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

J

Jintor

Member
love the woman walking around the corner and being like 'uhhhhhh nope'

also, is it just me, or does gonchi have slightly bigger eyes than usual for a japanese person? not just when she's doing hilarious faces.

i'm gonna use my asian racism deflection card here, which i can use, being asian
 
S

stump sock

Member
her eyes are wider than mine and I'm super white (northern european heritage). I have to force mine open to show that much iris. she's also got a little of the Leo Ieiri thing where the outer corners are higher than most people.

any way you cut it though, her eyes are awesome

e: Ieiri for comparison

vlcsnap-2014-02-05-12h45m06s118-1024x576.png
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Slowdive said:
Bonjour Suzuki is getting her own radio show, should be good since she has a great taste in music.
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ooh, that'll be neat. I'm looking forward to whatever her next release is, that most recent single is fantastic
 
K

Kurita

Member
I wonder if radio is that popular in Japan. A lot of artists I like host some shows but I wonder if they have a wide audience heh (probably not since most of the time it's a late-night slot)
 
S

stump sock

Member
February continuing to be stacked, for sure. Good news is that this should be available in NA/EU on local digital music stores, if previous releases are any indication.

I should petition Ricky to explain the concept of global sales to other groups' managers.
 
S

SweetDonuts

Member
Namie's LIVEGENIC Tour is being released on DVD; March 3rd

DVD / Blu-Ray:
product_1018515.jpg


product_1018516.jpg
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Currently listening to Crystal Kay's latest album and it's confusing me. It isn't what I expected at all, I assume LDH is playing it safe to get her popularity back..
 
D

data

Member
just wanted to say i'm really excited since i just found out kana-boon is releasing a new album in 2 months ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh;;;;
 
K

Kurita

Member
data said:
just wanted to say i'm really excited since i just found out kana-boon is releasing a new album in 2 months ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh;;;;
Click to expand...

Amen to that.
I already preordered it haha I really wonder what the second disc of the limited edition is going to be. I'm gonna scream if it's like a compilation of their older songs from their indie days, that would be perfect (and honestly it would fit the title of the album, Origin).
 
S

SweetDonuts

Member
S

stump sock

Member
drunk review.

just finished watching the Kindan no Tasuketsu Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me movie. it's... special. If it was made as a parody of bad student films, it succeeds fully. if it was made earnestly (likely), it's hilariously bad, but in the most endearing way. as an excuse to have cute girls make out for the majority of 80 minutes, it's functional. I mean, it's kind of amazingly bad, but at least to the point where it loops back around to being kind of magical in a Tommy Wiseau on cough syrup kind of way.

anyway, as someone who largely bought it for the soundtrack, at least that is not only pretty great, but better than I expected it to be. and hey, region-free DVD!

also the movie feels twice as long as it actually is, so I guess that bodes well on a money -> value proposition level. probably don't watch it sober. or with other people.

3.5/5

Honouki, let's hang out.

e: the bonus material does feature Ano interviewing random people, foreigners, a dog, and some flowers, so that's probably worth an extra .5 in my book.
 
N

neshcom

Banned
SweetDonuts said:
Unfortunately not :(

I still don't understand why she chooses not to include one, they always sound better. I know she's talked about space on stage but her tours have never been prop heavy, they could make space if wanted.

Alarm from Best Fiction Tour - https://youtu.be/01nR4rhfL4s?t=41s
Alarm from Live Style 2014 - https://youtu.be/dLhAy_oEeS0?t=24s

Doesn't even compare
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Agreed, though I don't think the live band on P<F was terribly beneficial (though the sound mix on that DVD was shit anyway) and that stage was TINY.
I like that she's done more physical things to make up for no live band (more involved dancing, the ballad rotation last year, more screens), but I think her stamina for singing and dancing is also getting lower as time goes on.
 
J

Jintor

Member
stump sock said:
drunk review.

just finished watching the Kindan no Tasuketsu Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me movie. it's... special. If it was made as a parody of bad student films, it succeeds fully. if it was made earnestly (likely), it's hilariously bad, but in the most endearing way. as an excuse to have cute girls make out for the majority of 80 minutes, it's functional. I mean, it's kind of amazingly bad, but at least to the point where it loops back around to being kind of magical in a Tommy Wiseau on cough syrup kind of way.
Click to expand...

whelp
 
K

Kurita

Member
Rainy said:
Anyone into Akairo no Glitter?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AVKd1rlvW4 Just discovered them and I'm really digging this.

I think they just dropped an album, need to see where I can pick that up.
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Yeah I bought the album when it came out. Damn fine release, better than their previous stuff imo (which are still good)


Galileo Galilei just announced a new full album! Release date is January 27th.
It's been 2 years and 4 months since the last full album so I'm hyped. 16 tracks on top of that, yeeeees!
 
H

Hazaku

Member
Anyone know a place where I can grab a physical copy of Wata Megumi's album other than her label's store? (Won't accept my credit card).

stump sock said:
I read that too and was super confused as to why and how and decided to omit that information

frankly I'm still confused. sounds like a nice vacation anyway. maybe it's convenient-ish for Aussies?
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tfw New Caledonia gets more Japanese artists touring than New Zealand :'(
 
K

Kurita

Member
New promo pic and cover for KANA-BOON's upcoming single.
ayEjqRV.jpg

B2VhSgT.jpg
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Fun fact : their instruments on the cover are the ones they used back in the day, reinforcing the message of the title track which is "We'll always be the same, yadda yadda".
 
Aizo

Aizo

Banned
daydream said:
made my next personal discovery in the form of Lamp

one of my early favs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QJ5V31DISc&index=20&list=RDXT38It-wpjA
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They're awesome, aren't they? Glad you found 'em.
stump sock said:
drunk review.

just finished watching the Kindan no Tasuketsu Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me movie. it's... special. If it was made as a parody of bad student films, it succeeds fully. if it was made earnestly (likely), it's hilariously bad, but in the most endearing way. as an excuse to have cute girls make out for the majority of 80 minutes, it's functional. I mean, it's kind of amazingly bad, but at least to the point where it loops back around to being kind of magical in a Tommy Wiseau on cough syrup kind of way.

anyway, as someone who largely bought it for the soundtrack, at least that is not only pretty great, but better than I expected it to be. and hey, region-free DVD!

also the movie feels twice as long as it actually is, so I guess that bodes well on a money -> value proposition level. probably don't watch it sober. or with other people.

3.5/5

Honouki, let's hang out.

e: the bonus material does feature Ano interviewing random people, foreigners, a dog, and some flowers, so that's probably worth an extra .5 in my book.
Click to expand...
More drunk reviews, please. Also, glad that you're a fan of Wiseau.
Next time you're drinking scotchka for one of these reviews, you'll find yourself saying, "You're right. Tastes goooood."
 
K

Kurita

Member
Good news of the day, SEKAI NO OWARI will release their massive Twilight City show at the Nissan Stadium on DVD/BR, February 17th! Setlist is pretty solid so I'll grab that one for sure.
Didn't know Nakajin was actually using a shamisen for &#12512;&#12540;&#12531;&#12521;&#12452;&#12488;&#12473;&#12486;&#12540;&#12471;&#12519;&#12531;, neato.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmvYJtdJoEw
 
S

SweetDonuts

Member
I read Tomochin and other, less known AKB members like acchan and yuko are going back for the next AKB single........

Why?

neshcom said:
Agreed, though I don't think the live band on P<F was terribly beneficial (though the sound mix on that DVD was shit anyway) and that stage was TINY.
I like that she's done more physical things to make up for no live band (more involved dancing, the ballad rotation last year, more screens), but I think her stamina for singing and dancing is also getting lower as time goes on.
Click to expand...

I didn't realise how little difference the band made to the P<F tour until I went back yesterday and tried to find examples. She has done less and less dancing as time goes on, which is a shame, but from the clips I've seen of the LIVEGENIC tour I have a bit of hope she doesn't just stand around pointing like a boss for the majority of a song. When she goes in, she goes in and I love it.
 
F

FloppyDelux

Member
Kurita said:
Good news of the day, SEKAI NO OWARI will release their massive Twilight City show at the Nissan Stadium on DVD/BR, February 17th! Setlist is pretty solid so I'll grab that one for sure.
Didn't know Nakajin was actually using a shamisen for &#12512;&#12540;&#12531;&#12521;&#12452;&#12488;&#12473;&#12486;&#12540;&#12471;&#12519;&#12531;, neato.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmvYJtdJoEw
Click to expand...

YES! That will be mine + the new Perfume blu
 
S

SolidSnakex

Member
SweetDonuts said:
I read Tomochin and other, less known AKB members like acchan and yuko are going back for the next AKB single........

Why?
Click to expand...

Well, their newest single didn't hit a million in the first week for the first time in years. It's a shame that it wasn't a signal to them that they need to start trying to let newer girls run with it. Or at least those that are still in the group. Mayuyu, Yukirin, Paruru, Kojiharu, and Yuihan are all still there as far as established members they could allow to help push the group forward. And then you have have the newer members that they aren't giving proper pushes to like Annin, Naachan, Yuria, Tomu, Tano and so on.

The new single is obviously going to sell a ton because of all the members they're bringing back. But it's not going to do anything for the group in the long term. The spotlight is going to be on the graduated members rather than those that they need to help the group in the future. Nogizaka is coming for AKB's lunch just like they did with SKE, NMB, and HKT.
 
S

stump sock

Member
AKB is in a weird position right now where they're still being pushed as the "main event" while what few heavy-hitters they have left are largely on the way out, and the girls that should be getting a push just aren't. And I can't name a single interesting person from the most recent class.

Nogi eats other groups' lunches largely on the basis that they are just lean and focused. They're not split up into a ton of teams, their tv shows run circles around other 48g shows, almost every member is noteworthy or interesting, and on and on. They're basically a revival of the spirit of early AKB but with the added benefit of not having to reinvent the wheel.

I mean, shit, they have an entire show dedicated to aidoru engrish and if that doesn't automatically make them the best then I don't know what does.
 
S

SolidSnakex

Member
I think the Nogi English show you mentioned highlights the major problem that AKB has. The members on that show are all up and coming members. None of them are in the senbatsu at the moment. It's an interesting show that's being used to make sure other girls get some spotlight as well. What's more is that they even brought Hillary from AKB over to that show. She gets more attention from Nogizaka than she does from her own group. Another example would be a webshow called SonyReco. It was hosted by two of the most popular members of Nogizaka (Kazumin and Maimai). They recently graduated from the show and were replaced by two up and coming members (again, neither member is in senbatsu at this point). Even in their new main show (Nogizaka Under Construction) they're constantly giving a big spotlight to the lesser known members.

They're such a well oiled machine compared to the other groups. They've been able to give the new members a good amount of spotlight while allowing the bigger members to drive the group forward. The other groups just put so much attention on the popular members, which leads to other members being nearly ignored. NMB in particular have struggled recently because of how much Sayanee and Milky have been pushed while the others have been left in the dust. They're at least trying to fix that with making Riripon the center in a recent single.
 
V

vanty

Member
I don't known about what's happening on every 48G show but AKBINGO seems to have been almost exclusively youngsters all year, with maybe one or two of the bigger names turning up on a rare occasion.
 
S

stump sock

Member
vanty said:
I don't known about what's happening on every 48G show but AKBINGO seems to have been almost exclusively youngsters all year, with maybe one or two of the bigger names turning up on a rare occasion.
Click to expand...

the key difference is how they're handling them. watch some of the older episodes (in the 100s) when they were introducing some new (at the time) members and they went out of their way to highlight specific skills or quirks of each of them. they really endeared you to the new people, quickly. this last year or so hasn't had much of that.

re: NMB, they fucked up by transferring out most of the best B-tier members (or they graduated), who were a lot of my favorites anyway. so now it's just Sayamilky and a big gap.

it's funny Snake mentioned Kazumin being popular because if she was on any of the other teams, she'd probably be a goofy background character. but they actually gave her the opportunity to just win people over by being endearingly dorky. man, Nogi just kills it.

--

CWWJCIOUsAEhAFb.jpg:large
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the best

-

Slowdive said:
&#12422;&#12427;&#12417;&#12427;&#12514;&#65281;- Only You &#65312;&#21517;&#21476;&#23627;APPOLO BASE 20151115
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it's funny, you can always tell which members like which genres because they're the ones to get super into those songs

ah the crowd all singing the last part, so good. has to be their best song right now right?
 
S

SolidSnakex

Member
stump sock said:
the key difference is how they're handling them. watch some of the older episodes (in the 100s) when they were introducing some new (at the time) members and they went out of their way to highlight specific skills or quirks of each of them. they really endeared you to the new people, quickly. this last year or so hasn't had much of that.
Click to expand...

Yeah, AKBINGO needs to get back to doing some of the interesting things they once did. There were once a lot of games and such where people could get a good idea of someones personality. But that also gets into Nogizaka again. NOGIBINGO is so much better than the current AKBINGO. Maybe it's because NOGIBINGO is broken up into seasons, but they're constantly able to come up with new concepts that show off the personalities of the members. You aren't going to really learn much with fashion shows, which AKBINGO seems to be in love with. They even created a new segment that airs on Hulu in Japan called Nogiroom where members just sit and talk about the show and other things.

stump sock said:
it's funny Snake mentioned Kazumin being popular because if she was on any of the other teams, she'd probably be a goofy background character. but they actually gave her the opportunity to just win people over by being endearingly dorky. man, Nogi just kills it.
Click to expand...

Maachun was basically a NMB version of Kazumin, but she was transferred to AKB and immediately put in the backseat even though she was one of the most popular NMB members. She entered the 2012 Senbatsu Election at 60, then moved up to 54 the next year. She was then transferred to AKB and dropped to 76 that year and this year she dropped out entirely. They killed all the momentum she had while taking away a big piece of NMB.

On a sidenote, Saechan announced her graduation during the FNS Festival. It's not really a surprise as she posted on Twitter that the election this year would be her last. Still, it's a blow to SKE since now all the weight it on Jurina.
 
S

stump sock

Member
the Maachun thing was a crusher because I totally adored her on Geinin and she doesn't get a chance to do what's she's best at much anymore.

mainly I want more Geinin I think. though the sketches they post on youtube lately are... challenging.

also SKE's got some good second-stringers; whether they choose to give them the bump or not remains to be seen. Tani needs her own show.

while we're on the topic though, I will say that going back through nogibingo, Nishino is becoming a bit of a dark horse favorite of mine

tumblr_nzew3fiA571sj8fwyo1_540.png
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http://www.akb48wrapup.com/2015/06/...shino-nanases-jojo-style-music-station-entry/
 
Aizo

Aizo

Banned
Have we always had this much idol/AKB talk?
I always thought we mostly talked about Rock and Experimental stuff. One of the few (only?) Japanese natives on Gaf said he'd join discussion if we didn't just talk about Perfume and AKB, and I thought, "Oh, no, that's not the case at all," but I'm surprised at what I've noticed after paying more attention. I didn't realize idol groups were so popular among all of you. Maybe it's just that a few of the more common members have been posting less?

stump sock said:
NECRONOMIDOL first album 2/17/2016
art by Maruo Suehiro
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That's funny. I was going to comment saying, "That's cool that they're obviously into Maruo, so they had someone imitate his art style," but then I scrolled down just a bit more. Kinda amazing that he did it.
 
Aizo

Aizo

Banned
Kurita said:
Their new album is amazing imo but a lot of people don't like their new style. I don't mind, I love pretty much everything they do. I'm just happy that they managed to break out from the shoegaze-ish world where it's easy to get creatively bankrupt pretty quickly. This way they can show what else they can do.
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That strikes me as an odd evaluation from someone who doesn't really listen to the genre. :?
 
S

stump sock

Member
I don't talk about them that much normally because I don't care about the music, but I like pretty much everything else they do. All things considered, they have some of the best variety shows out there, imo. Plus when something is that massively popular and culturally relevant, it's interesting to pay attention to.

I mean don't get me wrong, there are a bunch of idol groups that I love. it's just that traditional idol music doesn't do much for me.

if people want to talk about experimental music, I'm here. just bought that Goat album the other day.

Aizo said:
That's funny. I was going to comment saying, "That's cool that they're obviously into Maruo, so they had someone imitate his art style," but then I scrolled down just a bit more. Kinda amazing that he did it.
Click to expand...

Maruo's no stranger to album art (and this isn't the first piece he's done for the group), but it's still interesting that a group of their relatively minor status were able to get him to do it.

e: he just did the cover of the most recent Kinniku Shoujo Tai album too. which, all things considered, is probably a better album than it has any right to be.
 
S

Slowdive

Banned
I'm not bothered about the music either when it comes to AKB etc, the variety shows and stuff are fun to watch though.

Kurita said:
Their new album is amazing imo but a lot of people don't like their new style. I don't mind, I love pretty much everything they do. I'm just happy that they managed to break out from the shoegaze-ish world where it's easy to get creatively bankrupt pretty quickly. This way they can show what else they can do.
Click to expand...

There are loads of shoegaze bands who have been going for years and still manage to produce new and exciting music. They'll become creatively bankrupt very quick if they carry on the way they are I think. I really liked the single but they've gone backwards with their new album, not forwards. What's their next one going to be like? If it's more of the same (which it most likely will be) then it's just wasted potential. I'm not saying they should carry on being just shoegaze, they can branch out without soudning generic.
 
S

stump sock

Member
CWWW0QsUAAA6z4m.jpg:large
Click to expand...

I'm still loving how hard people are going with giving Pinky alcohol now that she's 20.

also I'm definitely feeling that new Paipai Dekami single even though, still, I can't explain why her music appeals to me. It shouldn't. but it does.
 
Zoe

Zoe

Member
Aizo said:
Have we always had this much idol/AKB talk?
I always thought we mostly talked about Rock and Experimental stuff. One of the few (only?) Japanese natives on Gaf said he'd join discussion if we didn't just talk about Perfume and AKB, and I thought, "Oh, no, that's not the case at all," but I'm surprised at what I've noticed after paying more attention. I didn't realize idol groups were so popular among all of you. Maybe it's just that a few of the more common members have been posting less?
Click to expand...

This was originally supposed to be the pop thread, but it got hijacked by people who were ignoring the already existing J-music thread -_-
 
S

stump sock

Member
Zoe said:
This was originally supposed to be the pop thread, but it got hijacked by people who were ignoring the already existing J-music thread -_-
Click to expand...

I think too much stuff bleeds over between stuff you'd call "pure pop" and rock and electronic groups. Like Passepied. they're a "rock band" but they're as poppy as anyone. One thread makes sense, especially since many of us have pretty broad tastes.

10387952_1701533203415558_1289638260_n.jpg
Click to expand...

I'd be ok with this collaboration.
 
S

Slowdive

Banned
Aizo said:
Have we always had this much idol/AKB talk?
I always thought we mostly talked about Rock and Experimental stuff. One of the few (only?) Japanese natives on Gaf said he'd join discussion if we didn't just talk about Perfume and AKB, and I thought, "Oh, no, that's not the case at all," but I'm surprised at what I've noticed after paying more attention. I didn't realize idol groups were so popular among all of you. Maybe it's just that a few of the more common members have been posting less?
Click to expand...

Pretty sure there's been more pop talk than anything else in the years I've been
lurking
here. Experimental stuff hardly gets mentioned.
 
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