Owen - Bad News

So... I was thinking of changing or altering the format and purpose of this blog... Wanted it to be something to introduce bands, but I was also thinking of just posting up about the bands or songs I check out for the day or that week.

It's really odd but Isshiki-san (of Tsubaki), really inspires me. The vast variety of songs and bands he listens to and checks out just amazes me. It's not just Japanese bands, but American and British bands as well... And it's often these indie bands that he'd post about on the Tsubaki blog. It really amazes me and I'm really encouraged and inspired by him. It really makes me feel like I should really listen to more music and check out more bands.

So, in the spirit of Isshiki-san's wealth of music exposure that is so inspiring, I want to challenge myself to check out at least 1 or more bands/album each week!

So, I'm gonna try to put those songs of bands that I check out up here too =)

So, to that essence, here's one of Isshiki-san's own 今日の一曲 recommendation!


今日の一曲:-

Owen - Bad News




This song can be found on:


Owen - At Home With Owen

Syrup16g - Doyoubi (Syrup16g - 土曜日)

Too bad they broke up this year. Syrup16g, another one of the pioneers father of J-rock/J-indie scene... I suppose! Great band!!!

Been listening to this song lately. One of their slower and melancholic songs, yet tinged with a certain beauty of the guitars... However, actually I love the emotional intensity of the chorus when it breaks into a stream of churning guitars and flowing chords like a...... waltz, actually!

But I really like this song's flow, it's really forward moving yet, really mellow at the same time... Not slow and depressing but, quiet and driving. Does that make sense?!

Anyway check it!

Syrup16g - Doyoubi (Saturday)


じゃ、今日のー曲：－




This song can be found on:


Syrup16g - Copy

Base Ball Bear - Aishiteru (Base Ball Bear - 愛してる)

I love this PV.

I really love the lines in this song!! It's damn funny and it's damn true!

The PV has the translations.

Watch it!

Tsubaki [つんつんつばき]

Tsubaki's online radio show "Tun Tun Tsubaki"! I've heard of it for awhile but never bothered to check it out (as always!). But boredom drove me there and dammit! It was a treasure trove!

On the radio show, they actually have a special jam session, whereby fans or listeners would write lyrics based on a theme given and Tsubaki will come up with a tune...

So! It was like finding a treasure trove of other Tsubaki acoustic songs!!!

Albeit, Tsubaki has never come up an acoustic song as great as Lunkhead's Tsuki to Tenohira (will any band EVER?!?!), I've always enjoyed their "omake" type acoustic songs, notably like "a stupid song" (bonus extra for the Portrait+ album), and "Good Morning" (Shinjuku Tower Records bonus extra for Kakusei World). So, it was really wonderful to find sooooooooooo many other Tsubaki acoustic songs (you can imagine how many, since the show started in 2006).

I thought they're incredibly amazing to come up with such tunes, even though it's just for fun, and while not all of them are great, there are one or two that are quite notable, and so far (till the parts I've checked out), there was one REALLY AMAZING one.

Here it is, today's tune. it's called "Sakura" from Vol.47 of Tun Tun Tsubaki iradio program.


じゃ、今日の一曲：－

[桜]つんつんつばき




For more Tsubaki "Tun Tun Tsubaki":




(It amazes me how Isshiki-san's greeting "doumo minna-san konnichiwa tsubaki no guitar vocal isshiki desu" sounds EXACTLY the same from almost the very first volume to the current volume. He REALLY says it exactly the same.)