Do As Infinity is BAAAAACK!!!!

I WANNA SCREAM MY LUNGS OUT! DAI IS BACK!!!!!
YES THEY HAVE REFORMED!!
There'll be a free live performance on Sep 30.

DAI fans, check out this forum thread for more details
http://www.daiforum.com/index.php?showtopic=16473

Watching their comeback performance nearly sent me crying for joy. It's just, bloody fun! I've never seen a happier Ban-chan!


DAI Reformed (It's been 4 years guys!!)


NOW! Shall we get up and dance?!

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)

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)

Tomiko Van - Tokyo Biyori

After doing 2 cover albums, Tomiko's finally releasing something original. New single 'Tokyo Biyori'(東京日和) is out June 18! It's a lovely ballad that reminds you of warm sunlight on an ordinary day. What a happy voice. Great job, ban-chan!



After watching the PV, I can't help drawing a parallel between this and 'Baby don't cry' by Namie Amuro.

柴田淳 - ふたり

Languid web-wandering on gloomy Sunday afternoon leads me to this...Futari ('Two People') by Jun Shibata. Love the calm piano and the clear, rich flow of her voice in it!

Last.fm +Youtube = Music TV Goodness

Just discovered another last.fm + X compound--"a mashup of Last.fm and YouTube made by Tim Bormans. ...It’s best described as an online music television based on your taste. Just enter a last.fm username or music artist you like, and some funky coding later you will be watching your own personalized music channel. Now ain't that sweet?" Sweet indeed!

Try it here!

Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid

Elbow is an indie rock/dream pop band from Manchester,UK. They're one of the most under-rated out there (so can be said of a million other bands) but their time will surely come! (not so much for the other million bands,sorry)! They released a new album in March this year titled 'The Seldom Seen Kid'(Download here, link expires May 3). The title is a tribute to their friend Bryan who just passed away, and also a line from their hit single 'Grounds for Divorce' (quote: Monday is for drinking to the seldom seen kid)

Links:
Official site | Wikipedia | Myspace

Elbow is my new find and I'm yet to (1) Dig out why they call themselves 'elbow', namely a rather fragile body joint (2) Listen to their previous albums to see the progression of musical style (3) Attend their concert on May 6th, held in a church in downtown Vancouver =D Envy me not!

As Jady asked me why they'd hold a concert in CHURCH (are they a religious band?), I browsed through online resources and came to the conclusion they simply love venturous places and even plan to try out a forest (They need solar energy to power up their electronic set XD)



I've listened to the seldom seen kid back to back a couple of times and dare I say I love every single track on the album! It's 100% gem! 'Grounds for Divorce' (released in single) is coarse, dark and ground-shaking, something that would fit frontman Guy Garvey's 'grizzly' image. It's a very catchy tune with old-flavoured, minimalistic guitars. However this's the only heavy rock song you'd find on the album and wiki says 'it's the most rock composition ever attempted by Elbow'. Successful as it is, grounds for divorce isn't exactly representative. The lyrics are excellently written with personal reference to the neighborhood Garvey grew up in. Matter of fact, one of the greatest attractions about Elbow is Guy Garvey's beautifully crafted lyrics, which can be read through as a complete poem with the finest rhymes and metaphors. Here's a discussion link to the lyrics of Grounds for Divorce, an interesting read.

Grounds for Divorce


Tune to 'One day like this' and 'Weather to fly' on sunny days and you'll experience how the melodious orchestra loosen up your bones and toss you high up the clouds.'The bones of you'and 'Some Riot'are much darker and introspective. 'The fix' is a nice attempt at folk composition (reminds me of Broadway musicals) and features guest performance from Richard Hawley. They have proved how talented and versatile they're when it comes to song writing. One of the best I've came across among indie rock bands.

One Day Like This


The Bones of You (Live at Glasgow)


The Bones of You
So I'm here. Charging around with a juggernaut brow. Overdraft speeches and deadlines to make. Cramming commitments like cats in a sack. Telephone burn and a purposeful gait. When out of a doorway the tentacles stretch of a song that I know and the world moves in slow-mo. Straight to my head like the first cigarette of the day. And it's you. And it's May. And we're sleeping through the day. And I'm five years ago and three thousand miles away. Do I have time? A man of my caliber?

Stood in the street like a sleepwalking teenager? No. And I dealt with this years ago. I took a hammer to every memento but image on image like beads on a rosary pull through my head as the music takes hold. And the sickener hits. I can work 'til I break but I love the bones of you. That I will never escape. And it's you. And it's May. And we're sleeping through the day. And I'm five years ago and three thousand miles away. And I can't move my arm for fear that you will wake. And I'm five years ago and three thousand miles away.

4 new Love Psychedelico live clips

Just found these...=)


Your Song (Budokan '07! One of the commentors to the tubie says the DVD will be released in June, fingers crossed..)


Freedom


Right Now


Everybody needs somebody. In my opinion this song is one of the best to be played live, arrangement or vocal part-wise...almost better than the studio version!

And another old clip of "Everybody needs somebody" from Budokan first time round..good old times =p

Kings Of Convenience - I'D Rather Dance With You

Song of the Day! Get up and shake your booty~~ ;)

I'll leave it to zhu to do a KOC rave/post, just thought I'd post this cute (and gayest I've seen in a while xD) video here first, and also the soon-to-expire link to download the full size MV for any of you who collect...Enjoy~

Salyu- iris ～しあわせの箱～ & DVD release

I'm outdated again, not surprisingly.


Note: Left is limited press. Right is regular edition.

Salyu's new single 'iris ~ Shiawase no Hako'was released on Nov 28th. It's another touchy ballad reminiscent of 'Platform'. Salyu established herself as a stand-alone operatic pop singer in 'Salyu period' (as opposed to 'Lily chou-chou' period). The ambient ether is replaced by a crowded, glamorous cosmo. That's my feeling of her transition. Both are undoubtedly unique but somehow I miss Lily chou-chou very, very much.

Here's a look at the PV, a sweet short film about circus performers and how a pretty little girl aspires to be one of them. Her PVs are never a disappointment.By the way, there's a 'Salyu clips 2004-2007' DVD release on the same date as this single. I'm gonna grab it!



DVD Purchase guide,


cdjapan | YesAsia

Release: 2007.11.28
3,600yen(tax-in) TFBQ-18076
DVD (Region 2)

1. VALON-1
2. Dialogue
3. Peaty
4. Suisei
5. Kaze ni Noru Fune
6. Tower
7. name
8. Platform
9. Tobira
10. I BELIEVE

Bonus Tracks
VALON (Ilmari×Salyu)
Making Clips (Music from TERMINAL Tour 2007)

Rie Fu

Per request(winks,Jady,bin bin), I'm throwing in a quick post on Rie Fu's latest album 'Tobira Album' released on 21st of Nov. You might think the word 'album' redundant(we appreciate its clarity) but it's in fact part of the official title. Refer to her previous album 'Rose Album'. Following this trend, we expect her next album to be 'X(a noun) album'.

I'm so lame. Forgive me.

Here's the download link about to expire. Grab it now or never!



part 1 (~60mb)
part 2 (~50mb)
Tobira Album (translation: Door Album)

A little introduction on Rie Fu - A Japan-based Maryland-London educated pop and folk artist who has her shot of fame with 'Life is like a boat',the ED of Anime 'Bleach'. Although anime/drama brings tremendous airplay, but please, don't define artists by anime tags. If you're not aware whether you belong to the 'anime tagging' group, think if these scenarios ring a bell:

'Oh she's the new Bleach ending.'

'They are the 4th Naruto opening.'

You get what I mean.

Thanks to Bleach, Rie Fu starts to get instant recognition. 'Life is like a boat' is an extremely melodious song, a little sad, a little melancholic, a crystal clear voice that's trademark Rie Fu. She's inspired by artists such as Sheryl Crow and the Carpenters. The oldie taste lingers in her folkish singing. One remarkable thing I find about her is how she manages to make music easy,clean and sweet. Voice is the single most powerful weapon she wields to penetrate your defense. She's a truly talented songwriter with a quality guarantee stamp on her credit. If you think 'Life is like a boat' is her limit, you'll be surprised how she stretches and goes way beyond her typical self. 'I wanna go to a place' and 'Tiny tiny melody' prove she can write as many 'Boat' classics easy breezy but she can also be humorously romantic in '5 mintues', 'Funny dream', or a bit edgy in 'Decay' and 'Conversation'.

I'd like to think there's a style-defining focus in each album. The debut eponymous album 'Rie Fu' shows her strength in writing sweet melodies. Beautiful voice, beautiful songs, but kind of two dimensional. As she promised to show more of the third dimension to the world, the 2nd album 'Rose Album' is incredibly romantic and smart. You get nostalgia fading in and out. Simply put, smart is the word. The latest release 'Tobira Album' is a lovey dovey heavily pop-oriented piece of work. It sounds bright and cheerful, with songs '5000 miles','Until I say'and 'Come to my door' paving the popish undertone. You also get a peek at the unavoidable graduation crisis in 'London' where she's currently schooling. 'What to do afterwards?' We wish you continue with song writing!

Seriously I have nothing more to write... I've exhausted all adjectives, verbs, nouns,adverbs,punctuations(not really)... So now I make way for tubie time!

Why not have a listen and decide whether you like her?

Life is like a boat


Decay


Until I say


あなたがここにいる理由 (The reason why you're here)


Live gig in London - 'The air was dry in London'
I have to say she's a natural performer with great integrity. Even when the set-up is damn noisy and people are chit chatting like crazy, she still manages to pull it off great. This song 'The air was dry in London' is include on 'Tobira Album' but the title is simply 'London'.

Sleepy.ab

Jady's been diligently updating this blog and looking at the string of posts,let me just say I'm both moved and guilty. So here's my return-to-the-team post on a Japanese shoegazing band called sleepy.ab.

(Murmur to self: Did I recommend sleepy.ab before? O_O)

If you search for 'sleepy.ab' on wikipedia (Eng), the first hit that comes up is 'advanced sleep phase syndrome'. I'll mark it joke of the day. The name stands for 'sleepy.abstract' which aptly captures their soporific and ambient electrical sounds inspired by dream pop and alternative rock. They're the modern shoegazers (follow the link and read more), a rather short-lived movement active from the late 1980s to early 90s. Shoegazers use various pedal effects to create sophisticated layers of noise and atmospheric reverberations. Sleepy.ab however is much sweeter than 'noise' and you can hardly associate them with the word 'heavy'. Even in Japan this band is only active in the indie scene and remains obscure to the major consumers. It would be a great joy to share the magic of their music with more fans.

The line-up (retrieved from wikipedia japan):


Official Site (has audio and video clips)

Top left - 成山剛 (Tsuyoshi Nariyama),Vocal, Guitar
Top right - 山内憲介 (Kensuke Yamauchi),Guitar
Bottom left: 田中秀幸 (Hideyuki Tanaka),Base
Bottom right: 津波秀樹 (Hideki Tsuha),drums


Tsuyoshi has been compared to Radiohead's frontman Thom Yorke.The similarity is certain. Personally I think Tsuyoshi's voice is more tarry and resonates with more power and dimension. It's hard to imagine one man equivalent of a surround stereo and you simply soar in their magic forest of sound. Their compositions divide among the saccharine melodious (such as Yume no Hana, merodi), the introspective darker wave (fluid, aufheben), and the weightier and noisier timbre (mass gymnastic display, Must it be?).They produce truly great, psychedelic melodies that infiltrate and saturate your senses. Just don't fall asleep! (warnings by Jady)

They have released 4 albums so far. It's hard to lay hands on their previous albums but you can try your luck with the latest 'Fantasia' which features a beautiful artsy cover (all their albums feature the same oil artist). My overall impression of 'Fantasia' is, compared to their previous, this album leans more towards dream pop and is more restricted stylistically. My favourite pick would be the 3rd album 'Palette'. The first track '四季ウタカタ' (Song of four seasons) gives you a fantastic shock of Tsuyoshi's vocal capability and it's also the track that gets me hooked to the band.

Albums:
face the music (2002.12.11)
traveling fair (2004.5.26)
palette (2006.3.8)
fantasia (2007.3.7)

DOWNLOAD, megaupload(8 tracks selected from the above albums, for sampling purpose only. Please support the artist by purchasing the original albums.)

Here're 2 precious live clips. A million thanks to the uploader, love ye!

(What kind of name is that, Kraps Hall...)

Live at Kraps Hall 2007.06.29, performing 'Yume no Hana'(Dream flower)


Melody (from 3rd album 'Palette')


Merry go round (from 4th album 'Fantasia')


Scene + Pain (from 1st album 'Face the music')


***
Now playing: Mojave 3 - Bringin' Me Home
via FoxyTunes

Emmy Rossum - Slow Me Down

Random tubie of the day~

I didn't even know to how to tag this besides pop, she sort of channels a little Imogen Heap--which is of course a much welcome thing--but not trip-hop or indie or new-age or anything of attitude enough...HAD to be pop then, #tags# (Blimey, jady can't even tell pop and non-pop apart now. Wasn't those cute dresses and fab hair and rolling-in-bedsheet shots clue enough?? *rolls eyes*)

I had no idea who she was when I watched it embedded elsewhere, and then turns out she's the 'Phantom of the Opera' star and this is her debut single, hmmm, might be interesting to see that movie..

Tim Minchin

I first came across Tim Minchin on a TV show with Darren Hayes, where he did an kiwi song on piano (dedicated to Alan Brough from New Zealand). Always spotted with a bird's nest hair and 3 o'clock eyes, Tim's a modern Renaissance comedian whose quirky talents and creativity never cease to tickle the audience. 'Rock n' Roll nerd' (scroll to the bottom, scroll scroll scroll) is my favourite. It's bloody honest and hilarious.

More about him from Wiki, Official site.

The dark side


Inflatable dolls (singing about sex dolls I believe)


Here's the Alan Brough tribute


Live, Not perfect


The rock n' roll nerd

Running up that hill

Wiki

Brief intro: The song was originally written by Kate Bush for the album 'Hounds of Love' (Darren Hayes' favourite btw). The complete title reads 'Running up that hill(A deal with God) but due to religious concerns, they dropped the bracket. Placebo covered it and what you see here is a live performance on the Henry Rollins Show. The song is about swapping positions between two different parties (a man and a woman) who have difficulties understanding each other.

There's something about Brian(Placebo's frontman)'s stage demeanor that attracts me periodically. (There are periods I can't stand his voice). Since I didn't hear Kate Bush's original version or any other covers, there's no ground to compare...

Placebo - Running Up That Hill Lyrics

It doesn't hurt me.
You wanna feel how it feels?
You wanna know, know that it doesn't hurt me?
You wanna hear about the deal I'm making?
You be running up that hill
You and me be running up that hill

And if I only could,
Make a deal with God,
And get him to swap our places,
Be running up that road,
Be running up that hill,
Be running up that building.
If I only could, oh...

You don't want to hurt me,
But see how deep the bullet lies.
Unaware that I'm tearing you asunder.
There is thunder in our hearts, baby.
So much hate for the ones we love?
Tell me, we both matter, don't we?

You, be running up that hill
You and me, be running up that hill
You and me won't be unhappy.

And if I only could,
Make a deal with God,
And get him to swap our places,
Be running up that road,
Be running up that hill,
Be running up that building,
If I only could, oh...

'C'mon, baby, c'mon, c'mon, darling,
Let me steal this moment from you now.
C'mon, angel, c'mon, c'mon, darling,
Let's exchange the experience, oh...'

And if I only could,
Make a deal with God,
And get him to swap our places,
Be running up that road,
Be running up that hill,
With no problems. x2

'If I only could, be running up that hill.'

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Now playing: Venus In Furs - Tumbling Down
via FoxyTunes

Sarah Blasko - Explain

Sarah Blasko is a popular Australian artist. Wiki her.

I love her draggy nasal voice. 'Explain' is from her 2nd album 'What the sea wants, the sea will have'. There's a strong warning sign to the tempo, which I adore...

Dylan Biopic trailers

Just read this from Uncut (I am dying! to subscribe but being bankrupt, either the pound depreciates pretty damn soon now or I must just die) --

The first teaser trailer for Todd Haynes' Bob Dylan "biopic", I'm Not There, has gone online.

The film stars six actors as Dylan Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett (pictured above), Marcus Carl Franklin, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger and Ben Whishaw.

"I'm Not There" debuts at this year's Venice Film Festival on September 4.

It's a rather old piece of news really, I remember reading (and squeaking) about it in production like ages ago. Long gestation baby eh Todd? But of course this being from Haynes (Velvet Goldmine! among other acclaimed pieces) about the pure brilliance Dylan and starring those names (for Bale alone I'd have elatedly gone for it--he also starred in Goldmine. Rock on Bale! and yeah you've read it right, Cate Blanchett as Dylan too, *grins*) it incites some pretty lofty expectations (and let's hope deservedly so)...Without further blabbering, some clips for your perusal--

Official 1 min trailer


A doubly long unofficial teaser


A Cate Blanchett clip -- boy she's excellent! But still finds her trademark sharp chin+thin lips+those grooves under the cheeks (what do you call it?) combination an amusing distraction...you just can't hide your Blanchett-ness with those features out and about, Cate. Should have done a Kidman trick à la The Hours. ;)


And erm...some other trailer that caught my eye--again quoting Uncut

The first trailer for Martin Scorsese's Rolling Stones concert doc, Shine A Light, is now online. The documentary, shot last October at New York's Beacon Theater, features the Rolling Stones, plus cameos from Jack White, Christine Aquillera and Bill Clinton - as well as Scorsese himself.

Filming captures the band - at the peak of their worldwide spectacular 'A Bigger Bang' tour - at the end of a year which included many band related mishaps, including Keith Richards 'falling out of a tree.' Originally due for release in the UK in September, it is now scheduled to open next Spring.

What a rock cinema feast the coming months would be~~~~~~~~~~*droolz*

Random stuff: what do you listen to when everything seems to leave you cold and uninspired (like now for me)? me: probably Love Psychedelico. Or Philip Glass. And via last.fm I stumbled across this advanced addict——chart’s all but exclusively Philip Glass! Dude.

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Now playing: Philip Glass - Liquid Days, Part One
via FoxyTunes

深い森 covers...

Naree (vocal+guitar), cute British girl with a crystal clear voice


HIMEKA(vocal) + Mike (guitar), originality is bonus =D


Pazu-Chan & Elias, more emotional interpretations but I think the vocal sounds a bit weak.

Rufus Wainwright - PV - Going to a Town

LOVE PSYCHEDELICO - new PV - Rain

O me gawd they did it, they just released the first PV to the new album! (Getting instant gastric ulcer on hearing news..) But people, keep your expectation normal, and by 'normal' I mean down...I dunno, me I felt a little disappointed. The tune was an odd piece, the opening even felt discordant somehow, although it got better towards the second half...Repeated listening needed, maybe? I still can't wait for the new album.

On a side note, this PV is probably the most expensive addition (if they didn't take the footages out of some documentary) to the line up of LP's always cheaply produced and ill-or-laughably-directed PVs (with few recent exceptions). BUT--no Kumi or Naoki for the entire thing?! The only animate things a bird and two goats kangaroos!? (some mammals, thank you! Oh wait, did they go to Australia by any chance?) It was as if we had seen too much of them lately or ever and would rather prefer some refreshing shots of nature. Victor records, have mercy on our hearts...

In other hearsay news, it is posted on last.fm forum that there will be a new compilation album due for release soon in the U.S., meant as the introduction to the American audience. Hmmm..