Shane Mack - Lie to me

Shane wrote a couple of brilliant songs for the gay themed movie 'Shelter', a picturesque, heart-warming romantic flick. The movie features a strong performing soundtrack and through this form of collaboration, the amount of exposure an otherwise obscure artist gets to a new audience is undeniably effective.

Shane Mack's a country/folk artist from Nashville. Pop in his myspace page to listen to more tracks. Frankly there's little I know about him...'Lie to me' can touch a few heartstrings.Hear the tender anguish rippling through his voice, it's very emotional.

Lie to me (Download here)

Aoi Teshima - Niji no Kashuu

The angelic Teshima's back with a new album 'Niji no Kashuu'(Songs of Rainbow), another line-up along her therapeutic soothing style.I'm yet to go through the whole album. The first couple of tracks have lovely folksy elements and you can tell she's adding new vocal techniques which break the mundane flow of story telling (I do love it! But obviously a little change is a nice surprise.)

Title track 'Niji' (Rainbow)




Download here (77mb,expires 7days or 100 downloads)

Niji no Kashuu (Songs of Rainbow)
Release: 2008.7.23
Normal Edition | First Press Edition (CD+DVD)

Romaji and suggested translation in bracket. Click here for more info.
01. 虹(Niji, Rainbow)
02. 恋唄 (Koi uta, Love song)
03. 空へ(Sora e, To the sky)
04. 恋するしっぽ。(Koisuru shippo, Tail of love)
05. CHINESE SOUP
06. 元気を出して(Genki o dashite, Cheer up)
07. 奇跡の星(Album Version) (Kiseki no Hoshi, Star of wonder)
08. 家族の風景 (Kazoku no fuukei, Family scenery)

100s (Hyaku shiki)

First one on the right is leading songwriter/guitarist Kazuyoshi Nakamura (staring up profoundly).

Official website: http://www.100s.jp
Last FM profile: http://www.last.fm/music/100s

100s(pronounced 'Hyaku shiki' in Japanese) is a 6 piece rock band led by frontman Kazuyoshi Nakamura (kanji:中村一義) who started as a popular solo artist and later started the band. '100s' is in fact the title of Nakamura's solo album. He was once acclaimed a songwriting prodigy that comes along once every 10 years. Although I haven't listened much to his solo pieces, what he wrote for 100s is infused with vibrant energy, abstract imagery and set apart from others by a distinctive vocal boasting beautiful falsetto and unique pronounciations somewhere between Japanese and English. It's very intriguing and expressive. I tried to 'appreciate' the lyrics of Honeycom.ware (from their '05 album OZ) which, even to native Japanese, is rather gibberish. It's one of their best songs that has the pop-ish,shoegazing post-rock timbre, and is both romantic and philosophical. It's interesting to note Nakamura's influenced by impressionist Van Gogh, and Brit-pop group Primal Scream, both of which can possibly feed his inspirations and help to define the playful elements in his songwritings.

They've released two studio albums so far,OZ in 2005, and ALL!!!!!! in 2007. (By the way, if you care to notice there're 6 exclamation marks!!!!!!Just remember they have 6 members in all). There're 21 tracks on OZ, a rather weighty album to hold.

Here comes a string of youtube videos. I wanna recommend them all!!!!!! even if it irritates you. Scroll down down to download the albums.

Manmaru
- Hilarious! The members hang out to enjoy pizza and poker games. The loser is forced to wear a bumble bee outfit and flaunt it on the street.


Honeycom.ware
- dazzling neon lights and speedy travels, a modern city life


Mata ashita (see you tomorrow) live
- They invited a fan on stage to sing, wonderful! It's a sentimental piece definitely.


Naa, mirai (Ah, future)
- bombastic, high energy rock


Moshi kono mama (If it remains as it is)
- a soft ballad I find extremely touching. Maybe I'm just being maudlin lately.


K-ing
- You can lose yourself in melodies like this.


キャノンボール (Cannonball)
- Nakamura's solo work, from album '100s'.


Album Discography and Downloads
2005. OZ: Download here


1. OZ I
2. A
3. B.O.K (looking at the lyrics, it possibly stands for 'Bands are gonna be O.K.)
4. BASUTOREIN
5. Koko ga harete nara (If this is the end)
6. Nano motoni
7. OZ II
8. (For) Anthem
9. Sonata
10. Yasashi raion (gentle lion)
11~12. Leek Rag's Leek ~ Santa's Helper
13. Honeycom.ware
14. Tobira no mukou ni (beyond the door)
15. OZ III
16. Hikari wa hikari (light is light)
17. Ikiru mono (things that are alive)
18. K-ing
19. Mata ashita (see you tomorrow)
20. Bahahai
21. Haru to Fuyu (spring and winter)

2007.ALL!!!!!!: Download here


1. Sousa Sekai wa (Right, that's the world)
2. Kibou (Hope)
3. Manmaru
4. Naa, mirai (Ah, future)
5. Q&A
6. Shingarongu
7. Ano Kouya ni hanataba o (the bouquet in the wasteland)
8. Tsuta eru yo
9. Soshuu Yakyoku (Suzhou Nocturne)
10. Momotose
11. Moshi kono mama (if this remains as it is)