Jump to content

What are you listening to right now?


Snowtsuku

Recommended Posts

Every day I explore Japanese music I manage to go deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole, always being sure I've just reached the absolute limits of what is possible, but being proven wrong on the very next step. Just... Wow. :o

Also, in slightly less "out there" category, I kind of like the songs by みみめめMIMI, even if I can just barely get over the hyper-cute formula. So today I've randomly checked out those 360 degrees concert recordings of theirs and looked at the audience... Which is pretty much 100% male otakus? Holy shit, some stereotypes are truer than I'd like to think. :marie:

 

Edited by Plk_Lesiak
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/11/2019 at 2:36 AM, Emi said:

 

That's quite an awesome live performance. Decent part of my experience with exploring j-pop lately was being shocked how boring and soulless the live performances there can be. It's probably mostly the issue with idol groups, but I just find those kinds of over-choreographed, soulless routines impossible to watch for more than a few minutes. I genuinely find it strange that people pay money to see that stuff and fanboy over it... I mean, how people get excited over dance routines by a uniform mass of girls with playback music and singing? Ugh...

I'd take that no-name group I've posted about in the image thread over this any time. It might be junky as f***, but at least there's music in it?

Uhm, when did this turn into a rant...? Sorry for this. I guess this thought was on my mind for a few days now. xD

Edited by Plk_Lesiak
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Plk_Lesiak said:

That's quite an awesome live performance. Decent part of my experience with exploring j-pop lately was being shocked how boring and soulless the live performances there can be. It's probably mostly the issue with idol groups, but I just find those kinds of over-choreographed, soulless routines impossible to watch for more than a few minutes. I genuinely find it strange that people pay money to see that stuff and fanboy over it... I mean, how people get excited over dance routines by a uniform mass of girls with playback music and singing? Ugh...

Yeah, idol live shows can be pretty boring music-wise. I once bought AKB48's live DVD set on impulse, but it isn't that enjoyable to watch, as it's essentially just dance show. Nevertheless I still like many of their songs ;)

However, live shows of some singers and acts I posted earlier (Anri Kumaki, Ai Kawashima, FictionJunction, Kalafina, Kayoko Yoshizawa) are complete opposite of this. I bought several of these, and don't regret it :) Great, moving and enjoyable performances. I hope there is some show I can attend during my planned trip to Japan in April 2021.

Edited by adamstan
Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, Fred the Barber said:

I think the entire Dragalia Lost OST is by the same artist, DAOKO, and it all rules. Would recommend.

Thanks, Fred. I was just about to start hunting for a name before you brought her up.

Sadly, looking up DAOKO lead to a traumatizing discovery of ME!ME!ME!

Other than that, though, she is awesome!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I mentioned that the live performances of Philosophy no Dance are a bit all over the place when I posted that video above (quite lively and entertaining though), their studio recordings on other hand are, for the most part, quite excellent. I hope they can one day earn their living without working two part-time jobs or performing in two other groups on the side. :D

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 20.07.2019 at 10:40 PM, Plk_Lesiak said:

I mentioned that the live performances of Philosophy no Dance are a bit all over the place when I posted that video above (quite lively and entertaining though), their studio recordings on other hand are, for the most part, quite excellent. I hope they can one day earn their living without working two part-time jobs or performing in two other groups on the side.

I checked that live you've posted recently, and while sound quality isn't great (I think there's too much of the room sound mixed in - or it was recorded just with room mics?), it seems to be nice performance.

As for live performances, and the topic itself ("What you're listening to right now?"), I'd like to post live version of FictionJunction's "Yume no Tsubasa" from 2008, which I just listened to again. I love this song, and especially its live versions. (Actually, 2009 version from "Everlasting Songs Tour" is even better, but I couldn't find it with quick search on YT)

Also, it was first japanese live DVD that I've bought.

(Please forgive me, if it turns out that I've posted that already before - I just love this song too much)

Edited by adamstan
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Plk_Lesiak said:

Still checking out retro Japanese pop and having a damn good time with it. It's especially fun when I find one of those Showa era idols still active. Mako Ishino has a really beautiful voice and damn, she's like... 55 in this recording? God damn it Japans... :D

 

Nice :D

For similar vibes, check out Seiko Matsuda 松田聖子 (sometimes called "Eternal Idol" ;)) as well, if you haven't already  :) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Someone should ban me from this thread, I'm not sure I'll be able to stop myself any time soon. :isla:

Anyway, Mako Ishino's music was not exactly what I was looking for at the beginning. I even got slightly discouraged by old idol music: for example, as awesome as Tsuiteru ne Notteru ne is, most songs by Miho Nakayama are these really boring love ballads – any compilation of her best recordings proved quite underwhelming. Ishino's songs, on the other hand, are just pure fun and some of them are really excellent. I've found this 40th Anniversary (yeah...) compilation on Spotify and it's just a goldmine. Of course quite a few songs there are silly or cheesy as fuck, but they're just so pleasant to listen too. And once more, same goes for her voice – I honestly don't know shit about singing and these songs should be pretty simple to perform I guess, but her singing is just such so... Nice to listen too. I think I'm repeating myself by this point, but there's just this intensely positive vibe from these recordings. ^_^

 

Edited by Plk_Lesiak
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, that compilation sounds really nice. I'd also say that to my ear J-pop (especially those older songs from '70s and early '80s) seems to have more in common with european (italian, french, and even polish) pop than with american. Some songs from those Mako Ishino's or Seiko Matsuda's compilations remind me of Anna Jantar ;)

In the meantime, I accidentally stubmled upon another nice singer from late '80s / early '90s - Hiroko Moriguchi:

 

Edited by adamstan
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, adamstan said:

Wow, that compilation sounds really nice. I'd also say that to my ear J-pop (especially those older songs from '70s and early '80s) seems to have more in common with european (italian, french, and even polish) pop than with american. Some songs from those Mako Ishino's or Seiko Matsuda's compilations remind me of Anna Jantar ;)

Yeah, I had the exact same thoughts listening to that Ishino's compilation. Some of those melodies could easily be for songs by one of the Polish pop singers in the 70s and 80s. ^^

And hey, Seiko Matsuda can actually sing properly in English! Not such a common skill with Japanese singers. :D

Edit: I'm contrasting this in my mind with Yu-ri Tanaka, the retro-pop covers lady I posted about like a week ago and lead singer of  BLU-SWING. Her attempts at singing in English are pretty hilarious, I'm not sure why some of these artists do this to themselves by inserting those English lines in their own songs. :P

♪ ♪ Eeee zis loff, eee zis tuff, fu iz zis, fu a yu...  ♪ ♪

And as a bonus, another compilation album that is pretty awesome in my opinion. Shizuka Kudo's songs are a bit close to those late recordings by Miho Nakayama I've enjoyed. A bit more dynamic and "modern" pop with both slights jazz influences and nice electronic sounds.

 

Edited by Plk_Lesiak
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My venture into 80s Japanese pop led me into a different direction, namely to Jun Togawa, probably most famous for her song Suki Suki Daisuki, which became kind of a meme a few years ago. The subtitles in the thumbnail might give you hint as to why.

The rest of her output isn't any less weird. To give a few examples:

I love everything about this music video, be it the silent 30 second intro, her stage costume and especially the awkward scene filmed from the view of the insect man. And speaking of Japanese artists attempting English lyrics:

 

Edited by alpacaman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

7 hours ago, alpacaman said:

I love everything about this music video, be it the silent 30 second intro, her stage costume and especially the awkward scene filmed from the view of the insect man.

Yeah, this is pretty awesome. I always feel like it takes a lot of courage to go against the currents in the Japanese showbusiness, considering how centralized and overproduced it is. ^^

In other "news", I'm starting to warm up a bit to BABYMETAL. Now that I look at it, their main vocalist is actually quite awesome. One thing that really amaze me with those idols that actually sing live is their stamina: I'm not sure how any human can handle those 30-40 minute shows of non-stop dancing and singing. Or when it goes to this particular band, jumping wildly and singing. :D

 

Edited by Plk_Lesiak
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...