Japanese Sleeves

Audio

Sat, 18 May 2013 23:06:47 +0900

escalator records, Tokyo (2000)

Sat, 18 May 2013 22:41:00 +0900

When is a label compilation like a game of soccer? I have no idea, but this mix is definitely scoring big points in my book. Featuring 5 artists, this album is a surprisingly cohesive mix of dreamy, groovy, and danceable electronic pop that is pretty much the essence of late nights in a dark fashionable Japanese bar. Hell, it’s Saturday night and I’m at home listening to this and I somehow feel like I’ve gone out, it’s that good. escalator records is now called Big Love, and although they started as an electronic music shop, they now import all kinds of indie music as well as producing a few artists themselves. I haven’t been to the shop yet but sounds like it could be one of the best in Tokyo. If you can find it that is.

The EPs: Michiro, Get The Help! (1985)

Sun, 28 Oct 2012 10:00:41 +0900

Well, what can you expect from something titled Odyssey-1985-Sex really? Abrasive, yelly, new wave-ish punk culminating in screams and a fairly unbearable chanting of ‘1985’ and ‘SEX’. Side B, repeats the same song but with a sultry girl singing instead, which improves the song greatly, if not turning it into a bit of a porn soundtrack at times. I suppose punishing alley sex might be appealing to some people, but if this is what sex in the 80s was like, growing up in the 90s never seemed so good.

Audio

Sun, 28 Oct 2012 10:00:41 +0900

Audio

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 14:17:00 +0900

The EPs: Johnny Okura (1976)

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 14:14:59 +0900

I couldn’t decide if this would be absolutely horrible or surprisingly awesome. Turns out it’s neither. After a brief second of intro indicating some terrible 80s metal was coming, it turned into a decent garagey track. Side B is a bit more bluesy, lamenting the return to Kawasaki, and sounding like there are a few things he’d rather not revisit. Overall, not bad, completely unrelated cover art notwithstanding.

Audio

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 23:06:00 +0900

The EPs: Miki Nakasone (1961)

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 23:04:50 +0900

This sounds just like it looks and this makes me happy. Two songs that make me want to spend endless hours in a dark Asian tiki lounge in the 60s drinking fantastically strong fruity cocktails while talking to glamourous men smoking too many cigarettes. It’s a little bit dangerous and entirely sultry. In other words, perfect.

Audio

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 22:56:00 +0900

War Songs (Year Unknown)

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 22:55:34 +0900

Sometimes you know exactly what you’re getting but just don’t care. I found this gem in an amazing junk shop in Akizuki and immediately fell in love. Maybe it would even surprise me, I thought. Wishful thinking. The album starts and finishes with a couple of pretty tracks that wouldn’t be entirely out of place on some of the 60s Cantonese records I’ve bought (well, politics aside anyways). This doesn’t last long though, and the you’re suddenly immersed in what feels like a rousing military wedding in a broadway show. You want pomp and circumstance, you got it. These military songs are known as gunka in Japan, and encompass all forms of nationalist military propaganda songs, marches and national anthems that were produced from as far back as the 1860s right through WWII. The softer songs were apparently an attempt to instill a sense of war as epic and engender warm feelings toward Japan. And I’m guessing, pretty effective. I’ll never listen to this again, but it’s an interesting cultural artefact nonetheless.

Audio

Sun, 01 Jul 2012 21:56:00 +0900

Hideki Kaji (2000)

Sun, 01 Jul 2012 21:49:01 +0900

I suppose it’s a testament to how catchy and enjoyable this album is that I’ve been listening to it for over a week now and completely forgetting to post about it. Despite being released in 2000, it still feels really current. Not quite as challenging as say Cornelius, it’s got all the sunny happiness of your standard Japanese pop, but with more interesting arrangements and avoiding being too twee. It makes me want to dance around my living room like I’m a 12 year old girl again. I think this will be in high rotation for the summer.

Grading the Top 10 Songs in Japan

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 12:05:48 +0900

Grading the Top 10 Songs in Japan:

I don’t normally post links, but since I’m in China and can’t get to my record player, I thought I’d share this list rating the current top 10 hits in Japan, which is in a very similar style. Enjoy!

Audio

Thu, 31 May 2012 00:41:00 +0900

Yukadan (1981)

Thu, 31 May 2012 00:38:54 +0900

Enticing me into thinking it should be some kind of sailor-era Modest Mouse album, the only thing nautical about this is the somewhat beachy feel to some of the tracks and there are few aggressive or yelpy vocals to speak of. Jazz and blues blended with a Hawaiian element and rounded out with some 50s rock stylings, you get an inoffensive album that’s catchy and easy to listen to, but one that I also think requires me to be middle-aged to truly get behind. There are some nice instrumental tracks on here and pretty guitar work, but if you’re like me, this might only get you as far as being an easy summery album to do housework to when the Back to the Future and Top Gun soundtracks run out.

Audio

Tue, 22 May 2012 00:01:00 +0900

The Street Sliders (1983)

Tue, 22 May 2012 00:00:06 +0900

It’s been a long, rainy Monday. What better to end the day than a nice relaxing evening with a cup of tea and popping on a new record. Even if that record turns out to be mildly abrasive punk rock. One part Rolling Stones, one part a tightened up Sex Pistols, this is catchy punk rock for a bigger audience. That said, there’s still enough genuine swagger and roughness that you can rest assured that your dad won’t like it. A solid drinking album.

Audio

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 23:03:00 +0900

UA (1998)

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 22:52:47 +0900

There’s something about this album that is very 1998. I was in early university then and I can clearly imagine listening to and loving this then. It conjures up vivid memories of open mike nights at my local dirty English pub, warm nights sitting by the beach, and discovering Morcheeba and vegan food. This EP showcases two tracks, each one followed immediately by an instrumental version of itself. UA actually turns out to be woman named Kaori Hasegawa, her stage name a Swahili word meaning both flower and kill. I can get behind this. While pretty chill folky tunes overall, and a hard call to make after only two songs, I suspect she’s got a bit of sass under there that wouldn’t be out of place alongside any outspoken folk fest regulars. Solid summer tunes.

Audio

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 22:33:00 +0900