Fragments - Let It Go [2006]

Fragments is sort of a super-group, but not what you would expect from any of the members. Spalding, from Minoritybluesband, fronts the band on guitar and vocals. Aki, from Forgetmenot, Off-End, Conception, Impulse Records, plays drums. Both of those guys are playing slightly different styles, but for Fragments they don't really meet in the middle. Instead they play folk-ish indie rock that reminds me of a less country Chamberlain. This is really, really laid back stuff; it has a definite calming effect.

They released a full album on Impulse Records, but have since quit playing. Spalding is in What-A-Nights now, and Aki continues to play in one thousand bands (exaggerating). Check this out for something a little different from some scene legends!

Buy it Here!

Fragments - Let It Go

1. Undecided

2. Motherly Sea

3. Some Jingle Jangle Morning (Originally By Mary Lou Lord)

VA - Here Comes The Bottom Line... Vol. 1 [2004]

Back in 2005, Impulse Records was an upstart label coming out of Shikoku, Japan. I'm not sure who sent the first email, but I think I contacted Aki to get copies of their first compilation (this one) and the Forgetmenot 3 songs EP. This was at a time when most of the bands I'd been friends with were slowing down or breaking up all together. I was busy with Cease Upon the Capitol and not paying so much attention to what was going on in Japan. So when I got the stuff from Impulse, I was blown away by all of these newer bands that were amazing. Forgetmenot was an instant favorite, for sure, but this compilation took time to grow on me. I appreciate it now more than I did then, mostly because of changing tastes.

This is sold out everywhere, but I found a copy at MNM Distro. So, buy it here:
http://mnm.xrea.jp/distro/cd/index.php?page=all#916

Here's a music video from one of Mule's later albums:

Here Comes the Bottom Line... Vol. 1 Compilation

1. Mule - 12

2. Butch - The Day

3. Driftage - Issues Persecute Us

4. Infro - 足跡

5. Infro - 独り

6. The Oxide - Bombed Like This Stereo

7. Hush Puppy - Still

8. Minority Blues Band - Stone Won't Roll

9. Forgetmenot - 理想も忘れて

10. Halka Goat - 光の日々へ

"Doors" - Revival Sleep / Sora / Forget Me Not / Folio split [2006]

I first traded with Impulse Records back in 2005, right when the label was just getting started. That was my first introduction to Forget Me Not and the label. We kept trading, as they kept putting out really amazing stuff. Impulse is located in Shikoku, a place far off the radar from the prominent Tokyo scene, but they were releasing stuff easily as good as anything else going on in Japan.

When Aki told me he was going to release this, I knew it would be gold. I'd played a show with Sora during my month with Gauge Means Nothing and had worn their demo out already. Adding new songs from Forget Me Not, and it didn't even matter if the other two bands were garbage or not.

What I got once I did the trade was one of the nicest splits ever to come out of Japan. Seriously every band on this thing is top notch and each scratch a different itch. Revival Sleep has since disbanded (can't find much info on them), but the other three bands have gone on to have pretty amazing careers so far.

There's not much else to say about this, except that it's marvelous. Do yourself a favor and listen to this, if you haven't already, because you will thank me later. Here's a vid of Forget Me Not:

Doors 4-Way Split

1. Revival Sleep - SUN

2. Revival Sleep - Short Film

3. Sora - 無色の景色

4. Sora - 小さな手

5. forget me not - 君の顔に映す

6. forget me not - 眼と手と手と眼

7. Folio - One of the Tenderness

8. Folio - Proof