Led by Sakamoto Ryūichi, this charity single covers The Beatles' "All You Need Is Love" in an electronic arrangement, and featuring some 30 big names participating on vocals and production. Profits are said to be donated for children victims of the earthquake.
Those include the three of Yellow Magic Orchestra (Takahashi Yukihiro, Hosono Haruomi and Sakamoto himself), Bonnie Pink, Verbal (m-flo), 4 members of Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, Yashiki Gōta (Mute Beat, Melon), Salyu, Imai Miki, Koizumi Kyōko, Hotei Tomoyasu,... just to name a few.
This will also be released on CD on March 7, including a DVD of the music video, but the song is already available in advance on iTunes Japan. Preview it below.
Japan United with Music "All You Need Is Love" (CD+DVD)
1. All You Need Is Love 
AYNIL Production Committee XNAP-00001
Out 3/7, ¥1575
Order: CDJapan, YesAsia, Amazon (18% off *), HMV (10% off *), Tower †
* Discount at time of writing
† Tower Records ships within Japan only
"All You Need Is Love"
Posted on February 1, 2012 at 22:59 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0) | Tweet |
The Moonriders have officially retired indefinitely at the end of 2011. Here's a 2-CD live album of a special concert held in Tokyo on May 5 last year to celebrate the band's 35th anniversary.
Moonriders "moonriders Live at Mielparque Tokyo Hall 2011.05.05 'hi no tama Boy Concert'"
ムーンライダーズ 「moonriders LIVE at MIELPARQUE TOKYO HALL 2011.05.05 "火の玉ボーイコンサート"」
1. daisan no shokutaku ~ machigawanasa ~ Poincaré yosō
2. miwaku no minato
3. ano ko no Love Letter
4. sukanpin
5. yoidore Dance Music
6. hi no tama Boy
7. gogo no kifujin
8. chichūkai chihō no tenki yohō
9. Ramutei no mama
10. Wedding Song
11. miwaku no minato
12. kami to kuchibeni to Balcony
13. Ramutei no Theme
14. hotaru no hikari
15. hamabe no uta
Moon Riders Records XPCA-1016
Out 1/25, ¥3800
Order: CDJapan, YesAsia, Amazon, HMV, Tower †
† Tower Records ships within Japan only
Posted on January 23, 2012 at 00:00 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0) | Tweet |
Trauma techno-pop unit Urbangarde has a first DVD coming, which contains all of their numerous video clips from their indies days to now, plus various previously unseen footage.
A one-man live show will be held at Shibuya AX on March 20.
Urbangarde "Propaganda Video 2012" (DVD)
アーバンギャルド 「プロパガンダヴィデオ2012」
A.D.SIDE.
Skirt kakumei
datenshi Pop
kodomo no renai (2012 Edit)
tokimeki ni shisu (2012 Edit)
sono shōjo, ningyō ni tsuki
B.C.SIDE.
shūsei shugisha
Sailor fuku o niganai de
mizutama byō
Commercial Song
4gatsu sensō
Concrete Girl
koi o shi ni iku
Lovecraft no sekai
kizudarake no Maria (OFF AIR ver.)
Print Club (OFF AIR ver.)
koi o shi ni iku (afternoon ver.)
momoiro Chronicle (ending roll)
Bonus tracks
datenshi Pop (BAND Performance ver.)
ouchi de dekiru! Urban Dance Lesson (mizutama byō, onna no ko sensō, Robot to watashi)
osoto de dekiru! Urban Dance Lesson (Skirt kakumei, tokimeki ni shisu, Vagabond, Virgin)
Universal UPBH-1301
Out 1/25, ¥3900
Order: CDJapan, YesAsia, Play-Asia, Amazon (26% off *), HMV (15% off *), Tower †
* Discount at time of writing
† Tower Records ships within Japan only
TV commercial
Posted on January 21, 2012 at 00:23 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (1) | Tweet |
For a 4th month in a row here's another compilation selected by Sunaga Tatsuo, of songs from the catalog of Japanese jazz label Venus Records which releases works by foreign artists.
Tracks of the previous installments can be sampled on the label's site by choosing a CD and clicking the track titles.
Various Artists "Sunaga Tatsuo no yoru Jazz digs Venus Jazz Opus IV"
オムニバス 「須永辰緒の夜ジャズ digs Venus Jazz Opus Ⅳ」
(Title / Artist)
1. Sayonara Blues / David Hazeltine Trio
2. Afro Blue / Eric Alexander Quartet
3. Fly Me To The Moon / Nicki Parrott
4. Two Love Birds / Simone Kopmajer
5. Road Song / Dan Nimmer Trio
6. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To / Barney Wilen
7. I'm A Fool To Want You / Brian Lynch Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra
8. Blue For You / Adela Dalto
9. My Favorite Things / Harold Mabern Trio
10. Speak Low / Bill Crow Quartet
11. Ugetsu / One For All
12. NO.1 Gymnopedie No.1 / Steve Kuhn Trio
Venus Records VHCD-01066
Out 1/21, ¥1980
Order: CDJapan, YesAsia, Amazon, HMV, Tower †
† Tower Records ships within Japan only
See also:
"Sunaga Tatsuo no yoru Jazz digs Venus Jazz Opus III"
"Sunaga Tatsuo no yoru Jazz digs Venus Jazz Opus II"
"Sunaga Tatsuo no yoru Jazz digs Venus Jazz Opus 1"
Posted on January 20, 2012 at 21:54 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0) | Tweet |
Here's a tribute album to Sakamoto Ryūichi, produced by Tobeta Bajune and featuring plenty of great electronic artists such as Atom, MimiCof, DJ Yogurt and more. A cover of "dennōgiwa" also features Ōnuki Taeko.
The album is released on Sakamoto's 60th birthday, and comes from the electric sheep label that released "YMO Rewake" last year.
Various Artists "Ryuichi Sakamoto Tribute"
オムニバス 「坂本龍一トリビュート -Ryuichi Sakamoto Tribute-」
(Title / Artist)
1. Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence / Tobeta Bajune
2. War and Peace / yuanyuan
3. Riot in Lagos / Atom (Atom Heart)
4. Perticepation Mistique / Hanno Yoshihiro
5. bibō no aozora / Ngatari
6. Self Portrait / Fugenn & The White Elephants and Shintaro Aoki
7. Ballet Mecanique / MimiCof
8. 1919 / Sabi
9. saru to yuki to gomi no kodomo / antennasia
10. Thatness and Thereness / DJ Yogurt
11. Tibetan Dance / no.9
12. The Last Emperor / Sabi
13. The Other Side Of Love (feat. Cokiyu) / Tobeta Bajune
14. dennōgiwa (feat. Ōnuki Taeko) / Tobeta Bajune
electric sheep ELSP-0011
Out 1/17, ¥2800
Order: Amazon, HMV, Tower †
† Tower Records ships within Japan only
Sampler clip
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 01:13 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0) | Tweet |
Tonight I dropped by Tower Records in Shinjuku for a free in-store live by Kyarypamyupamyu, in promotion for her first single "tsukematsukeru" out this week! It was my first time seeing her.
Tower Records' 7th floor was more packed than I've seen it at any event before, I believe. I estimate there must have been some 500 people in there! I saw some people waving from almost as far as the large information counter at the other end of the floor! Poor staff struggled to keep free a narrow corridor for people to be able to enter the store... and also to prevent people from taking photos.
Kyary was accompanied by two energetic male dancers wearing colorful short pants, tiny tops and wigs, making Kyary look almost normal in a pinkish red dress (photo she posted on Twitter). I stood about 10 meters from the stage and could barely see her face directly once in a while, but thanks to the large screen above the stage everyone could watch the cute choreography.
Posted on January 13, 2012 at 22:17 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0) | Tweet |
Last Saturday was event "Tokyo Outbound vol.02" at Koenji High, presented by CTO LAB. and Otona no kagaku, a popular magazine that always comes with something that you can build yourself (even down to a theremin, small synthesizer SX-150, the Arudino computer, etc.). CTO LAB makes its music mainly using small instruments (therefore the name which stands for "Compact Techno Organization"), making this a perfect match.
This time featured aside from CTO LAB were Open Reel Ensemble, and many mini-live acts. Start time was a bit early and I got there late, unfortunately missing a mini-live by trauma techno-pop band Urbangarde.
The first I caught was Hitorimisaki who played two songs, the 2nd for which he was joined by singer Ruby. Next was band of three little moa, who played quiet electric tracks with female vocals. They gave away a 2-song demo CD-R. Next on stage was Tenorierie, who had also played at the previous event. She played a similar set of songs all sequenced on her Tenorion.
Hitorimisaki feat. Ruby, little moa, Tenorierie
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 23:36 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0) | Tweet |
New wave/post-rock band tokyo pinsalocks has a new album out just now! This is produced by Miura Shunichi of Kera & The Synthesizers.
Two tracks can be sampled at MySpace. Also, recent non-album track "Salon de Tokyo (remixed by miurashun)" can be downloaded for free at Diesel:U:Music.
tokyo pinsalocks can be caught live in Tokyo on Valentine's day (Feb. 14) at Sangenjaya Heaven's Door, opening bands include (M)otocompo and Merpeoples.
tokyo pinsalocks "Hallelujah Girls"
tokyo pinsalocks 「ハレルヤガールズ」
1. [NUDE]
2. Swimming Girl
3. NO Camouflage
4. YOU->I
5. Unlucky doughnuts
6. Attention Please
7. Lula Hallelujah
Kimono DDCH-2329
Out now (1/11), ¥2100
Order: CDJapan, YesAsia, Amazon, HMV, Tower †
† Tower Records ships within Japan only
Posted on January 10, 2012 at 23:19 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0) | Tweet |
Hirado Yūsuke is the pianist and leader of jazz band quasimode. Here's a first solo album that features appearances of bird, Hatakeyama Miyuki (Port of Notes) and more. Included are covers of Amy Winehouse, Burt Bacharach, Carole King among others, and also originals such as lead track "umaretate no Melody" that features singer bird (see video below).
Some songs can be sampled on the official release page (click the buttons next to song titled).
A show will be held at Blue Note Tokyo on January 29 (also at Billboard Live Osaka on Jan. 26, and Blue Note Nagoya on Jan. 27).
Hirado Yusuke "Speak Own Words"
平戸祐介 「Speak Own Words」
1. Taxi Driver Theme
2. umaretate no Melody feat. bird
3. I'm In Love
4. Against The Invisible Wall feat. Tomoki Seto (Cradle Orchestra)
5. And Far Away
6. A House Is Not A Home feat. Motoharu (Soil & "Pimp" Sessions)
7. Down To The South
8. Love Will Bring Us Back Together Feat. mabanua
9. Spectrum
10. No More Sadness (Solo Piano Version)
11. Music feat. Hatakeyama Miyuki
12. Love Is A Losing Game
EMI TOCT-28029
Out 1/11, ¥2800
Order: CDJapan, Play-Asia, Amazon, HMV, Tower †
† Tower Records ships within Japan only
"umaretate no Melody feat. bird"
Posted on January 8, 2012 at 01:18 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0) | Tweet |
Japanese electro label PROGRESSIVE FOrM has a first label greatest hits compilation coming that covers from the label start in 2001, hence the title of "01:11" (reads "one eleven"). Included are tracks by MimiCof, Aoki Takamasa (one song featuring Tujiko Noriko), and many more.
Several now-rare tracks are included, the whole at a nice price. Check out the sampler clip below.
Various Artists "01:11"
1. Ryoichi Kurokawa / Sea In You
2. Ametsub / Lichen with Piano
3. Aoki takamasa / Pipe Tale - Indigo Rose feat. Tujiko Noriko
4. RADIQ aka Yoshihiro Hanno / Till The Dawn feat. Damiana Terry
5. Shuta Hasunuma / Exchange Groove
6. MimiCof / Pulled Up (Serph Remix)
7. Nao Tokui / Pan Pacific
8. Caelum / Kyrie (Exclusive Mix)
9. Pleq / Good Night (Go-qualia Lucid Dreamin Non Rem Sleep Mix)
10. 30506 / VVV
11. Fugenn & The White Elephants / Narcissus
12. eater / Schoolyard
13. Aoki takamasa / Kes.
14. Ametsub / Sahsanoha
PROGRESSIVE FOrM PFCD-29
Out 1/11, ¥1575
Order: Amazon, HMV, Tower †
† Tower Records ships within Japan only
Album trailer
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 13:22 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0) | Tweet |
Continue reading in the January 2012 archive.
Next entry: "Gig report: Sally Soul Stew and The Fave Raves" (January 6, 2012 at 23:30)
日本の音楽シーン関係のプレスリリースは こちらのメールアドレス までお送りお願いいたします。
Please send your Japan music scene press releases to this email address.
