Staple - A Peace of the Puzzle [2001]

Staple... oh Staple. This band... this CD... I've listened to this CD so many times, but I still don't know the lyrics! Not that I care, because its one of my favorite things ever. I can still listen to this today and understand why this was on my top 2 CD's during my Japan study and the years after (Bluebeard's only album would be the other). So, I think it's totally great, but you may not, but who cares! It's frickin' emo week, dawg, and it's almost over.

In 2002, I knew people in the music scene in Tokyo, but none in the Kansai region where I was studying. Yuichi (from Gauge Means Nothing) sent me the contact info for one of his friends in the area, Kazushi. Kazushi was sort of shy, spoke a little English, ran a small distro, and set up shows in the area some time. We met at shows, and he introduced me to Masa & Hajime (members of NotIIBelikesomeone). They were sort of my "crew" when I was there. So, Kazushi had a really small distro that he was just starting and one of the things he sold that I didn't have was Staple's "A Peace of the Puzzle." He convinced me to buy it, and I'm so glad I did. Instantly, on the first song, I was hooked. Staple has the ability to just convince you of their greatness as a song goes on. I wouldn't say they have the best beginnings of song, but like a trusty car, once they get going it gets so good (sorry, that was a horrible analogy).

[Edit: I found a picture of Kazushi, so why not throw it up here!]

Kazushi

Kazushi would later setup one of the best shows I attended while in Japan. The lineup was Gauge Means Nothing, Staple, Lasting For Answer, NotIIbelikesomeone and Norde (I feel like I'm missing a band). It was my first time getting to see Gauge Means Nothing (and that's really a whole different story), but I was really stoked to see Staple. After the show, we all went to an izakaya, and I talked to the members in Japanese. The singer got really wasted and was saying all sorts of crazy stuff while the other band members looked awkward. It was hilarious. I seem to remember talking to them about setting up tours in America and other poorly worded and not thought out at all plans. After saying goodbye, I walked around Kyoto until the first trains started running. It was a good night.

Staple definitely sits solidly in emo week. Their sound is sort of Jimmy Eat World meets State Craft. They have multi-vocal melodic parts that are followed by screaming metalcore parts. I know how that sounds. I'm actually pretty sad that I described it that way, because it sounds like a million radio screamo bands, but it is not at all. Staple sounds like Staple, and I think their sound makes sense in itself. Describing stuff is so hard and its only made harder when bands do weird things.

Just try it out. Here's the video I took from the show. I didn't think I'd be able to upload it, but I was working on that as soon as I got home so that's why this post is late. Also, I'm drunk now so my words don't make sense.... sorry.

Staple - A Peace of the Puzzle

1. In the Forest of Elf

2. Forever

3. I Spend a Time

4. Change My Mind

5. Since 1993

[Youtube] Boiler Frog - Live @ CounterAction [200?]

Soul Ameria Records was a label run by Mana, who played in Dignity For All and Mouko Tokkyuu. I can't remember how we got in contact, but I later released an EP by Mouko Tokkyuu (who are amazing, and I'll be posting that sometime). We did a trade, and along with Boiler Frog EPs, Day by Day compilation 7"s (with 4 crucial late 90's Japanese emotional hardcore bands. Still available in my distro!), and Erigonomi compilation CDs he included a DVDr of a Boiler Frog liveset. I watched and enjoyed it, and then put it away where it disappeared for years. Fast forward to recently when I've been going through all sorts of boxes looking for relics of Japanese Hardcore to post on here. I found the DVD and realized that it was nowhere on the Internet. So, I've uploaded it youtube, and you can watch it by the link above here.

I've always really dug Boiler Frog. They play guitar-heavy emo with great melodies. I'm finding it hard to think of a reference point that is more well-known, but I think they will be liked by most fans of late-90's emo. Their EP seems to be sold out everywhere, so I'll post it up soon. Enjoy!

VA - Saitama Local Music Reconstruction [2012]

This isn't a part of emo week, it's just something I found and wanted to put out here. I'm not sure who long this will stay up and free. This is a compilation of local Saitama acts. There are 27 tracks & bands in total, and Ototoy (a Japanese MP3 service) has it all up for free. You do have to register and login to download, but it has English instructions and is pretty simple.

The compilation is an extremely diverse mix of styles. It starts with some punk/hardcore, moving into electronic, then hip-hop, then experimental noise, then rounds it off with rock. I liked some of the stuff and did not like others. But, it was fun hearing a ton of bands I was unfamiliar with. S-Explode is the only band I knew on the compilation. Try it out, and quick cause I feel like this won't be free for long.

V/A - SAITAMA LOCAL MUSIC RECONSTRUCTION

1.  Little basterds - DAY BY DAY

2.  HIGH THRASH GIRL - Do You Live Or Die

3.  GLEAM GARDEN - MAYBE TOMORROW ,MAYBE NOT

4,  s-explode - RE:dis heat

5.  Fragment - bluff dance

6. k-over - ネガポジション[改] 

7.  Hirotaka Maki - infiniti

8. アナログ輝 - DOPE ROUND

9. BARZ BEATZ - Sunset Blues

10. Ken sakano - set-your-soul-free 

11. EMDEE1 - INFERNO

12. あなあくやまい - 雨お通り

13. codomotona - ゆびきり

14. 突然段ボール - この世に無い物質

15. ジブンジカン - ループ/ototoy ver

16. Sunnyday hit singers - 作りかけの日曜日(Another mix)

17. Floating Feelings - カラフル

18. Even Sense - Top secret

19. RAGNAROCKS - touch

20. Far apart Daily life - give me my self

21. HOCKLE HOCK - a new song

22. Broken Mountain - From This Town/

23. theビューティフルニー - ガンマンの腕の中で 

24. Lipples - 大嫌い

25. NANISAMA? - 僕の花

26. FUNNY FINE DAY - Flower

27. ゆいだいき - コメットハンター

Discharming Man - The End [2007]

During my month visit to Japan in 2003, I visited with Ponchi, from Gauge Means Nothing/Nitro Mega Prayer, down in Kobe. We wandered around town, chatting about Evangelion, music, and other things. It was really nice talking with him about music, because he was interested in some "lighter" musics. Syrup16g, 24 pe-ji, and others were similar likes. And Ponchi made me copy of a Kiwi Roll album, その青写真, which had just been released. Over time, I listened to the album over and over again. The smooth melodies and guitar heavy songs were executed perfectly. They easily became a favorite.

When I got this CD from Oto Records distro, I knew nothing about it. The packaging was odd, but the singing was instantly familiar, considering how much I'd listened to Kiwi Roll. Surprisingly, Discharming Man is essentially a one-man band. The style on each track is different, the first almost a noise-ish indie rock track, the second pretty straight forward emo, and the last a minimalistic indie pop piece. Each has the same great song-writing and vocals.

The video below is more recent, and it looks like Discharming Man is still on the same track, focusing on solid song-writing. Hope you enjoy the EP!

Discharming Man - The End

1. THE END

2. また遭う日まで

3. 怯えた剣

Atata - Various Tracks [2010-2011]

It's an 'A'! Do you see it?

Atata is a band. They have ex-members of Holstein, Journal Spy Effort, and Mirror. There are 6 people in the band. You might be thinking that is a lot, and you're right. You might question the need for those extra people, but I think once you hear the unreal sound that Atata makes, you'll understand why 6 people working together can do amazing things. 

Atata is emo 2.0. This doesn't mean they're doing some My Chemical Romance shit. It reminds me of the conversion from Mineral to Gloria Record. In Mineral, you had an amazing sound and song-writing, that was executed minimally and not recorded too good. With The Gloria Record (only talking about the early stuff), it basically was like Mineral got an upgrade with more instruments and more elaborate song structures. It was amazing and so good. But then they turned to shit and I stopped paying attention. Atata does the same (without the shit part, so far) with their former bands. They take the previous sound and upgrade it. If you're unfamiliar with those former bands, they have that angular, Japanese emo sound. If you grabbed the Balloons album yesterday, it sounds similar but much richer.

They've posted 3 songs to download on their site. Sort of like a demo, but all the tracks are individual downloads. The above pic is from their upcoming album, but I'm not sure how those songs will sound. Also, for the below songs, a warning to my readers: They are WAV files, not MP3s, so you'll need a converter unless you're going to burn to a CD. Why they did this, I can't answer. It seems weird to me.

Most importantly, I know you're wondering, how do these song make me feel? Well, I say, they make me feel all warm and tickly inside. The quality of this band is impeccable. The songs are long and small worlds in themselves. Each clocks in around 4-5 minutes, and through multiple instruments, spine-tingling vocals, and complex structures they pick you up and let you down as carefully as a mother. So sweet.

But really, these are songs are worth the huge download and conversion. You can sample them below as Youtube videos. And their album should be out soon, so look out for that in May!

Fury of the Year:

Recito:

General Headquarters:

LEF!!! DUB!!!:

Download Atata Songs here.

Balloons - 9:40 p.m. [2003]

Sorry this is so late. I kind of had a different idea for releases this week before deciding on the current theme but... whatever.

If you're not familiar with them, this is Balloons first album. They have members of 3cm tour (the bassist, I think), [Update: I don't think this is true. I looked at the members of both bands and there aren't any matching names in the credits. Now I can't even remember where I heard this.] and maybe some other bands. My memory's fuzzy and the internet is useless for that kind of stuff.

Anyways, some really smooth math-rocky emo with good sung vocals. This stuff is just nice. Reminds me of No Knife a bit, but like I wrote earlier, just about everything in Japan does. Balloons is really, really good. If you like almost anything that isn't white noise, country, or porno grind, then you will probably like Balloons. Check it out!

Balloons - 9:40 p.m.

1. Anonymity

2. Is This Really the Way It Is

3. Einige Dinge Die Ich Weiss

4. Measly Arguments

5. Last Front

6. Go Outside of You

7. The Biggest Numbers

8. Excess Baggage

9. 9:40 P.M.

10. Flotsam

[EMO WEEK!] Schedule for Week of 4/1

Blubeard

I'm not going to attempt to define emo. It's gone through multiple meanings since the term started being used about 20 years ago. Emo will always mean to me what it meant in high school: Jimmy Eat World (Clarity album), The Promise Ring, Mineral, or Cap'n Jazz. Proponents of "real emo" or something like that would probably scoff. They would point to Rites of Spring or something when talking about emo. I don't care. It's just a word used to describe something indescribable, and like all language, meaning is entirely subjective. So, following on what I think emo is, I'm going to have an emo week! All three of my collection's releases on here are from different periods, but all have that emo sound. The in-between days will be current things that I've found that are emo-ish.

With that, I'm thinking of doing theme weeks. Anybody have any requests for next week or the week after?

Monday - Balloons - 9:40 PM [2003]
     - Dischord sounding, angular emo
Tuesday - Atata - Various
     - Members of Wound Third Picture & Journal Spy Effort. So good.
Wednesday - Discharming Man - The End [2007]
     - The singer from Kiwi Roll makes sweet emo.
Thursday - [Youtube] Boiler Frog - Live @ CounterAction
     - Powerful emo from Sapporo.
Friday - Staple - A Peace of the Puzzle [2001]
     - My favorite thing ever. The best emo band from Japan, ever.