I just saw that the super-creepy Japanese pop act AKB48 is on the soundtrack for the video game themed animated film Wreck-It Ralph*. While I suppose it should come as no surprise that such factory processed mega-sleaze could manage to shlerm its way onto the soundtrack (we are talking about Disney here after all), it does send this fanboy into something of a tailspin. Because for God's sake, there are exactly ONE ZILLION better Japanese acts to choose from for this sort of fun, nostalgic, vibrant love letter to video games. (I'm assuming most of that. Haven't seen it.)
So I took two seconds and wrote a list of the first ten acts I could think of. HERE IT IS, in order of relevance and everything, just in case you get bored of listening to incredibly awesome music halfway through like a moron who deserves total junk like AKB48 forced into your slack jaws and down your bloated food-chute.
*Looking up the correct punctuation is the beginning and ending of the research I did for this post.
#1 Sexy Synthesizer
If you get 15 seconds into this and don't know why it's number one then stop reading and smash your damn fool face into a brick wall until it's nap time. COME ON. Sexy Synthesizer is amazing and uses a handful of Namco arcade game sounds in just about every song he writes. Including Galaga which is the best game ever made. Disagree? See above advice.
You can hear his entire ROCK album below.
#2 Plugnet
THIS IS THE COOLEST CHIPTUNE ALBUM EVER CREATED. Why? LISTEN TO THE RAPPING OH MY GOD. Oh, and it should be obvious unless you're a dummy but Sexy Synthesizer had a hand in its creation. GOT MORE SPICES.
#3 Omodaka
OK, so we've been pretty spastic right out of the gate. Maybe what you'd expect. And then BOOOOM. Omodaka. That's right, funk-tastic chip driven funky funk courtesy of a Stevie Wonder bass line and some wickedly weird traditional folk singing layered over the top. If Disney really wanted to blow people's minds, THIS would be playing through Wreck-It (I'm too busy to bother with the Ralph and more) non-stop.
I rest my case. (They also built their own chiptune software.)
#5 Perfume
I mean come on, it's called "Electro World" for crying out loud. And Perfume is HUUUGE. And waaay less creepy than those dead-eyed AKB slaves. Much more family-friendly and all that. And the bass line rules my soul.
#6 The Aprils
Alright, if the over-the-top commercialism is getting to you, then The Aprils are here to wash it away with a blissful wave of super duper cute synthpop. Absolutely non-ironic and just plain happy. All in a way only Japan can pull off. This should be the ending theme to every happy animated film, in my totally factual analysis.
#7 Halcali
Remember when people made good, clever videos? This is one of them! And it has blurred out Super Mario Bros in it! And it's an amazing song! COME ON GUYS JEEEZUS! AKB48? Really? When THIS IS A THING THAT EXISTS???
#8 Capsule
Screw Tron. THIS is what living in a video game from the 2000s would sound like.
#9 Floppy
Sorry if I fell off the chiptune tip for a second there. Back on track! Floppy brings a more rock/punk/weirdo vibe to their tunes. A nice foil to all the happy crappy girls, am I right? Look, we can all get along because chiptunes!
#10 Polysics
BECAUSE I WILL NOT REST UNTIL POLYSICS RULES THE ENTIRE WORLD. Because reasons, that's why.
So there you go. Take your stupid factory-pre-set J-pop and CHOKE.
Here's the video for the new Polysics single "Everybody Say No." It's not super exciting, but you have to admit, the 303 traffic cone head thing is pretty awesome. The song is also not super exciting, but as always Fumi manages to bring the heat on bass and make it almost impossibly groovy.
Not sure how long this video will last, so enjoy it now!
New Polysics! "Lucky Star" is the first single from what is presumably their next album. The song is a snappy, poppy one along the lines of "Black Out Fall Out" and "You You You." Fumi is no Kayo when it comes to pop vocals, but she has always been able to hold her own and does so here just fine. But I miss Kayo.
Anyway, it's Polysics in a nutshell. Chugging synths, retro blips, odd patterns and pure energetic fun. It's a bit repetitive, a bit shallow on a surface level, but there's plenty to dig into on repeat listens. The CD/DVD version includes what seems to be a full live show. Well worth it!
When I first heard that Polysics was going to be on the new L'Arc~en~CielTribute album, I was excited. Of course I'm always excited about Polysics. Then I saw the rest of the line-up and, well, I had to triple check.
Listed among a hand-full of other Japanese bands were rather more incongruous names. Names like Michael Monroe (Hanoi Rocks), Eric Martin (Mr. Big) and John 5 (Marilyn Manson) (itself a head-scratching paring), Vince Neil (Mötley Crüe), TLC and, get this, Boyz II Men.
Yep.
If that all sounds a little weird, well, so is the album. I'm not a huge L'Arc fan, but I do like some of their more rockin' songs. This album is not rockin'. In the slightest. It's mostly washed-up has-beens sucking the life out of songs that didn't have much life to spare. For crying out loud, Vince Neil sings the super-saccharine "Blurry Eyes" and not "Shout at the Devil." Sure, it's not the same iconic metal anthem that Crüe rode high on through the '80s, but still it was a giant missed opportunity. (I should also point out that much of this tribute is sung in English. Another jolt to the system.)
Ah well, at least Polysics managed to produce a really heavy, noisy take on "Seventh Heaven," a track otherwise totally out of place in this collection of zombies sluggishly devouring L'Arc's brains.
This performance from Rock in Japan in early August 2010 is the first time new-wave spazz band Polysics has performed live since keyboard player and founding member Kayo left. Since they've been together for around 12 years, this was a pretty big deal. Fans were not only sad to see her leave, but worried about what it might mean for the future of the band. Luckily for us they decided to stick together and soldier on as a three piece.
While the band did play a full set, including three or four brand new songs, those of us not in attendance have only been privy to three songs that have made it onto the web. The video up above is their new opener "Heavy Polysick," which leads into one of the band's very first songs "Buggie Techinica." After the jump is the more modern "Tei Tei Tei."
To be honest, none of these tracks really lets us in on what kind of new sound and energy Polysics might have as a trio. But maybe that means that the new Polysics might not be different at all without a dedicated keyboard player. The band is already recording new material, so it shouldn't be too long before we get to hear for ourselves.
In the meantime, if anyone knows were a video of the full Polysics set from Rock in Japan 2010 might be, I know some people who might be interested...
Jan-28-10 Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA Jan-29-10 The Roxy Theatre - Los Angeles, CA Jan-30-10 Casbah - San Diego, CA Feb-02-10 Plush - Tucson, AZ Feb-03-10 The Rhythm Room - Phoenix, AZ Feb-05-10 The White Rabbit - San Antonio, TX Feb-06-10 The Independent - Austin, TX Feb-07-10 The Loft - Dallas, TX Feb-10-10 Double Door - Chicago, IL Feb-11-10 Magic Stick - Detroit, MI Feb-12-10 Musica - Akron, OH Feb-13-10 The Gramercy Theatre - New York, NY Feb-14-10 Middle East - Cambridge, MA Feb-16-10 The Rock and Roll Hotel - Washington, DC
This week's videos all have something in common, Rock in Japan Fest 2009! In particular, the full set from Polysics, which you'll find in the first three clips, as well as a general overview of the entire festival in the three clips that follow. Make sure to check out the awesome costumes that Polysics put together. I think it's their best theme yet, although the boy-scout uniforms for a few years back were also rather incredible...
What more can I say? Sit back and enjoy the mayhem!
It's another year and time for another album from Polysics, a band that's been releasing a new album every year since their first release in 1999 (not to mention a constant stream of singles, EPs, compilations and DVDs along the way). Their profile has been constantly on the rise, hitting its peak in 2006 with the release of the "I My Me Mine" video featuring the robotic dancing of Strong Machine 2. (Oddly enough, aside from the Now is the Time! album, the song was only released as a 7" vinyl single in the UK.) They went on to sign with MySpace Records and go on progressively growing tours overseas.
For the uninitiated, Polysics is a highly energetic surf-rock guitar driven, new-wave band. They augment their four member line-up with with plenty of digital playback, lead vocals from three of its members as well as plenty of robotic, vocoded lines, making their digital material something of a fifth (or even sixth) member of the band. While the songs are pure pop at their core, the outer shell is abrasive, jagged, sweaty and very very loud. This is no gang of posing '80s fashion throwbacks playing pillowy soft-core synth pop or ecstasy-fueled chiptune children's music. This is a hard rockin' punk/synth monster. It's essential to experience Polysics in a live setting as their performances are non-stop mayhem. Front-man Hiro is usually drenched in sweat by the end of their opening song. Their visual look is equally unique, with all four members wearing matching neon-colored jumpsuits and sunglasses that are little more than a large black bar across their faces, a direct and very intentional nod to the band's biggest influence, Devo.
Ever since National P in 2003, arguably the band's strangest and most adventurous album, they have been dialing back the craziness. From Now is the Time! to Karate House and then on to We Ate the Machine, each album has become progressively less noisy and insane in favor of cleaner production and less jagged song structures. (For, again arguably, their best production, one must got back even further to 2002's For Young Electric Pop.) Even their reliance on Kayo's synths and other digital tracks has gone down. On Absolute Polysics she has a much more traditional role, playing less grating sounds and more straight up harmony to Hiro's guitar. She only has one song in which she has a lead vocal part, the album closer "Wasabi," but she is, for all intents and purposes, silent on the other 13 tracks.
By contrast, Fumi has been taking an increasingly dominant role on the band. While Hiro still takes on the lion's share of the song and lyric writing, Fumi has been getting more of a chance to take up this role, almost seeming to become a second band leader at times. This is a role that, in the past, Kayo seemed to fill. Fumi has been writing both lyrics and music more often and has been filling more of the alternate singing roles as well. This isn't exactly new, and probably isn't a major factor in the band's slow sound shift, but it's also worth taking note of.
Absolute Polysics starts off very strong with “P!,” the usual brief, instrumental introduction full of enegertic synths and even a marching band whistle counting off the measures. This is followed up with the album's two singles, "Shout Aloud" and "Young OH! OH!," both of which are among the album's strongest songs. The former is certainly the most intense track on Absolute and contains all of Polysics' signature moves. It has a practically non-stop metal-industrial beat, complete with blinding fills from Yano on the drums, frantic guitar arpeggios and ascending scales all over the place. There are three vocal treatments as well. Hiro's usual, chirpy delivery, a bridge from keyboardist Kayo, a vocoded chorus and even a massive crowd chant mid-way though. "Young OH! OH!" pulls the tempo down just a bit, but it's just as energetic and infectious. The silly, whispered "young oh oh!" breaks and straight-ahead beat make it impossible to not both smile along with and bob along to.
"Hypnotized GO" keeps the fast beats going, but this time in a much more electro/industrial vein. It's actually a bit of a departure for the band, being dark like a late P-Model track than their usual new-wave rock. The songs doesn't really do much more than pound along like a robot hammering out miles of sheet metal.
This is followed by the short instrumental "Time Out." An obvious homage to Devo's "Timing X," it severs as an early break in the album's frantic pace.
"Bero Bero" is the first strange track on the album, which is what most long-time Polysics fans will be expecting. It has all the de-tuned and jagged synths that are missing from the first part of the album. It also has some pretty bizarre vocals from Hiro who, for what seems to be the chorus, simply goes something like "blublublublubulbulbulbulbulbuuyeah!" That's followed by “Cleaning,” the most straightforward and radio friendly track, written entirely by Fumi. It's much like "You You You" and the Polysics of Die reworking of "Black Out Fall Out." It's a simple, poppy rock song devoid of anything too harsh or wacky. In a way, it's one of the standout track just because it's so “normal.”.
"E.L.T.C.C.T." is another example of what Polysics does best. Sung by Fumi, it has an odd time signature, stuttering syncopation and lots of chaotic noise in the background. Then all of that is cast aside as the shining, sing-along chorus breaks though, bringing back the pure pop-bliss, before then dropping back into the oddly timed "Every girl knows, Every boy knows this, Every thing can cause trouble" chant (again, with a possible nod to the beat in Devo's version of "Satisfaction.")
"First Aid" and "Fire Bison" are again something of a 1-2 punch. They fill in the requisite amount of raw, distorted rock, similar to "Hard Rock Thunder" and "We Ate the Machine" from previous albums. The band simply turn up the amps and fill the air with noise. "Fire Bison" mixes it up a bit, using a more electronic base. Both Fumi and Yano chugging along though most of the song and there's even a heavily effect violin, played by Yuji Katsui (of Bondage Fruit) at the end. Yet both of these songs are a little unremarkable due to their being pretty basic and surrounded by so many other memorable and quirky songs.
In a sort of mirror to the beginning of the album, "Eye Contact" is something of a break from all the rocking. It's totally electronic, featuring a very basic electro beat and bass line. Hiro's vocals sound a bit like the rhythm from Devo's "Redeye Express" and the synths seem to be taken straight from Kayo's version of "Saraba Siberia Tetsudou" from her solo album, neither of which is a bad thing. Overall, it's a nice break in tone, but it's another example of a song that seems to be either half finished or just stuck on the album for filler.
"Beat Flash" is a return to the same clean and fast sound on "Shout Aloud," which isn't a surprise since it was the b-side to that single.
"Speed Up" is the one real clunker on the album. It's almost as if it missed getting mastered, sounding totally flat, muddy and quieter than the rest of the album. It does have a nice, catchy chorus, again like "You You You," but the rest of the sing just seems dull and phoned in. Again, this could simply be a result of the piss-poor production. Any of the other b-side releases from the singles would have been a better fit.
The final track "Wasabi," is the real hidden gem. It's the most unique song on the album, featuring Kayo singing in a high voice that has a feel of the Buggles' "Video Killer the Radio Star." The song itself feels a bit like "Miss Donuts" off of the Kaja Kaja Goo EP. It's very poppy, with twinkling xylophone sounds and a nicely dissonant bridge thrown in. Plus, it's the only song to really feature Kayo, something that is sorely missing from the rest of the album. The very end of the song, and the album, features some backwards screaming and other chaos that quickly fades out, providing a very unceremonious and abrupt end.
The overall lack of variance to the album's production, the sameness to the feel of every track, makes Absolute Polysics a bit of a disappointment in the “wow” department. There are a some great songs and interesting ideas, but they seem to be spread very thin. "Shout Aloud" and "E.L.T.C.C.T." are packed with exactly the right amount of catchy song writing versus zany structuring. "Bero Bero" and "Wasabi" provide the strangeness and playfulness that really defines the band. Everything else? Certainly not bad, but also not so great. The lack of Kayo's lead vocals and the way in which her usually squelchy and abrasive synths are pushed far into the background in favor of the cleaner production also leaves the songs sounding a little too even. On the other hand, it's much easier to make out what everyone is playing, something that was lost on the band's earlier, and more noisy, releases.
Maybe that is what's missing. That sense of the band playing live in a big room. The feeling that everything is on the verge of falling apart and exploding. That dirty new-wave punk sound. Now they are clean and precise. Once again there is the feeling that this album has been churned out at break-neck speed, written more to meet a contractual deadline than for the fun of playing loud and fast. It's still a work of occasional genius, packing more material into most songs than other bands use on an entire album. Absolute Polysics is an album that only becomes more awe-inspiring on repeat listens. Yet it's tough to not see how the band is evolving (or, of course, DEVOlving) toward an almost clinical, assembly-line method of song writing.
As an added bonus for fans, there is also a special edition version of the releases that includes a DVD. In that disc are the videos for “Shout Aloud” and “Young OH! OH!.” But the real attraction is the six, yes six hour documentary of the band recording in the studio. In this film, we get to see the band recording a new, and very short, song from beginning to end. Hiro brings the song in as an all electro demo, playing it off of a computer a few times for the band to hear and take notes. They then gather together and play the song through a few times, working out exactly what to play. It's all pretty self explanatory, really. The band play the song though together, then they individually go back and re-records their parts until the song is done. The entire session is shot without a break, give it a sort of impossible-to-look-away feel since there are never any obvious gaps. Oh, and as a gimmick, when a band member walks off-camera to go into another room, they almost always return wearing a different t-shirt. It's a surprisingly effective way to keep people watching, since the actual action in the studio is about as dull as you may expect. Fans will no doubt find it interesting to see the band at work, regardless of having to hear a 30-second song hundreds of times.
In the end, Absolute Polysics isn't the best thing Polysics has ever done, but it's not bad by any means. The songs will likely translate better in a live setting, which is where people should be seeing the band anyway. If nothing else, Absolute Polysics is simply a good excuse for the band to go out on tour and tear up stages around the world. Who could blame them for that?
Found this one posted on Omodaka's site. Looks like he's doing a DJ set at an event with Hondalady. Anyway, this is a nice and simple video from Hondalady. I'm not sure what it has to do with P-Model's album In A Model Room though. ^__^
Hit the jump for more!
Polysics "Computer Obaachan"
Polysics has a new album out (hint: review coming soon!). This is not on that album, but it was on the DVD that came with one of its singles (which I reviewed here). It's a cover of an old children's song called "Computer Obaachan." The single is well worth the price, even if just for this one rare live track. Super cute!
Maximum the Hormone "Tsume Tsume Tsume"
This is a bit of a random pick, but it is still the newest song from Maximum the Hormone. They've been taking time off so that one of their singers can get some rest and recovery from some throat problems. I can't wait to hear some new stuff from them. Oh, and this video is a bit weird. Sort of makes me think of Silent Hill...
Adachi Tomomi Royal Chorus "Yumiko" (Italian version "Romeo")
I don't know why I thought to look up Adachi Tomomi, but I'm glad I did. There are actually a few new videos up, like this one. It's an Italian group doing a version of Tomomi's "Yumiko," renaming it "Romeo." I was skeptical at first, but I think they actually managed to make it even more awesome.
Weeble "Restroom"
And, of course, it would not be a post on the Internet this week without at least a little timely Kanye West humor. Can this be over now please? Thanks!
Just got the new Polysics single Young OH! OH! today. I managed to get the DVD version, and I am damn glad I did!
The DVD is 11 live songs from a show at Club Quattro from April of 2009. The chosen songs are mostly from their older catalog, stuff like "Bye Bye Red Sneaker" and "Which!," but that also have some newer ones like "Oh! Monaliza" and "Sony-san." They also wear their classic blue suits with the military-style hats. Oh, and the best thing ever? They do a live version of "Computer Obaachan"!!!!!!
But that's just the extra stuff. The single itself is great. "Young OH! OH!" is a bit catchier than the previous double single "Shout Aloud! / Beat Flash." The b-sides are also very cool. Like many of their non-album tracks, "Do You Remember?" is pretty silly and has a goofy, deep voice repeating the title. There's also a live version of "Shout Aloud!" (from the same live show, but not on the DVD) so if you missed the single, then you can still get the song.
The price for the entire package is almost a steal. You'll get an hour of new Polysics material for around $15. Obviously I highly recommend that you pick it up.
Check out some relevant video clips after the jump.
Going to kick off a new feature today, the rather self-explanatory "Videos of the Week."
Every week, I'll round up a few of the videos that have caught my eye. They'll be a mix of new and old and not always Japanese, though you can rest assured that most of them will be about Japanese music.
Without further ado, here's the first one:
Mouse on the Keys "Saigo no Bansan"
This is the first I've heard of these guys, and it totally blew me away. The song is cool, but this video really takes it to a whole new level. I absolutely love its dark, gritty Noir feel. Perfect.
Hit the jump for more!
Polysics "Young Oh! Oh!
New single from Polysics. Absolutely crazy, as usual. Seriously, just try and follow the logic of this one. You can't! There isn't any!
I don't remember now where I got the link to this, probably someone on Twitter. New music from Hiroshi Sakaue, a singing grandpa, slathered with Auto Tune. Weird.
History of Buck-Tick
A 10 part history of the very early Buck-Tick days, all in English! A must watch for any BT fan, to be sure.
Susumu Hirasawa "Solar Ray 2" Live
A mesmerizing live solar-powered performance from electro genius Susumu Hirasawa. I could listen to the into forever.
9mm Parabellum Bullet "Punishment" and "Discommunication" Live
Polysics are the pinnacle of new-wave synth-punk, the result of years of work put in by Yellow Magic Orchestra, P-Model, The Plastics and, most importantly, Devo. Polysics itself has been around since 1997, slowly working their way up the charts and oversea into clubs around the world. Signed both to Sony and MySpace records, they are in a unique situation to be able to easily promote themselves all overtheglobe. They have launched several successful mini-tours of America and the U.K. to larger and larger groups of rabid fans, and have played to massive crowds in Japan. While the band's sound has shifted subtly over the years from an all out wall of synth-punk noise to a much more restrained pop mentality, do not be fooled. There is still much your ears have to fear from Polysics.
For instance, there are the Nord-generated lo-fi glitches and soaring electric melody from Kayo, Fumi's furious bass-lines, Yano's relentlessly pummeling drums and Hiro's spazz guitar and spazzier vocal work. I say "vocal work" because quite often he's screaming, chanting, or just spouting gibberish. Polysics is a great band for anyone afraid of bands singing in a foreign language, because just about everything will be foreign to someone. Poly-lyrics are a mish-mash of English, Japanese and what Hiro calls "space language" that is sent down from above into his brain. There's something there for everyone to be confused by.
While these elements have always been present in their music, it has gradually been cleaned up over the years. Their punk spirit is still there, but their desire for mainstream pop acceptance is showing more than ever. Not that this is entirely bad. Songs like "Electric Surfin' Go Go," You-You-You" and "Moog is Love" are pop masterpieces with a spine, something that is woefully missing from 99.9% of the candy-coated fluff that usually fills the charts. And let's not forget "Baby BIAS," possibly the best pop song ever written, that appeared on Now is the Time!. Now there is a song that could have sold a million copies outside of Japan if handled correctly.
While Polysics have been busy trying to break into the pop world, some of what made Polysics Polysics in the beginning, namely their experimental spirit and abrasiveness, has been downplayed. There are still plenty of head-scratching time signatures, dissonance and totally brutal tempos, but the elements that would have been pushed to the front in the early days are now set far back in the mix as sonic filler for the more obvious hooks.
Much of this change in sound can be attributed to one thing: playing live. Most recently, Polysics has said that they work out new songs in a much more live way, and their live shows are only getting bigger and bigger. The songs are often stripped down to their bare essentials, showcasing the members' incredible proficiency as players over the usual layers of synth noise and sound effects that sometimes obscure the more technical details in their early work.
Polysics are many things, but lazy is not one of them. What never changes is the high quality, originality and genuine sense of fun in all that they do, be it in the studio or on stage. Their albums often feel more like a simple collection of current songs than individual bold statements. More like "here's what we have right now" than "here's what we have to say." People looking for profound introspection into the human condition would do better looking elsewhere. They've also managed to keep their own unique identity despite the high pressure to conform to more traditional sounds. Sure, they've matured, but they are still pushing the limits of new wave rock. They are gradually working their way into the mainstream, subverting it from the inside. For a true new-wave, new-pop, new-rock thunder, you can do no better.
Albums: 1st P - 1999 A.D.S.R.M! - 1999 Neu - 2000 Eno - 2001 Lo-Bits - 2002 For Young Electric Pop - 2002 Kaja Kaja Goo - 2003 National P - 2003 Polysics or Die!!!! - 2004 Now Is The Time! - 2005 Karate House - 2007 We Ate the Machine - 2008
It's time again for another fantastic issue of Otaku USA Magazine to stomp its way into better magazine sellers everywhere!
This time around, I've got a nice interview with my heroes Polysics. I managed to catch them in the phone just before they kicked off their latest US tour.
Of course, that's just my own personal neck of the woods. There's a ass-ton of the usual great content, from games reviews, interviews, manga and anime talk, figures and much more. Plus, in case you didn't notice last time, the cover price is almost half of what it used to be! You can't lose. I hope you get a chance to pick it up soon. There's much more to come, so stay strong, true believers!
Tribute albums are a tricky thing. Covers in general are a bit on the lame side to begin with, and a straight up cover, without the band molding the song into its own style or reinterpreting the original content in a new way, is just an embarrassment all around. It's a fine line between paying homage to the original, and just using it as a crutch for inadequate creativity and a lack of talent for creating something new in the first place. Being able to not only make the song interesting to long time fans as well as totally change it in a way that seems to amplify its greatness, if not flat out improve upon it, is a rare feat.
We've seen some recent Japanese tribute albums that fell well short of the mark. The Weezer and Radiohead tributes come to mind. Both of these are riddled with too many bands taking themselves a little too seriously, and singing the English lyrics with more than a little trouble. A lot of that falls on the original content, which is already loaded with the respective band's heaping helpings of OMG we're Weezer or OMG we're Radiohead baggage.
Now we've got another tribute to another band who, in all likelihood, have had some influence even on bands like the two aforementioned trailblazers. Metallica, for many reasons, are one of the biggest bands on the plant, or at least they were a few years ago. They have legions of absolutely rabid fans that eat and breathe Metallica 24/7, who worship them like gods and follow their every move. It's safe to say that to many fans there will never be anything as great as the original songs, so any attempt at a tribute is doomed to fail even before it gets off the ground. Yet for those of us with a slightly broader perspective, there might still be room for some interesting interpretations.
That's where Metal Ikka comes in. It's eleven songs and forty-eight minutes of pure Metallica madness. Yet even these great songs are rife with chances to fail in the wrong hands. How does Metal Ikka stand up to the competitors? Can anyone hope to shred like Hammett or snarl like Hetfield? Let's take a listen and find out. The album kicks off with “Sad But True” from 10 Feet. What starts off sounding like the aforementioned straight-up cover quickly jumps into all new territory with a fast break beat, then much heavier and faster guitars. Overall the band sound a little like Electric Eel Shock with bouncing nu-metal riff in place of the hard rock approach. They don't bother changing it up much other than to add a few breaks and builds. Still, a very rockin' song.
9mm Parabellum Bullet keep the energy high with “Motorobreath.” They play it pretty close to the original, a little faster and with their usual brash and noisy production. While they don't really add anything to the song other than a few new odd-time stops and starts, they do manage to breathe the same fire and brimstone that fuels the original. In fact, drummer Kamijo Chihiro adds a massive amount of fury to the drums, totally blowing away Lars' original performance.
After the extend intro, “Creeping Death” by Razors Edge is almost totally deconstructed and rebuilt into a very tight and very fast ska-punk blitz. They run the song through several time and tempo changes, mostly from fast to much much faster, which is nice since the original, while iconic to say the least, is also a bit on the slow and plodding side. These guys take all the time tested motifs and apply them in very cool new ways. It's a crazy, fast and, at time, pretty funny ride.
Fuck You Heroes run “Metal Militia” through its paces, stick very close to the original, mealy adding some incomprehensibly screamed vocals and a generally heavier sound. It's basically just an updated version of the original, which is fine, since the original is quite awesome on its own.
When I first saw that Beat Crusaders were doing “One” I knew we were in for a treat, and the good time, tongue-in-cheek, feel good rockers deliver. They turn one of the darkest Metallica songs into what is both a fitting tribute, and also something very close to parody. It's a funky pop-rock take, something that might only be hilarious to people who have the original song imprinted note-for-note into their DNA. They absolutely fly through all of the originally elongated sections, distilling their essence down to easily digestible pills, which actually amplifies the greatness of the original material. Again, it's done in a way taken to almost Weird Al-ian territory, but it's also done in a way the proves Beat Crusaders absolutely love the song.
“Through the Never” is an interesting deep-track choice by Uzumaki. Not exactly one of Metallica's most memorable songs, they nevertheless turn it into a slick nu-metal/industrial dance track. For the most part they ignore the original in favor of simply lifting a few riffs and beats and applying them to the dance-track structure. It's still plenty heavy and dark, but much more suited to, say, an intense driving game or football highlight reel.
The opening riff to “Seek and Destroy” is something that you don't want to mess with. It's one of Metallica's most memorable, and Insolence knows it. While keeping all the notes in the right place, they manage to add a White Zombie swagger to the song, with a deep, Ministry-esque yelling vocal style and deeper guitars. They slow the beats down to half-time and generally let the songs drag, turning it into a doom-metal piece with a few electro scratches and a hollow, echoing chorus. When the solo hits halfway through it suddenly goes into double time, with a break beat similar to that of 10 Feet's opener. Things then fall back into sludgy mode for the end.
Totalfat take on “Fuel.” They tread very close to the original, even singing very much in Hetfield's style. They break it up a bit with some speedy pop-punk breaks and stomping riffs, but for the most part it adds very little to the equation.
My most highly anticipated track is next, that being Polysics' cover of “Enter Sandman.” While they (in this case probably just Hiro) basically play the original, it's a totally electro/industrial version, almost devoid of guitars, pushing them very far back in the mix. It's just as much of a tribute to P-Model's “Enola” as it is “Enter Sandman.” Sadly, most of the performance is phoned-in and very flat, with Hiro's vocals being a real low-point. While as a fan I find it to be a big disappointment, it also won't be winning over anyone new to Polysics.
2Side1Brain continue the album's second half decline with are very whiny emo-metal version of “St. Anger.” This is exactly the sort of thing I was hoping would be absent from this tribute, and up until this point Metal Ikka is a very pleasant surprise. Unfortunately these guys really drag the rest down with a pretty limp effort. The touchy-feely style has never suited Metallica, as evidenced on some of their more recent output, and 2side1Brain only make things worse.
Thank god Outrage is there to save the day with a blistering version of “Fight Fire With Fire.” Sure, they play the song note for note along with the original, but in this case it's a welcome pallet cleanser after the previous misfires. If you're at all familiar with Metallica's original, then you already know what Outrage's version sounds like. Much like the rest of the album, they bring a heavier overall feel, more a result of modern production techniques than anything else. If this were placed high up on the track list it would probably be much less of a stand out, but as it is it ends the album with a very sweet stamp of pure heavy metal.
Long story short: if you are a true Metallica fan, then you must get Metal Ikka. If you are a fan of several of the bands in the line-up, then you must get Metal Ikka. You will not be disappointed. Sure, it might quickly fade in glory, but the rush of nostalgia and the kick-ass energy it delivers are well worth the price. There are probably a few tracks that will be constantly skipped, but they are very few, and conveniently grouped together.
Finally, if you haven't noticed by now, there is one almost unforgivable omission from the track list. There isn't a single track from Master of Puppets! How this is possible is well beyond my own ability to reason. I suppose everyone has their own favorites, but why anyone would want to do something off of The Black Album or St. Anger in lieu of, well, anything off of Puppets boggles the mind. Maybe it's just too sacred an album to even consider the attempt? At any rate, absent friends aside, pick up Metal Ikka and rock the fuck out.
Look. I'm old. Well OK, getting old. With ever increasing frequency, I find myself eschewing the outside world in favor of getting all my entertainments through a series of tubes, intravenously pumping directly into my system while I sit firmly planted in my ass-groove. Perfectly temperature controlled, no smoking, free drinks and no sweaty dudes. Well, no uninvited sweaty dudes, at least. It takes a lot to pry me from my hikikomori revelry. Something that can break through my dread for human contact and foreign lands.
I drove 1000 miles, through three states, emptying my pitiful bank account in the process, all to see a band from Japan play in a small club on the outskirts of Chicago for about an hour. That's not hyperbole, that's fact. Actually, I've done it twice now, and I'll probably do it again, because...
I love Polysics. [Note: Top photo by me, all the rest by AceofClub5, originally posted and used with permission by Japantor.com. Check out the full post for many more incredible Polysics photos!]
I'll spare you the boring details of our (I dragged my [admittedly willing] wife along with me) oh-so bland trip through Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. Suffice it to say that it was flat, tan and full of many ideal places that one could bury all sorts of bloody deeds. Not that I was making plans or anything.
We made it to the Abbey Pub right on time. As someone who always expects everything that can go wrong to most certainly follow though, if not twice or three times, I was very happy to find our names were indeed on the guest list as promised, thanks to my peoples at Sony and MySpace. (Kisses!) Of course, I did have to guide the ticket dude's eyes to our name, writ large on the left of the list, after his own attempts failed...repeatedly. This is what novelists call “foreshadowing.” Are you taking notes?
We had just enough time to spend all kinds of money on t-shirts, sweatbands and buttons, all handed to us by Hiroyuki Hayashi, front man and Polysics mastermind, himself. Having met and talked to him on their last trip though Milwaukee, I was all cool and calm and totally didn't get my geek juice all over him. I knew that the band always took time after their show to come back out and talk to fans, signing everything shoved under their noses (this is not a metaphor, but in fact an accurate description of their height ratio to us comically tall Anglos,) and posing for blurry cell phone pics. Plus, I wanted to talk to the entire band, and didn't want to burn Hiro out with too much ZB time. I'd just wait around afterward, kidnap them all, toss 'em in our trunk, then hug them and squeeze them and call them George forever. This is what literary-types call the reiteration of the hero's tragic delusion of grandeur.
We found a place to sit, drink some Windex, and silently heckle the two opening bands via text messages and whispered snickers. Both bands had their high points, most notably in the area of not blatantly punching us in the groin or killing puppies, but also did have their share of faults. Since I wish to keep this light, positive and to-the-point (too late!) I'll just say that I won't mind never hearing either of them again. It's a win-win, really.
One of the ample cool things about Polysics is that even their set-up music is great. They played all sorts of great stuff from the '80s and '90s, like Yellow Magic Orchestra, Devo, The B-52s, Ah-Ha (the crowd participation on this one was something special,) even “Thieves” by Ministry, a very present surprise. During all of this, once again, the band themselves was setting up their gear. Much like last time, this sort of blew me away. Here's a band that plays to tens of thousands in Japan, yet here they are schlepping their gear around in front of everyone. Both cute and sad at the same time.
Eventually they cleared the stage. I should mention that by now the Abbey was just about packed. Not like sardines in a crushed tin box by any means, but presently full with room to move around. It was obvious that just about everyone was here for Polysics, the band that was opening their last MySpace sponsored tour and was now the headliner. A lesson learned? Hey, anything is possible.
It wasn't long before they were re-introduced to, as they say, thunderous applause and much rejoicing. It is at that point that the rest of the night becomes something of a blur. You see, while I may be more at home, well, at home, surveying all the lay before me with critical and general off handed scorn, when I get into certain situations I go sort of crazy. Not clinically so, and not obnoxiously so, but I do “move” and “jump around” and “flail around like a totally un-cool, not to mention awkward, scarecrow with his ass on fire.” I remember they opened with “Buggy Techinica,” played crowd favorites like “Rocket,” “I My Me Mine” and “Baby BIAS.” I remember Hiro sticking his ass out into the audience several times, the final time running back a bit, rubbing the offended area with what looked like at least a little concern for its well being. I remember Kayo, the keyboard player, doing her (I must admit, rather Nazi-like) salute, later jumping around with pom-poms and playing a for-real recorder. I remember Fumi, on bass, playing like a rock, nay, a mountain. I remember thinking that Yano need to get one of those insane drum risers like Tommy Lee had. You know, the one that elevated, motored out over the crowd, then turned upside down, all while he was pretending to know how to play the drums? I simply couldn't see Yano the entire night. Even being one of the taller members of the crowd, he was just too too wee for me to see. Nevertheless, he was the pulsing heart at the center of Fumi's mountain of bass.
The band, in a word, slayed. Not only do they have some very complex tunes for, essentially, a poppy new-wave band, but live they tend to wear their metal roots on their sleeve. They are heavy, loud, fast and inhumanly precise. Hiro never once stopd moving, jerking bank 'n' forth like a man possessed by gods of lightening, and must release that magical blue fire through his voice and his guitar and his feet. The band behind him worked in telepathic unity, obviously honed through relentless touring and pure-bred dedication to their cause. When they busted out “We Ate the Machine,” they transformed into a four headed heavy-metal dragon, Yano breathing fire with his double bass rush, Fumi and Hiro giving themselves long-term brain damage through some of the most fully rotational head banging I've ever seen (and I've listened to Slayer for a very long time). Their cover of “My Sharona” saw them back in pure new-wave form, ice cold and robotic. “Baby BIAS” turned the room into a rave. “Electric Surfin' Go Go” ended the show with the best of all worlds, rock, pop, new-wave and simple feel-good fun.
Through it all, the crowd was a mix of slack-jawed onlookers, curious bystanders slowly finding themselves won over by the jump-suited band, and furiously devoted maniacs shouting along with as much Engrish as they could. While I could have done without the one guy shouting “su-geeeeeiii!” behind me all night and the other guy in front of me who had either just run away from home or was smuggling a team of midget jugglers in his backpack, the crowd was otherwise stellar. There wasn't a single cigarette butt crammed into my eye, no couple copulating on my leg, even “Too Tall” Jones the man-bear-pig stayed at home. It was very nearly the perfect crowd, with the perfect crowd being, of course, no crowd at all.
Afterward the crowd dispersed almost immediately. It was sort of shocking. Yet I knew better. I knew that if we waited around for awhile that the band would slowly creep out and we dedicated true-believers would have a few all-too-brief moments to chat them up and have them write cute things on our stuff. I had big plans. Not only did I have their new album ready to go, but I had also brought Kayo's solo album. Last time I had impressed them with four Polysics edition Mr. Monster figures. I wouldn't be able to top that, but I figured I'd get some sort of adorable reaction from my favorite keyboard player whenI whipped it out. The CD! You perverts...
Suddenly, mister I Can't Read More Than One Letter At A Time ticket dude and his friend Slightly Bigger Lunkhead started braying something about everyone having to get the hell out. Now, I don't doubt that these two princesses were worried about turning back into pumpkins before they could get back home to their step-sisters, but this struck me as odd. I had even asked the merch babe and Hiro himself if they were coming out later for autographs, and they both said yes. We resisted for a bit, wandering back over the the merch table, pretending to browse, but Dee and Dumb were rather insistent. Being the bold man full of backbone and black stuff with a wife made of hardened steel, we naturally stood our ground, taunting the size of their man parts and pointing out the dubious state of their lineage. No, of course we just left.
That's it. That's my tale. Anti-climactic? Yes, but it wasn't what I had (only potentially, in my fevered imagination) lost that I found myself dwelling on (after a couple hours of bring really depressed about it.) It was what I had gained, what I had just experienced that I came back to. I had just seen my favorite band in the world deliver a performance worthy of the Tokyo Dome, of Wembley, of Times Square. They did it all full of passion and energy, never once missing a beat or relenting one iota. This was what I drove 1000 miles for. Hopefully, next time they will be able to visit a bit closer to my icy confines, but if not, I'd do it all over and over and over again.
The Surfactants is not a Japanese band. The Surfactants is my band!
Sorry for the brief non-Japanese self-promotional digression...
The Surfactants was formed in 2005 by Zac Bentz. A long time drummer and house and trance DJ, Bentz eventually found a new found inspiration in the Japanese new-wave spazz rock band Polysics. It wasn't long before he began writing songs in the style of his new found heroes. Eventually he called up a few of his friends, all veterans in the local music scene, and The Surfactants was born.
Fusing the aforementioned new-wave synth pop with their love of classic metal bands like Iron Maiden and Metallica, the band quickly found their own unique voice in a sea of abysmal synth-pop wannabees. Instead of adopting the usual batch of '80s kitch, they instead looked forward to a new style of heavy, dueling guitars, stuttering beats, screaming synths and pounding bass.
The vocal style of Marcus Matthews was also something outside of the usual new-wave style, eschewing the fractured, nerdy approach and instead falling closer into a Depeche Mode or Foo Fighters realm. This unexpected clash of styles sent audiences reeling and critics into fits of adoring apoplexy.
The band has released two untitled mini-albums and an mp3 only album that collects both of the two mini-albums into one solid package. The recent past has seen a change in lead singer with the replacement of Matthews with Greg Cougar Conley, who brings with him a dedication to the same avant-avant-garde style. One can only hope they release a new album in the new future.
A Japanator reader saw Polysics live recently in LA. In this post, he tells the tale. Also, he shares some of, and I'm being honest here, some of the best live rock photography I've ever seen.
That's why I'm bringing this to your attention. Even if you're not a huge Polysics fan, you should check out Ace0fClub5's photography skills. There's some truly great stuff to look at!
Welcome once again to your weekly dose of auditory bliss, direct from Japan!
This week we've got new music from epic metal masters Versailles, nu-metal masters Maximum the Hormone, pounding dance goddesses Perfume and new-wave spaz rockers Polysics in the Artist Spotlight! Oh, and much more.
Also this week, I have some homework for you, dear listeners. It's pretty simple really. Just leave a comment. That's it! I know we get thousands of listeners every week and I'd love it if we could hear from all of you. I know most of you will continue to hide in the shadows, but I really want to hear from as many Jtor Radio fans as possible. Hit up the comments with whatever you want, just a "Thanks!" or a "learn how to pronounce Japanese overnight please!" or your own "people to kill" list...whatever. Just comment!
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
