asobi Seksu, Deerhoof, Shugo Tokumaru, toe, US Release | Leave a Comment »

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Stuff To Look Forward To, July 2011

July 11, 2011

7/01 umbrella- Amayadori (CD Japan)

7/02 Ashley Scared The Sky- The Prayer EP

7/06 Africaemo- Power of the City (CD Japan)

7/06 Alfred Beach Sandal- One Day Calypso (CD Japan)

7/06 BIGMAMA- Himitsu to Lucy (CD Japan)

7/06 The ChronoHEAD- Latent Fire

7/06 Comeback My Daughters- Outta Here (CD Japan)

7/06 Frontier Backyard- sunset, sunrise (CD Japan)

7/06 kidori kidori- El Primero (CD Japan)

7/06 LITE- For All the Innocence (CD Japan)

7/06 Mop of Head- Retronix (CD Japan)

7/06 noanowa- Hi! How Are You? (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

7/06 Olde Worlde- The Lemon Shark (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

7/06 NoGoD- Kamikaze (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

7/06 The Opening Cloud- equal (CD Japan)

7/06 Plastic Girl In Closet- Cocoro (CD Japan)

7/06 ROTTENGRAFFTY- Silver (CD Japan)

7/06 Space Boys- Angelina

7/06 stack44- Navigation Light (CD Japan)

7/06 SuiseiNoboAz- The (Overused) End of the World and I Miss You Muh-Fuh (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

7/06 The Ton-Up Motors- Hey!! People, (CD Japan)

7/06 Unison Square Garden- Populous Populous (CD Japan)

7/06 Yellow Gang- Stay Free Songs (CD Japan)

7/13 The50kaitenz- Rock’n’Roll Sekairyokou (CD Japan)

7/13 BREAKERZ- LAST PRAY / ZETTAI! I LOVE YOU (CD Japan)

7/13 Fear, and Loathing In Las Vegas- NEXTREME (CD Japan)

7/13 Gackt- Episode.0 (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

7/13 Mix Speaker’s, Inc.- It’s a dream world (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

7/13 Negoto- ex Negoto (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

7/13 OUTER-TRIBE- Afraid (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

7/13 Salyu- Aozora / Magic (CD Japan)

7/13 school food punishment- Prog-Roid (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

7/13 STRAIGHTENER- YOU and I / Hitsuji No Mure Ha Oka Wo Noboru (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

7/19 Fjordne- Charles Rendition (Darla)

7/19 Shonen Knife- Osaka Ramones (Good Charamel)

7/20 Akihiro Namba- Wild at Heart (CD Japan)

7/20 [Champagne]- Ie (CD Japan)

7/20 Flipside- mugixcale (CD Japan)

7/20 Good Morning America- Wall Paper Music ja Odoritakunai Ze (CD Japan)

7/20 Miila and the Geeks- 3 Songs (Jet Set)

7/20 sakanaction- Bach no Senritsu wo Yoru ni Kiitaseidesu (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

7/20 the telephones- 100% Disco Hits! Summer Pack (CD Japan)

7/27 B’z- C’mon (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

7/27 Homosapiens- LemonPop (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

7/27 GOOD4NOTHING- It’s shoooort time!! (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

7/27 Four Get Me A Nots- Heroine (CD Japan)

7/27 MERRY- Beautiful Freaks (CD Japan)

7/27 Monica Uranglass- Puxa (CD Japan)

7/27 Shinichi Osawa & Paul Chambers- Singapore Swing (CD Japan, Play-Asia)

7/27 Theatre Brook- Live Long and Prosper Tour (CD Japan)

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J-Rock Fridays Vol. 49

July 8, 2011

I cut my finger on a slurpee lid. That was embarrassing.

クリープハイプ- 欠伸

クリープハイプ (creep hype?) knows the city is shady. Keep a bat with you at all times!

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Posted in Africaemo, Alfred Beach Sandal, Countlost, creep hype, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Homosapiens, J-Rock Fridays, kidori kidori, Led Naked, LITE, musiquo musiqua, Plastic Girl In Closet, She Talks Silence, SuiseiNoboAz, The Ton-Up Motors | Leave a Comment »

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Ashley Scared The Sky

July 6, 2011

myspace band of the week

Ashley Scared The Sky is a hardcore band from Tokyo that formed in June 2010. Julian (6strings) comes from America and Kentaro (screams), Moo (4strings) and Nori (drums) round out the band.  Their first release The Prayer EP was released via Garimpeiro Records last week.

Their myspace includes samples of all four tracks from The Prayer EP. “The Ark Sailing Through Truth” sounds like your typical screamo song with some cool electronics thrown in the last third of the track. “Separation Anxiety Will Never End” sounds like a real raver and the rest of the songs follow suit. Pretty similar to Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas or even Blood Stain Child with the heavy electronic parts. They remind me of the days when I used to freak out every time Tooth and Nail/Solid State signed a new hardcore band. If you need another reason to check out their new EP, Hiro from FACT calls it “perfect.”

http://www.myspace.com/ashleyscaredthesky

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New Miila and the Geeks 7″

July 6, 2011

As promised, Miila and the Geeks new EP has a release date. 3 Songs, the followup to 6 Songs, will be released on July 20 from Niw! Records. Side A includes “New Age” and “Mind Your Own Business” while side B features a remix of “Worst Words.” Preorder the EP now at Jet Set Records.

“New Age” lacks the punch in your face from 6 Songs but still has a great retro feel. Like the theme to some old black and white noir film. The video features Moe walking on a beach but I’m picturing a seedy nightclub with cigar smoke wafting upstage. Watch a live clip of “Worst Words” below (no sax).

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3 new Czecho No Republic videos

July 2, 2011

I discovered Czecho No Republic’s new YouTube page too late for last week’s J-Rock Fridays, but it would’ve been tough to pick just one PV. They’ve uploaded three new videos from their new single/EP Casually, which was released early June. “Don’t Cry, Forest Boy” and “Massachusetts” are two of the strongest indie singles of the year, on par with Gellers and Comeback My Daughters.  And the tropical “P.I.C Guam” (All I want is a pint of bear. A pint of beer!) is just goofy fun. There is a fourth song on this single (not named “Casually,”oddly enough), that didn’t get a video. Maybe next time.  Casually is available now at CD Japan and Play-Asia.

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