Temporary Residence will release Mono’s newest album For My Parents in North America on September 4 (Japan release is August 22). The 5-track album is about traveling the world and giving your parents a hug and includes support from the The Wordless Music Orchestra. Preorder the album at Amazon or Temporary Residence, where they already sold out of a few vinyl pressings.
Hit the jump for North American tour dates and a journey through Iceland.
Kagero is an instrumental jazz quartet from Tokyo. They formed in 2005 and its current members are Yu Shiromizu (bass), Ryu “Ruppa” Sasaki (sax), Chieko Kikuchi (piano) and Tomomichi Hagiwara (drums). In 2009 they contributed a song to the Pe’z tribute album, who they have a lot in common with musically. They have released three self-titled albums and a cover album of showtunes and movie themes all available at CD Japan.
Didn’t have time for Play-Asia links. Let me know if you miss them!
7/04 Babymetal- Headbanger! (CD Japan)
7/04 Buck Tick- Miss Take (CD Japan)
7/04 THE CHERRY COKE$- Black Revenge (CD Japan)
7/04 coldrain- Through Clarity (CD Japan)
7/04 girugamesh- Zecchou BANG!! (CD Japan)
7/04 Heavenstamp- ST (CD Japan)
7/04 The John’s Guerrilla- All Power to the People (CD Japan)
7/04 Klan Aileen- Astroride (CD Japan)
7/04 LLama- Independence (CD Japan)
7/04 nicoten- Metro (CD Japan)
7/04 Nile Long- ST (CD Japan)
7/04 The Salovers- Iza, Salover (CD Japan)
7/04 That’s a NO NO!- Yes or No? (CD Japan)
7/04 Totalfat- Wicked and Naked (CD Japan)
7/04 White Ash- Quit or Quiet (CD Japan)
7/04 Versailles- Rose (CD Japan) Read the rest of this entry »
Shintaro Sakamoto, frontman of the legendary psych rock outfit Yura Yura Teikoku, released his debut solo album How To Live With A Phantom Mood in Japan late last year. Other Music Recording released the album on CD/Vinyl/digital in the US on July 17. You can pick up all three at Amazon or their Other Music’s distro site.
Here we go again!
Sawagi scores another point for the instrumental/post rock scene this month. “Kyakkya” brings Sawagi’s Korgs to outer space but it all sounds more like a trip to Disneyland in the end.
Hailing from Chiba is the charming four person indie pop group the tote. They formed in January 2011 as a trio. Their first single “Everyday” was released in February and their second “Reason Reason” will be released in August. Let me know if you find either of them!
Saritote; is an alternative/ambient/dance/math band from Osaka. The band formed in 2008 with the lineup of Kubo (guitar, singer), Masaharu (bass) and Teccha (drums). Masaharu split and Gavin took over bass in 2010. Sakippe is their current bassist. Nevertheless, they released their self-titled album in 2011. You can download it now at Amazon. Their new single “Faith” is a free download at SoundCloud.
A new J-Rock Firdays for this rainy day.
On his first album, oono yuuki got tired of singing folk music and invited his friends over for a jam session. The resulting tracks were far and away the highlights of that album. He does the same on the first single off Tempestas, recruiting 8 of the brightest minds in Japan for this epic collaboration. If Yuuki would drop the solo act and form a real band with these guys they’d be a major force in the indie scene.
The Cat Loves Strawberries is the new project from Hiro, the lead singer of ketchup mania. The band formed in the fall of 2009 after ketchup mania announced their disbandment. Joining Hiro is AKA (bass) and AI (guitar) of Rocket K, George (guitar) from fine lines and Akira (drums). In ketchup mania, Hiro provided her cute girl vocals to fast pop punk. Strawberries is much the same but a notch less heavy.
Eat Me is the debut album from The Cat Loves Strawberries and you can get it in August from CD Japan
Cathy lost one’s apricot yesterday is a four-piece indie band from Tokyo. The band formed in 2008 with the current lineup starting in December 2009. They produced three demo CDs that entered disc union’s Top 10 indie chart. Their first mini-album ミエナイミライ was released in 2011 and produced by Art School’s Kenji Todaka. Tower Records Japan has it.
J-Rock Explosion 