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Japanese Music (Pop, rock and all 'dat) |OT|

K

Kurita

Member
I don't particuarly care for lyrics but that doesn't mean I'm unable to like them. There's always lines in songs that make me think "Oh I like what he/she said". I just pay more attention to the melody, that's all.
In this case I thought they weren't bad. To each his own... ("good" and "bad" are pretty meaningless when it comes to art imo anyway)
 
F

faridmon

Member
Only one band is allowed to have terrible lyrics and even worse Engrish in their music and that Is Vola and Oriental Machines
having said that, more and more young Japanese are actually singing in decent English these days.

Peru said:
Sekai no Owari have outshat themselves with this new disaster.
Click to expand...

Lol, they used to be fun band, never listened to their newer stuff.
 
K

Kurita

Member
My only complaint with vocalists singing in English is when it ends up sounding like a random British band.
Like, Ykiki Beat are cool dudes and their music isn't too bad (you even posted about them on the previous last page) but I know I'll never be able to really get into them because they remind me of Western bands, and most of them bore me to tears.

I couldn't get into Kidori Kidori at first because of that. I'm glad their latest album is entirely in Japanese. Don't get me wrong I really like their previous albums, but I love the new one just because it doesn't sound like a British dude singing (I know the vocalist grew up in the UK).
 
F

faridmon

Member
Hmmm, You don't like western music? You are missing out because there is so many amazing talent out there.

For me, I appreciate both. I just have e deep respect for bands singing in a language they have hard time using it since Japanese people tend to struggle with the language. It just adds up another layer of enjoyment.

Also the fact that I can understand the lyrics helps as well :p
 
K

Kurita

Member
faridmon said:
Hmmm, You don't like western music? You are missing out because there is so many amazing talent out there.

For me, I appreciate both. I just have e deep respect for bands singing in a language they have hard time using it since Japanese people tend to struggle with the language. It just adds up another layer of enjoyment.

Also the fact that I can understand the lyrics helps as well :p
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Oh I also respect them when they use English, that's why I don't really mind Engrish, at least they're doing their best. Most people mocking them could barely do the opposite so...
And you know, ELLEGARDEN, the HIATUS, Nothing's Carved In Stone and ONE OK ROCK are some of my favorite bands ever and they mostly sing in English.

I'm sure there's great stuff in Western music (I'm a big fan of the Beastie Boys), it's just that I don't really have time/motivation to care about what's going on outside of Japanese stuff. 70% of my Twitter feed is Japanese bands/musicians and that's A LOT. I'm just too invested into this scene. It might be strange but it's way easier for me to find new Japanese bands than new Western bands haha
And besides I already have more than enough artists to listen to haha
 
M

MezzoForte

Member
Kurita said:
I'm sure there's great stuff in Western music (I'm a big fan of the Beastie Boys), it's just that I don't really have time/motivation to care about what's going on outside of Japanese stuff. 70% of my Twitter feed is Japanese bands/musicians and that's A LOT. I'm just too invested into this scene. It might be strange but it's way easier for me to find new Japanese bands than new Western bands haha
And besides I already have more than enough artists to listen to haha
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I understand the time/motivation argument, because that's exactly how I felt going in to Japanese music lol. At first I was like, well I'm not sure if I actually want to take the time to dissect this whole scene. The thing I realized after a few weeks of assimilating bands was that it wasn't any different than what I was doing before. I never exclusively listened to bands from any one or select countries. It just so happens that I had to dig a little deeper to find the Japanese bands. If you actually follow music by the genre/movement then bands will get on your radar no matter where they're from. It's how bands like Envy, Mono, toe, Sigh, and Boris got signed to labels outside of Japan. I think if a certain band isn't getting noticed on the outside, it has more to do with them not musically identifying with the "world scene" than being overshadowed by novelty acts.
 
S

stump sock

Member
although weirdly my introduction to japanese music was stuff like Boredoms (no idea how they ever got western distribution), Shonen Knife, Melt Banana (at least we can pin this one on John Zorn), Merzbow, and other noise outfits. most of these have no mass appeal. it's just weird what stuff breaks out of the japanese orbit.

and now I listen to a bunch of weird idols that can't sing, my musical journey has taken bad turns

e: though to be fair a lot of them kind of fill the same role as old Shonen Knife so hey

what's old is new again
 
L

LayLa

Member
stump sock said:
although weirdly my introduction to japanese music was stuff like Boredoms (no idea how they ever got western distribution), Shonen Knife, Melt Banana (at least we can pin this one on John Zorn), Merzbow, and other noise outfits. most of these have no mass appeal. it's just weird what stuff breaks out of the japanese orbit.

and now I listen to a bunch of weird idols that can't sing, my musical journey has taken bad turns
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haha are you me? I think Boredoms/Shonen Knife and others got a lot of western exposure via Sonic Youth hyping them up.
does anyone know anything about 3776, I love this song which sounds like a bunch of weird idols who can't sing jamming with a lo-fi postpunk band http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ETjw2rn0ak
 
K

Kurita

Member
In my experience underground Japanese acts seem to be more foreigner friendly, as fans of this kind of music listen to basically everything that comes from that scene.
I know that's the case for a few people I know (like my brother and my sister). They're kinda hipster (that word doesn't mean anything anymore but you catch my drift) and the only Japanese stuff they listen to is Envy and artists I've never heard of.
 
S

stump sock

Member
LayLa said:
does anyone know anything about 3776, I love this song which sounds like a bunch of weird idols who can't sing jamming with a lo-fi postpunk band http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ETjw2rn0ak
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haha yes, they're weird/awesome, and incredibly hard to follow. at one point they were a full idol group and then a bunch left all at once, and they were left with a single 13 year old girl and the producer. their live shows vary from being stuff like improvised abstract loop-based music, to semi-folk collective performances, to solo idol stuff, to weird mathrock/postpunk stuff. utterly, utterly fascinating.

and it's not like Chiyono is your average teen idol, either, she's whip smart and is absolutely a part of "the band." she's hilarious and awesome.

this is a kind of funny video. she was opening for Especia and on a super tight timetable; if she couldn't finish her set, she would get cut off. and the fans were super excited and she's trying to calm them down so they could get through all the songs like a badass.

4
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this is her doing loops and vocals with the producer/songwriter on guitar

kw67LOY.jpg
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also this is one of the best promo images ever
 
S

stump sock

Member
cJbKHKPE.jpg
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Goto Mariko's new twitter profile pic :p

--

news_header_dempagumiinc_art201507.jpg
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new Dempa single sept 16. same composer as Denden Passion/Chururi Chururira

trailer for their new live BD/DVD. i need ittttt

I kind of love Pinky's dress.

--

came across a funny video of Bellring Shoujo Heart on Beat Takeshi's TV Tackle. basically the hosts are trying to figure out what people see in these groups (including Kamen Joshi)(or Steam Girls)(or Alice Juban, I don't even know anymore)

highlights include them being called "worse than school festival" talent, basically asking if they're taking the piss (they immediately reply that they're sincere), and for some reason, discussion of their choice of white undergarments.

of course the real answer is that they appeal to their audience because they're weird and their complete lack of singing/dancing talent just makes the music that much trippier
 
K

Kurita

Member
New Dempagumi composed by Wienners's vocalist? Great news!
I listened to one of their songs recently and immediately thought "Huh, sounds like a Wienners song...", turns out it was.
They did a live show with SiM today, I wonder if MAH will end up doing a song for them haha... They're also going to do one with Straightener.

-

Name, trailer, cover and tracklist revealed for Nothing's Carved In Stone's live album.
tumblr_nrkqa7H8aR1r8n81ao1_540.jpg

円環 -ENCORE-

1.November 15th
2.Isolation
3.Brotherhood
4.きらめきの花
5.Spirit Inspiration
6.Diachronic
7.Out of Control
8.Shimmer Song
9.Sands of Time
10.Rendaman
11.Around the Clock
12.Sunday Morning Escape
13.村雨の中で
14.ツバメクリムゾン
15.Idols
16.Red Light
17.Chain reaction
Click to expand...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlSXxc__uCE

-

Daisuke (Maximum The Hormone) x KANA-BOON
tumblr_nrl2lekXAP1r8n81ao1_1280.jpg
Click to expand...
 
S

stump sock

Member
Kurita said:
New Dempagumi composed by Wienners's vocalist? Great news!
Click to expand...

hah, no I think the article was misleading. the guy credited as composer on this one did the arrangement for those songs and the Wienners guy did the composition. I don't really know how that shakes out when it comes to recording/who has what amount of input into the final version.
 
K

Kurita

Member
stump sock said:
hah, no I think the article was misleading. the guy credited as composer on this one did the arrangement for those songs and the Wienners guy did the composition. I don't really know how that shakes out when it comes to recording/who has what amount of input into the final version.
Click to expand...

I see, thanks for the clarification.

Dempa x SiM
nxRi4Fr.jpg
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Oh wait, the lyrics of their new single are written by Inio Asano, which is like, one my favorite mangaka. Awesome.
 
A

AdamT

Member
The new Perfume ad is adorable. I like what I heard. I've noticed from JPN-era on he's slowly made their voices more distinct and with less auto-tune, thankfully. Listening to songs like this, ジェニーはご機嫌ななめ and Hold Your Hand makes me wish for an 80s inspired mini-album.
 
Aizo

Aizo

Banned
Where is our resident Japanese Rap promoter?
I've been listening to Arµ-2, The Otogibanashi's, jjj (Kid fresino in general), and obviously Daoko (more hip-hop, really).

I've been disappointed in Ken the 390 the past two years. :/
 
S

stump sock

Member
Slowdive said:
She's written the lyrics for 夏の魔物's debut single.
Click to expand...

lol really? I still can't figure out what the fuck that group even is. everything just traces back to the Aomori Rock Festival. Like I think the main guy in the group also organizes it? and they already have a sub-unit and are on Pony Canyon despite not having any actual releases as far as I can tell?
 
S

Slowdive

Banned
stump sock said:
lol really? I still can't figure out what the fuck that group even is. everything just traces back to the Aomori Rock Festival. Like I think the main guy in the group also organizes it? and they already have a sub-unit and are on Pony Canyon despite not having any actual releases as far as I can tell?
Click to expand...

That's pretty much what I found out as well. He also produced Ladybaby's song.
 
Aizo

Aizo

Banned
So.. once Rock in Japan tickets went on sale through Lawson, the first Sunday sold out pretty quick :(
Luckily, I'll be going the first Saturday!
I still have to find a way to see Kyary and Gesu... (there are many more I want to see, but those two sell out fucking fast, and Kyary is damn expensive).
 
K

Kurita

Member
Day 1 and 4 are still pretty great, especially Day 4.
Don't really have money for that though... And I'm pretty sure we can't pay from overseas anyway.
 
S

SweetDonuts

Member
^ Very impressive, thought I was looking at a painting at first

Also, Perfume and Weaver :heart: I can't wait for FES!!

CKQe5-zUMAADv8b.jpg


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