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

Zoe

Member
(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

It's official. Eriko is running for the LDP. Apparently she was approached by the party on the 18th.

She claims she wants to continue her activities as a singer, specifically mentioning that this is SPEED's 20th, but pardon me for being skeptical.

http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2066602/full/
 

jbug617

Banned
Tracklist for Juju's cover album that is coming out next month

news_xlarge_JUJU_jkt20160309_normal.jpg


01. The Rose(Bette Midler)
02. You've Got A Friend(Carole King)
03. Don't Know Why(Nora Jones)
04. Saving All My Love For You(Whitney Houston)
05. Beautiful(Christina Aguilera)
06. New York State Of Mind(Billy Joel)
07. Never Stop(The Brand New Heavies)
08. I like it(DeBarge)
09. Viva La Vida(Coldplay)
10. Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You(Frankie Valli )
11. There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)(Eurythmics)
12. Poupée de cire, poupée de son(France Gall)
13. Someday My Prince Will Come(Adriana Caselotti)
 
Finally got the new Wata Megumi and Gesu albums in. Pleasantly surprised by the former, though it barely qualifies as a mini-album. The latter isn't bad, but oh god what did they do to Parallel Spec. It feels so lifeless compared to the version on Minna Normal.
 

Peru

Member
(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

It's official. Eriko is running for the LDP. Apparently she was approached by the party on the 18th.

She claims she wants to continue her activities as a singer, specifically mentioning that this is SPEED's 20th, but pardon me for being skeptical.

http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2066602/full/

Fucc anyone who supports Abe's reign IMO. Hope Sasshi isn't lured to that side.
 

Kurita

Member
Finally got the new Wata Megumi and Gesu albums in. Pleasantly surprised by the former, though it barely qualifies as a mini-album. The latter isn't bad, but oh god what did they do to Parallel Spec. It feels so lifeless compared to the version on Minna Normal.
I actually think the new version of Parallel Spec (well, "new" as in it was already a b-side for a single) has more impact than the original.
 

broz0rs

Member
(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

It's official. Eriko is running for the LDP. Apparently she was approached by the party on the 18th.

She claims she wants to continue her activities as a singer, specifically mentioning that this is SPEED's 20th, but pardon me for being skeptical.

http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2066602/full/


Anybody notice how Eriko's outfit she wore for this press conference looks similar to Sasshi's outfit for her politician theme SSK poster? lol

U0DBO45.jpg
OxmErSf.jpg
 

CheesecakeRecipe

Stormy Grey
Finally got the new Wata Megumi and Gesu albums in. Pleasantly surprised by the former, though it barely qualifies as a mini-album. The latter isn't bad, but oh god what did they do to Parallel Spec. It feels so lifeless compared to the version on Minna Normal.

Yeah, I think my only problem with Blindman is that it isn't enough.
 
yeah I only recognize the sex pistols and whatever Chiffon has looks familiar but I'm drawing a blank

I've gotten REALLY bad with album covers over the years

e: also weirdly that sora tob sakana song is probably the weakest of the 3 on the single, but it's also the most "idolish" so I guess that's how they're trying to market it?
 

Zoe

Member
Fucc anyone who supports Abe's reign IMO. Hope Sasshi isn't lured to that side.

It's baffling to most fans because the views she's stated in the past seem to run again the LDP. Her image at the press conference is a complete 180 from just a month ago.

Seems like a female LDP politician started mentoring her during a vulnerable time in her life, so I'm sure that has been a huge influence on her political views.
 

Slowdive

Banned
Left to right:


The Go! Team ‎- Thunder, Lightning, Strike
Flipper's Guitar - Camera Talk
Atari Teenage Riot - 60 Second Wipe Out
The Drifters - ???
Asobi Seksu - Citrus
Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols

When I say Younapi wins, it's out of the ones I've actually heard: Sex Pistols, Asobi Seksu and Flipper's Guitar, I didn't recognize the others, they posted the band names on Twitter.
 
yeah I found the tweet and was about to post that.

I don't know, that Go! Team album is pretty fucking fantastic (especially the early version before they had to replace some of the samples for licensing issues). Chi-bo might slightly edge out Younapi for me in this round?

Go! Team's Ian Parton actually wrote this song for Momoclo (Lyrics by Kenji Ootsuki)

that ATR album came out after I stopped following them, lol. I remember thinking The Future of War was pretty neat for a hot minute

Chi-bo's taste in 2016 is eerily reminiscent of my own in 2005
 
I got back into The Go! Team in a major way after their new album last year. A lot of people didn't like it because Ninja is barely present but it was one of my favorites of 2015. It's nothing groundbreaking but the songwriting is phenomenal. I got to see them live just a few weeks ago and they were amazing. It made me miss the days when indie rock was so fun. Guess that's why I listen to so many indie idols now. Rodou Sanka is one of the best Momoclo songs and it would be perfect if Ian Parton wrote a song for YMM!
 
I'll actually have to check that out if it's actually more like the first album then.

and yeah, I mourn the lack of fun western indie rock so much. everything took such a dour turn over the last decade or so. that there are japanese bands and idol groups essentially bringing back dead genres (and keeping the shoegaze torch burning) is one of my favorite things in life.

I wonder what the japanese equivalent of Ted Leo is

e: yeah this is fantastic. I want Parton to write more music for japanese acts
 

Kurita

Member
I'll actually have to check that out if it's actually more like the first album then.

and yeah, I mourn the lack of fun western indie rock so much. everything took such a dour turn over the last decade or so. that there are japanese bands and idol groups essentially bringing back dead genres (and keeping the shoegaze torch burning) is one of my favorite things in life.
That's the thing I always say, though I admit I don't know much about the western scene. But like, when I try to listen to western rock all I see is bearded dudes doing stuff that doesn't really make me want to move my body. Meanwhile in Japan there's that trend of super upbeat/dynamic rock tunes (which can be tiring if you don't dig that), with KEYTALK, Kyuso Nekokami...
I mean look at that, it looks so fun to be in the crowd whenever KEYTALK do MONSTER DANCE (which could totally be an idol song)!
https://youtu.be/ueYoG37g1JU?t=201
 
I actually think the new version of Parallel Spec (well, "new" as in it was already a b-side for a single) has more impact than the original.

Listening to it a few more times, I maybe overreacted in that it doesn't sound totally dead. I think it's part that I loved the original so much (it's what got me into the band in the first place) and part that the changes just seem to make the song more complex and proggy for not much gain. I can totally see why other people would dig it more than the original, though; you definitely notice the additional polish on the new version.

I got back into The Go! Team in a major way after their new album last year. A lot of people didn't like it because Ninja is barely present but it was one of my favorites of 2015. It's nothing groundbreaking but the songwriting is phenomenal. I got to see them live just a few weeks ago and they were amazing. It made me miss the days when indie rock was so fun. Guess that's why I listen to so many indie idols now. Rodou Sanka is one of the best Momoclo songs and it would be perfect if Ian Parton wrote a song for YMM!

I remember finding that MomoClo song a few months ago and just being astonished that such a crossover even existed. I did like the new Go! Team album too (the first track is kind of the best thing he's done in a long time), though because Ninja was missing it did feel like it lost a dimension. Now that I've settled into the notion that Ian Parton's just really good at writing certain kinds of songs and that expecting anything beyond that is a fool's errand, I can take every new album at face value and enjoy it for what it is.
 

Kurita

Member
Another snippet from TK's new mini-album, sounds good
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIeCYR22s_k

Bought a couple of albums this week

MAN WITH A MISSION - The World's On Fire
I've been on a MWAM kick lately for some reason so it was only natural to buy their their newest album. I think what sparked my interest was the song Memories which shows their capacity to do some sweet pop tunes. That album genuinely surpassed my expectations thanks to the different direction they took with some of the songs (The World's On Fire, ワンダーランド, Memories) while keeping that rock sound I love.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nW2kjFldwL0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiQpGzYMVos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXMIpk9cIc4

go!go!vanillas - Kameleon Lights
As usual with go!go!vanillas all you can do while listening to them is shake you hips. I genuinely think they're what THE BAWDIES would have been if they didn't choose to imitate American/British bands from the 60s that much. go!go!vanillas do have that British vibe going on but keeping their lyrics in Japanese ends up weighing in their favor. A fun and fresh album I can see myself revisiting a lot during spring when I'm taking a stroll in the city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tis5QqV0Dgk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQyGGZeQ4rg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL-aYiLDG_U

空想委員会 - ダウトの行進
The kings of "loser love songs" where the narrator doesn't manage to get the girl and sounds desperate. Never fails to work. The vocalist's peculiar voice might be off-putting but I personally like it a lot. Some surprisingly great tunes on this album, I expected more of the same but turns out that's not really the case. Thanks to the poignant half-acoustic song 不在証明 (amongst others) this release might be their best effort so far.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMyf5sQO36E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceAqZkjIFhI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIeCx6eZjJk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LNDlaSv_Sg
 

Zoe

Member
Wow, Line Music let me pay for a month (+ 1 free month) with a US credit card.

(Course I had to make my Line account a Japanese account first, but that's fine with me)
 
空想委員会 - ダウトの行進
The kings of "loser love songs" where the narrator doesn't manage to get the girl and sounds desperate. Never fails to work. The vocalist's peculiar voice might be off-putting but I personally like it a lot. Some surprisingly great tunes on this album, I expected more of the same but turns out that's not really the case. Thanks to the poignant half-acoustic song 不在証明 (amongst others) this release might be their best effort so far.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMyf5sQO36E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceAqZkjIFhI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIeCx6eZjJk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LNDlaSv_Sg

I'm not sure who GEM is but I saw this tweeted and have been listening to it out of boredom, kind of catchy actually

GEM / Fine! 〜fly for the future〜 (Short ver.)

i like the links in both posts, thanks =)
 

PillarEN

Member
Not working with Nakata?! I don't know how I feel about that. He's done her much good. Perhaps other producers will expand her sound.
 

Kurita

Member
This cover of Hoshino Gen's SUN was recommended on YouTube this morning and I loved it. The singer's vocals are just so clean. Not to mention, she's really pretty. I checked out the channel of the video and it's been racking up some huge hits on their other videos as well.

SUN/星野源(Full Cover by Kobasolo & 杏沙子)

Yeah I saw it this morning, really great.
Man, you just can't screw up when you cover some Hoshino Gen, his songs are quite simple yet effective so they're perfect for that kind of stuff.
His album YELLOW DANCER released two months ago is one of the best albums of the past few years in my eyes, definitely check it out.
 

Rainy

Banned
new BUMP OF CHICKEN album "Butterflies" is pretty good. "Butterfly" has been stuck in my head all day. I saw the music video a few weeks ago but it seems even catchier now.
 

Kurita

Member
new BUMP OF CHICKEN album "Butterflies" is pretty good. "Butterfly" has been stuck in my head all day. I saw the music video a few weeks ago but it seems even catchier now.
Yeah it's a pretty good album. Not too long like they usually do so it's easier to listen to it on repeat. It felt pretty close to the previous album which is a good thing cause it's my favorite one.

New [Alexandros] single coming on April 20th, huzzah!
 

Peru

Member
AKB song obviously safe and conservative, but that kind of melody is catnip to me and could probably never actually sound bad.
 

faridmon

Member
Yep, not liking the new MIrraz album. Very undwelmed by it, especially considering I sort of likes the EP before it. One of their weakest album they have to date. Luckly they release like a bilion records a year, so...

On the other hand I am loving the debut album by the Supergroup called Metafive. Leo Imai's makes everything so good, and luckly, Tofubeats, electronics hasn't gotten to my nerve.

Oh and Butterfly by Bump of Chicken is the track of the year so far. So GOOD!
 

Kurita

Member
On the other hand I am loving the debut album by the Supergroup called Metafive. Leo Imai's makes everything so good, and luckly, Tofubeats, electronics hasn't gotten to my nerve.

Not sure why you're talking about tofubeats, he has nothing to do with Metafive.
 
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