Butch - Break It Make It [2000]

Butch is a weird nut to crack. This is their second output on Imomushi Records. It's sort of a mix between post-hardcore and... grunge? They played in the same scene as 1000travels of Jawaharlal, whose singer contributes some vocals to one of these songs, but doesn't quite match stylistically. They released an EP after this, Green, which I also have and it is really amazing. This EP is just a little weird. There are some great tracks on here, but also some tracks that kind of confuse me. Anyways, the main guy went on to be in Strange Over the Sun. Check this out for nostalgia sake, or you may totally dig it. I'll post Green soon, cause that EP is great.

I couldn't find any videos thanks to their ungoogleable name...

Butch - Break It Make It

1. ドライヴ職人

2. MoMoGaNa

3. Farewell Circle

4. ゆうえんち

5. Pioneer under the Sun

6. インドシナ

7. Mass of Majority

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