Archive for the ‘myspace band of the week’ Category

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Supersnazz

November 10, 2010

myspace band of the week

Garage band Supersnazz has been rocking Japan almost as long as Shonen Knife.  They formed in 1990 as an all-girls band with the original lineup of Spike, Tomoko, Skinnie Minnie, and Kanako.  They caught the ears of American label Sup Pop Records early on who released their first album Superstupid in 1993.  Skinnie Minnie left the band a year later.  They released their second album Devil Youth Blues in 1997 after extensive touring in the US and Japan and released three more albums between 1998-2001.  Their all-girl lineup was broken in 1997.  As of now, Tomoko and Spike are the only original members left, with Greg and Marky the new guy members.

And then the buzz died down once the chick-band image was broken.  But they continued to release albums and tour extensively in the past decade.  Their myspace contains songs from their 2008 album Get Down.  It’s full of Ramones-esque tunes such as the shout out loud “Let’s Go” and the feel good “Can’t Get You Out Of My Mind.”  Supersnazz never stopped making rockin’ tunes even though the music industry forgot about them.

Supersnazz albums are available at CD Japan.  Amazon.com is selling Diode City in CD-R and MP3 format.  Interpunk has it on vinyl.

http://www.myspace.com/supersnazzmusic

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the loud function

November 3, 2010

myspace band of the week

Appropriately named the loud function formed in Osaka in 2001.  After several member changes their current lineup was established June 2009.  Prior to their first mini-album Black Dance Hole in 2008, they released four demo CDs.  A single release is due out later this month.

The loud function specializes in the emotionally charged alternative-rock scene similar to The Rodeo Carburettor and Fox Loco Phantom.  The band shows powerful aggression in songs like “ハイ” and “Just Like Yesterday” and smooth it out on songs like “Dangerous K.”  It looks like they’re currently unsigned but hopefully they’ll be able to put out an album soon.

http://www.myspace.com/theloudfunction

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Friends

October 27, 2010

myspace band of the week

My second favorite record label announced a new band signing and a slew of good Turntable Films and Hotel Mexico news last weekend.  Like all cool bands their first release will be on a dead format.

Friends is a band of 3 people from Kobe and Osaka.  They were inspired by The Beach Boys and surf music.  Second Royal will release Friends’ debut casette tape Young Days Forever by the end of they year. Four of the tracks were already available on their demo (download for free at bandcamp or SoundCloud) and two will be new.

Their music can be best be described as lo-fi surf pop. The swirling guitars are a lot of fun but the vocals sound like they were recorded under water. “Since I Made A Mistake” and “We’ll Never Stay Together” both come from their demo while “I Think I Love You” (download for free at Second Royal’s SoundCloud) is new.  There’s not a whole lot of difference in sound quality between the new and old tracks, but it’s safe to say a cassette release would be natural for this band.  The retro vibe of Friends will have you longing for days on the beach.

http://www.myspace.com/friendsjp

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PeopleJam

October 20, 2010

myspace band of the week

PeopleJam is a dance-rock-funk band from Tokyo seeking the next groove.  Jik and Ken (also of DirtyMindArkestra) formed PeopleJam in 2005.  Thom and Mzn joined in 2007 and Hrn in 2010.  They’ve hosted a free style dance event called JAMSTAND! in 2006 and 2009 and are currently recording an album.

The first six songs on PeopleJam’s myspace follow the same kind of dance-funk formula.  The vocals are all run through a vocoder and are highly reminiscent Eiffel 65’s Europop.  “Wake Up People” starts off this set with an energized track.  Song’s like “Vaporized” and “Nirvana” are sure to make you dance.  PeopleJam do drop the vocader in two tracks.  “Licks” has more of a traditional indie-rock flair with wild vocals in the style of the telephones while the alternate version of “Dead Livestock” drops the funk backdrop for something a little more epic.

A CD-R for Wake Up People is available at their shows but you can download the Vaporized EP for free on their website.

http://www.myspace.com/peoplejam

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kannivalism

October 13, 2010

myspace band of the week

With a name like kannivalism, I was fully expecting a visual-kei band.  And they were at one point.  But they’ve since shed that persona and are now touring with the likes of The 50 Kaitenz.

Kannivalism banded and disbanded in 2001 as a visual kei artist.  They then formed another VK band named Baroque who invented oshare kei, basically the same thing but wearing trendy clothes.  Baroque disbanded in 2004, ten days after their debut album was released.  The original kannivalism members got back together in 2006 and released their first mini-album on Free-Will and were signed to major label avex by the summer.  They released their first album Nu age in 2007 after two singles.  Their followup was set to come out the following year, but their vocalist Ryo fell into a deep depression and the band halted activities while he was hospitalized.  They reunited for the third time in 2009.  Their second album Helios was released in 2010 and they have released two singles and a live DVD since.

Judging by their latest single “Split Recollection,” Ryo’s vocals still have that visual-kei tone.  But they’ve got this incredible mellow vibe in songs like “Helio” and “Love” that almost remind me of sleepy.ab.  Their faster songs like “Glory & you” and “Ritori” are also on the happy side of rock.  There isn’t any old material here to compare to but it’s clear that they’re an ever evolving band.

Their new single rememorari comes out in November.  Join them on Twitter, which they joined today.  Buy kannivalism CDs at CD Japan and Play-Asia.

http://www.myspace.com/kannivalism

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Byousatsu Endorphin

October 6, 2010

myspace band of the week

Thrashy thrash thrash band Byousatsu Endorphin (秒殺エンドルフィン) hails from the prefecture of Osaka.  They formed in 2006 and have a cardboard box with sharpie mouth and eyeholes for a mascot.  You can watch the guys goof off with it in the PV for “iPod is hot.”  They are signed to Tasty Records and their first album 21ideas, useless of business came out in 2009.

All of their songs on myspace are under one and a half minutes long and I imagine the rest are the same.   But I guess it doesn’t take long to get the point of “fuck the bread, eat rice” across.  “Rub His Magical Rump” probably has humorous lyrics as well.  It’s so fast who could tell.  Byousatsu Endorphin packs a lot of power in a short time.  For fans of  BBQ Chickens, Idol Punch, and Fuck You Heroes.

Download 21ideas, useless of business on Amazon MP3 or HearJapan.

http://www.myspace.com/byousatsuendorphin

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BiidoRo

September 29, 2010

myspace band of the week

BiidoRo (ビイドロ) formed in 2000 as the home-recording project of singer/songwriter Takashi Aoyagi.  The lineup has changed over the years, including ex-Quruli member Nobuyuki Mori.  Since then the band has become a three-piece active in Chiba and Tokyo.  They have released 3 singles and 4 albums through PTA and P-Vine, the latest being 2009’s King of Nonsense.

They play that special blend of indie rock that is perfect for the fall weather.  Aoyagi’s vocals can be playful as in “Penguin in Antartica” or shoegazey as in “Moonlight.”  The band explains their music as “a beautiful melody and a performance that keeps free and is delicate. A transparent word echos in the music, and it makes your head become numb.”  No wonder they write songs about staring at themselves from the moon.

http://www.myspace.com/biidoro

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Usotsuki Barbie

September 22, 2010

myspace band of the week

Usotsuki Barbie (嘘つきバービー) is a pretty cool rock band from Sasebo.  The 3-piece formed in 2002 but didn’t release their first mini-album until 2007.  They released their second mini-album the following year with a full-album release soon after.

The first two songs on their myspace come from their 2010 single Kagaku no Shinsaku and the last two come from their 2009 double A-side Babibube Igai Ningen / Neko single.  The vocalist 岩下優介 has a nice funky voice that sounds like he’s on the verge of a nervous breakdown.  Add in some funky guitars and we’ve got some catchy songs.  I even liked the “neko nyan” song.

The Barbie liars are probably best known for their eccentric videos and the vocalist’s Mick Jagger swagger.  Most of the songs on myspace can be seen in video format below.

http://www.myspace.com/usotsukibarbie

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The HARPY’S

September 15, 2010

myspace band of the week

“We are Japanese girls? Band!!”  Yeah, they’re a Japanese girl band.  I didn’t know if that was clear.  Maybe not.

Satomi and mAKi (Falsies on Heat) formed The HARPY’s in March 2009 and Tomo joined a month later.  They  had their first gig and released a  CD-R a few months later.  Musically they are in the garage/punk  genre.  Kind of like Shonen Knife.  But they don’t care about genre, as they want their music to be borderless.

So immediately when I started listening to their music I found something off about this “girl band.”  One of the vocalists definitely sounds like a dude.  A little digging and I find out Tomo is a  transvestite.  Makes sense.  No really, it’s amusing.  But kind of useless information unless you’re seeing them live (lucky for you there’s a clip below).  But back to the music, it’s fun rock and roll that’s mostly sung in English.  They released their first single “a Lost” from Due Records on 9/11.

The HARPY’s are touring America this week.  Check them out in Connecticut tonight and New York the next three.

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bed

September 8, 2010

myspace band of the week

This band named themselves after something I haven’t seen enough of this week.  So before I wrap myself in the cold embraces of death my pillow, here is the band of the week.

Bed (originally Diary Tree?) formed in June 2005.  They were influenced by Fugazi and US indie bands.  Their first EP turn it off was released in February 2007 and their first album Response was released a year later.  Both were mastered by Chad Clark in America.  Earlier this year they signed to 3P3B and contributed a song to the Carry That Weight II compilation along with some other cool bands.  Their second album On Off came out in July.

Their myspace consists of old songs.  From the turn it off EP we have “otosomino,” an indie jam with loud, whiny vocals that slightly remind me of Sparta.  The Response material is tighter; almost math rock.  The whiny vocals persist in “uchiagaru” and “sosite” but they’re much more pleasant.   On the other hand you can barely hear the vocals in the “Sophisticated Man” demo.  If you’re into J-indie bands like Ogre You Asshole or lostage you’ll like bed.

New music videos from On Off are below and they sound awesome.  Order the album at CD Japan.

http://www.myspace.com/diarytree

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