If you need a little music to lift the ghouls and spirits this Hallows eve, check out Arai Tasuku’s new album. Similar to world’s end girlfriend, Drawing in Dreams features unsettling instrumentals and the haunted echoes of children. Listen and purchase both of Arai Tasuku’s albums at his bandcamp page.
I don’t feel like making a Halloween themed J-Rock Fridays this year. Maybe you’ll find some spooks anyway.
Hey, I thought you said there’s no Halloween J-Rock Fridays this year? Just a well timed video from The Suzan! Fun fact: Lykke Li sang backing vocals on this track.
Go green is not an environmental group or eco addict. Just a solo rock act. Go green formed in 1995 as a three- piece led by Kenji. However, over the years it became Kenji’s solo project. Kenji records almost all of go green’s songs in his small Tokyo apartment. In 2008, Kenji started doing live go green shows with acoustic/electric guitars with self-recorded back tracks on iPods.
The original go green lineup released the album From Apple To Pepper in 2002. Floating on the Edge released in 2010 was go green’s first album as a solo project. In July go green released Close To You, Close To Me, a free digital single inspired by the earthquake and tsunami disasters in Japan.
Go green MP3s are available at iTunes, Amazon and directly from the artist. CD Baby has Floating on the Edge on CD.
It’s a punk rock Christmas! Get out your candy canes and air guitar with them. Moonshine Japan has compiled a sweet Christmas themed compilation in time for the holidays. Grab it November 2.
1. HOTSQUALL- JINGLE BELL ROCK
2. BACK LIFT- JINGLE BELLS
3. MARGALINE- We Wish you a Merry Christmas
4. SABOTEN- Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town
5. HOT DOG- LAST CHRISTMAS / WHAM!
6. Boobie Trap- STEP INTO CHRISTMAS / Elton John
7. SpecialThanks & i GO- クリスマス / JUDY AND MARY
8. S.M.N. – FELIZ NAVIDAD / FELICIANO JOSE
9. PAN- ジンジンジングルベル / 森高千里
10. PINKLOOP- Christmas Wish / STACIE ORRICO
11. Smash up- Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
12. NUGGET- I SAW MOMMY KISSING SANTA CLAUS
13. T.C SPEAKER- ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU / Mariah Carey
14. MISSPRAY- Wonderful Christmastime / Paul McCartney
15. MISS CAST AND THE LIAR LIARS- クリスマスキャロルの頃には / 稲垣潤一
16. AFROHEAD 7 LINE：Happy Xmas (War Is Over) / John Lennon
PeopleJam is hosting a free party at Shibuya WOMB November 29. They’re giving away a free compilation too. The Bricolage compilation features 10 tracks, plus a new PV for “Wake Up People” by170cm-jack and nifty posters. Download here.
Last week Toru Hidaka of the Beat Crusaders released a split single with Fed Music, Cubismo Grafico and Sayaka Kushibiki. Our Favorite Songs features two tracks from both combos. Toru Hidaka collaborated with Fed Music on “Double Fantasy” (originally a demo for Hidaka’s GALLOW project) and a cover of Andrew Gold’s “Lonely Boy.” Hidaka and Fed Music performed both songs on Ustream recently and a few other covers. Watch below.
The Valves is a new garage rock band from Tokyo. The band members are Takeshi Kaji (vocals, guitar), Jean (guitar), Junichi Ishida (bass) and Takashi Kanda (drums). Takeshi Kaji is the lead vocalist/guitarist of The Rodeo Carburettor most known for the end theme “Speed of Flow” from the Gintama anime series. From the looks of it, The Rodeo Carburettor may have broken up some time ago. The Valves released their first album Feed Back Club May 28 despite only forming earlier this year.
Feed Back Club is available at iTunes and Amazon. Samples are available at myspace.
Get down to the basement and hear The Flickers’ hot new track! New band to watch out for.
Uzumibi (埋火) is a 3-piece folk rock band from Tokyo. The band members are Mai Mishio(vocal/guitar), Kanako Shiga (drums) and Keizo Suhara (bass). They formed in 2001 in Fukuoka and the current lineup was solidified when Keizo joined in 2006. Their first mini-album Koi ni Kansuru Ikutsuka no Film was released in 2005 when the band still had 5 members. They have released two albums Watashi no Fune in 2008 and Diorama in 2011.
There are two tracks on Uzumibi’s myspace, “Letter” from Watashi no Fune and the “mono” version of 溺れる魚 from their new album Diorama. “Letter” is sweet little pop diddy while 溺れる魚 is on another level. There is something very nostalgic about it that keeps making me hit replay (watch the album version PV below!).
Uzumibi CDs are available at CD Japan.
J-Rock Explosion 