Welcome to Monday, and welcome to another Japanator Radio!
This week, the usual batch of newness, this time from the likes of Ling Tosite Sigure, Maximum the Hormone and Sparta Locals, with nice guys and newly christed Naruto enders Nico Touches the Walls in the Artist Spotlight.
Grab the show and start rockin'. Also, comments! Let's see some, m'kay?
DOWNLOAD EPISODE 48 AT JAPANATOR!
Newly formed in 2004, Nico Touches the Walls is still a young group, but they've managed to gain a lot of momentum over a few brief years.
They play a fairly middle-of-the-road brand of rock, not too soft but still a bit too restrained to fit into the new school of indie rock. They combine the positive spirit of Remioromen, the mainstream hooks of The Pillows and (occasionally) the slightly raw edge of Ogre You Asshole. They do manage to shake things up with some aggressive playing from time to time, but don't be fooled, Nico Touches the Walls are first and foremost a rose-tinted rock band. A sheep in wolf's clothing, so to speak. They occasionally dazzle the listener with frantic guitar playing and crazy, fevered singing, but those moments are tempered by a greater number of softer, milder ballads.
They mix up the formula with a bit of a bluesy swagger here and there, or some countrified riffs sprinkled in. They manage to keep things interesting, even if it comes in small chunks. It's a little tough to chart their musical progression since they've released only a smattering of mini-albums and a few singles. Overall it feels as if they're gunning for big-time chart toppers, aiming for a mass-audience and keeping their songs decidedly safe. They certainly know how to write some catchy tracks. They also know how to project an image of a slightly dangerous group, appealing to all those listeners who like to think they're living on the edge while remaining safely tethered to the bedrock.
Most recently they were added to the unending list of bands featured in the Naruto anime series, a step which will undoubtedly get the right people talking. With 2008 seeing only a few singles released form the band so far, and now the Naruto exposure, it's a safe bet that we'll see the first proper full-length album from Nico Touches the Walls in the very near future.
