August 1-14
Yoshida Brothers
US Tour
08/01 Washington DC
08/03 New York, NY
08/05 Boston, MA
08/07 Chicago, IL
08/10 San Francisco, CA
08/11 San Francisco, CA
08/12 San Francisco, CA
08/14 Los Angeles, CA
More info TBA
Source: Domo Music Group
Showing posts with label Folk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Folk. Show all posts
Calendar 2010 - Yoshida Brothers - US Tour
Album Review: Yoshida Brothers - Prism
If you ever wondered if there was still a place for traditional folk music in our modern culture, you need look no further than the Yoshida Brothers.
The two young men have been playing the tsugau-shamisen for most of their lives. Over the years, they've released several albums, incorporating their chosen instrument into just about ever genre you can image. If you needed any more proof of their modern flair, they have also provided music for the Nintendo Wii commercials.
The duo's newest album Prism was just released by Domo Music Group, heralding the band's arrival on American soil.
You can read my full review over on Japanator.
Yoshida Brothers
Calling the music of the Yoshida Brothers (Ryoichiro and Kenichi) "new age" would be selling it short, as would "world music" or any other sort of touchy-feely genre. Sure, it has many of the hallmarks of the otherwise vapid offerings the usual fare has to offer, like a focus on one instrument with very specific ethnic and cultural roots. In this case it's the three stringed shamisen. They are much more than a one trick pony, and their intense playing style sets them slightly apart from the usual light-handed folk scene.
While they do in fact play several tunes that would easily find a home in the patchouli scented section of your local music shop, the fact is that for every straight-up folk tune they play, there is another song that totally breaks out of those narrow confines. They often mix up the shamisen's percussive twang with a full band playing either down-tempo dance tunes or all out rock or even blues. Part of this may be due to their relatively young age. They started playing as children and have only recently broken thirty. On their most recent album Prism they even cover a Radiohead song. Whatever the case, their sound is decidedly modern, something those otherwise dismissive of music so obviously Japanese could listen to without worry.
That's not to say they are some sort of revolutionary force. They do ride a very user-friendly road, playing up the instrument's long folk history for all it's worth. They are first and foremost a traditional/folk duo. Much of their music is soothing and nostalgic, with only a few songs ramping up the tempo enough to get the toes tapping. Yet it's a formula that works. The duo has had much success over the years, providing music for a Wii commercial and even touring around the world. They are currently set to tour the US and Canada with no signs of slowing down.
Rising
Official Site
MySpace
Albums:
Ibuki - 1999
Move - 2000
Soulful - 2002
Frontier - 2003
Yoshida Brothers - 2003
Renaissance - 2004
Yoshida Brothers II - 2004
Yoshida Brothers III - 2006
Hishou - 2007
Best of Yoshida Brothers - Tsugaru Shamisen - 2008
Prism - 2009
Kodo
Live
Live
May 09 Calendar - Yoshida Brothers - US/Canada Tour
May 8-23
Yoshida Brothers
US and Canada Tour
5/8 LA, CA @ El Rey Theatre
5/9 San Diego, CA @ Anthology
5/12 SF, CA @ Yoshi's SF
5/13 SF, CA @ Yoshi's SF
5/14 SF, CA @ Yoshi's SF
5/15 SF, CA @ Yoshi's SF
5/16 SF, CA @ Yoshi's SF
5/19 Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theatre
5/20 Seattle, WA @ Triple Door, 2 shows: 7PM (All Ages) / 9:30PM (21+)
5/22 Victoria, BC (CANADA) @ Alix Goolden Performance Hall
5/23 Vancouver, BC (CANADA) @ Vogue Theatre
Source: Domo.com
March 09 Calendar - Natccu - US/ SXSW Gigs
March 15-21
Natccu
LA and SXSW Gigs
Mar 15 - Whisky A Go Go - Los Angeles, California
Mar 17 - The Big Spill Festival, The Warhol - San Antonio, TX
Mar 18 - SXSW @ Brush Square Park - Austin, TX
Mar 18 - SXSW @ The Parish Downstairs - Austin, TX
Mar 21 - SXSW @ SESAC Day Stage - Austin, TX
Source: MySpace
World’s End Girlfriend (ワールズ・エンド・ガールフレンド)
If you took Zoe Keating, Sigur Ros, a slight dash of Warp Records glitch and a sprig of Shugo Tokumaru's playful, toy-like style, mixed them up and kneaded them into a dough, you might come close to baking a loaf of something resembling the music of one Katsuhiko Maeda, aka World's End Girlfriend.
Most of his work seems to be based around a few well known instruments, mainly cello, piano and saxophone. Yet just naming a few of the component parts misses the whole entirely. His composition are rooted in classical ensemble pieces, but that's just the starting point. Maeda then takes the songs and runs them through modern tech, stretch and stuttering them, adding infinite layers, not to mention percussion lifted out of the standard Apehx Twin textbook. While his early works rely more on the obvious use of computer generated sound, his later work throttles that back in a big way, letting the music speak for itself. The pieces are stark, yet darkly elegant. They have the quiet seriousness of Sigur Ros, yet also a more playful, organic/fantastic mood at times. The incongruous use of saxophone and other slightly less traditional instruments alongside the small string section only adds to the cognitive dissonance.
The musical style also effortlessly shifts, often several times within a single song, from dour classical, to slight jazz, to sparkling piano interludes. Maeda packs each song with dozens of ideas. It's almost too much to take in at one sitting. The songs demand repeat performances, if only to prepare one's self for the oncoming tide of musical colors. The album also titles offer a bit of insight into Maeda's world, Farewell Kingdom, Enchanted Landscape Escape and Hurtbreak Wonderland being most notable. His music does have a certain fantastical element behind it. Something very civilized, yet not quite grounded in reality. Something well suited for, say, a Ghibli compilation like Kira Kira Gibri, Nausicaa Requiem and Kimiwo Nosete, which he does, in fact, appear on (along with the similarly fantastical De De Mouse.)
In a live setting Maeda sometimes plays solo, other times with a larger band. His solo performances seem a little boring to watch, as he just sits next to some gear, playing along on the guitar. With a larger band the songs find a bit more life. Yet Meada's work seems best consumed in the album format, in a quiet setting with either some nice headphones or in a suitably dimly lit room. Whatever the venue, his music is sure to inspire otherworldly visions of greener pastures.
Birthday Resistance
Official Site
Albums:
Ending Story (2000)
Farewell Kingdom (2001)
World's End Boyfriend (2001)
Dream's End Come True (2002)
Wonderland Falling Yesterday (2002)
The Lie Lay Land (2005)
Hurtbreak Wonderland (2007)
Enchanted Landscape Escape (2007)
Ghost of a Horse Under a Chandelier
Garden in the Ceiling
Live - Scorpius Circus
Mutyumu (夢中夢)
If there ever was a band that lived up to its name, it would be Mutyumu. A "crazy dream" is probably the best description for their music. A crazy dream full of fire, statuesque figures, impressionistic operas, delicate ballet performances, leering demon faces...the images are as diverse as the instrumentation and song structure. At one moment you'll be treated to very soft piano and violin melodies, only to be bashed over the head with a massive heavy metal dirge the next. Similarly, the vocal treatments range from almost inaudible whispers to angelic female falsettos to guttural male bellowing.
The work of Mutyumu is extremely artistic and symphonic, yet not overly so. They never stray into straight-up new age territory, while also staying clear of schlocky death metal. Simply put, it's goth in the very best sense of the word. Mature and very sophisticated, classically dark, they never go the easy route of over-the-top style over substance, instead doing the reverse. Avoiding slathering on the gloom, they strip things down to few elements, developing them into minimal symphonies. They even have a few regular rock songs that wouldn't be out of place on a Bauhaus or Buck-Tick album.
Their raspy strings and twinkling pianos along with other synthetic sounds set them apart as something more than your average band that just gets on stage and rocks out. They have extended atmospheric sections that either lighten or darken the mood, like either the sun or the moon rising over a secluded pond. A bit like Matyoshka or Sigur Ros with their trance-like crescendos, they seem to find their most beautiful moments when they're either their most calm and repetitive, or their most loud and soaring. Case in point, the incredible "祈り," ("Prayer") which builds to ridiculous heights over ten minutes.
Having been formed in 2002, they are still a bit young, yet their solid sound and production really hit the ground running with their first self-titled album in 2006. Their 2008 follow-up Ilya cranks up the number of full-band rock outs and death-metal blasts. It's much less subtle and atmospheric, aiming more for the gut with a clearer guitar/drums/bass/vocals format and less of a focus on the strings and piano, though they are both still very much a part of the equation. (Again, refer to "祈り" above.)
Whatever your poison, be it classical strings and high society, or ancient demon metal and flaming pagan rituals, you'll find much to sink your teeth into with Mutyumu's twisted dream-scapes.
眼は神/L'œil est Dieu
Official Site
MySpace (English)
MySpace (Japanese)
Members:
Hatis Noit - Vocal
Ryota Yoda - Guitar
Junpei Suda - Drums
Yuko Ikenaga - Piano
Yuji Hayashi - Bass
Ryota Taniuchi - Violin
Releases:
Ilya - 2008
Mutyumu - 2006
反復する世界の果てで白夜は散る
塵に過ぎない僕は塵に返る
Akeboshi
Light, unassuming, modest, natsukashii...singer/songwriter Akeboshi Yoshio is the very definition of down-tempo, earnest folk tunes. Far from other more experimental folk artists like Shugo Tokumaru who use electronics to add a unique texture to their pallet, Akeboshi sticks strictly to the well worn sounds of acoustic guitars, strings and piano, only rarely dipping to synthetic sounds. This also fits the overall feel to his music, which is equally calming, clear and to the point. Far from a solo artist, Akeboshi brings in a full band on most songs, though many of his songs sound as if they'd translate just as well with just a piano or guitar.
While the instrumentation on his albums may be standard fair, he does have a wide range of stylistic influences. Having studied music in England, he brings bits of the U.K., the U.S., Japan and even Ireland into his own work, flitting between Simon & Garfunkel, Pink Floyd, John Denver, Sting, traditional Irish folk tunes and occasionally The Beatles (of course.) He also gives equal opportunity to both English and Japanese lyrics. His voice is rather mid-ranged, a little muddy, never straying too high and certainly never dipping down low. Much like his music, he never tries too hard to show off, simply adding another layer to the hazy golden glow and allowing the music to simply flow along gently.
He's probably best know for his songs “Wind” and "Yellow Moon,” both used in Naruto. Both of these are far from what one might expect from the hugely popular ninja anime series, though “Yellow Moon” is just about as close to a rock song as you'll find in the Akeboshi discography. Still, it was a move the undoubtedly brought in a few new fans. The popularity of the songs didn't seem to change the course of his music writing though, as following releases stuck to the same mostly down-tempo path. This new expose to over-eager fans may have also started the misconception that he writes in odd time signatures almost exclusively, which is far from reality. “Wind” is indeed in 5/4, but the majority of his songs are in a regular 4/4 or 3/4, far from unique and certainly nothing new to his brand of calming folk songs.
While he may not be an instant attention grabbing artist, there's a lot to like about Akeboshi. While he may stick to overly user-friendly territory, the songs are nice enough and certainly not offensively saccharine or cute and whispery. He walks the fine line between melancholy and overly positive schmaltz, something that keeps one both interested enough to continue listening and just sleepy enough to not want to get up and change the disc.
Along the Line
Official Site
Releases
Akeboshi - 2005
Meet Along the Way - 2007
Roundabout - 2008
Yellow Moon
Wind
Hey There
Night and Day
Shugo Tokumaru (トクマルシューゴ)
Whenever I hear something by Shugo Tokumaru (トクマルシューゴ), I can't help but envision a Michel Gondry film set in Hawaii, with John Lennon writing a soundtrack full of playful clockwork songs ala Amelie. That's a complicated vision, but that's Shugo Tokumaru for you. His songs are small, unassuming folk pop tunes, but also complex and experimental arrangements of seemingly millions of different instruments. From saws to xylophones to toy pianos to more traditional instruments (you know, like ukuleles, banjos and...are those coconuts?) he manages to pack in a ridiculous variety of textures and styles. His soft, whispery voice pulls it all together into something that is simply impossible to dislike. The songs, while full of small overlapping pieces, manage to be very solid and very catchy.
He also plays in the band Gellers.
Parachute
Official Site
MySpace
Major Releases
Exit (10-2007)
L.S.T. (09-2005)
Night Piece (09-2004)
Button
Green Rain
Future Umbrella (Live)
Karte
Metrion
Tsuji Ayano (つじあやの)
Simply put, Ayano Tsuji is one of my favorite singers. Her voice, as well as her music, is very quiet, calm and crystal clear. Often accompanied only by her ukulele, her songs are often melancholy folk tunes sung at a slow pace. While she might seem most at home doing solo shows in small coffee shops, on her albums she is joined by a full band, and actually plays some more upbeat, even happy sounding songs, like her song "Kaze ni Naru" that was used in the Ghibli film The Cat Returns. My favorite song of hers is her cover of "Cherry" by Spitz. It's done solo and live, and sounds like it was recorded in a park. You can hear birds tweeting in the background, as well as kids talking, the leaves rustling in the wind, and even the ring of a bell as someone on a bike rides by. It's just about as close to perfect as you'll ever hear.
Kaze ni Naru
Used in The Cat Returns.
Fly High
Hoahio
Hoahio is a trio of women playing experimental/improvised minimalistic songs on mostly traditional instruments like koto, mandolin and marimba. There are plenty of more unconventional elements though, with lilting vocals and electronic manipulation adding to the mix. Think lo-tech Japanese Enya in organic cyberspace and you might get close to the Hoahio sound. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any videos in the interwebs, but you can here streaming clips of their songs here.
The Guitar Plus Me
The Guitar Plus Me is the solo work of Yoichi Shiozawa. His band name is the perfect description for what it sounds like: simple little songs featuring acoustic guitars and Shiozawa's mellow voice, all very dry and stripped down. The folky tunes are often augmented with equally dry electronic sounds burbling away in the background, which adds a surprising amount of depth to what could otherwise be rather boring arrangements. In fact, his MySpace page lists influences from Simon and Garfunkle to Aphex Twin. You can hear some of his tracks here (warning! Windows Media!) and check out a streaming video here (again, Windows Media).
Yumi Arai / Matsutoya
Also known as "Yuming" and "Yumi Matsutoya," Yumi has been releasing albums consistently since 1972. Known in her early days as Yumi Arai, she gradually gained notoriety as both a singer and a songwriter for other artists. After she married in 1976 she almost quit the business, but eventually returned as Yumi Matsutoya. With over 20 records released and millions sold over her 30 year career, she continues to be active to this day. I consider her younger voice to be one of the best voices ever, and I've listed her under her original name for this reason. So there!
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