Archive for May, 2013

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J-Rock Fridays Vol. 98

May 31, 2013

Pirates, astronauts, pizza, oh my!

Comeback My Daughters- “Alone in the Dark”

The boys of Comeback My Daughters are back in NYC recording their major label debut for Columbia. Look familiar? That’s because they reshot the exact same scenes in the exact same locations as their for video “Why” in reverse order. New hairdos, great new song.

DQS- “Rescue featuring Kondo Tomohiro”

How many drummers does one band need? This supergroup has 10, plus a guitarist, bassist and keyboardist, all from bands I’ve posted about before that I’m not listing off here. Of course, it kind of takes the wind out of DQS’ sails when only 4 of them show up to film a PV that mainly features their special guest vocalist, but I’m sure it’s amazing when they all perform live!

The Cherry Coke$- “Drunken Pirate”

A little late for St. Paddy’s Day, but The Cherry Coke$’s swarmy pirate theme has finally been realized. Grab your accordions and flutes and join them at the Jolly Roger.

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Posted in ALL OFF, Calmera, Comeback My Daughters, DQS, FoZZtone, Gesu no Kiwami Otome, Haisuinonasa, Homecomings, J-Rock Fridays, Kiryu, LOST, SuiseiNoboAz, The Cherry Coke$ | Leave a Comment »

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J-Rock Archives: May 2013

May 31, 2013

Toodaloo Stuff To Look Forward To

5/01 CreepHyp- Yu, Sansan (CD Japan/Video)

5/01 Hey Smith- Now Album (CD Japan/Video)

5/01 Jun Fantaheater- Cosmic Walk (CD Japan/Video)

5/01 Kinoko Hotel- Marianne no Gyakushu (CD Japan/Video)

5/01 Sekai no Owari- RPG (CD Japan)

5/01 Sister Jet- 3-1=2/No Limit EP (CD Japan/Video)

5/01 Straightener- 21st Century Rock Band (CD Japan/Video)

5/02 Electric Lunch- Shujutsushitsu e Mosugu Boku wa Hakobarete Atama wo Sawarareru (CD Japan/Video)

5/02 Happle- Drama wa Tsuzuku (CD Japan/Video)

5/02 Say My Name.- Let It Out (CD Japan)

5/02 Squeezemen- Forrest Bump (Jet Set Records/Video)

5/08 385- Ningen (CD Japan/Video)

5/08 The cold tommy- The crime to mme, your tommy (CD Japan/Video)

5/08 Expo- Epotion (Jet Set Records/Video)

5/08 fifi- Banquet! (CD Japan/Video)

5/08 Good Morning America- Mirai e no Spiral (CD Japan/Video)

5/08 Jinn- Rizing (Video)

5/08 Kameleo- Now! (CD Japan/Video)

5/08 Qooland- Soredemo Hiko Telecast (CD Japan/Video)

5/08 Sanzen- Kasaneru (CD Japan/Video)

5/08 unkie- Forest Vamp (CD Japan/Video)

5/08 Yoshiharu Abe- R (CD Japan/Video)

5/08 Red Sneakers- Swimming 7″ (Jet Set Records)

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Hideki Yoshimura passes away

May 30, 2013

hidekiyoshimura

Hideki Yoshimura, lead vocalist and guitarist of bloodthirsty butchers, passed away on May 27 from acute cardiac failure at the age of 46. He had completed production on the newest bloodthirsty butchers album, who celebrated their 25th anniversary last year. An official statement from their label is available here.

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unkie

May 29, 2013

myspace band of the week

unkie

Unkie is a math rock band from Tokyo. They formed in 2006, originally intending to play one gig together, but decided to stay together permanently releasing their first album The Price of Fame a year later.  The trio consists of Tokie (bass), Yutaka Aoki (guitar) and Hiroshi Kido (drums) who have all played in established Japanese rock bands such as downy and Rize. Their second album Too Many Secrets was recorded in Chicago with Steve Albini of Nirvana fame and released in 2008. Their latest album Forest Vamp was released earlier this May and is available at CD Japan and digitally worldwide at Amazon and iTunes.

http://www.myspace.com/unkieofficial

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Andymori to break up

May 28, 2013

andymori

Andymori have announced on their website that they will be breaking up after six years at the end of this summer. Their last performance will take place on September 24 at Nippon Budokan with a nationwide tour “All You Need Is Love” preceding it. But before then, they will be releasing their 5th and final album,  Uchu no Hate wa Kono Me no Mae ni, on June 26. Watch the PV for the title track below, in which the band pokes fun at their upcoming demise by playing in instrument-shaped coffins.

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drawing4-5

May 22, 2013

myspace band of the week

drawing4-5

The musical collective drawing4-5 formed in 1999 and is based in Tokyo. The band is lead by Hamada Satoshi aka mcatm with an average of 5-7 members performing live, although over a dozen members participated in their latest release Thorn. Their songs are usually improvised live and chopped together with samples on the computer. Ranging from lo-fi rock to folk to ambient noise, you never know what you’re going to get with drawing4-5. You can find all of their albums at their bandcamp page.

http://www.myspace.com/magicnumberingarchestra

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Envy to release massive 14 LP boxset

May 22, 2013

Envy is celebrating their 20th anniversary with the release of Invariable Will, Recurring Ebbs and Flows, a massive career-spanning 14 LP boxset. To be released on July 16 by Temporary Residence, the boxset will include all of their albums, EPs and b-sides for a total of 95 songs. In addition, it will also include a 100-page coffee table book and two DVDs. The boxset is limited to 1000 copies, including two color varients, and is available for preorder here with a special 20% off discount until June 1.

 http://shop.temporaryresidence.com/trr200

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J-Rock Fridays Vol. 97

May 17, 2013

385- “Koi Ga Wakaranai”

The hardcore jazz trio 385 finally released their first album earlier this month and it’s as crazy as its lead single. Don’t let the slow piano intro fool you!

sloppy joe- “Once and For All”

It’s hard to tell what’s going on in this video with all the washed out colors, but that’s not going to matter when euphoria strikes after the trumpet hits its stride.

Momo Kazuhiro- “Rock’n’roll Heart (Is Here To Stay)”

Mo’some Tonebender’s fearless leader is once again on the road in support of his second solo album. This extra long single has plenty of rock’n’roll staples, such as the never ending do-do-do’s.

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Posted in 385, HEY-SMITH, Hinomari, J-Rock Fridays, mitsume, Mo'some Tonebender, Momo Kazuhiro, Puffyshoes, Senkawos, sloppy joe, Smellman, The Face, VDX, Za Ningen | Leave a Comment »

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Curlys

May 15, 2013

myspace band of the week

curlys

Curlys (カーリーズ) is an all girl pop band from Nagoya. Tommy (guitar/vocals), Mayu (guitar/vocals), Manamin (bass) and Curly (drums) formed the band in the spring of 2009 after meeting in an American studies group at Nanzan University. Their first album Etiquette was produced by Akihiro Sugiyama from Doimoi and released in 2012. They announced their hiatus on March 15 before the release of their new 7″ single Baby Blue. You can grab their album at Jet Set Records.

http://www.myspace.com/bobandcurlys

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Watch Jake Shimabukuro’s Documentary on PBS Tonight

May 10, 2013

PBS will premiere Life on Four Strings, a documentary about Japanese-American ukelele master Jake Shimabukuro, tonight. Following Shimabukuro’s tour from New York to LA to Japan, the documentary reflects on the loneliness of life on the road and his newfound fame. The film is directed by Tadashi Nakamura and is a production of the Center for Asian American Media and Pacific Islanders in Communications in association with Paliku Documentary Films.

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Posted in documentary, Jake Shimabukuro, PBS | Leave a Comment »

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