Friday! Watch your J-Rock videos. Then go see Scott Pilgrim vs. The World!
Isobe Masafumi, formerly of Husking Bee and Mars Eurythmics, has decided to go solo and got Toru Hidaka of Beat Crusaders to tag along and produce his first single. It’s a fun pop song with plenty of screeching synths. The single release, which has a very Beat Crusaders-esque cover, also features peeps from Asian Kung-Fu Generation, Asparagus, and Cubismo Grafico Five.
Screamo is a delicate word. But that’s what I’ve associated Nature Living with since I found them on purevolume ages ago. Their second album Anonymous came out in Japan today so now’s a good time to bring them up again.
Nature Living formed in 1998 and their debut was the Thirst for Lust mini-album in 2000. They released their first album Thereof in 2006 from Theory&Practice Records and a cover album After All in 2008. They’ve released split albums with FACT, Waterweed, LOST, Evylock, and others. In 2008 they provided “Vacancy” for the anime Xam’d: Lost Memories with 14-year-old Kylee on vocals. Their new album will be released on Savi Records.
“Shadow of Truth” and the “Walk Upon Thorns” and “Use To Be Sad” snippets come from their latest album. It’s classic Nature Living. Nice violin intro, catchy chorus, an electronic beat in the background. I don’t hear any screaming but that’s okay. The rest of the songs on myspace are the singles from past albums and mini-albums and their cover of Madonna’s “Material Girl.” Nature Living haven’t changed too much over the years but they’re still one of my favorite screamo bands from Japan.
Overseas fans can pick up some Nature Living CDs at Interpunk. Download Anonymous at HearJapan.
August is here. And there’s more Japanese albums I can’t afford. If you’re in Chicago this weekend X-Japan will be at Lollapalooza. I don’t have $300 to burn just to stand around in the sun but whatever makes you happy.
Beat Crusaders- SituationIf you haven’t already heard, the Beat Crusaders are breaking up. Why do you have to leave me? “Situation” is their final single. Apparently, it will only be released as a DVD video. The listing says it’s Region 2, which defeats the point of me buying it, but thanks for one last song.
Nature Living- AnonymousBack in the day, Nature Living was the screamo band to listen to from Japan. And then their popularity fell along with Purevolume’s before they even released their album. But I bought it. And liked it. This is their second full-length (third if you count After All). I doubt they’ll make it easy and put it on Interpunk again for us but I will find you. (myspace)
the telephones- We Love TelephonesYes, we do. Second major label album from the band and they’re just as crazy as ever. I was starting to worry after that collaboration with MiChi. But the singles have been good, especially “Kiss Me, Love Me, Kiss Me,” which was a pleasant diversion from their normal chaos. They’ll bring the disco if you give them your love and voice. (myspace)
Mass of the Fermenting Dregs- Zero Comma, Irotoridori No SekaiNow this is a major label debut we should be worried about. When they released the video for the title track a couple of weeks ago it was clear that they changed their sound to something more bubbly. I don’t mind the direction they’re going in. It’s kind of fun. (myspace)
The Predators- This WorldThe Predators are back with a new mini-album. This was the supergroup comprised of Sawao Yamanaka (the pillows), Jiro (GLAY), and Shinpai Nakayama (STRAIGHTENER). Well, Shinpai left and Hirotaka Takahashi (ELLEGARDEN) stepped in on drums. If you’re a fan of the pillows, they kind of sound the same, so go get it. (myspace)
Scott Murphy- Guilty Pleasure 4Damn you Scott Murphy. You just got back together with ALLiSTER and you’re already doing more solo stuff. As always, the fourth in this series will cover a bunch of J-Pop songs, like Utada Hikaru’s “Flavor of Life.” And hey, there’s even a Carpenters and The Slants cover. And to be fair, the new ALLiSTER album kind of sucks.
Masafumi Isobe- Do we know? (single)
NICO Touches the Walls- Sudden Death Game (single)
sakanaction- Identity (single)
Sebastian X- Bokura no Fantasy
Various Artists- !Leche Con Cover! -A Tribute To No Use For A Name-
Sometimes we can buy Japanese CDs at cheap American prices. Good Charamel is going a little crazy this month by releasing the newest albums from Shonen Knife, Molice, LAZYgunsBRISKY, and TsuShiMaMiRe on August 31. Selected songs from each band and DJ Sashimi will be on a compilation called I Love J-Rock released the same day. That’s a lot of stuff!
Nature Living’s new mini-album Sign of Bright is now available on Interpunk and iTunes. They also have a new video up for “This is for us” here.
Nature Living have added a new song on their myspace named “This is for us.” It’s from their new mini-album “Sign of Bright” due out May 23rd on Theory & Practice Records. They were one of the first Japanese screamo bands I discovered on purevolume.
J-Rock Explosion 