Videos of the Week: 3/15/10

Well, it certainly has been a long time since we last saw Videos of the Weeks here on the A-Z. Sorry about that. I think things will finally be ramping up, at least for the next few months. Life on the outside is getting back to normal, so let's take a look at what's been going on!

Miki Furukawa - "Saihate"


This is a new single from Miki Furukawa, fromerly of Supercar. I almost always like her poppy electro songs more than some of her more indie rock stuff, and I like this one. Both the video and the song are just a little on the bland side, but they both pretty and fun, so what's the harm? Still makes me wish Supercar were still together...

More after the jump!


Buck-Tick - "Beauty"


Much like I like Miki's electro tracks more, I like it most when Buck-Tick are doing something loud and energetic. This newest single from the band is super poppy and doesn't have much of the darkness I like in some of the other songs, but again, this gets the job done just fine.

Molice - "Pale Wind"


This is an easy-going, nostalgic sounding song from Molice's new album Catalystrock. It's a bit of a departure from their usually more high-energy stuff, but it's still super catchy. I will admit that I like the treatment of the "regular" video far more than that of the more watercolor/cell-shaded look, but to each their own!

The Brixton Academy - "See You In A Dream"



I'll be talking much more about these guys soon, but I just couldn't resist sharing this video now. Their debut album Vivid is already at the top of my "Best Japanese Albums of 2010" list. This is easily my favorite song on the album, and the video is a great compliment to it. It's very DIY, but proof that you don't need a lot of fancy tricks if you've got a simple idea.

Lookbook - "Over and Over"



This week's non-Japanese pick comes of a Minnesota bands called Lookbook. A friend of mind had a part in making it, and the song is great too!

This it for this week. Let's all hope for repeat performance next week.!

Miki Furukawa (フルカワミキ)

Miki Furukawa was the bass player and backing vocalist for the incredible indie rock band Supercar. For almost ten years the band churned out some of the best stuff anyone could ask for, including their crowning achievement (in my humble opinion at least) the electronically tinged Highvision. More than just a bass player standing in the background, Miki was almost a second front-man for the band, often singing lead or taking a duel role on vocals.

As a solo artist, Miki has room to breathe and stretches out a little. While she does hit on familiar Supercar territory from time to time, she also has her own style. Her songs have a dreamy quality, but are solid and a bit more on the pop rock edge of the spectrum. She also uses a lot of electronic elements, adding to the swirling psychedelic feel. On the other hand, she does bring plenty of indie-rock jams to the table, stripping things down and simply rocking out.

Her live performances, unfortunately, are often a little shaky. As we've seen and heard from her Supercar days, the studio is very nice to her. (This was actually the case for both Miki and Koji.) That's not to say she can't hold her own live, but her singing voice is a little weak and doesn't translate very well in a loud live setting. Still, she is making some great music on her own, and has managed to step out of the considerably huge shadow cast by her previous band.

Buy Miki releases here! | Buy Supercar releases here!

B.B.W.




Official Site
MySpace

Releases:
Mirrors (2006)
Bondage Heart (2008)

Coffee and Singinggirl!!!


Candy Girl


Psycho America


7 Stars


C.Stereo


Like A Starberry (w/ Chocolat)


Sunrise (Live)


B.B.W. (not-at-all Live)


Supercar - Strobolights


Supercar - Lucky (Live)

Supercar

I often find it very difficult to write about bands that I love. I always think that listening to their music is the only way to truly to get across the awesomeness of a great band. Nevertheless, here I am, faced with Supercar. They started off their career as a rather noisy, guitar driven indie band with mellow lyrics delivered over the distorted rock songs. They slowly drifted into electronic territory with Futurama; (2000), eventually going almost totally electronic on their absolutely amazing High Vision album in 2002. Produced by Yoshinori Sunahara from Denki Groove, it is, in my humble opinion, the single best example of rock and electro fusion ever recorded (and I say that as a huge fan of OK Computer as well.) It also marked a turning point in their sound, which unfortunately lasted for only one more album. They stuck close to their very somber, dark feel, adding a slightly more dubbed out, almost psychedelic sound to their final album Answer; in 2004. They broke up in 2005, leaving behind their final very sad show on DVD. Luckily, most of their videos do an excellent job at capturing the essence of their music. While I'd like to post every video of theirs (and they have quite a few), I'll just stick to the best of the best. Enjoy.

BUY SUPERCAR RELEASES HERE!

Lucky



Official Site

Members
Koji Nakamura: Vocals, Guitars
Junji Ishiwatari: Guitars
Miki Furukawa: Bass, Vocals
Kodai Tazawa: Drums

Major Releases
Three Out Change (1998)
Jump Up (1999)
Ooyeah (1999)
Ookeah (1999)
Futurama (2000)
Highvision (2002)
Answer (2004)

Recreation


Strobolights


Yumegiwa Last Boy


Wonderworld


Love Forever


Drive


Last Scene