& Others


--New Releases--


BOOM BOOM SATELLITES

Masayuki Nakano--(not listed)
Michiyuki Kawashima--(not listed)

Naoki Hirai--drums
Kodai Tazawa--drums

Exposed -- (41:48) -- (November 21, 2007) -- Sony Music Records Inc. -- SRCP 411

  1. Upside Down
  2. What Goes Round Comes Around
  3. Morning After
  4. Shut Up And Explode
  5. Bring It On Down
  6. Intergalactic
  7. Six Forty Five
  8. Fiends
  9. Entering Orbit
  10. Easy Action
  11. Cluster
  12. Get Back In My House
Sci-Fi music for a future generation we’re now a part of. Synthesizers often overrule the guitars in this world. They even squeeze the vocals, molding them into a mechanized emoting. Yet the songs have a traditional pop/rock orientation, which is seductive, while the very refined, synthesized production mesmerizes. It’s impressively well done technically and artistically. The rock orientation has a metal influence, but with an alienated edginess that gives it a punk feel, too. Fact is, though, it’s too refined for either metal or punk. It’s a new, hard, synthesized pop with a vital dance beat.

 

THE EMERALDS
Kazuya--vocal & guitar
Osuke--bass & bg vocal
Akio--drums & bg vocal

Love Is Rolling -- (38:08) -- (2008) -- Australian Cattle God Records -- ACG 21

  1. All My Love For You
  2. Love Is Rolling
  3. Talk About Love
  4. Time Traveling Rock ‘N’ Roller
  5. Kiss Me Baby
  6. Can’t Say I Love You Baby
  7. Never Change
  8. Shimokita Dream
  9. Hey Everybody Let’s Dance Tonight!
  10. Sakura (Cherry Blossom)
THE EMERALDS’ first full-length is everything it should be! They are a classy rock band that knows how to do the pop. They’re a tight rock trio, yet every song has the kind of pop hooks most bands only dream of, or might luck into once in a lifetime. Kazuya could sing more from his lungs, their lyrics could unearth deeper philosophical and poetical truths, but, hey, this is a rock ‘n’ roll party, and a song like ‘Talk About Love’ or ‘Never Change’ is really all we need. The Elvis Presley/CLASH cover design is a bit much, but Love Is Rolling is probably a better party record than either of those!

 

LOVES.
Aiha Higurashi--vocal, guitar & keyboards
Takahiko Akiyama--drums
Iwatani Keishirou--guitar, sequencer & bg vocal

Naked Me -- (13:41) -- (October 17, 2007) -- Ki/ooon Records -- KSCL 1199

  1. Naked Me--LOVES.
  2. Speed Champs-Élysées--LOVES.
  3. Theme Of Quiet Room Ni Youkosu (Theme Of Welcome To The Quiet Room)--Hajime Moji
  4. Komono In Butsudan (Komono In A Buddhist Altar)--Takashi Mori
Welcome To The Quiet Room is a recent Japanese movie about a young woman’s trials in a mental ward, to which LOVES. contributed ‘Naked Me’ to the soundtrack. Tracks three and four are instrumental songs from the soundtrack. ‘Naked Me’ is a sweet, somewhat haunting, song about waking up on the street naked, leading to some healthy self-examination. Track three is a pensive piano piece with strings, and track four is a light pop/jazz number. ‘Speed Champs-Élysées is the only track not from the movie, and is a spacy rocker with moogish keyboard effects, and a wild sax.

 

ROCKET JACK VADERS
Sue--guitar & vocal
Shinko--guitar & vocal
Mitti--drums
Fa-Q--Percussion & Trumpet

Vector -- (22:57) -- (2007) -- Cosmic Vampire Record -- CVR-002

  1. New Wave
  2. Steel Ball Ran
  3. Slide
  4. Sankaku Yarou (Triangle Guy)
  5. ¥$
  6. Gimme Ruby
  7. ­ (Vector)
  8. Stop!!
The songs now center around the drums and percussion. The odd mixture of influences remains, twisting, turning, and making strange faces. Odd effects occur, racing cars in one song, horns, movie dialogue in another. The lead guitar juts out, and then recedes. The vocalists project as if the microphone was across the room. It’s a peculiar kind of chaos. ROCKET JACK VADERS are maturing, but recording is still done on the cheap, and production decisions seem made at random. If it’s like Loud Stereo, the chaos and variety will slowly grow on me as I learn to negotiate its twists and turns.

 

TOKYO PINSALOCKS
Naoko--vocal & synthesizer
Hisayo--bass & bg vocal
Reiko--drums & programming

Rita Planet (Planet Rita) -- (30:05) -- (March 26, 2008) -- Beat Surfers, Inc. -- DDCH-2306

  1. Antenna
  2. Circle
  3. Uchuu Groove (Universal Groove)
  4. Ajito “Rita”
  5. Wolf And Sheep
  6. Souon Uchuu (Noise In The Universe)
  7. Airport
TOKYO PINSALOCKS are sweet vocals riding on techno synth squiggles and a repetitively pulsing bass groove. If ya like techno, you’ll probably dig it. If ya don’t, you might enjoy dancing to it. The vocals are charming. The bass bounces along like an energetic puppy. The surprise is that the lyrics are actually interesting reflections on modern life reduced to shrink-wrapped pop kernels. Like much technopop TOKYO PINSALOCKS are completely inoffensive, and even kind of sweet. Their philosophical aloofness keeps the humor at bay, but they’re pleasant, and they’ve got a nice groove.

--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)
Bomb The Rocks--Early Days Singles -- (73:55) -- (2003) -- Time Bomb Records -- BOMBCD 69
  1. Bomb The Twist
  2. Jane In The Jungle
  3. Three Cool Chicks
  4. Guitar Date
  5. Woo Hoo
  6. Dream Boy
  7. Continental Hop
  8. Jump Jack, Jump
  9. Smilly Willy
  10. Mr. Lee
  11. It’s Rainy
  1. Road Runner
  2. My Boyfriend From Outer Space
  3. She Was A Mau Mau
  4. Long Tall Sally
  5. Scream
  6. Hot Generation
  7. Bond Girl
  8. Fruit Bubble Love
  9. Motor Cycle Go-Go-Go
  10. Jet Coaster
  11. The 5,6,7,8’s
  1. Edie Is A Sweet Candy
  2. I Was A Teenage Cave Woman
  3. Ah-So
  4. Pinball Party
  5. Blue Radio
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

Thee 50’s Highteens -- (21:57) -- (2003) -- P-Vine Records -- PCD-22059

  1. Kanashimi Rock (Elegy Rock)
  2. Surprise Sun
  3. Blondie
  4. Koi Wa Korigori--Blues For Tears (Finished With Love)
  5. Namida Kakushite--Dance Little Sister (Hidden Tears)
  6. Bara Bara (Smashed To Pieces)
  7. Datenshi Rock (Rock For Fallen Angels)
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
54 Nude Honeys -- (48:45) -- (2005) -- Skydog International -- SK 2005-2
  1. Drop The Gun
  2. Lid On My Head
  3. Wild Girl
  4. Bikini
  5. Drift Guitar
  6. Hot Generation
  7. Surf Cat
  8. Get On The Bus
  9. Drop The Gun (Instrumental)
  10. Where Is Love
  11. Full Of Potholes
  1. No Way
  2. Hard Drunker
  3. Fat Liver
  4. Go To Hell
  5. Ghost Town
  6. Don’t Shut Me Up
  7. Lost In Forest
  8. Boring Man
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

Kore Ga Mayaku Da (This Is The Drug) -- (50:12) -- (2005) -- Tzadik -- TZ 7258

  1. I Did Are (I Did That)
  2. m (Perfect)
  3. Kairaku Do Re Mi (Pleasure Do Re Mi)
  4. Want You
  5. I Am Bird
  6. Pekkopa In Brooklyn (Hungry In Brooklyn)
  7. Nakimushishikemushi Goodbye! (Goodbye, Indecisive Crybaby!)
  8. Kui! Kui!
  9. On Ska To Paar Ya
  10. Hadaka (Naked)
  11. Matane (See You Later, Boys)
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

The Irony Of A Sweet Fruit -- (23:04) -- (2005) -- Benten Tokyo -- BT 003 (U.S. release)

  1. A Beautiful World
  2. Future Going Nowhere
  3. Chewing Gum
  4. Your Smiling Face Is About To Break
  5. Syndrome
  6. Answer
  7. Trigger Of The Summer
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
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
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?

 

BLOW ONE’S COOL

Hiroyuki Inoue--bass
Kazuhiro Imai--guitar
Takashi “Zung” Inoue--drums
Shintaro Nakamura--vocal

Evil Nipple Session -- (58:35) -- (1998) -- Time Bomb -- BOMB CD-56
  1. Just On Holiday #1
  2. Fade Away #1
  3. Food #1
  4. Evil Nipple
  5. Step By Step
  6. Something Good Things #1
  7. Free Talk #1
  8. Super Drive
  9. Big Painting
  10. Just On Holiday #2
  11. Love Of Fear (Inst.)
  1. Fade Away #2
  2. Blow One’s Cool
  3. 2% Evil Nipple
  4. Tired Eyes
  5. Free Talk #2
  6. Food #2
  7. Something Good Things #2
  8. I Cool Down
  9. Waste (Live)
  10. Bondage (Live)
  11. Enjoy By Yourself (Live)
  1. Punk 77
  2. Move Alone
  3. 1.2. Fuck U.
  4. Jerk
  5. Rust
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

Terra 2001 -- (46:30) -- (1999) -- Sony Records -- SMD 8326

  1. Bye! My Boy!
  2. Ai No Hoshi (Planet Of Love)
  3. Brownie The Cat
  4. Call My Name (English Version)
  5. Maybe We Could Go Back To Then (76 Version)
  6. September Rain
  7. Funny Girlfriend!!
  8. Round And Round
  9. Sono Speed De (At That Speed)
  10. Can’t Stop Cryin’
  11. Nagai Tameiki No Youni (Like A Long Sigh)
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.

 

THE CAPTAINS
Kizuhiko--guitar & vocal
Hizashi--guitar
Ted--bass
Yosuke--drums

Last Group Sounds -- (31:01) -- (2007) -- Tokyo No Records -- TNR001 (U.S. release)

  1. Koi No Zerohan (Tandem With You)
  2. Heart Ni Pit In (Pit Stop In Your Heart) (Running Into Your Heart)
  3. Poolside Beachside
  4. Tasogare Ryuseigun (Meteor Shower At Sunset) (Shooting Stars In Your Eyes)
  5. Koi No Pistol (Love Pistol) (Ban Ban Ban)
  6. Himitsu No Hanazono (Secret Garden) (A Butterfly In The Spider’s Net)
  7. Seishun Yarou (The Youthful Days)
  8. Tunnel Tengoku (Tunnel To Heaven)
  9. Koi Wa Sekidou Chokka (Love Under The Equator)
  10. The Love Ninja
Group Sounds was the label for Japanese pop/beat bands in the ‘60s. THE CAPTAINS have taken that sound and revived it again, just a bit more than forty years later. Hey, they do a good job. In their military uniforms they look the part. Their songs are catchy and bite-sized. The band can play like the dickens, and when Hizashi steps out on lead guitar, it’s always delightful. Kizuhiko handles the lead vocals, but they all sing well, giving them a true group sound. Every song is uptempo, but their variety of sounds is rich and wonderful, even as they maintain an innocence and joyfulness.

 

CRAWL
Atsuko Hakamada--guitar & vocal
Kosei Hashimoto--bass & vocal
Koji Masuda--drums

Milkicking -- (30:13) -- (1995) -- K.O.G.A Records -- K.O.G.A-009

     1.  Slow Burn
     2.  High And Dry
     3.  Quick Freeze
     4.  Garbage Truck
     5.  Frantic
     6.  Super Turn
     7.  Feeder
     8.  Power Dive
     9.  Across The Line
   10.  A Hit
    ----(untitled)

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

Yellow Rose -- (51:29) -- (November 30, 2006) -- Love Shit Music -- LSDD-007

  1. Soap And Cigarette
  2. The Rocker
  3. Deep Inside My Heart
  4. Ordinary Bad Girl
  5. Cowboy Song
  6. Gimme Some Shakin’
  7. Spoonful Of Golden Love
  8. Your Dead Soul (On My Back)
  9. White Town
  10. Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)
  11. Float In Haze
  12. Coming Over Me
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!

 

ELLEGARDEN
Takeshi Hosomi--vocal & guitar
Shinichi Ubukata--guitar
Yuichi Takada--bass
Hirotaka Takahashi--drums

Eleven Fire Crackers -- (32:37) -- (2007) -- Nettwerk Records LLC -- NETWERK 0 6700 30730 2 8 (U.S. release)

  1. Opening
  2. Fire Cracker
  3. Space Sonic
  4. Acropolis
  5. Winter
  6. Gunpowder Valentine
  7. Ash
  8. Salamander
  9. Koukasen (Elevated Line)
  10. Alternative Plans
  11. Marie
ELLEGARDEN is back, with their second U.S. release, on their second U.S. label. Hosomi’s English is just as good, and his lyrics remain clever, honest, and surprisingly insightful. The band sound even more proficient than they were last time. The guitars churn up a storm that acts as a raging motor for these alterna/power pop songs. The tunes are impressively varied, more powerful, and even more beautiful than the last batch. ELLEGARDEN is more than just a good copy of current U.S. alterna rock. This band could easily make an audience for itself on U.S. radio. They should have already!

 

THE ENDS
Ryoichi Endo--vocal
Ai Ishigaki--guitar
Wataru Kamiryo--drums
Kei Kusama--keyboards & manipulation

Ends -- (47:12) -- (1996) -- Victor Entertainment -- VICL-810

  1. Naked
  2. Dive
  3. Real
  4. Wholistic
  5. Kumo To Hoshi (A Spider And A Star)
  6. The Dawn Of Man--Perfect World
  7. Himawari (Sunflower)
  8. Orange
  9. Senkou (Flash Of Llight)
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

EB - Esrevnoc Better -- (27:06) -- (1999) -- Epic Records -- ESCB 1977

  1. Sweet Strawberry Toast (Omoware Version) (Wistful Version)
  2. Koi Ni Koishite Naita (Atsuku-Mix) (Cried For Loving Love) (Hot Mix)
  3. Marble Market
  4. Mori No Service (Gift From The Forest)
  5. Bee Charmer
  6. Glasses Better Than Me
  7. Hard
  8. Lovely
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
Firestarter -- (40:48) -- (2000) -- Mangrove Label -- root-072CD
  1. Keith Richards Man
  2. Rock’s Dead
  3. You’re Too Late
  4. Trashy Dreams
  5. Flex Your Muscle
  6. Naughty Girl
  7. Do Anything You Wanna Do
  8. The Last Minute
  9. Bop All Away
  10. Love Collector
  11. Slam Rock
  1. The Majors Are Lesser
  2. Sister, Sister
  3. Street Boys
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

Early Days -- (16:42) -- (1992) -- Benten Label -- BNTN-014

     1.  Flamenco A Go Go
     2.  People Say
     3.  B·L·O·W·J·O·B·S
     4.  Sadness Strike Me, Ah-Huh
     5.  A Beautician’s Song
     6.  No Smile
     7.  Crazy Sound
     ----(untitled)

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

Take It To The People -- (37:54) -- (2002) -- Estrus Records -- ES1021D (U.S, Release)

  1. Take It To The People (intro)
  2. Merry Go Round
  3. Soul Spider
  4. Big Boy But Small Face
  5. Hard Rock The Roll
  6. Fox
  7. Here...Right Now. I Believe.
  8. Take It To The People (outro)
  9. I Just Low
  10. Devil’s Driver
  11. Go Psycho
  12. We Are Gasoline
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
Auto Shut-Off...Any Questions? -- (43:24) -- (2002) -- Star Jets Records -- SJR-004
  1. Dirty Trick
  2. Not So Easy
  3. Sixties
  4. Give It Up
  5. Boys Can’t Stand It
  6. Down To Me
  7. Pretty Flamingo
  8. Sister’s Accuse
  9. Shakin’ With Her
  10. Beat Me Out
  11. Till You’re Down
  1. Get It Right Now
  2. Get Off The Phone
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

GitoGito Galore -- (16:21) -- (2005) -- Gearhead Records -- RPM058 (U.S. release)

  1. Muscle Body Ecstasy
  2. Ambition
  3. Melon Sherbert
  4. Hyper
  5. Sunflower
  6. Natural Love Love Star
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
Samantha -- (57:49) -- (1991) -- Pony Canyon -- PCCA-00226
  1. Samantha
  2. Diet Fiber Iri Jealousy Drink (Jealousy Drink With Diet Fiber)
  3. Bye Bye Bye
  4. Uwaki Shiyou! (Let’s Have An Affair!)
  5. Koi No Meramera (Burning Love)
  6. Thank You Punks
  7. Pink No Dress (Pink Dress)
  8. Hysteric Charms
  9. Jitensha Ni Notte (Bicycle Riding)
  10. Tabi Nikki (Travel Journal)
  11. Monster Blue
  1. Lucky Star Densetsu (Legend Of Lucky Star)
  2. Cream Soda / Melon Soda
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

Flowers Of Boredom -- (48:02) -- (1998) -- Pony Canyon -- PCCA-01201

  1. Tori (Bird)
  2. Kimi O Matsu Aida (The time That I Wait For You)
  3. Eien No Sukima (An Eternal Gap)
  4. Tooku No Kimi E (To You Who Are Far Away)
  5. 6/8
  6. Curve
  7. Namida To Karada (Tear And Body)
  8. Sora (Sky)
  9. 1 & More
  10. Shuumin (Sorrowful Sleep)
  11. (untitled)
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

City Calls Revolution -- (73:34) -- (2005) -- Beta-lactam Ring Records -- mt108a (U.S. release)

  1. Concrete City Breakdown
  2. OMGS
  3. Demagog
  4. A Day In The Planet Orange
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

Snake Lane -- (32:43) -- (1994) -- Riot Label -- RICD-002

  1. The Things
  2. Caution
  3. Mad Man
  4. Betty's Selfish
  5. Here She Comes, Baby!
  6. Slicker
  7. Evil Eye
  8. Monster
  9. Stray Vamps
  10. Snake Lane
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
Ending Tumblin’ -- (138:00) -- (2002) -- King Record Co. Ltd. -- KICS 946/7
Disc One: Live at Doors (January 22, 2002) Disc Two: Best
  1. (First Roar)
  2. (“Got A Honey” announcement #1)
  3. Opening Theme--G.R. Tumblin’
  4. Desperate Rock
  5. Fever
  6. (“Got A Honey” announcement #2)
  7. Soul Shout
  8. Homework
  9. I’m Dying To See You
  10. Hard B
  11. When The Love Light Starts Shining In His Eyes
  12. Talkin’ ‘Bout You
  13. (“Got A Honey” announcement #3)
  14. Strawberry Pie
  1. Black O’ Black
  2. Tell Me
  3. Connection
  4. (“Last Song, Two Songs” announcement)
  5. (“Oh Yeah, Alright!” announcement)
  6. Chameleon
  7. Hot Stuff Baby
  8. Ending Theme--G.R. Tumblin’
  9. (Applause, Tune-Up, and “Thank You Very Much” announcement)
  10. Comanche
  11. Can’t Sell My Soul
  12. Let’s Do The G.R.
  13. (Momoko Saito ‘Till The End Of The Day’ announcement--four times)
  14. Till The End Of The Day
  1. Down Down Down
  2. Pick Your Flower
  3. Action
  4. Need Nobody
  5. I Just Wanna Be Loved By You
  6. Deadman Boogie
  7. By Myself
  8. Yeah Yeah Yeah
  9. She Wet
  10. Riding On My Motorcycle
  11. Johnny
  12. Jump On You
  13. Can’t Sell My Soul
  14. Black O’ Black
  15. Rock Me
  16. I Get... Oh! Oh!
  17. You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me
  18. Tell Me
  19. Who Do You Love
  20. No No No
  21. Mad Doctor
  22. I Love You
  23. Chameleon
  24. Chain Gang Blues
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

Pyramid Of Venus -- (26:32) -- (1994) -- Toshiba/EMI -- TOCT-8546

  1. Icecreaming
  2. Darker Than Your Eyes II
  3. Vinyl Head
  4. Screw
  5. Pyramid Of Venus
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

Love Ga Daiji (Love Is Important) -- (27:41) -- (1990) -- Yoroshita Music, Inc. -- MDCT-99003

  1. Hayabusa No Love (Falcon’s Love)
  2. Muramura De Kurakura (Dizzy With Rapture)
  3. Love, Love, Love
  4. Hakujin Rock (Caucasian Rock)
  5. Love Ga Daiji (Love Is Important)
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

Yuki Saito--guitar & piano
Tomoyuki Miyakawa--bass
Hisashi Suta--vocal & guitar
Hirotoshi “Filipo” Kawasaki--drums

Koichi “Koteisui” Sato--percussion

Thank You, Beatles -- (29:27) -- (May 21, 2005) -- Speedstar Records -- VICL-61639

  1. Shiroi Bara Ga Shiroi Bara De Aru Youni (As White Roses Are White Roses)
  2. Hige Wa Aka, Beethoven Wa Kuro (Beard Is Red, Beethoven Is Black)
  3. Daateii Na Sekai~Put Your Head (Dirty World~Put Your Head)
  4. Unou No Katasumi Nite (At The Corner Of The Right Brain)
  5. Guilty Wa Tsumi Na Yatsu (The Criminal Is Guilty)
  6. Shubousha Ni Tsugu (Message To The Leader)
  7. Acoustic
  8. Ame Ni Utaeba (Song For The Rain)
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

Seishun No Satetsu (Setback Of Youth) -- (39:38) -- (2002) -- Blitz ¥ Pia Records -- BPCA-1011

  1. Saigo No Kisetsu (The Last Season)
  2. 16 Byokan (In 16 Seconds)
  3. Hoshi Ni Negai O (Wish Upon A Star)
  4. Hoshi No Kuzu (Stardust)
  5. Funsai (Smashing To Pieces)
  6. Darakuron (Essay Of Degeneration)
  7. Kagirinai Guitar (Endless Guitar)
  8. Akai Akai Hitomi (Red Red Eyes)
  9. Danzetsu (Rupture)
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
Jet Patrol!! -- (35:48) -- (2004) -- Discus Co., Ltd. -- DLJP-2001
  1. You Are Lukewarm, More Blitzkrieg Bop
  2. Hey Bitch!! Rock ‘N’ Roll Tonight
  3. No Need To Change~The Way You Are
  4. Highteen Love
  5. Okamoto Taro No You Ni (Just Like Taro Okamoto)
  6. 5-5-9
  7. Fine Without You
  8. Good Boyfriend
  9. Ore Ni Haka Wa Naize! (I Don’t Need A Tomb!)
  10. Wana Wana Do (Wanna Wanna Do)
  11. Futsuka Yoi Roll (Hangover Roll)
  1. Neko Violence (Cat Violence)
  2. I’m In Love With Rock ‘N’ Roll Girl
  3. Get Out Of Here Right Now!!
  4. Foolish Girl
  5. Run Jet Run
  6. untitled
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

Punch Out -- (34:00) -- (1990) -- Nippon Colombia Co. Ltd. -- COCA-6645

  1. Kuwaetabako No Blues (Bogartting Blues)
  2. Ama No Jaku (Devil’s Advocate)
  3. Don’t Let Me Down
  4. Hiikoshi (Moving Out)
  5. Wo Wo Wo
  6. Natsu Matsuri (Summer Festival)
  7. Hiru Sagari (Mid-Afternoon)
  8. Bye Bye Honey
  9. Nichiyoobi (Sunday)
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

J•A•M -- (37:39) -- (1994) -- Epic/Sony Records -- ESCB 1466

  1. Judy Is A Tank Girl
  2. Love Me Do
  3. Slap Dash!
  4. Power Of Love
  5. Blue Tears
  6. Baby “Q”
  7. Kanojo No Taisetsuna Mono (Her Prescious Thing)
  8. Lolita A-Go-Go
  9. Make Up One’s Mind
  10. Daydream
  11. Aitakute (I Want To Meet Him)
  12. Glamour Punks
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

Slumber -- (47:50) -- (2007) -- JapanFiles.com

  1. Empty
  2. It
  3. Miracle
  4. Higanbana Wa Mama (The Red Spider Lily Is Mom)
  5. Misleading Shore
  6. Shuon No Tokei (Shuon's Clock)
  7. Risou Decibel (Ideal Decibel)
  8. Taiyou No Kazu (The Number Of The Sun)
  9. Kaijuu To Magician No Machi (The Town Of The Monster And The Magician)
  10. Never
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
The Great Rock ÔNÕ Roll Festival!! -- (43:24) -- (2001) -- Sister Records -- CRCS-1013
  1. Rockaway Beach
  2. Dig That Groove Baby
  3. Summertime Blues
  4. Shakin’ All Over
  5. Wart Hog
  6. Tennessee Waltz
  7. Love Your Money
  8. Ich Liebe Deutschland (I Love Germany)
  9. She Goes To Finos
  10. Hang On Sloopy
  11. Video Killed The Radio Star
  1. Be My Baby
  2. The Great Rock ‘N’ Roll Swindle
  3. Johnny B. Goode
  4. Bye Bye Joey
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
Pokin’ The Pork Pie -- (30:33) -- (1995) -- God’s Pop Records -- SMGP-4003
  1. I’m Ready To Shit
  2. Everything’s All Right
  3. No Idea
  4. Who Knows My Pain?
  5. Tranquilize
  6. I Don’t Want To Give You My Time
  7. I Know How She Does It
  8. Burn Out
  9. Birth
  10. Mighty You
  11. Gimmie The Rail
  1. Against The Time
  2. Like It Or Not
  3. Lie
  4. God Is Money
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

The Greatest Hits -- (46:09) -- (2001) -- Victor -- VICL-60666

  1. Lady Madonna~Yutsunaru Spider~ (Lady Madonna~Melancholy Spider~)
  2. Your Song
  3. Last Smile (extension mix)
  4. I Mean Love Me
  5. Moonly
  6. Are You Still Dreaming Ever-Free?
  7. I Miss You
  8. Nostalgic ‘69
  9. These Days
  10. Low (ver.1.1.)
  11. A Day For You
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

Drop You Vivid Colours -- (47:32) -- (2002) -- Tone Vendor -- TVIP-1023

  1. Drop You Vivid Colours
  2. How High
  3. The Sky
  4. Turbo R
  5. Give A Hint
  6. Utatane No Hibi~L`ecume Des Jours (Dozing Days)
  7. Starred Leaf
  8. Mother Pearl
  9. Sun Ray
  10. Rusty Wheel
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)