June 27, 2004
Fotbollspepp!
Sweden against Holland!
And yes! Alexander Östlund on the pitch from start!
If he stops Robben on the Dutch's left wing, Sweden wins!
And now the national anthems...
June 26, 2004
Midsummer
I didn't notice until at some point yesterday that it was actually Midsummer yesterday. In Sweden, a very important festivity which include going to some place close to the sea, eating a lot of herring, drinking even more of strong Swedish liquor, and finally dancing weird dances (for example, the let's-pretend-we're-frogs dance), around a fallos style pole made of leaves.
As a Swede, Midsummer is something special, but this year I am quite happy to for once have been able to escape it. Instead, I went to a party, called "European Night" at my dorm, followed by some hilarious karaoke in Shibuya, before finally at around 3am we headed to our final destination, the club Web in Mishuku where Escalator had their monthly event. I was great to meet some people I hadn't seen for a long time, among them Chabe who told me that his band Cubismo Grafico Five has a show tonight at Eggman in Shibuya. That's where I am heading right now.
June 19, 2004
June 17, 2004
cartooom!
I just came back from Kichijoji with the new Plus-Tech Squeeze Box album and after two listenings I realise one thing : One should not compare cartooom! with Fakevox, their four year old debut album. On the other hand, one should probably not compare anything to Fakevox, the best party drug the world will ever see.
Basically, Tomonori Hayashibe's way of making music hasn't changed during the last four years. PTSB's basic components are still samples, fast beats and lethally playful melodies. The thing that Tomonori seems to have given up is the more electronic approach which gave us the elepop-anthem ☆.
Listening to PTSB is still like going to the world's craziest amusement park and this time around the whole album concept takes on the cartoon-theme. Though, when listening through cartoom! I have trouble to see it as a concept album. At least two songs stick out and dulls my theme park-visit. SUZZZZZY, a try to make a hip hop tune sounds more like an old Cibo Matto song, and Uncle Chichen drag rag would fit much better on Hazel Nuts Chocolate's up-coming album.
Except the polished versions of the two previously released songs, fiddle dee-dee!! and starship.6 (previously released as シンメトリー on V/A contemode last year), three more songs are the attractions which stand out.
Dough-Nuts Town's map is a roller coaster of short samples and funny sounds topped with a melodic chorus which welcomes a dough-nut!? The naïve melody with its messy background parts you from your stomach before the ride is over. And you'll have absolutely no idea of what's where in the Dough-Nuts Town.
THE mARTIN SHOW!! is not really an amusement ride, but rather a variety show featuring the Jackson 5 singing their own songs, with the origrinal lyrics being replaced by those of euro disco.
"Open your eyes and feel.
If that is not enough,
Close your eyes and feel.
If you can stick to your beliefs,
You can just make all your dreams come true"
"You'd better believe it."
Finally, Hoky-Poky a.la.mode., cartooom!'s love tunnel, concludes PTSB's influences from loungy jazz, without forgetting the childish and animatic approach.
To sum it all up, in the album's real concept, if Fakevox was a big Disney production, cartoom! ends up as an equivalent to the most wicked Bugs Bunny episode. And that's enough of fun.
Oh bugger! I couldn't avoid the comparison, could I?
ps. While you're at it, don't forget to get a ticket to cartooom!'s twister, f(ake).
June 15, 2004
ZLATAN from Rosengård!
On a football pitch in Lisboa 9.49pm June 14.
On my TV in Tokyo 4.49am June 15.
He had already done the perfect run, and unselfishly assisted Fredrik Ljungberg, in Japanese called "Ryunberi", to Sweden's first goal.
But then, four minutes into the second half he finally shows the whole world what a star he is. He could have done it two years ago over here in Japan against Argentina, but he decided to wait until now. And how it was worth waiting.
Zlatan's back heel kick didn't only turn away three Bulgarian defenders to leave Ryunberi-San alone with their goalkeeper. It was so perfect that even the number one Swedish superstar, who has got dozens of similar passes from Bergkamp, Pires and Vieira in Arsenal, was too mesmerized to put it into the net.
In the end, 5-0 and two goals by Henke, one by Ryunberi and one from Zlatan. Nice stats, but on the whole I wasn't too impressed by the Swedish defense, so if Lars-Tommy plans to put us through to the second stage our superstars definitely have to continue deliver also against Italy and Denmark. It will not be as easy as tonight.
Buy the world's finest Zlatan t-shirts here!
For more Zlatan : Watch Sweden-Italy on WOWOW, Saturday 3:45am (Tokion time).
June 13, 2004
Pink Lemonade
Tonight I had a very special experience as a british friend of mine took me to his friend's band's gig at a live house in Harajuku. The band was like a japanese light version of Linkin Park, in the entrance you got a glowing bracelet and baloons, and on stage Pink Lemonade were joined by impersonas of japanese comedians. It seemed like they have quite some fans, since a big part of the audience were repeating the dance moves which all the band members were doing. I got flashbacks from watching j-pop bands such as Glay on TV. Very entertaining.
June 10, 2004
EU-Parliament Elections
Yesterday I went to the Swedish embassy to lay my vote in the European Union-Parliament elections.
My first try, this Sunday, ended in complete failure as the embassy was closed even if the info on their homepage claimed it to be open June 2 - June 8 during certain hours. Strangely, when I called on the entrance phone someone said "Hai!" (yes in japanese) in the other end and opened the door. However when I got into the embassy there wasn't anyone anywhere to be found, and I could walk around freely inside the embassy even if it was closed. I wonder which is the current level of security at the embassy.
I was quite pissed off since the information on the homepage was inaccurate, but I got a chance to walk around in the quite nice area around Kamiyacho and take some photos since I fortunately had brought my camera.
June 08, 2004
TSUYU RELEASES
Last Sunday the infamous TSUYU (rain season) came down on Tokyo, leaving you sweaty all around the clock with a consistent headache and a 100% knowledge of where you last left your umbrella.
At the same time, June 2004 will be the so-far most anticipated month in the short but very interesting History of Elepop. Tomorrow Capsule hands out their 4th album S.F. Sound Furniture, which also makes it their 3rd album within 15months. It seems like "everyone" in Tokyo loves Capsule. They are in every number of the glossy japanese music review Marquee, and it seems like they appear on the cover every other number), at Tower Records in Shibuya their CDs have been on some kind of special display ever since September last year and at the moment "WE LOVE CAPSULE" is hand-written by the staff on a paper attached to every release from Yasutaka Nakata's label Contemode, as well as a couple of compilations and other bands with connections to the band who put all their effort into creating a very stylish image of itself.
Capsule must, even if they are backed up by Yamaha, be seen as an independent band, and for being that they are very good at marketing. They perform live very rarely, and lately only at their own release parties, to which you get an invitation which let 2 persons in for free at the very party if you buy their album. Since buying the album costs about the same as entering the club (as for S.F. Sound Furniture it's actually more expensive for one person to go to the release event without buying the album, than it is for him or her to buy the cd and bring a friend to the party), anyone with some common sense can easily figure out the effect. Capsule sells a lot of CDs, and they can by small effort fill up a nice-sized venue for their live appearances.
So where's the hook? Only the fact that Capsule have yet to release one really good album. They average around 3 perfect pop singles per album, and I am quite satisfied with that, but beleive what a masterpiece they would put out if Nakata had some patience and waited a couple of years, instead of only 7 months, between release dates. Or, even better, if they only put out singles or EPs whenever the perfect hits are written.
In any case, tomorrow I will be a proud owner of S.F. Sound Furniture and an invitation ticket to the release party at the very "oshare" CAY, Omotesando on July 23, where I will join some of Tokyo's most talented, and fashionable, 24-year-olds. When I walk out of the record store tomorrow I won't however only bring out a copy of S.F. Sound Furniture. Thy tomorrow, June 9, the Day of Rock'n'Roll will be transformed into an Elepop frenzy.
The home of elepop, Usagi Chang Records, put out the debut album from Macdonald Duck Eclair. Short Short hits off with Mac Teenage Riot, my number two favourite song of last year and included on the Usagi Chang EP-compilation Killer Killer. If any of the 12 songs following up Mac Teenage Riot comes anywhere close to its perfection of melody and attack I will do anything to extend my visa so I can stay here until August 21, which is the next time they enter a stage.
The most promising thing about Short Short is that it's mixed and mastered by Tomonori Hayashibe, the man behind the best japanese band of today, Plus-Tech Squeeze Box. He has probably had a hell this spring, not only finishing up the Macdonald Duck Eclair album, but also completing his own bands 2nd album which will be out on Vroom Sound only one week later, on June 16.
Contrary to Capsule, Plus-Tech Squeeze Box can certainly not be accused of a too tight release schedule. Fakevox, a masterpiece in sound and design, was spun for the first time almost four years ago, and I can not describe how terrified and nervous I will be when I take my transparent umbrella and make my way to a record store in eight days. Good thing I will have S.F. Sound Furniture and Short Short to join me in the rain, and calm down my expectations the up-coming week...
As if all this was not enough Sonic Coaster Pop's next release is now official. The mini album SUPER MIRACLE CIRCUIT will be out on July 21.
June 05, 2004
DJ Iensu
Recently I have got three new DJ-gigs.
July 10 Udagawa Café, Shibuya. My friend Yukos band Apila is doing an acoustic live.
July 16 Mishuku Web, Setagaya. Northern Bright's all-night event Howdy.
July 17 Edge End, Shibuya. Indie-Bak vol.3 together with Maki, Saori and Jens.
Expect electronic pop, chansons, soft-rock and the occasional vintage eurobeat hit.