October 14-19
Next Music from Tokyo Vol. 2
Canadian Tour
MASS OF THE FERMENTING DREGS
uhnellys
susquatch
sgt.
Oct 14 Vancouver @ Biltmore Cabaret
Oct 16 Toronto @ The Rivoli
Oct 17 Toronto @ The Velvet Underground (all ages)
Oct 19 Montreal @ Club Lambi
Source: Next Music From Tokyo
Here's a new video from Mass of the Fermenting Dregs. The song "Zero Comma, Irotoridori No Sekai" is also the title track to their new, and first, full-length album. That's sort of hard to believe since the band seems to have been releasing amazing material for years now.
The song is very much in the spirit of their past releases, but it's maybe just a bit more "fun" sounding than usual. The video is certainly fun and carefree. That's not to say the the band hasn't been upbeat and fun in the past. It's just that their songs are usually a little louder, deeper and dark.
Their new album is out now. It's one of my most highly anticipated releases for the the year (second only to the new Ling Tosite Sigure album) so you can expect me to blab all about it soon!
Lite "The Sun Sank"
Up first this week we have a a brand new video from post-rock instrumental band Lite. This song is actually quite a bit different than their previous releases, featuring lots of synths and and a generally more pop sound. That doesn't mean it's any less complex, though! The video follows suit, being a pretty simple idea, but done in a very interesting way.
Hit the jump for the rest of this week's videos!
sgt. - Live
Since we're on the subject of instrumental bands, here's a live clip from sgt. Since they have a new album coming out soon, I thought it was time to take a look at them again. This clip is a performance from about a year ago. It really kicks in about two minutes in. I've had a chance to hear the new album, and i think we'll be hearing a lot more about these guys in the near future.
Skywings are a rather new epic metal band. I've been keeping an eye on them since their demo was released a while back. This is their first official PV from their debut album The Advent Melody which is out very soon. Fans of X-Japan, take note!
Mass of the Fermenting Dregs "D-Angle"
Here's a very cool live performance from Mass of the Fermenting Dregs. It's always nice to see a trio really rock out, sounding like a band twice their size. Also, there's something about a small, barefooted woman with a huge bass, shouting her head off...Anyway, if you like this one, check out the rest of the gig as well!
Dead Man's Bones "Name in Stone"
This week's non-Japanese video is a great one, in my opinion. Need something to get you into the Halloween spirit? Then this is the video from Dead Man's Bones for you! I was originally going to post something on their song "My Body's a Zombie for You," which is probably a more interesting song, but I think this video totally blows that one out of the water. I really need to look further into what these guys are all about.
OK, that's it for this week!
We have hit the half-way mark on 2009 (well OK, we've gone well past it, but still) so that can only mean one thing. Time to take the first look back at the best Japanese albums of the first half of 2009!
This year, I'm trying something a little different than the past two. Instead of posting one giant list of albums, I've broken it up into two distinct parts. Here at the A-Z you've got the more rock, post-rock, post-punk, post-whatever and indie oriented bands. Over at Japanator you've got the more electro and pop stuff. Neither one is totally one genre or the other, but I thought it would be interesting to see how one list works against the other. So, once you are done soaking up the harder-edged stuff here, make sure to head on over to Japanator for even more.
OK, on with the list!
Lillies and Remains - Part of Grace [BUY IT]
First off, while none these picks are in any sort of order, I will say that the first three all fall into my own "album of the year" category, each for different reasons. First up is Part of Grace by Lillies and Remains, which I reviewed in full here. The self-produced album is a fascinating mix of darkness and light, with its gothic post-punk guitars and reverberations alongside some very lovely melodies. KENT's deep vocal style is also unique, adding to the swampy mystery. Factor in the all English lyrics, and these guys should have no problem making it big around the world.
Ling Tosite Sigure - Just A Moment [BUY IT]
On the opposite end of the spectrum lies Just A Moment, the self-produced album from Ling Tosite Sigure. If Part of Grace is a dark, brooding fog, Just A Moment is a violent hurricane. Full of explosive noise as well as equally quiet and calm passages, Just A Moment is a constantly shifting volcanic landscape.
Mono - Hymn to the Immortal Wind [BUY IT]
My final pick for unofficial album of the year is Hymn to the Immortal Wind by Mono. The instrumental post-rock group has made a true masterpiece with Hymn. The expansive, lengthy songs all move through several stages, from silence to a roaring clash of guitars, drums and a full string section. Through it all runs a very strong sense of melody, with many painfully beautiful passages. Much like Sigure Ros, Mono provide the listener with all they need to imagine their own personal and/or otherworldly stories.
Viridian - Sangenshoku [BUY IT]
The song "Little Soldier" on Viridian's debut album Sangenshoku is well worth the price of admission in its own. The rest of the album is more quality indie rock, with singer Sano Hitomi's voice being a stand out, as her tone is more mature and deep than many other female singers. She stays well away from any cutesy flash and instead focuses on simply singing both well and with passion. It's a great album that will both lighten your mood and get you ready to kick a little ass.
Mass of the Fermenting Dregs - World is Yours [BUY IT]
Mass of the Fermenting Dregs continues to be one of the most exciting all girl (or, these days, almost all girl) indie-rock bands out there. They manage to pump out some really frenetic rock, while also maintaining their calm, cool and collected demeanor. While World is Yours is really more of a mini-album that a proper full release, it still proves that their ability to produce pulse-pounding anthems is no fluke.
Qomolangma Tomato - Camouflage [BUY IT]
With a healthy disregard for vocal perfection as well as a sometimes loose grove, it might seem like Qomolangma Tomato is falling off the rails from time to time, but rest assured that it's all part of the act. Camouflage is full of otherwise tuneful songs pushed to the brink of self-destruction. They actually aren't as rough as some of the individual songs might make them out to be. Overall, Camouflage is a multifaceted album full of surprises, provided you give it the chance.
Straightener - Nexus [BUY IT]
At first listen, the new album from rock veterans Straightener is rather unassuming, maybe even little laid back. While they've never been a very extreme rock band, Nexus feels even more mild in temperament than usual. Upon closer inspection, however, the songs really open themselves up and reveal some very solid tunes.
Winnie - Headquarter [BUY IT]
Winnie blends lead male and female vocals just as well as they blend their slightly pop rock sound with much more listenable heavier rock textures. Their swirling guitars and danceable beats set them apart from the regular rock crowd just as their weighty guitar moments set them apart from the typical feel-good dance-rock bands.
Matryoshka - Coctura [BUY IT]
While not actually a new album, but rather a remix album, Matryoshka's new release Coctura is nevertheless something totally new. The songs get both the standard remix treatment from the likes of World's End Girlfriend and Headphones Remote, as well as more of a cover song thing with guest vocalists and producers working together. All of this serves only to add even more atmosphere and a sense of reverence to Matryoshka's already moody and muzzy style.
Boom Boom Satellites - Back on My Feet [BUY IT]
This one is a bit of a cheat, since Back on My Feet is really just a glorified four song single or maybe an EP. Regardless, it's a great little release, worthy of inclusion on the list. While the group's previous album was pretty up-tempo and had a bit of a good-times party vibe, the material on Back on My Feet is darker and more subtle, much like their very early work. The songs take more time to develop and have greater depth. The use of piano and strings along with the usual batch of pounding cut-up drums, guitars and synths adds to the overall more mature and serious mood. Let's just hope we get an album in this style as well.
That's all for now. There's already a list of potentially great releases for the rest of the year, so I'm already excited about things to come!
See something missing? Then by all means write up your own best of list in the comments. Together we can bring all the best music into the light it deserves.
