Back home in the US for about a week. In the first 24 hours I've heard "Old Town Road" four times in the wild; at the grocery store, more than one customer was singing along under their breath. I've followed the articles here, but the song is so far removed from the cultural zeitgeist in Japan that I had no idea just how big it was.
Vince just got added to Fuji Rock and I'm beyond thrilled. Kendrick came last year and it was a similar feeling as we don't get a ton of big name Western rap artists on these shores. Dude is the best.
I wish this crew would bring something like this or Eaux Claires over to Japan. Fuji Rock is already set in the most beautiful location, just give them one of the days, add in some Japanese artists, and see what magic happens. JV released all those Japanese lyric videos for 22, A Million but hasn't returned yet to play any of those songs. Though we were particularly spoiled to get Julien Baker and Phoebe Bridgers within a month of each other already this year.
Barney Greengrass makes me miss the US, living in New York, and eating fish. The spinning video, while annoying, reminds me of being incredibly hungover yet finding the strength to drag myself uptown for coffee and lox before walking through the park and sitting in the Met for hours before returning to life, heading back to the hood, and getting drunk again. Last week marked one year of sobriety, incidentally. I casually like these singles, but like many of you mentioned, I'm hoping the album gives them greater context.
My friend (diminutive Japanese woman) was promoting her bar last week by recreating the Green Mind cover (smoking inside is still a thing here). Wrong album, but I was hoping somehow she'd gone viral. Alas.
I'm a big fan, but still bewildered by the big budgets he's pulling down. Harmony's always had a special insight into the (perhaps intentionally) forgotten parts of America and the dysfunctional people who inhabit those places. The trailer makes this one seem pretty "normal" but I guess they pulled the same trick with Spring Breakers too. Looking forward to it.
Love these guys. One of their albums has always been in my regular rotation for the better part of the last two decades. This song is distinctly "them," but it feels like previously explored territory and is fairly accessible. On the other hand, it's still an enjoyable listen. Looking forward to the rest of the set to see if they have any new tricks.
Mineral was always my favorite, but their output, along with Texas is the Reason, was so small it's hard to compare them to the other two band whose sounds evolved quite a bit. They were all important to me in high school 20+ years ago, but Mineral and Sunny Day (especially How It Feels...) still hold up the most for me, as does Nothing Feels Good by The Promise Ring. I grew out of TITR, but I bring it out for DJ sets from time to time.
Thank you! I'm opening a restaurant in the next month or so in Shinjuku. I'll drop a self-promo on SUD or something when the time comes. Veggie burgers on me if you make the trek into the city. Would love to meet you!
I agree completely. I meant more that while the textures seem similar to me this album feels laser-focused despite its sound and structure. Definitely one of the year's best, if the not best. Damn.
The album's brevity belies how compelling and ambitious it is—it's very easy to disappear into. Sonically and in terms of vision I'm reminded the early anticon. releases (along with Doom), but while cLOUDDEAD sometimes felt like accidental genius, all of the choices here seem deliberate. Despite the length of the songs, these aren't unfinished sketches; nothing feels haphazard. Bold artistic and personal statement.
Chorus makes me think of Coheed and Cambria covering Blink's "Josie" or the like. Enjoyed the last album, will await "the best of what the record has to offer."
I love these guys. Couldn't have asked for a better gift after a crummy Monday. Absolutely thrilled they're coming back to Japan. It's always amusing to me to see which bands made it across the Pacific in the 90s, but it's been a unique surprise to meet people who love bands like Mineral and Cap'n Jazz but have never heard of the big alt-rock bands of the time that felt so omnipresent back then.
I think Mitchell is maybe our greatest living author, but number9dream was my least favorite of his novels. I'm planning to read them all again over the New Year's Break here but was going to skip this one. May I ask what elements are grabbing you? Perhaps I need to reframe it.
JP the Wavy had a big viral hit here last summer, but has sort of disappeared since then with only a couple notable features. I'm pretty surprised to see his name on this list, but it could work. There are tons of better Japanese rappers, but his brand of lowbrow goofy trap is pretty much a riff on (or rip-off) of the last few years of US trap.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QONONWQjk2E
"Trump wore the hat, so he is open to adjusting and listening."
We are what we wear. This was the main mechanic of the last Mario (main plumber) game, which was a lot of fun and a good distraction from the eternal hell world.
Love this band. Was always a great feeling after their shows when Damian would hop in the crowd and give everyone a sweaty bear hug before heading backstage. The "what's fucked up about Fucked Up?" theme of this article reminded me of a brief anecdote. I saw them at FYF (2012, I think? Pretty killer line-up if I recall, but I can barely remember what year it is now in the hell timeline) and the screens on stage would display who the next band was between sets. You already know the punchline, but much fun was had listening to the bemused passersby comment on "THE NEXT BAND IS FUCKED UP."
Agreed on "Front to Back," it's a great track. Nothing's Lost's opening track also features a great verse from Alias (RIP). Speaking of Gibbard and Kenny, their split for the Home series (volume five, I think?) was released around the same time is a lovely collection of songs. Somehow Kenny's "Church Mouse in the Church House" ended up being "the" song of a relationship I was in back then that wasn't nearly as twee and whispery as one would be led to believe.
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