People In The Box

Much like they flit between sounding a bit like Bump of Chicken and Ogre You Asshole, the newly minted People In The Box lightly leap from bright safe rock sounds to much louder and distorted wall-of-sound blasts. The great thing is that they do it all with their own sense of style. Even when the guitars are turned up to eleven and the drums become a blur, there's still an air of fresh-faced optimism.

They don't easily fit in post rock, shoegaze or just plain indie rock categories. Sure, they're not going to totally shatter any genre boundaries, but much like Burger Nuds, they bring a unique and very capable musicianship to the table. This is something that sets them apart for other middle-of-the-road to lighter-rock bands that only seem able to pump out track after track of bland pap. Sure, People In The Box have their doe-eyed moments, but they are very short and nicely broken up with their more powerful and intricate bits. Their songs are all very nice, but they also have a sinewy undercurrent that keeps the blood moving.

These guys are still new to the world, with only two mini albums and one full length released in 2007. If they can manage to keep defying easy categorization, maintaining their youthful, soft-but-earnest edge and avoid selling out completely to bottled water and airline adverts, then I think we will all benefit for having them around.

BUY PEOPLE IN THE BOX RELEASES HERE!

She Hates December



Official Site

Members:
波多野裕文- Vocals, Guitar
福井健太- Bass
山口大吾 - Drums

Albums:
Rabbit Hole - 2007
Frog Queen - 2007
Bird Hotel - 2008

Allport Diary (オルポート ダイアリー)

Somewhere in-between Base Ball Bear, Burger Nuds and Bump of Chicken lies the newly minted Allport Diary. With an earnest vocal delivery, modest dance vibe and slightly nerdy guitar noodling, Allport Diary blends the best of several different worlds into their own brand of mild, yet toe-tapingly stylish rock.

Formed in 2007, the band has released only a single self-titled album to-date. While their first release has a few of the hallmarks of a band's first halting steps into the world of pro recording (slightly too dry and shaky vocals, a few too many bland studio effects and a general lack of confidence) their songwriting is solid. Their songs are much more than a predicable progression of verses and choruses, but instead take the time to walk around in a few wide circles before zeroing back in on the target.

The 50/50 ratio of ballads to the more rocking songs is probably a good indication that these guys are a bit more concerned with playing the soft and sensitive role than a more confrontational and overly serious one. Even their louder songs take the time to break down into slightly jazzier sections, defusing the high energy before it can go out of control.

With only one eight track release to go on, it's still unclear where these guys might go in the future. They certainly have the ability to turn up the volume and really crank things up, but maybe they will instead continue to merely skirt the edge and instead set their sights on softer shores. Right now, only time will tell.

BUY ALLPORT DIARY RELEASES HERE


Official Site
MySpace

Members:
坪本伸作 : Vocal,Guitar
河辺朋久 : Bass
七戸阿希人 : Guitar, Programming
[no drummer listed, though all pics show four members...?]

Releases:
Allport Diary 2008

Nico Touches the Walls

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.

BUY NICO TOUCHES THE WALLS RELEASES HERE!

Yoru no Hate

Official Site

Members:
Tatsuya Mitsumura - Vocals, Guitar
Furumura Daisuke - Guitar
Sakakura Shingo - Bass
Tsushima Shotaro - Drums, Backing Vocals

Major Releases:
How are You 11-2007
Runova X Handover 10-2006
Wall Is Beginning 02-2006

Avocado


Sono TAXI, 160km/h


Broken Youth (Naruto 6th ED Clip)

Hoff Dylan (ホフディラン)

If ever there were a shining example of a "good guy" band, it would easily be Hoff Dylan. They've been pumping out their blend of UK rock and uniquely Japanese wackiness since the mid '90s. Think Oasis, only with an honest sense of humor in place of their off-putting sense of self-entitlement and you'll start to get an idea.

Releasing albums since their debut in 1996, they've stuck rather close to the same sound over the years. Every once in a while they'll inject a few disco beats and tripped out effects into their jangly brand of rock. For the most part, they stick to Beatles-esque production (check out "Universe" on 31st Century Rocks) and simple, extremely catchy tunes.

Their sense of humor shows through in a couple of their singles. The cover art for their 1997 single "Kimi no Kao" is a shot of Dylan McKay of Beverly Hills 90210, and inside is nothing but similar shots of characters taken directly from the show. As if that wan't odd enough, their more recent single from 2007 "Kamisama Kamisama Hotoke Sama" features a recreation of the "Kimi no Kao" cover, only this time with noted McKay impersonator Nadagi Takeshi. That may be all a bit too tongue-in-cheek for fans who are out of the Hoff Dylan loop, but it proves that their music can be just as fun and silly as it is gentle and melancholy.

Buy Hoff Dylan releases here!

Season




Official Site

Makoto Watanabe - Vocals, Guitar
Yuhi Komiyama - Vocals, Keyboard

Releases
多摩川レコード - 1996/12/06
Washington, C.D. - 1997/08/20
Hoffdylan - 1998/08/05
31st Century Rocks - 2001/04/25
Psycho Pop Killer Bee - 2002/05/22
Enkyori Renai wa Tsuzuita - 2007/06/21

To The World


Get Ready!


My Thing


恋はいつも幻のように


長い秘密


Stand


マフラーをよろしく




遠距離恋愛は続く


欲望


スマイル

Akeboshi

Light, unassuming, modest, natsukashii...singer/songwriter Akeboshi Yoshio is the very definition of down-tempo, earnest folk tunes. Far from other more experimental folk artists like Shugo Tokumaru who use electronics to add a unique texture to their pallet, Akeboshi sticks strictly to the well worn sounds of acoustic guitars, strings and piano, only rarely dipping to synthetic sounds. This also fits the overall feel to his music, which is equally calming, clear and to the point. Far from a solo artist, Akeboshi brings in a full band on most songs, though many of his songs sound as if they'd translate just as well with just a piano or guitar.

While the instrumentation on his albums may be standard fair, he does have a wide range of stylistic influences. Having studied music in England, he brings bits of the U.K., the U.S., Japan and even Ireland into his own work, flitting between Simon & Garfunkel, Pink Floyd, John Denver, Sting, traditional Irish folk tunes and occasionally The Beatles (of course.) He also gives equal opportunity to both English and Japanese lyrics. His voice is rather mid-ranged, a little muddy, never straying too high and certainly never dipping down low. Much like his music, he never tries too hard to show off, simply adding another layer to the hazy golden glow and allowing the music to simply flow along gently.

He's probably best know for his songs “Wind” and "Yellow Moon,” both used in Naruto. Both of these are far from what one might expect from the hugely popular ninja anime series, though “Yellow Moon” is just about as close to a rock song as you'll find in the Akeboshi discography. Still, it was a move the undoubtedly brought in a few new fans. The popularity of the songs didn't seem to change the course of his music writing though, as following releases stuck to the same mostly down-tempo path. This new expose to over-eager fans may have also started the misconception that he writes in odd time signatures almost exclusively, which is far from reality. “Wind” is indeed in 5/4, but the majority of his songs are in a regular 4/4 or 3/4, far from unique and certainly nothing new to his brand of calming folk songs.

While he may not be an instant attention grabbing artist, there's a lot to like about Akeboshi. While he may stick to overly user-friendly territory, the songs are nice enough and certainly not offensively saccharine or cute and whispery. He walks the fine line between melancholy and overly positive schmaltz, something that keeps one both interested enough to continue listening and just sleepy enough to not want to get up and change the disc.

Along the Line

Buy Akeboshi releases here!



Official Site

Releases
Akeboshi - 2005
Meet Along the Way - 2007
Roundabout - 2008

Yellow Moon


Wind


Hey There


Night and Day

Advantage Lucy

Originally formed in 1995 as Lucy Van Pelt, Advantage Lucy has certainly seen their share of ups and downs. Guitarist Takayuki Fukumura began the band as Lucy Van Pelt, placing ads looking for anyone other than a guitarist. What he got in response was a bassist who couldn't play bass, and a vocalist who couldn't sing. It would seem like a project doomed to failure, but the group soldiered on, eventually filling out various other positions with a seemingly unending rotation of support musicians.

The band briefly signed to major label EMI in 1998, and changed its name to the much less lawsuit-instigating Advantage Lucy. Founding member Fukumura left in 1999, the same year that the band set up its own independent music label Solaris Records. Along with releasing all of the band's own material, they also signed up Huckleberry Finn. It was soon after in 2001 that the band learned of Fukumura's death. They continue to honor his memory every year with a special show called Mune-Kyun Arpeggio.

The band began touring outside of Japan, though not too far afield, playing regularly in South Korea. They also recorded the opening theme for the Japanese NHK version of the children's book Hooray for Fish titled “Suisui Fizi!”

The band has gently floated through the years on their bed of sincere, mellow rock/pop. Their catchy songs are inoffensive in the extreme, making them excellent background music for cleaning house or washing the dog. Their songs, while soothing, are infectious as well. It's tough to not find yourself bobbing along to them even when you're not fully paying attention. Aiko's voice takes a hold of your sub-conscious, worming its way in setting up shop. It's a warm summer day lazing around in the cool grass injected directly into your bloodstream.

Windy Sunny Friday




Official site
MySpace

Members
Aiko – Vocals
Yoshiharu Ishizaka – Guitars

Releases
Echo Park – 2005
Station – 2000
Advantage Lucy - 1999
In Harmony (as Lucy Van Pelt) - 1997

Kazeni Azukete


Sunday Pasta


Hello Mate


遠い日


(Live)


(Live 2006)


(Live 2006)

Merengue (メレンゲ)

Taking a page out of the Remioromen playbook, Merengue play a very safe, mellow form of rock music. Formed around 2002, the trio has stuck to the basics across all four of their albums to-date, focusing more on solid songwriting than on fancy playing or studio tricks. They keep things nice and calm, with the same sort of desperate earnestness in the vocals as that of the aforementioned Remioromen, as well as the likes of Bump of Chicken, Spitz or some of The Pillows' most mellow songs. They play what I can't help but think of as "safe rock," or some other soft, fuzzy singer-songwriter "liftstyle" music you'd most likely hear in a large coffee-shop chain. It's all very pretty and straightforward, with a few pianos and other hazy electronic touches that break up the usual clean guitars and drum ticks. Merengue does mix things up with some electronics a bit more than other bands of the genre, but even their more spacey songs tend to be on the warm-fuzzy side. Very nostalgic and sunny, coffee with the girlfriends, watching children play in the yard kind of stuff.

Underworld



Official Site

Members
Kenji Kubo - vocals, guitars, synthesizer
Takeshi Yamazaki - drums
Tsuyoshi Takeshita - bass

Major Releases
星の出来事 (2006)
Hatsukoi sunset (2004)
Shoujo Placebo (2003)
Ginga (2002)


Chameleon (カメレオン)


Kimi ni Haru wo Omou

Remioromen

Conversely to their being one of the many Japanese bands with a name I can never spell correctly on the first try, Remioromen are one of the few Japanese soft-rock bands that I like a lot. What can I say? A good song is a good song. Never mind that I'd usually be the first in line to punch me in the nuts for listening to them. Actually, some of their earlier stuff sounds a bit like some of the more rockin' songs from The Pillows. They've become hugely popular over their brief four year lifespan however, and lately have been focusing much more on the safe-bet soft ballads.

BUY REMIOROMEN RELEASES HERE!

Red Balloon

Red Balloon is a super safe-rock holding-hands running-through-verdant-fields-in-the-sun type rock band. They are still a somewhat young band, having only released a few singles and a couple albums since 2005. They've also provided an ending song to the anime Gintama. While their career is still young, they show a lot of promise with, no doubt, many more earnest, feel good ending themes still to come.





Official Site

Members
Muraya Kouji - Vocals, Guitar
Muraya Katsunori - Bass

Releases
Forget-me-not (2005.11.09)
FIRST STORY (2007.09.05)

Going Underground

Much like Foot Stamp, Going Underground is another safe-rock band. I actually get the two confused from time to time. They also remind me of the ultimate in safe-rock rockers Spitz. Lots of happy-go-lucky tempos, mostly acoustic, earnest ballads, jangley instrumentation. They are the definition of inoffensive, but they can write a catchy tune. Sometimes that's all you need.