Videos of the Week - 7/26/09

I was originally going to post one of my favorite videos of all time, "Strobolights" by Supercar, when I ran across this. It's the entire song created using one KORG EMX-1, and it's pretty amazing! It might help if you're familiar with the song (or, like me, have listened to it at least a million times...) but even if you're not, I think you can appreciate this.

More after the jump!



Sex Machineguns "Pride"


Relatively new stuff from Sex Machineguns. Not nearly as funny or as crazy as most of their past videos, but at least there's a lot of fire! What's all the weightlifting about?

Immi "Wonder"


Here's the video for the new EP from Immi. I guess I can't really say very much about it. It looks nice, but really doesn't do anything very interesting. The dancing star people are a nice touch.

Denki Groove "Mononoke Dance"


Going back just a bit for this one from Denki Groove. This one features some crazy yokai action and "animation." Make sure you watch all the way to the end for a special twist! :D



This one has been making the rounds, and with very good reason. It's incredible! This is video from the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Japan. If you can, make sure to watch this on the HD setting at full-screen. Try not to fall in!

That's it for this week. Do you have anything cool to share that you've seen lately?

iLL

Being the solo work of Koji Nakamura, ex-frontman of the highly popular and influential indie-rock/shoegaze/electro band Supercar, it's perhaps understandable (if not inevitable) to want to compare the music of iLL to that of Supercar. This isn't helped by the fact that they are, in many ways, very similar. Similar enough to say with confidence that if you like one, you'll like the other.

Two of the largest missing pieces from the Supercar puzzle are bassist and vocalist Miki Furukawa, who brought the female voice to the Supercar equation and the more electronic slant that Supercar adopted later in their career (see Highvision.) iLL keeps the quiet and muzzy shoegaze vibe though, as well as the morose tone of Nakamura's own vocal delivery.

While Nyantora, another of Nakamura project, is almost 100% ambient electronic, iLL is rooted in rock, albeit very spaced out and simplified. Many of the songs are very repetitive and almost drone-like, though far from atonal. They often work themselves into a trance-like state with a wall of reverberant guitars and crashing drums. Again much like Supercar, the electronic elements are kept to a minimum, but when used are rather organic and raw.

iLL's output has greatly increased as of late, with two full length albums released in 2008. While many fans are still mourning the passing of Supercar, the can at least console themselves knowing that its shattered pieces are still spreading their own light into the music world.

BUY ILL RELEASES HERE!

Live



Official Site
MySpace

Releases:
ROCK ALBUM - 2008/08
Dead Wonderland - 2008/03
Sound by iLL - 2006/05

Flying Saucer


iLL TV 1


iLL TV 2

Miki Furukawa (フルカワミキ)

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

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

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

Buy Miki releases here! | Buy Supercar releases here!

B.B.W.




Official Site
MySpace

Releases:
Mirrors (2006)
Bondage Heart (2008)

Coffee and Singinggirl!!!


Candy Girl


Psycho America


7 Stars


C.Stereo


Like A Starberry (w/ Chocolat)


Sunrise (Live)


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


Supercar - Strobolights


Supercar - Lucky (Live)

Japanator Radio 52

Wow. Late show is late. Sorry guys. And that contest thing? Next week. Absolutely. Be there!

OK! Apology over! On with the show! This week we've got a slew of new singles from the likes of L'Arc en Ciel and Base Ball Bear, a track from Thee 50's High Teens (on tour now!) and a look at a few of the solo projects from the ex-members of Supercar in the Artist Spotlight.

Again, sorry for the delay. It will never happen again. Until it does. And it will.

DOWNLOAD EPISODE 52 AT JAPANATOR!

Hartfield

Somewhere in the wash of shimmering guitar chords and distant drum beats, two voices echo, burbling up from some underground cave. This is the sound of Hartfield.

Formed in 2000 by the Takateru Kagawa, male half of the band, Hartfield took a few years to perfect its atmospheric shoegaze sound. They made several appearances on various compilations, perhaps most tellingly Seven Winters, a compilation of like minded artists, apparently released on a label called Curse of My Bloody Valentine. They shared some pretty good company, including Luminous Orange and Coaltar of the Deepers.

It took them three tears to release their first mini-album L.I.B.R.A. Their first full-length release quickly followed. At the time they were performing with a full band, including a drummer and bassist. Somewhere along they way they parted with their rhythm section are today are listed as a duo. To be fair, Takateru and Yukari, the female half, really are the stars. They share not only lead vocal duties, but dueling guitars as well. Not that you're likely to be able to separate their guitar tone from one another. It's tough to overstate the staggering amount of delay, reverb and distortion that blankets everything on their recordings. It's the audio equivalent of a gale-force blizzard and tsunami battling it out over a barren landcape.

That's not to say that their songs are all gloom and doom. In fact, despite the chaos, they are rather bright, with a rosy glow around the edges. At times they are even downright upbeat and poppy, a bit like some of Supercar's early, fuzzed out tracks. (See "She Knows" below.)

The band has toured both in Korea and the US. Their album True Color, True Lie was released in three different versions for Japan, Korea and the US, proving their sound translated very well across cultures. They are apparently in the process of recording their next album (since 2005,) so let's hope we hear more from this impressive duo very very soon!

BUY HARTFIELD RELEASES HERE!

"Reason"



Official Site
MySpace

Members
Takateru Kagawa - Vocals, Guitar
Yukari Tanaka - Vocals, Guitar

Releases
L.I.B.R.A. 2003
True Color, True Lie 2004

"She Knows"


"Today Forever"

Supercar - Highvision Lyrics and Translation

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'

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

『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

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

『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!!!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

『⋀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

アオハルユース　アオハルユース　アオハルユース
aoharu yuusu aoharu yuusu aoharu yuusu
Aoharu Youth Aoharu Youth Aoharu Youth

アオハルユース　アオハルユース　アオハルユース
aoharu yuusu aoharu yuusu aoharu yuusu
Aoharu Youth Aoharu Youth Aoharu Youth

この果てには―――
kono hate ni ha
In the end

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

『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

OTOGI NATION OTOGI NATION OTOGI NATION
OTOGI NATION OTOGI NATION OTOGI NATION
OTOGI NATION OTOGI NATION OTOGI NATION

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!

OTOGI NATION OTOGI NATION OTOGI NATION
OTOGI NATION OTOGI NATION OTOGI NATION
OTOGI NATION OTOGI NATION OTOGI NATION

（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)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

『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

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

『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

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

『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

SILENT YARITORI SILENT YARITORI SILENT YARITORI
SILENT YARITORI SILENT YARITORI SILENT YARITORI

（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)

Supercar

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

BUY SUPERCAR RELEASES HERE!

Lucky



Official Site

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

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

Recreation


Strobolights


Yumegiwa Last Boy


Wonderworld


Love Forever


Drive


Last Scene