& Others
--New Releases--
--One-shot CD reviews (#s-L)--
| THE 5,6,7,8’S | |||
| Yoshiko “Ronnie” Fujiyama--vocal & guitar Omo “Screaming Chellio Panther”--bass & bg vocal Sachiko “Geisha Girl” Fujii--drums & bg vocal Rico--guitar(‘89) Mikako--bass(‘89) “Spacy Fuzz” Eddie--guitar(‘90) |
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Bomb The Rocks--Early Days Singles -- (73:55) -- (2003) -- Time Bomb Records -- BOMBCD 69 | ||
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| You can’t argue with this kind of overkill! Right, you loved them in Kill Bill Vol. 1, and you must own some of the fabulous 5,6,7,8’S sounds. This will light your fuse. Straight out of a Tokyo garage comes well over an hour of ‘50s influenced rock that’s gonna put a smile on your face, make your feet move, and might even teach ya some cool. If these tunes don’t get ya boppin’, check your pulse. True, ‘I Walk Like Jayne Mansfield’ is missing, but closing out is ‘Blue Radio’, which sent a friend hunting for his CRAMPS’ version, till halfway through, in awe, he realized they’d been topped. | |||
| THEE 50’S HIGHTEENS | |
| Tomo--bass & vocal Honey--guitar & bg vocal Kei--organ & bg vocal Ricca--drums & bg vocal |
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Thee 50’s Highteens -- (21:57) -- (2003) -- P-Vine Records -- PCD-22059
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| There’s a slow, blues ballad, but this a good try at the garage-shakin’ mojo LULU’S MARBLE used to lay down. Yep, THEE 50’S HIGHTEENS got the organ, the screams, a ballsy lead singer, and an obvious commitment to the garage. They don’t quite stomp it like LULU’S MARBLE, but they come close enough to make for a damn good party. Give ‘em time. They’ve got the smarts. I’m bettin’ they’ll come up with somethin’ special. I hear they never smile at live shows, or for band photos. They’re serious about their music. I respect that, and as long as they keep rockin’ like this, we can do the smiling! | |
| 54 NUDE HONEYS | ||
| Yuri--vocal Vivi--bass Kotome--guitar |
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54 Nude Honeys -- (48:45) -- (2005) -- Skydog International -- SK 2005-2 | |
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| This is neither the new material we’ve been waiting for, nor the collection this band deserves about now. What it is is most of Drop The Gun, and all of their last release, also called 54 Nude Honeys. It’s also nineteen hot cuts of rocking, guitar-oriented, slap-ya-face, garage rock, with Yuri yelling at ya to make sure you dance. I’m dancin’! Plus, I hear when this gets a major European release it will include a DVD of a live show with some vids! A U.S. release is also planned. So, everybody get ready to rock! No one’s goin’ home tonight! Where’s ‘I’m Rubber Man’? Shut up and dance! | ||
| AFRIRAMPO | |
| Oni--guitar & vocal Pikacyu--drums & vocal |
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Kore Ga Mayaku Da (This Is The Drug) -- (50:12) -- (2005) -- Tzadik -- TZ 7258
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| Trust Tzadik to encourage the freaky side of AFRIRAMPO. It’s a joyous thing to hear Oni and Pikacyu intercreating, bouncing things back and forth between them. No creative expression is shunned. All is accepted and fuels further inspiration and forays into fun and freeform freakouts. There is passion and humanity expressed, often in a childish glee. How much structure does an AFRIRAMPO song begin with? Sometimes it’s delightfully playful. At other times their noise excursions incorporate apocalyptic visions. Feel free to join in. They can’t hear you, but I’m sure they’d be delighted. | |
| THE AMPPEZ | |
| Marie--guitar & vocal Shinobu--bass & bg vocal Noriko--drums & bg vocal |
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The Irony Of A Sweet Fruit -- (23:04) -- (2005) -- Benten Tokyo -- BT 003 (U.S. release)
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| Shinobu and Noriko support Marie’s vocals well. The lyrics, translated here, deal with the beauty and evil that oppose each other in life. The music is varied, the songs are well constructed, and the adequate musicianship sneaks up, and proves itself more than equal to the task of giving these songs the primal beauty the lyrics obsess over. This band has a grace and wholeness that will serve it well in its future endeavors. A more varied production would better show off the richness of the arrangements, but sometimes beauty is hiding in the shadows and needs only a closer inspection. | |
| BLANKEY JET CITY | ||
| Kenichi Asai--vocal & guitar Toshiyuki Terui--bass Tatsuya Nakamura--drums |
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Last Dance -- (112:37) -- (2000) -- Polydor -- UPCH-1005/6 | |
| Disc One: 1. Omae Ga Hoshii (I Want You) 2. «««««««« 3. Salinger 4. Pineapple Sand (Pineapple Sandwich) 5. Gasoline No Yurekata (Shimmering Gasoline) 6. Sea Side Jet City 7. Skunk 8. Saturday Night 9. Zetsubou To Iu Na No Chikatetsu (The Subway Known As Despair) 10. Shiawase Na Hito (Lucky Person) 11. Derringer |
12. Sweet Days 13. Camaro Disc Two: 1. Soon Crazy 2. 3104 Choume No Dance Hall Ni Ashi O Mukero (Move Your Legs To The Dance Hall At 3104th Street) 3. Romeo 4. Punky Bad Hip 5. Boku Wa Yankii (I’m A Thug) 6. D.I.J. No Pistol (D.I.J.’s Pistol) 7. Furyoo No Mori (A Crowd Of Bad Boys) 8. Kirei Na Kubikazari (Beautiful Necklace) 9. Akai Tambourine (Red Tambourine) 10. Baby Baby |
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| It’s a BLANKEY JET CITY show from their final tour. They’re a trio of savvy, technically gifted rockers. The vocals, by guitarist Kenichi Asai, are from the Bowie/Bolan camp, with a bit of THE CURE’s Robert Smith thrown in. Add to this mix a portion of THE STRAY CATS’ rockabilly, including the exceedingly clean playing of Brian Setzer, whom Asai equals, and adds a jazzy flair to. It’s got to be one of their best. The material is reasonably varied; the consistency is high; and the arena full of adoring fans makes the excitement tangible. Why’d they quit? | ||
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BLOW ONE’S COOL |
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Hiroyuki Inoue--bass |
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Evil Nipple Session -- (58:35) -- (1998) -- Time Bomb -- BOMB CD-56 | ||
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| Yep, lots of songs, but it’s not hardcore. A friend compared them to THE REPLACEMENTS, which for him was a compliment. On posters (shown in the booklet) they claim they’re “Punk Roq”. There remain some classic rock riffs they hadn’t weeded out, and some nice harmonies, but I’ll go along with that. The impressive thing, besides the constant adrenaline rush, is these guys can play, especially the hot-shot guitarist. The songs, sung in incomprehensible English, though limited in range are well constructed, and all rock hard and fast. | |||
| THE BRILLIANT GREEN | |
| Tomoko “Tommy” Kawase--vocal Ryo Matsui--guitar Shunsaku Okuda--bass |
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Terra 2001 -- (46:30) -- (1999) -- Sony Records -- SMD 8326
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| This band’s at the top of the J-Pop charts these days. I like ‘em anyway! Their open sound is self-produced, and the songs are their own. There’s a drummer in the mix, and often keyboards. This is good pop music, and Tomoko has a distinctive voice that sounds half whisper. It’s typical J-Pop sweetness, but there’s a touch of gutsiness. The lyrics, mostly in English, are more intelligent than many of our pop lyrics. They don’t quite make it to rocking-out, but they occasionally get close, and the variety has increased since their worthy first outing. | |
| CRAWL | |
| Atsuko Hakamada--guitar & vocal Kosei Hashimoto--bass & vocal Koji Masuda--drums |
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Milkicking -- (30:13) -- (1995) -- K.O.G.A Records -- K.O.G.A-009 1. Slow Burn |
| This is the most wonderful example of Japanese alterna-pop I’ve discovered yet. There is a sweet pop feel to this CD, and yet the vocals (all in English) are tempered by a sadness of experience, and never come off as overly-cute. The strengths are in the song-writing and arrangements, which are innovative without ever seeming over-produced or experimental. As musicians and vocalists they are not outstanding, but they’re fine. They rock with an overall gentleness and constraint, which I find quite refreshing, but they do rock. | |
| DIRTRUCKS | |
| Dee--vocal & bass Sae--drums Rui--guitar |
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Yellow Rose -- (51:29) -- (November 30, 2006) -- Love Shit Music -- LSDD-007
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| DIRTRUCKS is ‘70s pub rock sung by three Japanese gals. Yellow Rose rerecords the six songs from their Ordinary Bad Girl EP, adds three covers, one each from THIN LIZZY and DEFF LEPPARD, and three new original tunes. The recording and playing are no better, but they’re honest, and the material and performances are heartwarming. It’s the inherent soulfulness that is the real winning ingredient. Technically they’re still primitive, but their songwriting and delivery are richer than they have any rights to be. DIRTRUCKS believe in straightforward, honest rocking, and that’s what they’re offering! | |
| THE ENDS | |
| Ryoichi Endo--vocal Ai Ishigaki--guitar Wataru Kamiryo--drums Kei Kusama--keyboards & manipulation |
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Ends -- (47:12) -- (1996) -- Victor Entertainment -- VICL-810
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| Ryoichi Endo, ex-SOFT BALLET, cowrote the material with guitarist Ai Ishigaki, ex-MAD CAPSULE MARKETS. There’s a macho/prog rock thing going on that would usually spook me instantly, but the music here is powerful. A healthy variety of rock stylings are mixed to present a hypnotic background for Endo’s authoritative vocals, which recall a Jim Morrison/shamen vibe, but possess a strength of their own. I was won over by performances on the Factory site, but the richness of these songs means this, my first ENDS CD, will not be my last. | |
| ESREVNOC | |
| Mittco Sky--vocal, guitar & bg vocal Tomomi Ocean--bass & bg vocal Tsukada Sun--keyboards & bg vocal |
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EB - Esrevnoc Better -- (27:06) -- (1999) -- Epic Records --
ESCB 1977
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| This band, and its music, are as cute as a shiny button. Supposedly they came up through the indie scene, but this is great pop music. The hooks, mostly ‘60s pop and R&B, bounce out of these songs, one after the other, as if the school bell just rang. When there’s a punk edge, Mittco’s overly sugary vocals keep things sweet. In the studio they’re aided by a drummer and a computer manipulator. ESREVNOC writes all the songs, though--each a happy, well-crafted gem! Each has a separate cover, so... Hey, they all sound like A-sides to me! | |
| FIRESTARTER | ||
| Fifi--vocal & guitar Fink--guitar & vocal Sammy--bass & bg vocal Jimbo--drums & bg vocal |
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Firestarter -- (40:48) -- (2000) -- Mangrove Label -- root-072CD | |
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| Arising from the ashes of TEENGENERATE, FIRESTARTER surprised me! The brilliant cover of ‘Do Anything You Wanna Do’ says it all. This is the best record GENERATION X never made. It’s got that early punk sound, with sparkling leads, and a nice pop vocal gloss. TEENGENERATE’s garage punk is gone. In the pictures, Sammy’s got a 20/20 T-shirt on, and that influence is there, but FIRESTARTER has more of the punk attitude in their sound. If you like it, you’ll love it, ‘cause the consistency is startlingly strong. Every song is an energetic blast of pop/punk as fresh and shiny as new boots. | ||
| FLAMENCO A GO GO | |
| Satomi Asano--vocal & kazoo Fusae Oyanagi--guitar Wakana Katsuta--drums & bg vocal Ryosuke Izuhara--bass |
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Early Days -- (16:42) -- (1992) -- Benten Label -- BNTN-014 1. Flamenco A Go Go |
| FLAMENCO A GO GO were three women and one guy in a good, fun, rockin’ band. Ryosuke Izuhara wrote the songs. They’re sung in English; they’re adventurous; they’re pleasingly clever; and they couldn’t be pretentious if they tried. Their first CD’s production is wanting, but the songs are so strong, I recommend everything this band did. Between this and Fully Fed Freaks (their 2nd CD), I like these songs better, and the less raucous nature of the band here presents them as a celebration of adolescent fun! They’ve left us something well worth remembering. | |
| GASOLINE | |
| Gan--vocal & guitar Shuhei Rock--drums & bg vocal Hiroshi Hell--bass & bg vocal |
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Take It To The People -- (37:54) -- (2002) -- Estrus Records -- ES1021D (U.S, Release)
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| There is a surprising soulfulness to this rockin’ mania. They nail both R&B grooves and guitar freak-outs. Earlier, GASOLINE didn’t quite pull off either believably, but managed to throw a good rockin’ party. Here they have the mania in spades. All three members of GASOLINE are technically very good, and somehow, their occasional sloppiness works both to give them the soulfullness they seem to desire, and an inspired mania, as if things are just beginning to spin out of control. The last four tracks come from an earlier 7" where the band sounds quite over the top, even out of bounds. | |
| THE GIMMIES | ||
| Sora--vocal & guitar Kawabe--vocal & guitar Kim--bass & bg vocal J.J.--drums |
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Auto Shut-Off...Any Questions? -- (43:24) -- (2002) -- Star Jets Records -- SJR-004 | |
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| THE GIMMIES rock! It’s an all out punk attack, with some of the greatest sounding guitars I’ve heard in ages. The lyrics, even written out, are in brilliantly incomprehensible English. The guitars make the lyrical references to the MC5 unnecessary, and Johnny Thunders’ ‘Get Off The Phone’ is the extra track. So, yeah, these guys rock, and the hooks wrap around your head and don’t let go! The band is competent, but recorded rough and raw. It’s an impressive first release, and the arrangements are a damn sight smarter than they let on. | ||
| GITOGITO HUSTLER | |
| Yago--vocal & guitar Mitsuko--guitar Tae--bass Fusa--drums |
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GitoGito Galore -- (16:21) -- (2005) -- Gearhead Records -- RPM058 (U.S. release)
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| Like rock? Then the only reason not to like GitoGito Galore would be an aversion to cuteness. GITOGITO HUSTLER scored a U.S. label, and have laid down some of their best tracks yet. They rock hard, their hooks are classic, and they sound deliriously happy. The musicianship sparkles. Everyone shines. Best of all, their songwriting and arrangements are worth getting excited about. ‘Hyper’, a favorite from the live show, is brilliant. The slower ‘Sunflower’, a magnificent pop song, shows their range. For your own good, you need to let GITOGITO HUSTLER kick your ass! They’ll do it with a smile! | |
| GO BANGS | ||
| Kaori Moriwaka--vocal & bg vocal Mitsuko Saitoh--drums, percussion & bg vocal Misa Tanishima--bass & bg vocal |
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Samantha -- (57:49) -- (1991) -- Pony Canyon -- PCCA-00226 | |
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| You’ll need a sweet tooth to enjoy this sugary pop treat, but the songs are well written, and surprisingly diverse. There’s even a song celebrating punk rockers, listing, and imitating, some of their favorites. A high energy level is regularly reached, but it’s all so joyful it seems aimed at 5-10 year olds. Sassy is as punky as these girls get, but the rich production and support musicians give them a big field to play in, and they make good use of it. I own many of their CDs, but this is easily my favorite because of the playful punk/new wave flavors. | ||
| GRAPVINE | |
| Kazumasa Tanaka--vocal & guitar Hiroyoshi Nishikawa--guitar Makoto Nishihara--bass Toru Kamei--drums |
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Flowers Of Boredom -- (48:02) -- (1998) -- Pony Canyon -- PCCA-01201
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| Every song here is luxuriously beautiful in a very ‘70s Beatlesque way. I knew GRAPEVINE had a great record in them, and this one has completely won me over. Hoppy Kamiyama adds some spicy flavorings on three songs, but each song has the kind of maturity and beauty that rock bands only rarely achieve, and even fewer maintain for an entire recording. Friends noticed a resemblance in the vocal styles of Kazumasa Tanaka and Sho Wada of TRICERATOPS. It’s a shared John Lennon influence. The melancholia is enveloped and dissipated by the warm richness of the sounds. | |
| GREEN MILK FROM THE PLANET ORANGE | |
| dead k--vocal & guitar A--drums, keyboards & vocal T--bass & whistle |
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City Calls Revolution -- (73:34) -- (2005) -- Beta-lactam Ring Records -- mt108a (U.S. release)
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| If this is progressive rock, as they claim, they’ve taken it into a new dimension of psychosis, which, apparently, is just what it needed. The playing is top-notch and energetic. The singer sounds sincerely demented. Each of these songs takes you on an elaborate journey, and they don’t care if you ever get back to where you started from. Honestly, I don’t like progressive rock, but I like to hear people stretching the boundaries. GREEN MILK FROM THE PLANET ORANGE are an accomplished trio, who seem to design their music to stretch the listener’s self-imposed limits. Go ahead! Take the trip! | |
| GUINNY VAMPS | |
| Keiko Ono--vocal Emiko Shirasaki--guitar Misono Shimizu--guitar Kana Sakai--drums |
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Snake Lane -- (32:43) -- (1994) -- Riot Label -- RICD-002
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| Every song here rocks, and at a good clip, too. The title song goes for a CRAMPS sound, and does it justice. The vocals are innovative and ballsy. Hell, it’s all pretty damn ballsy, and it’s four women putting this engine through its laps. I don’t miss the bass at all. Fact is, I thought they had one till I checked, ‘cause the bottom’s there. It’s all there! The songs are good. The playing’s good. Variety? It’s all one sound, but they put it through enough changes to keep me tuned in. It should be pumping out of a car-stereo, ‘cause it moves! | |
| GYOGUN REND’S | |||
| Hurricane “Patch”--guitar & vocal Hiro “King”--bass & bg vocal Tommy “The Kid”--drums & bg vocal |
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Ending Tumblin’ -- (138:00) -- (2002) -- King Record Co. Ltd. -- KICS 946/7 | ||
| Disc One: Live at Doors (January 22, 2002) | Disc Two: Best | ||
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| I’d heard of GYOGUN REND’S, a leading light in the Japanese underground garage scene, but this is the first CD of theirs I’ve managed to get my hands on. It’s a celebration of their ten year career. Though definitely in the garage mode, they had a lot more ‘60s beat group/R&B influences than most, with an even more hopped-up and rowdy DR. FEELGOOD approach. The collection of their recordings is well worth having, but the live disc is the one that makes it plain what a great and classic band they were. Together, the two discs are a great introduction to a great rockin’ band. | |||
| HAL FROM APOLLO ‘69 | |
| Hal--vocal Takahisa Yamada--guitar & programming |
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Pyramid Of Venus -- (26:32) -- (1994) -- Toshiba/EMI -- TOCT-8546
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| This band gets better the further back into their history you go. Filled with pre-Christmas tension, this CD relaxed me with gentle, but rich, techno magic. Bass and keyboards support the guitar and programming which make up the sound. Even when the rhythm pounds, there is a soothing quality that calms as it intoxicates. Hal’s vocals don’t impress, but they certainly charm. They play it cool, while the beautiful music warms and seduces you. I haven’t felt this much warmth in their music before. It’s pop, yet mature. Future listens will reward, as they unveil the richness of its many layers. | |
| HAVANA EXOTICA | |
| Madam J--vocal Sugar Yoshinaga--guitar & bg vocal Nõnõl--bass & bg vocal Chari--drums & bg vocal |
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Love Ga Daiji (Love Is Important) -- (27:41) -- (1990) -- Yoroshita Music, Inc. -- MDCT-99003
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| Sugar Yoshinaga and Yumiko Ohno, who is Nõnõl, later formed BUFFALO DAUGHTER. This band came first, achieved some success, releasing several CDs and later brought electronics into their arsenal. The sound, though, seemed to get gentler and sweeter as it expanded. Here, in the early days they’re working with a simpler rock/funk format, featuring well developed vocal arrangements. Sugar and Yumiko already have chops, and cook things up tastily on some of these tracks. HAVANA EXOTICA eventually morphed into BUFFALO DAUGHTER, whose sound is still changing today. | |
| HIGE | |
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Yuki Saito--guitar & piano Koichi “Koteisui” Sato--percussion |
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Thank You, Beatles -- (29:27) -- (May 21, 2005) -- Speedstar Records -- VICL-61639
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| Certainly, THE BEATLES deserve whatever thanks they’re still getting, but if you’re looking for BEATLES influences here, you’d be out of luck. Strangely enough, though, I do hear some OASIS influence. That’s not a put-down, though actually, HIGE seems to have a broader range of sounds than that BEATLES influenced band. So, though most of it doesn’t kick my ass, overall, it’s good solid product by a savvy and very clever band. The riffs and vocals are classy, sassy, and rockin’, and the producer has done a good job of taking their surprisingly wide range and tossing in a few nice twists of his own. | |
| INVISIBLEMAN’S DEATHBED | |
| Deathbed--vocal & guitar Masayuki Takeda--guitar Keita Nishii--bass Daisuke Miyano--drums |
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Seishun No Satetsu (Setback Of Youth) -- (39:38) -- (2002) -- Blitz ¥ Pia Records -- BPCA-1011
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| Deathbed’s vocals are distinctly individual, and always passionate. It’s the most consistent aspect of the band. Musically they range over a wide spectrum of pop structures and hooks, psychedelic guitar effects and instrumentals, with a good amount of pounding rock. It’s a mature, thoughtful sound created by technically adept musicians who seem to be on a quest, exploring a new world as they create it and push to broaden its horizons. There’s a minute of silence at the end of the disc, and it feels a well deserved moment for reflection. | |
| JET BOYS | ||
| Onoching--guitar & vocal Kazuo--drums & bg vocal Kodama--bass & bg vocal |
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Jet Patrol!! -- (35:48) -- (2004) -- Discus Co., Ltd. -- DLJP-2001 | |
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| My first JET BOYS CD, and it’s so stupid, it’s smart! It’s straight punk rock, stripped down to the basics. The band is tight. The guitar playing is better than it needs to be. Hell, it’s better than it deserves to be! Fact is, even in this stripped-down punkoid state, there are sly pop hooks that comment subversively, yet positively, on the sweetness and innocence of youth. The booklet contains a comic, the lyrics, pictures of the JET BOYS, and even pics of lusty women. Buy this CD! Invite your friends! Have a party! Annoy the neighbors! It’s rock! It’s energy! It’s exciting! It’s stupid and smart! It’s fun! | ||
| JITTERIN’ JINN | |
| Reiko Harukawa--vocal & piano Jinta Hashi--guitar, harmonica & bg vocal Miyuki Irie--drums & bg vocal Matsuzo Urata--bass |
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Punch Out -- (34:00) -- (1990) -- Nippon Colombia Co. Ltd. -- COCA-6645
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| This is an early release by a band that, considering its uniqueness, was surprisingly successful. They released a few records that did well, took a number of years off, and then surprised everyone by reforming and having more success. They’re two men, and two women (vocal and drums). Their roots are rockabilly, but the beat is often more uptempo than you’d expect. Technically they’re all very good, but the playing modestly serves the lively, and well-crafted songs, whose honesty, energy, and quirky simplicity surprises and delights. | |
| JUDY AND MARY | |
| Yuki--vocal Takuya Asanuma--guitar & bg vocal Yoshihito Onda--bass, bg vocal, keyboards & percussion Kohta Igarashi--drums, percussion & bg vocal |
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J•A•M -- (37:39) -- (1994) -- Epic/Sony Records -- ESCB 1466
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| This was the first (my favorite) release by a classic band that have called it quits. They named themselves “glamour punks”, and were a talented bunch, technically, and in their songcraft. The songs bounce about in an adrenaline craze, but the writing and Yuki’s vocals are so sweet, they put a pop sheen on top that’ll make anyone smile. Their next, Orange Sunshine, in the same vein, is just as wonderful. Their sound matured. Their range and subtlety increased, but they left behind some of the energy, excitement, and sheer joy of this release. | |
| LIN CLOVER | |
| Ren--bass Nao--guitar Yuri--vocal |
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Slumber -- (47:50) -- (2007) -- JapanFiles.com
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| Slumber is assembled from LIN CLOVER’s three releases so far. It holds together well. It feels like a whole. There’s a strong support drummer involved. The music is dark and off-centered. Yuri’s vocals make attempts at beauty, but sometimes appear to be just off-handed comments on the strangeness of the world. The music is simply, but wonderfully, constructed to not quite fit together. It’s a living thing that hasn’t yet found its shape. I don’t advise slumbering. The darkness of this music would likely give you bad dreams. Its presence seems to be a kind of rich, magnificent haunting. | |
| LOLITA NO. 18 | ||
| Masayo Ishizaka--vocal Ena--guitar Kim Rin--bass Aya--drums |
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The Great Rock ÔNÕ Roll Festival!! -- (43:24) -- (2001) -- Sister Records -- CRCS-1013 | |
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| I still can’t quite accept Masayo’s vocals, but here, on a collection of covers, they almost work as a kind of punk mockery. THE RAMONES get two songs (plus Joey’s the subject of an original), and THE TOY DOLLS get two. Those five are probably homages. The rest are most likely either songs they liked, or songs they liked to play. By this point in their career (toward the end) they were a hearty band with real chops. Ena, especially, gets a nod. The tunes show good taste, and when a cover blows away the original, like their version of ‘Video Killed The Radio Star’, either be amazed, or just enjoy! | ||
| LOVE PIGS | ||
| Tama--bass & vocal Hiromi Kawasumi--guitar Tomoko--drums |
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Pokin’ The Pork Pie -- (30:33) -- (1995) -- God’s Pop Records -- SMGP-4003 | |
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| The recording and playing are primitive, but the arrangements are inventive, and the musicians are good and easily raise themselves above the limited recording technique. This trio of women rock hard, Tama sings in English, and the lyrics are included. They’re like unhappy diary entries, but impressively bold, dealing with a tormented sexuality, societal pressures, and parental friction. They’re serious, and their rocking has an urgency and a vitality that is refreshing! There’s a hard-core approach, but a very punk/hard rock styling. It’s powerful music. Tomoko now drums for the band PAPPYS. | ||
| LOVE PSYCHEDELICO | |
| Kumi Sato--vocal & guitar Naoki Sato--guitar, bass & keyboards |
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The Greatest Hits -- (46:09) -- (2001) -- Victor -- VICL-60666
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| This is a wonderfully warm CD. LOVE PSYCHEDELICO is now topping the charts in Japan. The musicianship’s good. The production is big and beautiful, and the songs and performances are heartfelt and rich. They’re also damn catchy! English and Japanese are mixed and stirred to a colorful blend. There are lots of nice ‘60s folk and rock influences, but the imagery has a darker, more current feel, that keeps it all real. Personally, I’m amazed anything this traditional sounding can be this great, but it is! Take THE SHOCKING BLUE, add production, depth, some right now, and you’re closing in! | |
| LUMINOUS ORANGE | |
| Rie Takeuchi -- guitar, vocal & synth Tarow Nisawa -- bass & vocal Masakazu Suzuki -- guitar Hiroyuki Tateyama -- drums |
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Drop You Vivid Colours -- (47:32) -- (2002) -- Tone Vendor -- TVIP-1023
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| Rie Takeuchi’s LUMINOUS ORANGE has a very feminine sound. Even when the guitars rise up loud enough to rock, which they often do, they’re more likely to swirl around you, lifting you up into a dream. Sometimes the vocals, in either English or Japanese, float high enough above the fray to attain an ethereal glow, but generally they hide beneath the surface, along with occasional synth effects, as if shyness has taken hold. It’s the guitars that rule the roost here, intricately arranged, enough to seem orchestrated, the subtleties hide their power, but the beauty softly emerges. | |
& OTHERS (M-Z)
