Calendar 2010 - Far East To East Showcase 2010

Sunday, October 10th
Far East To East Showcase / The New York Anime Festival
Irving Plaza, New York

Puffy AmiYumi
Boom Boom Satellites
Zazen Boys
Echostream

Source: Superglorious






BOOM BOOM SATELLITES, ZAZEN BOYS,AND ECHOSTREAM TO PERFOM AT FAR EAST TO EAST SHOWCASE AT NYAF

Bands Join Puffy AmiYumi For Concert In NYC’s Irving Plaza

Norwalk, CT, August X, 2010: The New York Anime Festival (NYAF) today announced bands Boom Boom Satellites, Zazen Boys, and Echostream will come together with previously-announced musical guest Puffy AmiYumi for a concert at the Far East To East Showcase (FETES) on Sunday, October 10, 2010. FETES is produced by Superglorious, a live event production firm responsible for orchestrating events with a very eclectic and exciting mix of artists. The New York Anime Festival, an anime, manga, and Japanese pop culture convention, will take place October 8-10, 2010 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in Manhattan. It is created by and co-located with the New York Comic Con. Boom Boom Satellites, Zazen Boys, Echostream, and Puffy AmiYumi will all appearing at NYAF for speaking sessions and autograph signings prior to their show. NYAF has additionally announced seiyuu and singer Minori Chihara and Japanese rock band VAMPS will also appear as guests, and comics legends Stan Lee, John Romita, Sr., and John Romita, Jr. will headline the New York Comic Con.

Presented in Irving Plaza (East 15th Street, New York, NY) for the first time, FETES is proud to take place in this historic venue, and will be presenting a roster of performers fully befitting the concert hall.

“FETES 2010 is a one-night-only, once-in-a-lifetime lineup,” FETES Manager Hayden Brereton said. “With FETES going into its third year, we’re pulling out all the stops to produce an event that offers a very diverse selection of top artists. Fans of pop, electronic, rock, alternative or just great live music will fall in love with the Far East to East Showcase this year!”

“Created as a night of music that brings together musical artists from both America and Japan, focusing on the borderlessness of song, and creating an evening appealing to anime fans, audiophiles, and casual New Yorkers interested in something new, FETES has been a unique attraction at the New York Anime Festival since 2008,” NYAF and NYCC Show Manager Lance Fensterman said. “And we could not be more humbled and thrilled looking out at the artists who’ll be taking the stage this year!”

Boom Boom Satellites, Zazen Boys, Echostream, and Puffy AmiYmi will all be appearing at the New York Anime Festival and New York Comic Con throughout the weekend for panel discussions and autograph signings before taking the stage on Sunday night at Irving Plaza. Tickets to FETES are $22 in advance and are separate from NYAF and NYCC admission. FETES tickets can be purchased now at www.superglorious.com or www.livenation.com.

Tickets for NYAF or NYCC may be purchased at www.nyanimefestival.com or www.nycomiccon.com. Other information about the shows, as well as news about the Reed Pop Culture Group, which also organizes Star Wars Celebration, is available at Lance Fensterman’s blog, www.mediumatlarge.net.

ABOUT BOOM BOOM SATELLITES:

Electronic/Rock unit Boom Boom Satellites — bassist/programmer Masayuki Nakano and guitarist/vocalist Michiyuki Kawashima — first broke in Europe in 1997. Absorbing both electronic and rock elements, they created a completely new and unknown sound, which not only established them as an exciting new band, but also boosted their profile as one of the most distinguished music producers in Japan. Their first single, 4 A Moment of Silence, was released in Europe in 1997 and triggered rave reviews from such definitive European music magazines as Melody Maker, who compared their debut impact to those of the Chemical Brothers’ and Prodigy’s. In 1998 the band embarked on a 3 month US tour with Moby, and shortly after they began receiving — and still keep receiving — requests for remix work from various artists such as Garbage, Josh Wink, and many more, which proved that their sound could be acclaimed and accepted internationally. When Oliver Stone and Luc Besson chose a band’s track to use in the film Yamakashi, it reinforced interest in their music from industries out side of the music business. In 2004 the band continued their film work by producing the soundtrack album to the animated film Appleseed. Boom Boom Satellites contributed four new songs, including the movie’s main theme, Dive For You, to the soundtrack, which also included music from Paul Oakenfold, Basement Jaxx, and Ryuichi Sakamoto. In 2007, their 6th album EXPOSED was released. Japanese lead track Easy Action was featured in 3D live action anime film, Vexille (directed by Fumihiko Sori), and was included in the soundtrack which also features Asian Dub Foundation, Underworld, and The Prodigy. EXPOSED was produced in an attempt to find the answer for the band to the long-standing question from the industry that tends to appreciate genre specific music, namely, Rock vs. Dance. In this album they have reached an answer — Rock AND Dance, both can exist at the same time and same place. Hence the new follow-up greatest hits album, OVER AND OVER. Coming in September 14, 2010 from SonyMusic Independent Network, this album is thoroughly re-mastered and re-mixed by the members themselves, and allows the listeners to appreciate it as a completely new album rather as a simple compilation of pre-existing tracks.



www.bbs-net.com

www.myspace.com/boomboomsatellites

www.facebook.com/boomboomsatellites

ABOUT ZAZEN BOYS:

Zazen Boys are Mukai Shutoku / Vocal,Guitar.Synth , Matsusita Atsushi / Drums , Yoshida Ichiro / Bass , Yoshikane Sou / Guitar

Zazen Boys were formed in 2003 by Mukai Shutoku,former leader of Japanese rock band Number Girl. In a word, Zazen Boys aspire to be `Led Zeppelin in kimono`. Their eclectic style is complex but raw, ranging from funk in irregular time, to Captain Beefheart combined with Minyo (traditional Japanese folk songs),to angular guitar-driven punk-ballads. Mukai`s lyrics are in Japanese, and the unique worldview that they express are based around two key concepts:`shogyou-mujo` and `seiteki-shodo`, meaning roughly `the transience of this world`and `sexual impulse`. To date, Zazen Boys have released 4 albums and 2 singles, all through their own label Matsuri Studio. Their latest album `Zazen Boys 4` was produced by Dave Fridmann (49th Grammy Winner for Best Recording Engineer),It opens with `Asobi`, a dark and brooding number performed entirely on drum machine and synthesizer, reminiscent of early deep house, and then on to `Honnoji`, a raging 16 beat-psyche-funk rock tune, and so on. Zazen Boys` awesome live shows reach almost 100 per year, and their music continues to stir hearts all over Japan and beyond. (www.mukaishutoku.com)

ABOUT ECHOSTREAM:

Echostream’s music draws the audience into a singular world, where haunting melodies swirl over grooving beats and unique instrumentation. Drawing on classical sensibility, the music includes techniques and arrangements normally only found in stuffy concerts populated by grey-haired old ladies. Here, those same instruments are let loose like beasts released to roam the wilds in search of adventures. Pianos, French Horns, Mandolins, Theremins, and of course the standard rock fare — drums, bass, guitars — abound, blending and accentuating one another to create a sound that is just as at home in a movie, on TV, or in a game, as it is on a festival stage. Echostream is not a new band, although you may only now be discovering them. Over a history of five years, two self-released albums, multiple licenses for TV and compilations both domestic and abroad, and many large-venue performances, the band has honed its sound and skills to an exceptional level. (www.myspace.com/echostream)

ABOUT PUFFY AMIYUMI:

Puffy AmiYumi, composed of singers Ami Onuki and Yumi Yoshimura, debuted in 1996 with the million selling single Asia No Junshin. Since then, their music has made them household names in Japan, leading to numerous hit songs, commercial appearances, and even their own television show. In 2000, Puffy AmiYumi began releasing albums and touring in the US. In 2004, Cartoon Network created an original cartoon, Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi, which became one of the most watched cartoons in the world — havin g been broadcast in 110 different countries. In 2006, Puffy AmiYumi were appointed the Goodwill Ambassadors of the Visit Japan Campaign for the US. In 2009, Puffy AmiYumi performed in Europe for the first time in front of 5,000+ people in Paris’s Japan Expo. In the same year, they sang the theme song to the Naruto film Naruto Shippuden 3: Inheritors of the Will of Fire. Their latest album, Bring it!, includes All Because Of You and I Don’t Wanna written by Avril Lavigne and her producer Butch Walker, Hiyori Hime written by the Japanese female rock icon Sheena Ringo, the theme song to the new Genji anime series, and other songs written by numerous stellar song writers. In September 2010, PuffyAmi Yumi will perform in Hong Kong and Taiwan. In the following month, they’ll be coming to NYC. (www.puffyamiyumi.com)

ABOUT SUPERGLORIOUS:

Superglorious is a music event production company that specializes in creating unique live music presentations. With a special emphasis on distinctive sounds, engaging performance, and high production values, Superglorious unifies a diverse collective of artists to create soundscapes that are meant to entertain and inspire. The firm’s strong understanding of the local music industry and global approach to art has allowed artists from across America, the Far East, and Europe to boost and extend their connections to audiences across New York City. Utilizing a holistic approach to its projects, Superglorious offers a wide range of expertise that includes artist and equipment coordination, online and street marketing, print design and artist booking. Its constant pursuit of excellence offers challenging and exciting opportunities for both artists and music lovers. (www.superglorious.com)

ABOUT THE NEW YORK ANIME FESTIVAL:

The New York Anime Festival takes place at the Jacob K. Javits Center in Midtown Manhattan and is organized by Reed Exhibitions, the creators of New York Comic Con. The New York Anime Festival showcases the best of anime pop culture, including the latest anime, manga, Japanese cinema, music, and games, and anime-influenced comics, animation, and films from around the world. The festival features exclusive and extensive screenings, a gala cosplay masquerade, sessions with the some of the biggest names in anime from Japan, Asia, and America, and explores the Japanese cultural experience with displays of both traditional and cutting-edge Japanese life. (www.newyorkanimefestival.com)

ABOUT NEW YORK COMIC CON:

New York Comic Con is the East Coast’s biggest and most exciting popular culture convention. Our show floor plays host to the latest and greatest in comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television. Our panels and autograph sessions give fans a chance to interact with their favorite creators. Our screening rooms feature sneak peeks at films and television shows months before they hit either big or small screens. And with dedicated professional hours, New York Comic Con is a market place, bringing together the major players in the entertainment industry. New York Comic Con is the second largest pop culture convention in America and the only one that takes place in the comic book, publishing, media, and licensing capital of the world — Gotham City. (www.newyorkcomiccon.com)

ABOUT REED EXHIBITIONS POP CULTURE GROUP:

The Pop Culture Group at Reed Exhibitions owns and operates the New York Comic Con (NYCC), the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2), and the New York Anime Festival (NYAF). New York Comic Con was launched in 2006 and quickly became a dominant presence in the pop culture world of public events. In 2009, 452 companies exhibited at NYCC for a total of 84,000 square feet of paid exhibit space, and it has been ranked by Crain’s New York Business as the second-largest annual event in NYC. C2E2, which will debut April 16 – 18 at Chicago’s McCormick Place Convention Center, is modeled after NYCC and will provide fans the opportunity to meet and greet their favorite writers, creators, and artists, as well as to see, hear and learn about the latest and greatest in comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television. The Pop Culture Group also operates the recently-launched UFC Fan Expo in partnership with the UFC – the world’s leading professional mixed martial arts organization – and it formed a strategic partnership with Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) in 2008 and will work closely with PAX on the launch of PAX East in Boston in 2010.

Calendar 2010 - Puffy - Far East to East Showcase, NY

October 10th
Puffy

Far East to East Showcase / New York Anime Festival
Irving Plaza - East 15th Street, New York, NY

Tickets on sale July 9th, Irving Plaza’s Box Office or via Ticketmaster.

Source: Superglorious

Videos of the Week 7-5-09

First off, sorry for the marked lack of updates this week. A combination of work ramping up at, er, work, and some very nice summer days have made it tough to want to sit around inside. I know it goes against the blogger code or something to want to actually spend time in the sun,. but I think I make up for it during the other nine months that we northern dwellers live under a blanket of snow and darkness.

So anyway, things should be picking up soon. Until then here are some new videos!

Aira Mitsuki "Plastic Doll"


First up is this cool new one from picopico pop sensation Aira Mitsuki. This video is full of eye-candy, and the song it actually pretty hard hitting. This whole Auto-Tune fetish-pop movement has gotten totally out of hand, but every once in a while something listenable comes out of it.

OK, let's get more serious after the jump!



Boom Boom Satellites "Back on My Feet"


Back on My Feet is the new single/EP from BBS, and it's a fantastic little collection. I haven't been too into their recent releases because they are all a bit too happy and party-centric. I like that they seem to be getting back into their more atmospheric and darker side on Back on My Feet. It reminds me of early Hybrid as well, what with all the strings and cut up drums. More like this, please!

Versailles "Ascendead Master"


I don't think I've really understood much of what goes on in Versailles videos, and this one is no exception. Something about a girl that the singer is all hot for? And a TV crew is filming them in a church for some reason? Whatever. I'm sure it's all part of some long-running story that I've been missing out on.

School Food Punishment "Butterfly Swimmer"


Here's the new one from SFP. Definitely more pop and mainstream than their previous releases, but then again it's not like there were ever that far-out to begin with. Still, they are on a major label now, so there you go...It all feels just a little too bland to me.

Puffy "Dareka Ga"


New song from Puffy. I really like their very early music, and this is almost along those lines. Still, it's super pop-rock like way too much of their recent stuff. I think if the music matched the video a little more that it might be a better song!

Gackt "Flower" (Karaoke)"


Here's a TV clip of Gackt laying down some karaoke for his newest single "Flower." Hijinx ensue! It's always nice to see Gackt in a less-than-serious mood. Of course all his serious stuff is actually just as silly. It's all a matter of perspective, I guess.

Jonathon Coulton - Live on local NY TV


And finally, for your non-Japanese pick of the week, here's a clip from a local New York news broadcast featuring Jonathon Coulton. It's pretty short, but at least there's a bit of talk with the man.

That's it for this week. Let me know what you're watching!

Shojo Beat's Best Japanese Music Contest

I just wanted to drop this quick note. I posted a story over on Japanator about Shojo Beat's 3rd Annual Music Awards. There are a ton of great bands this time around (many of them from JapanFiles), like Polysics, Budo Grape, Tokyo Pinsalocks, Electric Eel Shock, Halcali, Puffy AmiYumi, L'Arc~en~Ciel, Bo-Peep and many more. Check out the story, then head on over and vote!

The Best Japanese Albums of 2007

2007 was a great year for Japanese rock. While the pre-fab pop/idol scene is still what Japan is best known for, it's starting to show some cracks around the edges. Many bands are pushing strong playing and even stronger songwriting to the forefront instead of relying on the shallow gimmicks of massive industry backing. What might once have been a talented band lost to obscurity is now a group that has just as much of a chance at fame as any rising starlet. Obviously, many of us would like to think that this is mostly due to the now mainstream use of the internet as the main portal of information gathering. We no longer have to rely on the magazine and television monopolies to tell us what to listen to. It also helps that more and more Japanese bands are making the trip overseas and preforming live to larger and larger audiences outside of the anime convention circuit. We can now follow our own paths wherever they may lead. (Hint hint - this is exactly the mission of this site!)

That said, here are a few recommend paths to follow for music lovers of all stripes. There's no way to list all of the great albums that were released in 2007, but I nevertheless hope to cover a lot of ground, as usual, from metal to pop to electro to indie rock. I'll start things off with 15 of my personal favorites from 2007, followed by 35 quick picks.


9mm Parabellum Bullet - Termination



Termination easily gets my vote for most intense rock album of the year. It's hard to believe that 9mm Parabellum Bullet could top any of their previous fury, but indeed they do. That could be due in part to the high amount of recycled older material, but it's made even more frantic on the new recordings. Termination is a wall of sound from begining to end, with a very high "twists-and-turns" ratio in every song. Not for the feint of heart, yet somehow extremely catchy along the way. "Punishment," the aptly named final track, puts epic metal guitar gods Dragonforce to shame.

Abingdon Boys School - Abingdon Boys School



It was a long and lonely wait for the very first album from Abingdon Boys School. We were teased with a couple years worth of singles until they finally releases their self-titled album in 2007. While it only contained about 50% new material, it was still a much welcomed album. Full of Toshiyuki Nishi's relentlessly thick and compressed production, the album is a solid wall of guitars, synths and Takanori Nishikawa's vocal prowess. While it's obviously a pop album, ABS manages to bring a lot of raw power via the intricate guitar riffs and hulking drums. It's pop rock full of metal tricks and synthetic grandeur.

Asparagus - Mont Blanc



Much like 9mm Parabellum Bullet, Asparagus plays a very intense brand of spiky indie-rock, stripped down and raw. They aren't afraid to leave all the nerve endings exposed on Mont Blanc, which is full of very quick, tight guitars and drums all supporting the melodic structures.

The Brown - Struggle In A Whirl



Struggle In A Whirl, the debut album from The Brown, is a feast of progressively minded indie rock, swinging from complex guitar workouts to mellow passages that shine a light on Ai's crooning vocal style. Every song is packed with small details that require several listens to fully comprehend. I hate to keep invoking the name of 9mm Parabellum Bullet (band of the year maybe?), but Struggle In A Whirl certainly sounds more than a little like Evanescence run through a Termination machine.

Buck-Tick - Tenshi No Revolver



Buck-Tick never fail to surprise with every new album they release, and they did it once again with Tenshi No Revolver. While the previous album was an ichor slathered, dark and glammy affair, Tenshi No Revolver is a much brighter, yet no less menacing album. While the songs seem more upbeat and happy at first blush, further inspection exposes the same dark undertones. The sound is stripped down and focuses on a simpler raw sound, which highlights the, as always, subtle, brilliant songwriting. Much like The Cure could fake happy now and then, Buck-Tick will put the smiles back on the face of goth via Tenshi No Revolver.

Budo Grape - Otonatachi x Kodomotachi


(this is actually from a previous album)

Budo Grape continued their new-wave synth rock stylings on Otonatachi x Kodomotachi, an album full of very cute and fun electro-rock songs ala The Plastics and The Sugarcubes. The tag-team male/female vocals add to the playful, totally unpretentious songs. While overall the production on Otonatachi x Kodomotachi is very dry and to the point (much like early Devo recordings), their willingness to dip into a wide range of electronic textures keeps the simple songs interesting from beginning to end.

Coaltar of the Deepers - Yukari Telepath



Coaltar of the Deepers has made a career out of being extremely tough to categorize. Every album is an exercise in genre bending, and that is expressed most perfectly on Yukari Telepath. While the band started out as a softer, shoe-gaze type band, they've always adopted much heaver element in their music. With Yukari Telepath, they blend dreamy sounds-capes with very loud and very thick metal passages and grunting vocals. That can then break into an uplifting bit full of synths and the usual dreamy style. At other times they stick to straight-up groovy rock, or totally spaced out excursions. Yet they make it all work perfectly and cohesively. I'd even dare to say that Yukari Telepath is the best album of 2007, blending not only disparate styles, but synthetic and acoustic elements in equal measure. And I mean best album. It's something that must be listened to as a whole, and that is something that is becoming increasingly rare these days.

GO!GO!7188 - 569



GO!GO!7188's 569 is a much welcome return to superb songwriting for the band. Their surf-rock meets epic-female-vocal style is never more solid than on this album. The opening tracks are easily their best material ever, with extremely catchy songs wrapped in deceptively complex structures. While the middle of the album contains all the more experimental and quiet stuff, the party picks up again toward the end. As with many of the previously mentioned albums, 569 focus only on the band's solid playing, highlighting the trio's prowess behind their instruments, as well as the very upbeat and fun songs.

Maximum the Hormone - Buiikikaesu



On Buiikikaesu, Maximum the Hormone seems to do the impossible, making nu-metal interesting and fun. While it contains all of the signature chugging riffs and guttural screaming, it also adds a huge dose of catchy melody and straight up pop-rock. In fact just about every song seems to jump through several genres, from mook-rock to ska to dancable pop and hip-hop, all with a fun punk-rock irreverence, and the occasional super cute female vocal. With Buiikikaesu, Maximum the Hormone proves that nu-metal isn't all angst and emo, but also a good time.

Melt Banana - Bambi's Dilemma



Bambi's Dilemma is the perfect mix of seemingly random noise guitar with easily digestible punk songs. While calling Melt Banana "abrasive" might be the understatement of the year, they manage to keep their spikey outer shell razor sharp while at the same time writing nothing but pure pop songs on Bambi's Dilemma. It's just pop at a million miles an hour, played through a blender on the verge of a meltdown. While their blistering punk presentation won't be winning over the faint of heart, the pure pop of Bambi's Dilemma just might.

Midori - Second and Shimizu



Don't let the sailor-suited school girl who fronts this band fool you. Or better yet, let her fool you into thinking you'll be getting a typical cute pop-rock the image might otherwise represent. After all, Midori is a band full of pop and cute and rainbows, it's just that it's all fractured from too much love and overuse. Both of Midori's 2007 releases are chock full of playful pianos, drums and bass, playfully played by a trio of angry children throwing a fit over a favorite toy. It seems impossible that singer Mariko Goto could contain so much rage and fury one second, then drop down to a cute and alluring tone, drawing you in for another vocal attack. If these guys don't burn out soon, they just might take over the world.

Polysics - Karate House



Speaking of taking over the world, 2007 was an extremely important year for Japan's preeminent new-wave band Polysics. Not only was it their 10th anniversary, but they embarked on the very first MySpace Music Tour in America, which exposed them to hundreds of thousands of new fans. While many of those new fans might have thought that Polysics or Die: Vista, a compilation released on MySpace Records, was their big 2007 album, it was actually the all new Karate House which was the year's centerpiece. Containing a large number of hit singles like "Electric Surfin' Go Go" and "You You You," it also showed off the band's continuing evolution. While they still retain their early noise-rock mentality, it continues to be tempered by their desire to hone their sounds into pure electro-rock bliss. Karate House is just one more step on their way to world-wide fame.

Puffy Ami-Yumi - Honeycreeper



If Puffy's previous and more recent releases pushed them too far into pandering-to-America territory, then it was this year's Honeycreeper that brought them back home. The songs on Honeycreeper hearken back to their early days, with more of a focus on the fuzzy, hazy feel-good retro-rock sound in lieu of their previous pop-rock aping of Avril Lavigne. The songwriting is some of the best you'll hear on a rock album in any country, with ample twin vocal harmonies and the simple yet somehow nostalgic sounding melodies. Honeycreeper is just a simply beautiful, middle of the road, totally unpretentious rock album, something only Puffy can do with such quiet perfection.

Shugo Tokumaru - Exit



If it's eclectic arrangements you're looking for, then Shugo Tokumaru's Exit is the perfect album for you. The songs roll out like clockwork toys, all made in a place not quite based in any reality we know, yet all strangely familiar. It helps that all of the tunes on Exit are front and center, somehow managing to not get lost in the vast sea of unique sounds. While the vocal treatments might remind you of The Beach Boys' dreamy, layered style, it's Tokumaru's totally fresh presentation that will keep you feeling just off-kilter enough to keep the bemused smile on your face from beginning to end.

Versailles - Lyrical Sympathy



While, for some totally unfathomable reason, it doesn't contain the incredibly epic first single "The Revenant Choir," Versailles' first album Lyrical Sympathy is a limitless font of epic metal greatness. Its soaring majesty is rivaled only by the band's own outrageously over the top visual style, which is taken straight out Anne Rice's most fevered dreams. Their frilly and darkly colorful look is a prefect visual analog for their music, which is equally dark and brooding, yet full of blistering metal guitar riffs, seemingly unending solos and labyrinthine structures. I still don't know how they manage to pull off all of those complicated phrases while wearing a hundred pounds of lace and flowing dresses, but the blinding greatness of their music is enough to dampen any doubts. If Lestat were alive today, this would be his band.

Some Other Notable Releases:

Art-School - Hidari Kiki no KIKI: An excellent little EP.

Ayumi Hamasaki - GUILTY: Yeah, that's right. Even the biggest pop-idols in Japan can release an interesting album once in a while.

B'z - Action: You can't ignore the biggest selling band in the history of Japan.

Base Ball Bear - 17sia: More pop/post-punk/dream rock from BBB.

Bremen - Precious Story: "Just another blissful electro album" is always welcome.

Bump of Chicken - Orbital Period: Simple soft rock is simply perfect.

Capsule Flash Back: More of the same is just fine when it's the same top-notch electro-dance from Nakata Yasutaka.

Chatmonchy - Seimeiryoku: Fresh-faced-and-smiling rough-edged pop-rock from the all-girl trio.

Coltemonikha - Coltemonikha2: Speaking of Nakata Yasutaka, if his Capsule stuff is too hard and sharp for you, try this softer side.

Electric Eel Shock - Transworld Ultra Rock: More balls-out stoner-rock mayhem from EES.

Fullarmor - Zion: An excellent little guitar-driven instrumental album full of intense songs that seem to come straight out of your favorite retro video game soundtrack.

Galneryus - One For All, All For One: If you were scared off by Versailles' frilly pink dresses, then maybe Galneryus' less visual epic metal is more for you.

Going Under Ground - Oyasumi Monster: If it's fun soft-rock you're after, then this is the album for you.

Hawaiian6 - Rings: More intense, melodic power-punk from Hawaiian6.

Ken Yokoyama - Third Time's A Charm: More intense, melodic power-punk from Ken Yokoyama.

L'Arc-en-Ciel - Kiss: L'Arc continues their mix of lushly produced, dark and elegant rock.

The Local Art - KiZUNA: A great, solid power rock album. What else do you need?

Mars Eurythmics - Range Over Hill and Dale: A great, upbeat, solid indie-rock album. What else do you need?

Meg - Beam: Speaking of Nakata Yasutaka, if his Coltemonikha stuff isn't fun enough for you, try his more mature production on Meg's new album.

Mix Market - Shiawase no Elephant: Another fun and bubbly indie rock album from Mix Market.

Mosaic.wav - Future-Fiction:AKIBA-POP!!: Suffering from low blood-sugar? Inject this super-sweet anime inspired collection of crazy synth-pop twice daily.

Motocompo - Chiptop Lips: Their most mature album so far, it contains some of the most blissful synth-pop you'll hear.

Noodles Metropolis: More drowsy, fuzzed out rock from this all-girl rock group.

Onmyo-za - Maou Taiten: Once again Onmyo-za bring new life to classic metal and traditional Japanese style.

Otsuka Ai - Love Piece: Yet another spot-on collection of retro-pop rock, tearful ballads and plain crazy fun from the most cutest idol ever.

The Pillows - Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!: It should go without saying by now, but when The Pillows release an album, you buy it.

Roach - Mind of the Sun: Nu-Metal with a very original, high-pitched traditional Japanese vocal style. Well, at least when he's not screaming.

RYUKYUDISKO - INSULARHYTHM A straight-up techno/dance album full of happy melodies and interesting collaborations.

School Food Punishment - Air Feel, Color Swim and School Food is Food Food: Two albums full of mature female vocals, pianos and soft, spacey rock.

Sleepy.ab - Fantasia: Delicate shoegaze bliss.

Straightener - Immortal: A great little EP of brash indie-rock.

Tokyo Jihen - Variety: More swank, high-society rock. I suggest a white wine.

Tomoyasu Hotei - Ambivalent: Guitar-fueled blues-rock? Here it is!

UVERworld - Bugright: If Base Ball Bear's 17sai didn't have enough down-tempo rap for your liking, then UVERworld would like to talk with you.

Vidoll - Bastard: A step above your average vis-kei album, Bastard swings from screamy metal to soft, dance-able ballads and back.

That's it for this year. Hopefully that will give you enough to wade through until the next wave of albums begins to appear. With all of the amazing music released this year, next year looks to be very interesting indeed!

(Also, please feel free to add your own "Best Of" list in the comments!)

Puffy Ami-Yumi

Formed in 1995 as Puffy, Puffy Ami-Yumi are the quintessential pop duo. With the help of producer and ex-Jellyfish member Andy Sturmer, Puffy Ami-Yumi have had a run of huge success both in Japan and America. Much like The Peanuts (see above), they blend the voices almost perfectly around each other. Their songs are a mix of pop rock and pop ballads with a hip, indie edge, much like Sturmer's Jellyfish days. Their feel-good nostalgic vibe has made them official ambassadors of tourism in Japan. They have also appeared on a few television shows both in Japan and America, and provided the theme song for the animated Teen Titans show. While their popularity in their native land has been fading for a while now, they seem to have been able to pick up the slack in America, hitting South By Southwest and several other tours.

BUY PUFFY RELEASES HERE