Archive for the ‘myspace band of the week’ Category

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Gekitetsu

February 8, 2011

myspace band of the week

Most bands these days I discover through my YouTube subscriptions. But every so often I bump into an album cover so ridiculous I have to click on it. So when I saw the man-animals of Gekitetsu (撃鉄) whilst browsing the “Far East & Asia” MP3 section on Amazon.com, I knew what I had to do.

Gekitetsu formed in 2007 in Tokyo. Their name translates to “Hammer” and that’s exactly what they do, pound out aggressive punk songs. They made a name for themselves with their appearance at Fuji Rock ’09. Their debut mini-album Geki was just released and was produced by former Number Girl bassist Kentaro Nakao.

As for the man-animals bit, it doesn’t appear they dress as centaurs on stage, but the vocalist is wearing wicked leopard print pants in the videos I found below.

Buy Geki at CD Japan or download it at Amazon.com or HearJapan.

http://www.myspace.com/gekitetsu

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The Marshmallow Kisses

February 1, 2011

myspace band of the week

London/Hong Kong based Chinese tweepop duo The Marshmallow Kisses formed in 2001. Living on opposite continents, the “non lover duets of Peter and Edine intertwine bittersweet poetry with nostalgic melodies reminiscing a hybrid of French pop, Swedish pop, Bossa Nova, Semi-Classical and Shibuya-kei.” Their debut single was released in the Japanese music magazine Beikoku Ongaku and they released their debut EP  I wonder why my favorite boy leaves me an EP in 2004. Their first full-length album Ciao!Baby was released January 27 in Hong Kong.

The Marshmallow Kisses gravitate toward tweepop and shibuya-kei (French influenced J-Pop). Lyrics are mostly in English, but they dabble in Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese and Italian. “Alapati,” “Broke”, “Memories Swirling Dance,” and “Mercy Mercy, To My Melancholic Journey,” included on the charity compilation PEACE, are the newest songs on their myspace. “Mercy…” is a catchy pop song while “Alapati” and “Memories Swirling Dance” are very much classic shibuya-kei and appear to be in French and Cantonese. The rest of the songs reflect sweet melodies and nostalgic feelings.

The Marshmallow Kisses are as sweet as their name implies. In the words of Kaji Hideki, “…really pleasant and nostalgic”, and “absolutely charming.” Their new album will only lead to more success. Get their EP at Amazon.com or their website.  Ciao!Baby is available at YesAsia.

http://www.myspace.com/themarshmallowkisses

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Eddie Legend Story

January 20, 2011

myspace band of the week

Eddie Legend Story is a visual-kei band fronted by the infamous Eddie Legend.  He was previously a bōsōzoku (motor cycle dude) in Hell-Racer and MAD3 before turning into a blood-sucking vampire.  More interestingly he played guitar for the all-girl group The 5,6,7,8’s in the mid-nineties.  The Story band formed in February 2010 and currently consists of four vampires.  They released their first album Undead August 2010.

Their brand of mostly instrumental garage rock is pleasingly raw. The only true vocal song, “You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory,” proves that Eddie Legend is a vampire with feelings.  I’m sniffing just thinking about that title.  The VK scene seems stuck in the goth/metal genre, but these rockabilly vampires prove otherwise.

It seems Undead is only available in Japan, but you can still find Eddie’s MAD3 stuff at CD Japan and Interpunk (Eddie Legend Story borrows songs from them anyway).

http://www.myspace.com/eddielegendstory

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Turntable Films

January 6, 2011

myspace band of the year (RUNNER-UP)

Second Royal had a good year.  Great albums were released by label veterans and newbies.  But no one topped Parables of Fe-Fum by Turntable Films.

Turntable Films is a Kyoto based alternative-folk-rock band.  It started as a bedroom project by founding members Yosuke Inoue (Vocals,Guitar) and Kento Tani (Bass) and turned into a band when Natsuki Tamura(Drums) and Nozomi Funada(Keyboard) joined in 2008.  They self-produced a self-titled mini-album by the end of the year.  In 2010 Second Royal signed them and they released two more mini-albums, Parables of Fe-Fum and 10 Days Plus One.  They describe their music as “sensitive romantic song-writing, expressive improvisation-smelled performance, and the nostalgic sound influenced from American roots would let you show an alternative view in modern times??”

“2steps” was the single from Parables and it’s a fun Brit-influenced rock song with nice flute work.  “Collection of You” from 10 Days follows suit with more flute.  The one song from their self-titled release, “Music River,” is another beast.  It has more of a country-folk vibe as did the rest of the songs on this release.  The last song on their myspace is Handsomeboy Technique’s remix of “2steps” from their 7″ 2steps EP.

Although “Collection of You” was similar to Parables material the samples of the rest of the album indicate that they went back to the folk sound of their self-titled debut.  Another Parables would be more successful for the band but I would still like to get my hands on 10 Days.

Buy Turntable Films’ stuff at CD Japan and Jet Set Records.

http://www.myspace.com/turntablefilms

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The Brixton Academy

December 30, 2010

myspace band of the year

We’ve covered dozens of bands this year on myspace band of the week, but there were a few that got passed over for exceeding awesomeness.  This year’s myspace band of the year goes to The Brixton Academy.

The Brixton Academy named themselves after the concert hall in Britain.  And the British influence is pretty evident in their music.  “Take four lively lads, stick them in a basement club two floors underground in a far flung corner of a sprawling metropolis. Feed them on a diet of 70’s New Wave, pumped up early 80’s New Romantic Electro, and a 90’s hunger for indie Hacienda dance floor guitar rock. Top it off with identical black mop top haircuts then wrap in monochrome vertical stripes and you’ve just about got TBA.”

The first four songs on their myspace come from their debut album Vivid and they range from the club-ready “See You In A Dream” and the crooning love song “Shy Shy.”   The last two “Turn Around” and “Nightclub” come from their EP TBA.  They’re a little less synth-heavy but it’s nice to hear real bass.  No samples of their new EP L.O.T. are available but it’s more along the lines of “See You In A Dream.”  TBA likes to think of themselves as four mysterious dudes, but I think they’ll be “very much known all over the damn place” soon.

Buy TBA releases at CD Japan and Amazon.com.

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4 Bonjour’s Parties

December 16, 2010

myspace band of the week

4 Bonjour’s Parties is a 9-piece band that formed in the suburbs of Tokyo in 2001.  In 2005 they toured Australia, sold out their demo CDs, and met Clue to Kalo who found them a record deal.  Their first album Pigments Drift Down To The Brook was released in the US by Mush Records and Japan by &records in 2007.  They toured Japan with support from US indie bands in 2007-2008 and returned to Australia in 2009.  Their newest album Okapi Horn was released last week in Japan.

Their dreamy flute and horn soaked bedroom pop makes 4 Bonjour’s the ultimate chillout band.  The first 4 songs on myspace come from Pigments, while “Pins and Needles” and “Optical Song”  highlight Okapi Horn.  “Pins and Needles” is a peaceful track that’s just begging to whisk you to sleep.  It was originally recorded as a live video for Sleepers Film last year (and also the very first video posted on J-Rock Fridays!).  “Optical Song” livens things up a little with synthesizer and handclaps.  Overall two beautiful tracks that has me excited to hear the new album.

Buy 4 Bonjour’s Parties CDs at Amazon.com and CD Japan.

http://www.myspace.com/4bonjoursparties

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sloppy joe

December 9, 2010

myspace band of the week

sloppy joe is a Brit-pop influenced indie band from Tokyo.  They released their first CD single Trying To Be Funny in 2006.  They later released two 7″ singles, Trying To Be Funny and Portrait on their cubbyhole fabrication label.

Both singles and their b-sides are available on myspace in demo form.  Their latest “Portrait” is a nice nostalgic piece with a smooth trumpet line.  Its b-side “The Country” has more of a country vibe but is catchier.  I tend to be drawn to their trumpet songs overall but they’re all great rock songs.

The band is currently writing their debut album.  Their Trying To Be Funny single is out out of print, but you can still pick up Portrait from Jet Set Records like I did.

http://www.myspace.com/sloppyjoejp

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Czecho No Republic

December 2, 2010

myspace band of the week

Czecho No Republic hails from Tokyo, not Czechoslovakia like my great-grandparents.  Two of the three band members played in The Mirraz before the Quattro boys stepped in.  They formed in March 2010 and just released their first CD Erectionary sold exclusively at Tower Records.

Most of the songs on Czecho No Republic’s myspace are demos.  They have a stripped down acoustic quality, almost tropical, which may explain why the demo CD cover has the band members hanging from their necks on a palm tree.  “Call Her” from Erectionary, though, has a fun pop hook and “Goodbye” brings them closer to indie-pop territory.  Tropical or not, this trio will be making waves in the indie scene.

http://www.myspace.com/ceskanorepublic

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Paunch Wheel

November 24, 2010

myspace band of the week

Paunch Wheel (パウンチホイール) is a band of friends who met in their high school chorus club in 2000.  A fan of The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper and long names, they originally called themselves All About My Paunch and Bucket Wheel Excavator.   Thankfully they shortened it.  They’ve released three mini-albums leading up to their debut album ダウンロードは下の in 2009.

Their songs on myspace are of the smooth rock variety, similar to Acidman.  Their single “ロミオ＆ジュリエット (Romeo & Juliet)” is the most upbeat and might have found itself as an anime theme on another label.  But I guess Paunch Wheel’s J-Pop will have to stay at the live houses a little while longer.  Their mini-album Real is the only thing available on CD Japan.

http://www.myspace.com/paunchwheel

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mmm

November 18, 2010

myspace band of the week

mmm (memymo!) is the solo project of mmm from Maria Hato and friends.  Her first album パヌー (Panu) was released late 2009/early 2010 (whichever makes it eligible for my year-end list) on kiti label.  She also helped out on labelmate oono yuuki’s Stars In Video Game and released a CD-R in July.

“マジカル・オムニブス号 (Magical Omnibus)” was the first single off Panu and was made into an exuberant one-take PV.  It’s easily the happiest song on the album and you’re a horrible person if that video doesn’t make you smile.  The rest of the songs are much more of a subdued folk affair, or as she says “all my songs tend to be saddy but I actually am very happy.”

“外人さん (Foreigner)” and “ゲロ吐く時の歌 (Song of vomit puke)” are strange to say the least but showcase mmm’s vocal range.  “There there” is a beautiful song, sung entirely in English, that should put mmm on the shortlist of best female singer-songwriters in Japan. 

Buy mmm releases at Jet Set Records and Amazon.com.

http://www.myspace.com/mmmmeguho

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