Formed around 2006, Scandal began its life just like so many others, in high school. The group of four girls began playing smalls shows on the street and quickly grew a substantial following. They were scooped up by Tower Records who released their first single in early 2008. The band hopped on America's Japan Nite tour later that year, and then even later in 2008 they were signed to the Sony label. Now that's a whirlwind career!
Scandal is essentially the reincarnation of Zone, only with their amps turned up to eleven and the sappy ballads tossed out the door (at least, so far.) That's not to say they are a hard rockin' punk band of anything. They are straight up pop rock, but with a bit more bite than your average safe rock group. They have the same positive, can-do outlook as seen in so many other teen/school-based groups like Morning Musume or Puffy, and just happen to all play their own instruments.
Speaking of which, the few live performances out there are, well, rough. On the one hand it's refreshing to hear such a heavily scrutinized band actually play live (for real). The fact that they are obviously new to the whole thing fits the pop idol model, where fans are also a part of the group's growth. On the other hand, it's a little disconcerting to hear just how different they sound in the studio after what must be some heavy practicing and editing wizardry.
The band started their life in the media spotlight as illustrated and animated anime characters, instead of the usual fan-service photo-shoots more common to the female idol scene. The cover to their Yah! Yah! Yah! Hello Scandal EP features these characters in a format much like that of the Beatles album Let It Be. This also goes a long way to describing their sound, which is full of four part harmonies and simple, direct song-writing. Their production is straight up guitar, bass, vocals and drums. No frills, but very poppy and catchy. Much like their transition from simple caricatures to the real girls behind the instruments, their sound and their proficiency also seems to be maturing. Their first full length album from Sony should be very interesting.
It's always a bit difficult to summarize the work of someone who has been tirelessly active over a thirty year music career. Being a social and political activist, as well as being highly influential to a generation of new musicians (ie Polysics), Susumu Hirasawa is no easy nut to crack.
First, a step back. In 1979 he formed the new-wave band P-Model. Very much in the style of fellow contemporaries Devo and The Plastics, P-Model was an arty spazz rock group that combined blippy synths with janky guitars and kooky vocal deliveries. They lasted twenty years, releasing a slew of albums and churning though a huge list of band members, all with Hirasawa it its core.
After finally breaking up in 1999, Hirasawa continued to make music under his own name. By then, P-Model had morphed into a much more straight forward electronic outfit, and Hirasawa picked up right where they left off. His own music is closer to traditional new-age, but with a much tougher edge. While much of it is indeed atmospheric and soft, the rest is frenetic and pulsing, trance-like yet retaining Hirasawa's very strong sense of melody. He also seems to have a fondness for marching-band percussive styles and very grand presentations. His vocal style is equally eclectic, being a mix of traditional Japanese folk, a bit of yodeling and downright operatic deliveries. The music is totally electronic, yet very organic and lushly layered at all times. His dreamlike cyber landscapes seem to be either populated by bustling mega-cities, Eden-like gardens devoid of humanity, or some sort of idyllic hybrid.
His live performances are perhaps what one would expect from such a natural eccentric. Most consist of only himself playing various keyboards and guitars alongside seemingly homemade musical constructs, more art and sculpture than recognizable instruments. He also occasionally allows the audience to add to the performance, triggering sounds through various actions. He has even played shows powered entirely by the Sun. His willingness and desire to reach out to his audience also shows through in his activism. Much of his work touches on events in Tibet and, more recently, the events of 911 and the resulting actions taken around the world.
Most recently his name gained a boost due to his music being used in the animated film Paprika. The film's universal acclaim was due in part to Hirasawa's mesmerizing soundtrack, culled in great part from his 1996 album Byakkoya. At 55 years old, Susumu Hirasawa seems to be hitting yet another new stage in his prolific and colorful career. Let's all hope he continues to find the inspiration and energy to keep the machines running for many more years to come.
Solo Albums: Water In Time And Space - 1989 The Ghost in Science - 1990 Virtual Rabbit - 1991 Aurora - 1994 Sim City - 1995 Siren - 1996 Technique of Relief - 1998 Philosopher's Propeller - 2000 Solar Ray - 2001 Blue Limbo - 2003 Switched-on Lotus - 2004 White Tiger Field - 2006 Planet Roll Call - 2009
Straightener is an indie rock band, a very influential and powerful one. Originally formed in the late '90s, their core line up of front man Atsushi Horie and drummer Shinpei Nakayama shifted over the years and now includes two ex-members of the similarly themed Art-School.
Unsurprisingly, their sound has evolved a matured a bit over the pest ten or so years, yet they haven't moved too far from their early loud and powerful indie rock. Instead, they've developed their natural resources and pushed their sound into much more lush and expansive territory. This has also rounded the corners to their previously harsh delivery. Much like Mo'some Tonebender, this could either be seen as an improvement or a loss, depending on what you're hoping to get out of the experience.
Overall, they write powerful songs filled with the earnest emotion you might expect from similar bands like Foo Fighters, but present it with a slightly harder edge and without any of the melodrama. There is very little trickery or showmanship in any of their work. They are simply very catchy and well written songs that will rock your teeth out. On the flip side, they are also no strangers to the rock ballad, with their Nexus album being host to a few softer, piano tinged tracks.
As mentioned above, the band is currently one half ex-Art-School members, but the incestuous band affiliations don't end there. Atsushi and bassist Hidekazu Hinata are both in the mostly instrumental side project Fullarmor, along with Jun Izawa of Lite/Seabara and Oniy of The Zoobombs. Hidekazu was also the bassist for Zazen Boys. Drummer Shinpei is also in The Predators, along with The Pillows vocalist Sawao Yamanaka and Jiro from Glay. None of these other project stray far from the any of the other band's general indie-power-rock sound that all of the various members seem to champion. Are you still with me?
Long story short, Straightener is like a hub to a giant indie-rock wheel. While their albums are all solid and top quality, their spokes reach out and form a wheel that's more than the sum of its parts.
Members: Atsushi Horie - Vocals, Guitar, Keyboard (Also in Fullarmor) Shinpei Nakayama - Drums (Also in The Predators) Hidekazu Hinata - Bass (Former Art-School and Zazen Boys, also in Fullarmor) Jun Oyama - Guitar (Former Art-School)
Releases: Nexus 2009 Immortal 2007 Linear 2007 Dear Deadman 2006 Title 2005 Rock End Roll 2004 Lost World's Anthology 2004 Skeletonized 2002 Error 2001 Straighten It Up 2000
If the stark, digital landscapes conjured up by the likes of Perfume and Capsule leave you looking for something a little more human, then the slightly soulful strains of Shiho Fujisawa might be what you're looking for.
Having been a DJ and producer for a few years, Shihio Fujisawa released the first full length of her own material in 2008. Featuring a host of guest vocalists, her music is a mix of slamming club beats, spiced up with some world beat flavor, occasional big-band samples and a decided lack of robotized vocal performances. Instead of running everything though the magic auto-pop-star box, Shiho lets her guests actually use their own talent to bring some original feel to her productions. A bit more reminiscent of the original funky house tunes of the early '90, Shiho's music is a bit more mature and fashionable than the average teen dance honed to an emotionless science by Yasutaka Nakata.
Her time as a DJ really shows with tracks like "Uniting of Gene" (Krupa, I'm assuming) "Music Rainbow" and "Drum Crazy for DJ." Maybe that's what sets her apart from other out-of-the-box acts. Her music, while at time just as wooden as the rest, still manages to sound like someone more interested in getting people to shake their asses than sell songs to TV adverts. Sure, her second album breaks all of these rules, with plenty of auto-tune and much more polished and compressed sounds, but the soul it still there. Yet the dark-wave synth-pop of "Sentimentalizm" and the delicate twinkling of "Freesia" prove that she's still much more than a one trick pony. Which makes it all the more interesting to see what she does next.
Solaris are a tight little indie group formed in Kyoto around 2004. Before one can even really begin to talk about their sound, the rather unique vocal sound of front man Hanotomo needs to be addressed. While he's not harsh or unprofessional in any way, he's got the voice of geekdom personified. Not just the usual higher range that many male Japanese singers have, but truly whiny, nasal and squeaky. Again, it's not offensive in any way, and after you've listened through a few songs it becomes almost normal. Yet it is an issue that will keep many first time listeners distracted from the music.
Speaking of which, Solaris is a very capable and solid indie rock outfit. Their songs are tight and to-the-point, very melodic yet encased in a slightly jagged shell. Their production is like much of the current crop of post-punk bands, simple and clean guitar/bass/drums, full of quick delays and booming reverb. They're a bit like Base Ball Bear crossed with Art School and injected with the spirit of Yogurt Pooh. There songs are also very focused, wavering little in their generally upbeat, danceable bounce.
Like other vocally eccentric bands (Ling Tosite Sigure instantly comes to mind) Solaris certainly uses the uniqueness to their advantage, but they most certainly do not use it as a crutch. While they have only released a single full-length album over their four year span, Youth of Distortion is one great, catchy song after another. The band has released a number of demos and singles, so it will be interesting to see if they can keep the quality (and Hanotomo's voice!) as high from here on out.
Strawberry Machine another name for Akira Okabe, a laptop toting electro singer in the same vein as Sonic Coaster Pop, YMCK, The Aprils and MacDonald Duck Eclair. In fact, she works closely with many different producers on each of her albums, many of whom also grace the abcdefg*records label. This makes her something of an industry standard go-to-girl for super-cute whispery vocals. She then coats her words with mellow blips and blops, supported by pillowy beats and bass.
Her first album Zero Zero Five (a reference to it being abcdefg*record's 5th release) is predictably low-fi, full of rather muddy yet nevertheless catchy tunes. It's obvious that she's just playing around with a few drum machines and toy-keyboards. Crazy Kilt raises the bar significantly, though it still finds time to get a little too "bedroom producer" for its own good. It features a ton of other great twee-electro producers though, with the likes of The Aprils, YMCK, Macdonald Duck Eclair and Hazel Nuts Chocolates making an appearance. They all serve to elevate Okabe, lifting her out of her more obscure tendencies.
Her 2008 album Girl Friend is a similar leap forward, with full-on good production, almost to the point of sounding like a real pop contender. She even embraces the seductive AutoTune here and there, perhaps vying for a shot at the dance-pop charts. Then again, there are still plenty of zany, playful, childlike moments that bring things back to what passes for reality in the world of Strawberry Machine, proving that she really means business when it comes to the whole soft spoken, DIY aesthetic.
Saori@destiny is another dance pop project from producer Oonishi Terukado, who is also the knob-master behind Arai Mitsuki. Saori's sound is along the same lines, being the sort of electro-pop we've come to expect form the likes of Perfume and Capsule, only with a bit more love for the retro vibe.
Saori hit the mean streets of Akihabara in 2007, playing karaoke performances for the hordes of wandering otaku that frequent the area. She showed the requisite amount of raw talent, namely being able to move her feet up and down and sway slightly without falling down. The powers that be saw that she was growing a healthy (if one could use such a word wherever otaku are concerned) following and quickly scooped her up. A little bit of make-up and a shipment of AutoTune later and suddenly Saori became an electro-pop idol.
Her first full length album Japanese Chaos does set itself apart from her contemporaries, if only a bit. Like Mitsuki, Saori's songs have a slightly more fun and "cyber" feel, with hints of old school rave tropes and the occasional disco nod. Sure, the all-bass-or-nothing tracks are there, full of fake vocal takes that would make Hatsune Miku blush, but the songs are catchy and inoffensive enough. Songs like "Chemical Soda" and "My Way" really stand out among the usual ultra-compressed and high-end heavy productions. Again, they fit the mold perfectly, but they have much more fun with it, drawing from a much broader pallet of sounds than the more straight-up dance acts. The title, however, is more than a little humorous, since the album is in fact a shining example of the current trend of absolute homogeneity in the world of Japanese pop.
Still, if it's cute, ear-bleeding dance-pop you're looking for, then Saori@destiny is definitely an option.
Smooth, dreamy, tight and funky. Those are the words that first come to the surface when listening to the upbeat, slightly electronic rock of Sakanaction. While decidedly dance-oriented, you'll never hear their music in a traditional club. It's more of a "lifestyle" sort of dance, more suitable for posh parties or an afternoon house cleaning.
Formed in 2005 and originally a simple guitar duo, they soon fleshed out the rest of the line-up and are now a full five piece band. Their most defining feature is their keyboard and synth sound, something that, while often subtle, sets them apart for similar bands like Base Ball Bear or Remioromen, or perhaps The Police and U2. Ichiro Yamaguchi's vocals often have a soft, folky quality which also adds a layer of calm and melancholy to the otherwise groovy songs. Their arrangements are rather straight-forward, eschewing complexity for sonic depth. This is also something that sets them apart from the generally more melancholy Supercar as well. While both bands have a mix of electro and indie rock, Sakanaction take a decidedly more upbeat and hopeful road.
The made up word Sakanaction ("sakana" means "fish") relates "how the members wish to act quickly and lightly, like fishes in the water." This also is a useful description of their sound, underwater, maybe a bit murky, but sleek and slippery.
Formed in late 2004, School Food Punishment is still a rather young band. In fact they only released their first album early in 2007, and their second later that year. At first blush School Food Is Good Food, their first album, promises some interesting sound-scapes and neat electronic tricks, but it quickly abandons the more complex production to focus on Yumi Uchimura's soft, mature vocals and Masayuki Hasuo's piano work. They do manage to inject their overall jazzy, smokey lounge style with a welcome dose of electronic atmosphere and raw drum sounds. Their second album Air Feel, Color Swim follows the same pattern, with the opener "You May Crawl" being a fast paced dance tune ala Base Ball Bear and suitable for a colorful anime opening. From there it again drops to a low-register piano based croon, a bit like Tori Amos, only young and cute.
These drops aren't necessarily a bad thing. Their third release Riff-rain focuses on their softer side with even more blissed out electro landscapes. Here they cultivate their lush electronics into something indeed like the sounds of a rainy day in the city, seen through a fashionable cafe window. This time around the album's louder track, "Killer," jumps into the middle of things with a stompy piano beat that starts to almost bleed into Midori territory. They quickly pull in the reins before things get too crazy though.
If they focused just a bit more on the interesting electronic experimentation (which they seem to be doing with their two PVs so far), School Food Punishment might turn out to be a force to be reckoned with. As they stand now, the few high energy tracks seem out of place amongst all the quiet open spaces. Without the burbling background School Food Punishment is simply just another nice band with a great singer. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Every so often, it's hard to forget that music does not, in fact, give a damn about borders or its land of origin. Take, for instance, the massive black/death/doom metal scene. It's best known in the lands of the frozen sun, various Nordic wastes where the skies are blotted out with dozens of god and goddesses riding magical steeds. Lands where there is a long tradition of drinking blood out of skulls and surviving unrelenting winters on rotting fish. When this sludgy, guttural metal music is then shifted many thousands of miles to the east, things are bound to get interesting. Not to mention adding in an ass-kicking female lead singer with a throat full of flame. Behold! Shadow!
Shadow is a band that has never been in a hurry. Originally formed in 1993, they didn't release a full album until 2001. Then they waited until 2008 for the follow up. Much of the delay could be blamed on the constantly revolving line up. The music is certainly complex, so perhaps a psychotic need for perfection slowed things down. Whatever the case, the band's material is epic, to say the least. Not your typical black metal, they actually take time to play a few guitar solos and break things down into time frames that normal human beings can understand. They are very melodic overall. Sure, there are the usual blast beats running through most of the songs, but they are linked together by songs you can actually hum along to at times.
Nevertheless, Shadow is not for the faint of heart. They are very heavy, a bit more gloom than speed, with echoes of Slayer's chaotic riffage, some Iron Maiden melodies and even Dragonforce's guitar pyrotechnics. Also, one cannot ignore Tokiko Shimamoto's beastly vocal performance. She's got the guttural pipes of a man four times her size. While her words may be incomprehensible in any language, the message is not. These guys are 100% evil metal fury.
While there are currently no videos of their music, you can download a few music samples on their official site.
Much like sgt.'s sinuous music, the members of the band have interwoven themselves throughout their particular music scene. Active since 1999, they've had plenty of time to not only refine their sound, but to find many friends with which to share and collaborate. They've even been fortunate enough to run their own even called "seimei" featuring many fellow indie bands. Perhaps most notable, they are also the backing band for ex-Supercar front man Koji Nakamura's solo band iLL.
Perhaps it's not too far a stretch then to compare their sound, at least in passing, to that of Miki Furukawa's solo work. While nothing near as poppy as Furukawa, sgt. does at times have the same otherworldly sighing sounds provided by violinist Mikiko Narui's electrified playing. Being an instrumental three piece, it's also easy to compare them the much more similar sounding Downy. sgt.'s post-rock aggro-jazz space jams certainly have the same raw power and tightly synced drum and bass section. Over this are the aforementioned wailing strings and even the occasional saxophone and piano.
Similarly, their music weaves between slightly quieter and groovy sections, building to and punctured by extremely intense bouts of distorted bass and screaming strings, all piped through giant caverns of reverb and darkness. It's only through prolonged listening that one will pick up on the cues and be able to discern the song sneaking around underneath all that ephemeral weight, but once it's found, it is tough to lose again.
With so many years under their belt it's a wonder why they've only released a sum total of thirteen songs (not including a smattering of slip EPs.) Perhaps it's their outside involvement with other bands and events that has prevented them from solidifying their thoughts into recorded material. Regardless, what they've presented us with so far is certainly a feast, but in this case more is never enough.
Shoko Nakagawa is a giant among Japanese bloggers. Her blog, which she updates several dozen times a day with tiny cell pics and crazy ASCII language, has received over a billion visits since it started up in 2004. Eventually it had to be modified to exclude commenting due to its high volume of spammers. A major key to her success is the fact that she's an anime and manga otaku, something that resonates among many of her loyal fans.
In addition to her fandom, she is also a voice actress and singer. She's provided opening and closing themes for several anime shows, releasing a handful of singles and mini-albums. Most recently she released the full length album Big Bang! that complied her previous work with many new tracks. The overall feel of her music is much more rock oriented than other typical idol singers. Sure, she's got a few ballads and para-para ready songs, but she often takes a more hard-edged path. These small risks make her feel much more like a real musician than some record label's window dressing.
Shokotan projects an air of a bemused girl smiling at all of the chaos around her. She rides the overwhelming wave of attention and affection with a rare sense of humility. Sure, she's a superstar, but that doesn't mean she needs to act like a pampered snob. Instead, she's just another otaku perusing her dream.
Major Releases Shoko-tan Cover ~Falling in Love with Anime Songs~ (2007) Shoko-tan Cover Cover ~Falling in Love with Anime Songs~ (2007) Big Bang! (2008)
Many pre-fab idols are the very definition of style over substance, having their air-brushed and Photoshopped visages emblazoned across every available flat surface. Failing all else, the production companies want you to know their faces and to see them even when you have your eyes closed. It's a rare treat to have any mystery behind that exterior gloss.
Enter SCANDAL! They are a fresh new high-school girl pop-rock group. The hook here is that not only is their music pretty good, but they have yet to show their faces to the world at large, instead hiding behind lovely manga characters and a brand new Flash movie (here on their site.)
All of this makes their upcoming appearance on the Japan Nite tour all the more anticipatory. For those of you who won't be able to make it out to one of those shows, you now have one more option, Sakura-con!
Joining the already fantastic line-up including ketchup mania, The Slants and Ali Project, the four girls will be floating around the con all weekend, performing twice, doing some Q&A and signing autographs. They are also releasing a slew of singles (but no album yet) over three months. It looks like these girls are ready for the media blitz at last.
Check out the calendar for the entire SCANDAL itinerary.
While very similar in tone to Depeche Mode where vocals and atmosphere are concerned, the music of Soft Ballet is a different story. Formed in the late '80s and most active throughout the '90s, Soft Ballet has an early pop-techno sound, much like Pet Shop Boys or other more danceable electro acts of the early '90s. While they may be mostly a pop band, they also keep things rather dark and almost elegant sounding. This is mostly due to Ryoichi Endo's deep and syrupy vocal style, which is also much like that of Buck-Tick's Atsushi Sukurai.
The band has broken up twice, once in 1995 and again in 2003 after re-forming the year before. All of the members have been active in various solo and side projects. Ken Morioka has his own solo work, Ryoichi Endo has Ends, and Maki Fujii was involved in a side project called Schaft with Imai from Buck-Tick and Raymond Watts of KMFDM and PIG. This latter project makes total sense seeing as how Soft Ballet often sounds a lot like Buck-Tick and KMFDM. Their very early work even sounds like early Underworld at times.
Overall, Soft Ballet was a very diverse dance/techno group. They have a very unique feel, often in stark contrast to the more wimpy and thin white-boy dance bands of the '80s and '90s. While they are certainly campy and tongue-in-cheek at times, they also have an underlying darkness and seriousness most pop bands lack. That depth and diversity easily lifts them far above the pack.
Members Ryoichi Endo - Vocals Maki Fujii - Programming, Guitar, Keyboards Ken Morioka - Programming, Keyboards
Major Albums Earth Born 1989 3 [drai] + 3 1990 Document 1990 Ai to heiwa 1991 Million Mirrors 1992 Incubate 1993 Form 1995 Symbiont 2002 Menopause 2003
Sleepy.ab is a sublime/morose showgaze band from Sapporo. Apparently the "ab" stands for "abstract," describing their floating, flowing soundscapes. Indeed they are a bit like a rock-oriented Sigur Ros, full of delicate, twinkling sounds and ethereal vocals, but with a solid band supporting it all. While overall they hold to the above themes, they do get rather heavy and dark at times, with the distortion pedals being kicked on and the drums crashing through. It's at these times when they are a bit like Downy or Eksperimentoj, two bands who also share similar light-but-heavy art-rock attributes. Sleepy.ab is certainly the more user friendly and pretty of the three, due mostly to their more optimistic feel. Much like Sigur Ros, even their upbeat songs could make you burst out into tears for the sheer beauty of them.
Skywings is a self-described "symphonic cyber metal" band. I would just simplify that to "epic" metal. Cyber is a bit of a misnomer because they don't really rely on too many synthetic elements other than the strings and occasional lead keyboard parts. Symphonic is a bit closer to the mark, as they are indeed rather grand and lush, but they don't really go too crazy with the arrangements. They are certainly very melodic, much like Versailles and their major influence X-Japan. In fact Skywings' singer Takashi sounds quite a bit like Toshi from X-Japan in both style and vocal range. Takashi keeps things on the very edge of his high range, sometimes going just a bit too far and stretching things to their breaking point. This is very much like X-Japan tribute group Psycho and J who have done a few anime theme songs in the style of X-Japan's more furious tracks. J also takes things to a vocal extreme that may be just a bit over his head.
Regardless, Skywings brings the metal and brings it in a fast and unrelenting way. So far they've only released one maxi-single, and that was well over a year ago. First Contact is an all too short four song blitz, so it would be nice to hear how they handle a bit more breathing space on an album. They do continue to tour however, so hopefully a full length release is on the way soon.
Supercar's Highvision album is one of my favorite albums of all time. I could never actually make anything like a "Top 10" list, but Highvision is certainly in my "Top Albums" list.
Naturally I've always been very interested in what the lyrics are. As I am still woefully behind in learning the language, I've had to rely on the scattered bits and pieces of translation I've been able to dig up on the intenet. For some reason, Supercar lyrics have been almost impossible to find, at least in any complete version.
Luckily, there are a few nice people in the world, like yuri nikko who runs the J-Music Lyrics LiveJournal community. They were nice enough to not only translate a song or two, but the entire Highvision album. I can't thank yuri enough!
So, in the interest of helping out anyone else out there who might be looking for Supercar lyrics, I present for you now the entire Highvision album as translated by yuri nikko from J-Music Lyrics. I hope this helps spread the word on this amazing band (even though they broke up in 2005. Boo!)
スーパーカー {SUPERCAR}
『Starline』 作詞 & 作曲: 中村 弘二 {Lyrics & Composition by Kouji Nakamura} (Original translation by yuri nikko from J-Music Lyrics)
愛を名乗り、祈り、たどり、なのとおり無情に戸惑い、 ai wo nanori, inori, tadori, nano toori mujou ni tomadoi We met love, prayer, strife, while lost in our struggles
暗に愛の線で選ぶ夜に 手に手をとって天に引かれ光れ惹かれ光れ anni ai no sen de erabu yoru ni te ni te wo totte ten ni hikare hikare hikare hikare On this dark night love's beam chose us, hand in hand heaven's light drew us in, shinin', captivatin', shinin'
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『Warning Bell』 作詞 & 作曲: 中村 弘二 {Lyrics & Composition by Kouji Nakamura} (Original translation by yuri nikko from J-Music Lyrics)
一瞬に潜むワーニングベル 夢までの１０００のレール isshun ni hisomu waaningu beru yume made no sen no reeru In a moment I hid the warning bell, as far as dreams on a thousand rails
一瞬に潜むワーニングベル 逃げ惑うためのレール isshun ni hisomu waaningu beru nigemadou tame no reeru In a moment I hid the warning bell, on rails to run away on
一瞬に潜むワーニングベル 逃げ惑うためのベル isshun ni hisomu waaningu beru nigemadou tame no beru In a moment I hid the warning bell, the bell to run away
一瞬に潜むワーニングベル 逃げ惑うための----- isshun ni hisomu waaningu beru nigemadou tame no In a moment I hid the warning bell, to run away
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『Storywriter』 作詞 & 作曲: 中村 弘二 {Lyrics & Composition by Kouji Nakamura} (Original translation by yuri nikko from J-Music Lyrics)
天のストーリーライター ten no sutoorii raitaa Heaven's story writer
最後 saigo finally
その手で sono te de in your hands
愛のそのペンで最後 ai no sono pen de saigo with love's pen, finally
天に ten ni heaven sent
いっせいに開いた手に issei ni hiraita te ni all at once in your opened hands
いっせいに開いた目に issei ni hiraita me ni all at once in your opened eyes
いっせいに描いた画に issei ni egaita e ni all at once on this painted picture
光が射して hikari ga sashite light struck down
未来を裂いて声が光年をサーフ！！！！ mirai wo saite koe ga kounen wo saafu!!!! the voice of a torn future surfs light years!!!!
天のストーリーライター ten no sutoorii raitaa Heaven's story writer
愛を ai wo the love
その手に sono te ni in your hands
最後この芽に愛を saigo kono me ni ai wo the final sprouts of love
天に ten ni heaven sent
いっせいに開いた手に issei ni hiraita te ni all at once in your opened hands
いっせいに開いた目に issei ni hiraita me ni all at once in your opened eyes
いっせいに描いた画に issei ni egaita e ni all at once on this painted picture
光が射して hikari ga sashite light struck down
未来を裂いてストーリーの後編がスタート！！！！ mirai wo saite sutoorii no kouhen ga sutaato!!!! the story of a torn future, its sequel starts!!!
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『⋀OH⋀RU YOUTH』 作詞 & 作曲: 中村 弘二 {Lyrics & Composition by Kouji Nakamura} (Original translation by yuri nikko from J-Music Lyrics)
ないわけのない、わけもない若さのワケがサーチライトのよう nai wake no nai, wake mo nai wakesa no wake ga saachiraito no you Cause without cause, is as pointless as youth without a searchlight
ないわけのない、わけもないバカさのワケがステージライトのよう nai wake no nai, wake mo nai baka sa no wake ga suteejiraito no you Cause without cause, is as useless as a comedian without a stagelight
ないわけのない、わけもない涙のワケはどうもないジョーク nai wake no nai, wake mo nai namida no wake ha doumonai jooku Cause without cause, reason for reasonless tears is a thankless joke
ないわけのないワケがない頃のよう、ワケ透明のベール nai wake no nai wake ga nai koro no you, wake toumei no beeru Cause without cause has no cause, a clear bell of reason
『OTOGI NATION』 作詞 & 作曲: 中村 弘二 {Lyrics & Composition by Kouji Nakamura} (Original translation by yuri nikko from J-Music Lyrics)
愛を纏うすべてが今、愛に惑うまでの１２話 ai wo matou subete ga ima, ai ni madou made no juuni ha Everything now is clad in love, until puzzled by love on our 12th chat
世界を囲うすべてに似たサヨナラと風の１２話 sekai wo kakou subete ni nita sayonara to kaze no juuni ha The world fences all in, until in the wind we said goodbye on our 12th chat
平行な風景がかき消していく空洞に幽遠なそのタフネス heikou na fuukei ga kaki keshi iku kuudou ni yuuen na sono tafunesu The rolling scenery vanishes in the deep hollow wilderness
最低な最高（ｐｓｙcho!!!!)がかき消していく、最高の最低が呼ぶサクセス！ saitei na saikou (psychoo!!!!) ga kaki keshite iku, saikou no saitei ga yobu sakusesu! The worst of the best vanishes, the best of the worst is called success!
（それはお伽の国家で日々暮らす、お伽の国民の物語―） (sore ha gi no kuni de hibi kurasu, otogi no kutami no monogatari) (This is how life is everyday in this fantasy land, the story of the Otogi people)
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『STROBOLIGHTS』 作詞 & 作曲: 中村 弘二 {Lyrics & Composition by Kouji Nakamura} (Original translation by yuri nikko from J-Music Lyrics)
2愛＋４愛+２愛+４愛―sunset+４愛+２愛+４愛+２愛+４愛+２愛+４愛―sunset+４愛 2 ai plus 4 ai plus 2 ai plus 4 ai equal sunset plus 4 ai plus 2 ai plus 4 ai plus 2 ai plus 4 ai plus 2 ai plus 4 ai equal sunset plus 4 ai 2 love plus 4 love plus 2 love plus 4 love equal sunset plus 4 love plus 2 love plus 4 love plus 2 love plus 4 love plus 2 love plus 4 love equal sunset plus 4 love
+２愛+４愛+２愛+４愛+２愛+４愛―sunset+４愛+２愛+４愛+２愛＝true heart (真実！) plus 2 ai plus 4 ai plus 2 ai plus 4 ai plus 2 ai plus 4 ai equal sunset plus 4 ai plus 2 ai plus 4 ai plus 2 ai equal true heart (shinjitsu!) plus 2 love plus 4 love plus 2 love plus 4 love plus 2 love plus 4 love equal sunset plus 4 love plus 2 love plus 4 love plus 2 love equal true heart (Truth!)
２愛+４愛+２愛+４愛―sunset+４愛+２愛+４愛+２愛………＝true heart (真実！) two ai plus four ai plus two ai plus four ai equal sunset plus four ai plus two ai plus four ai plus two ai.........equal true heart (shinjitsu!) two love plus four love plus two love plus four love equal sunset plus four love plus two love plus four love plus two love.........equal true heart (Truth!)
今、愛の灯のライト すべての日々が ima, ai no hi no raito subete no hibi ga Now, the light of love shines everyday
今、愛の灯のライト すべてのひとが ima, ai no hi no raito subete no hito ga Now, the light of love shines on all
今、愛の灯のライト すべての綺麗が ima, ai no hi no raito subete no kirei ga Now, the light of love is all beauty
今、愛の灯のライト すべてのことが ima, ai no hi no raito subete no koto ga Now, the light of love is everything
今、愛の灯のライト ”すべて”の意味が――― ima, ai no hi no raito "subete" no imi ga---- Now, the light of love is "all" meaning----
今、愛の灯のライト 今、愛の灯のライト ima, ai no hi no raito ima, ai no hi no raito Now, the light of love, Now, the light of love
今、愛の灯のライト 今、愛の灯のライト ima, ai no hi no raito ima, ai no hi no raito Now, the light of love, Now, the light of love
all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all right !!!!
『I』 作詞 & 作曲: 中村 弘二 {Lyrics & Composition by Kouji Nakamura} (Original translation by yuri nikko from J-Music Lyrics)
からだを愛がリードしている karada wo ai ga riido shite iru Love leads this body of mine
あたまを愛がリードしている atama wo ai ga riido shite iru Love leads this head of mine
こころを愛がリードしている kokoro wo ai ga riido shite iru Love leads this heart of mine
ことばを愛がリードしている kotoba wo ai ga riido shite iru Love leads these words of mine
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『Yumegiwa Last Boy』 作詞 & 作曲: 中村 弘二 {Lyrics & Composition by Kouji Nakamura} (Original translation by yuri nikko from J-Music Lyrics)
夢際のラストボーイ 永遠なる無限 夢際のラストボーイ 触れていたい夢幻 yumegiwa no rasutobooi eien naru mugen yumegiwa no rasutobooi furete itai mugen Edge of dreams' last boy, infinity becomes eternity. Edge of dreams' last boy, wanting to touch dreams
夢際のラストボーイ 永遠なる夢限 夢際のラストボーイ 揺れていたい夢幻 yumegiwa no rasutobooi eien naru mugen yumegiwa no rasutobooi yurete itai mugen Edge of dreams' last boy, infinite dreams becomes eternity, Edge of dreams' last boy. wanting to shake dreams
崇いサポートの礼に 崇いサポートを礼に takai sapooto no rei ni takai sapooto wo rei ni Thankful for supporting adoration, Thankful for supporting adoration
崇い未来への礼に takai mirai he no rei ni Thankful to the revered future
自然と愛への礼に 固い誓いへの礼に 崇いサポートを礼に shizen to ai he no rei ni katai chikai he no rei ni takai sapooto wo rei ni Thankful to the freedom and love, Thankful to an iron vow, Thankful for supporting adoration
崇いサポートを礼に 崇いサポートを礼に takai sapooto wo rei ni takai sapooto wo rei ni Thankful for supporting adoration, Thankful for supporting adoration
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『Nijiiro Darkness』 作詞 & 作曲: 中村 弘二 {Lyrics & Composition by Kouji Nakamura} (Original translation by yuri nikko from J-Music Lyrics)
レイン rein Rain
夜明けのトレイン yoake no torein Dawn's train
夜明けまで 夢色マイル yoake made yume iro mairu Until dawn, dream dyed mile
レイン rein Rain
古きマイウェイのわけを追って誘うムーンライト furuki mai wei no wake wo otte sasou muunraito In the past my way, was why I ran away, tempted by moonlight
レイン rein Rain
揺ぎないウェイヴに溶け合うレイン yuruginai weibu ni tokeau rein In a flickering wave, melted the rain
雨色タウン ame iro taun Rain colored town
レイン rein Rain
夜明けのレイン yoake no rein Dawn's rain
夜明けまでを誘うムーンライト yoake made wo sasou muunraito Until dawn, tempted by moonlight
胸に愛のライト mune ni ai no raito In my heart love's alight
敵はいない teki ha inai without a rival in sight
胸に愛のライト mune ni ai no raito In my heart love's alight
敵はいない teki ha inai without a rival in sight
レイン rein Rain
夜明けのトレイン 弱気なレイン 虹色ダーク yoake no torein yowaki na rein nijiiro daaku Dawn's train, a very light rain, in the rainbow colored dark
レイン rein Rain
遥かなレール haruka na reeru The far off rail
果てを覆って誘うムーンライト hate wo otte sasou muunraito I chased its end, tempted by moonlight
胸に愛のライト mune ni ai no raito In my heart love's alight
敵はいない teki ha inai without a rival in sight
胸に愛のライト mune ni ai no raito In my heart love's alight
敵はいない teki ha inai without a rival in sight
敵はいない 敵はいない 敵はいない teki ha inai teki ha inai teki ha inai without a rival in sight, without a rival in sight
『Silent Yaritori』 作詞 & 作曲: 中村 弘二 {Lyrics & Composition by Kouji Nakamura} (Original translation by yuri nikko from J-Music Lyrics)
ただそこにあるように ただここにいるのに tada soko ni aru you ni tada koko ni iru no ni Hope you'll be there for me, like I'll be here for you
やさしい雨のように やさしい嘘のように yasashii ame no you ni yasashii uso no you ni during the gentle showers, amongst the tender lies
ただそこにあるように まだここにいるのに tada soko ni aru you ni mada koko ni iru no ni Hope you'll be there for me, as I still am here for you
新しい朝のように 正しい嘘のように atarashii asa no you ni tadashii uso no you ni during the brilliant mornings, amongst the perfect lies
（沈黙のやりとり、いつもあなたのすぐそばに愛はある） (chinmoku no yaritori, itsumo anata no sugu soba ni ai ha aru) (Silent exchanges, in those times you will always have love nearby)
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.
S.K.I.N. is (or maybe was?) a group of four major stars of the Japanese pretty-boy rock scene. Gackt, the singer, was one of the original members of seminal vis-kei band Malice Mizer. After leaving them, he went on to build one of the biggest male solo carriers in the Japanese pop scene today. Miyavi, one of the two guitarists, has a huge fan-base following his solo career. The lead guitarist is former Luna Sea member Sugizo. The founding member and man behind the curtain is Yoshiki, former (and now current again) drummer and founder of one of the most popular Japanese rock bands of all time, X-Japan.
To date, the only appearance by the band has been a performance at Anime Expo in Long Beach, California on June 29th, 2007. They have not released a single single or album, nor even a video. The only material available of the band is bootleg video from the AX show and a very brief teaser from Yoshiki's web site.
Now, a bit of personal info here: I am a huge fan of this band. In fact, my wife and I drove over 5000 miles round trip to see them at AX. You heard correctly, "drove" and "thousand." Actually, I was covering AX for Japanator, but the only reason I made the trip was to see S.K.I.N.
I'm still full of questions about their appearance. Why did the biggest group of Japanese mega-stars make their first (and so far only) appearance in America and at an anime con? They could easily fill the Tokyo Dome every day of the week, yet they've only played one very small show in America.
Why haven't they released an album, or even a single? Again, even a CD single with only one song would sell like mad. Plus, many of the songs played at the AX performance were very English heavy. They are obviously making a push for American audiences.
Where have they gone? It's been almost five months since their grand unveiling, and there hasn't been a single tid-bit of information since the day of the show.
There has been a lot of criticism about their AX performance, mainly that it was very short. In fact they only played four or five songs, most of which was just extended soloing and one really crappy drum solo. Which, in my mind, is all the more reason to get an album out and start playing live.
Now, however, both Yoshiki and Sugizo are reuniting with their past bands, so it may be quite some time before we hear anything from S.K.I.N. again. Maybe if you just play a track from a Gackt, X-Japan, Miyavi and Luna Sea CD all at the same time...
Anyway, you can read my entire report of the AX performance (and the agonizing hours of waiting in line in the sun to get in) here on Japanator, or at the end of this post. Unfortunately, as I mentioned, there aren't any high quality videos from he show, so you'll just have to make due with some really horrible cellphone videos. Sorry.
Well, the first day at Anime Expo 2007 has come and gone. At least for us. I'll try and go into detail a bit more concerning our first encounter with AX, but I thought I'd get the good news out first. S.K.I.N. was awesome. The six or seven hour wait to get tickets and get into the venue while being forced to stand under the blazing L.A. sun was probably grounds for a class action lawsuit.
Thursday we arrived right on time to get our press badges and to do what would quickly become the norm, namely stand in a line full of people who weren't exactly sure of why there were standing in line. Eventually things started moving, the line was split into Press and Industry, and we got our passes. There was great concern among a few people as to the status of tickets to the S.K.I.N. show, as all of the emails and phone messages we received on the subject had been contradictory at best. When we finally pinned down the man in charge, we were told that only one person per organization would be able to maybe get a free reserved ticket. Maybe. The catch was that they had to rush to the venue, be first in line, poison a few of their colleagues, sacrifice a virgin and do the truffle shuffle before one would be handed over. If they didn't manage to pull this off, then they might be able to pay $50 for a premier ticket. Maybe. Again, see the above set of rules. I don't know if this actually turned out to be the case on Friday morning, because you can tell me it's a Twinkie, but I know a turd when I see one. Instead, Kitsune and I opted to keep our knees clean and just wait for a free general admission ticket. Bad idea. It all turned out just fine in the end, but maybe that's the hours and hours of future skin cancer causing sun light we received talking.
See, that sentence doesn't even make any sense.
We stood in a very long, weaving, endless line of possibly the nicest people in the world. We stood in the line for roughly three hours. Did I mention the sun yet? It was out, laughing its way through a perfectly cloudless sky, shining its death beams unto the shadeless ground below. Naturally, that's were all the people were. Once we got our (not so) free (anymore) tickets, we decided to try and actually see what this whole Expo was about.
Turns out it was mostly about the art of waiting in line. It seems like some people were actually able to get in and look at things and take some of the things back in gigantic bags, but we were not those people. Instead we ate very overpriced food and drank even more overpriced drinks. This, at least, was expected. After we ate, we realized that the doors would soon be opening for the S.K.I.N. show, so we made our way back, looking at all the awesome cosplayers and all the awesome bags full of magic hopes and dreams, knowing that soon, we would be able to join their ranks. Because then, we were younger and full of optimism. We didn't yet know the meaning of true horror.
The line. Yea gods!
The line of people holding free tickets was, truly, awe-inspiring. I don't know if you've ever seen a line of six or seven thousand people, but if you ever get the chance, I recommend it. Especially if a lot of them are chicks wearing pink hair and little else. I do not recommend standing at the end of that line for over three hours. Again, in the godless L.A. sun. Only this time they had the line running into the parking lot. Did you know that they pave parking lots? And fill them with big metal cars? Did you also know that these two things like to both store and reflect massive amounts of heat? Well, if not, now you do. While I doubt they could fill a 1000:1 replica of Death Valley with customers, even ones with free tickets, they did manage to pack this small corner of Hell with thousands of well meaning music fans.
We did a little asking around and found out that because all of the tickets were for actual seats that we didn't have to wait in line. We could just go in after the line was gone and get our seats. The only hitch was that it was already well after the posted time for the concert to begin, so there was no way to know exactly when it would start. Plus, the doors were still closed and people were still lining up. The dilemma was a toss up between walking around the Expo for a bit to see junk, just sitting in the shade near the line, or actually getting into the line and thereby at least having the chance to get into the venue faster. We did a little of options two and three. We waited until I just couldn't bare it anymore and then walked the considerable distance to the back of the line. We were followed by a small Inuyasha who told us the sad story of waiting in the wrong line for a long time, only to have to then get into the Hell line all over again. Once again, the lack of communication between the promoters and audience was very reassuring.
We were in that line for probably close to two hours. The show started around six. (I keep saying "around" because we didn't have any time telling devices on us. More about that in a second.) About three hours later than posted. Sure, these things will happen with these large events, but this was bad. Bad on so many levels that it's causing my brain to simply lock up and go home early.
Let's see:
1. Press. They could have given the press a free pass right from the start. The press (a very small number) could have even been given special access to the venue and the chance to get in before the other ticket holders. Why? Because I'm part of the press and think I'm better than everyone? No. Because the press are the ones who can give you a good review!!! *choke* *gasp* Instead of spending the last 1,000 words ranting and raving and rallying against the management of this single concert, I could have been fawning over all of the other events and announcements that occurred while I was being rendered sterile by our closest star.
2. They could have easily just handed out the free tickets at a window. In fact, they were just handing out free tickets after everyone had stood in line for over eight hours! This. Was. Insulting. To everyone.
3. Provide shade. Duh. I was standing behind a girl in a black wheelchair for a few hours. She was obviously uncomfortable. Her friend wheeled her over to some shade a few feet away, until a staffer came by and told everyone that they had to get back near the barricade, which was right in the path of the sun. These people were just trying to not die, how dare they!
There were many other cases of this botched effort to turn a simple problem into a complete disaster. I simply cannot go on anymore. I'm burned on top of my burns. I need water, and sleep. So anyway, on to the actual show.
It was awesome. Oh! I already said that. Basically, if you know anything about any of the members in the band, then you can imagine exactly what it sounded like. Gackt on vocals, Miyavi on rhythm guitar, Sugizo on lead guitar, Toshiki on drums, and Gackt's long-time bass player Ju-ken. Backed by video screens showing tranquil nature scenes, they played a very short set of about five or six songs, along with an extended and solo filled closer called "Get Back." Most of the songs were of the rather slow and groovy variety, bookended with two incredibly intense rockers. With so many pop pretty boys, I really was expecting more syrupy ballads, but they managed to keep a harder edge to everything. As far as I could tell all of the songs were sung in English. As I mentioned, the set ended with a wall of solos and a lot of Gackt's signature call-and-response with the crowd. There were a couple popularity contests as the members were first introduced on screen, then later when Gackt said their names before the solos. Poor Ju-ken didn't get many cheers.
We were told many times that there was to be absolutely no photography or video recording allowed, and like idiots we believed them. That's why we didn't take anything into the show with us. Turns out that there were probably more camera phones and video cameras in the venue than people. We saw one staffer make a very half-hearted effort to stop the dozen or so people next to us from filming, but as soon as he left, all the tiny screens flashed back on. So, I guess us good-guys finished last on that one. Sorry.
That really is all there is to say about the show. There's still been no explanation as to what S.K.I.N. stands for. We didn't see any sign of merch on the way in or out, but we did see a few people wearing S.K.I.N. t-shirts afterward. There was still no sign of an album or even a single. Gackt managed to say something about seeing us again soon, but I'll believe that when I see it. Then again, the fact that this world premier happened in America could be a sign that they are planning to actually market the band in the States, which would be a welcome change.
It's very unfortunate that our entire first day of Anime Expo had to be taken over by this fiasco, but I think that the worst is over. Tomorrow we will be able to bring you all the hairy-assed cosplay and thrilling industry news you can't live without.
J-Pop and J-Rock are only the beginning. The modern Japanese music scene is just as vibrant and varied as any other music scene in the world. I'm Zac Bentz, writer, musician, designer and all around Japanese music fanatic. Here I hope to share with you a comprehensive (!!) list of Japanese artists and bands (with a strong focus on underground and indie acts) that you may or may not have heard of, in the hopes of expanding our mutual awareness of Japanese music.
I don't mean to suggest that everything I listen to is great. Quite the contrary, I hope that you will take the time to recommend your own favorite artists in the comments so that we can all learn a bit more about the huge range of Japanese music that's out there.
"The best Japanese music blog in the world." - Door Slam "Definitely a must-visit for J-pop and J-rock fans!" -The Otaku "Zac Bentz loves music. A lot." -Japanator "Very cool!" -J-ENT "...one of the foremost blogs and information centers on all J-pop and J-rock...the top source for tour information on Japanese bands in the US..." -YankeeOtaku "Wer mehr darüber wissen will, der sollte sich mal hier umschauen, ein sehr gutes J-Music Blog übrigens." -CommandSheep "...very well-written, and there’s an excellent range of artists...a useful resource." -International Wota "не плохая энциклопедия японских исполнителей/групп" -Diary.ru "Great resource for Japanese music fans who want to explore today's J-rhythms beyond Johnny's Entertainment bishonen music and anime music. XD" -Kaishi "If you are a J-Rock fan, [ZB's A-Z] is a must see." -Crunchyroll community "Otaku USA magazine finally got wise and hired Zac Bentz as a J-music contributing editor."-Radicalpatriot "Reviews practically every Asian band that has ever created a recording."- Zallie "Gewährt spannende Einblicke in die japanische Musikszene." -Laut.de
