Yukari Fresh - COOK SOME DISHES

Cook Some Dishes is an album by shibuya-kei master, Yukari Fresh. Yukari Fresh's childlike voice and delightfully bubbly pop is what made me fall in love with shibuya-kei. i discovered Yukari Fresh before i ever discovered Pizzicato Five, Flipper's Guitar, Fantastic Plastic Machine, or any of the other more well known acts from the genre. years before that, in fact.

the highlight of this album are the three last tracks, which may as well be one single track.

one of the most impressive things about yukari, i think, is her almost flawless pronunciation of the english language. it's nice to, for once, have some japanese pop that i can actually sing along with, hahahahahahahhahaaaaaahahaha


1. introduction MC
2. 17.1
3. 17.2
4. 17.3
5. 17.4
6. angelterre
7. david
8. is this disco?
9. alan
10. cook some dishes
11. 3.5.2


ENJOY

YBO² - ALIENATION

Alienation is a 1996 album by YBO², a zeuhl (i think) band, formed in 1984. i'm actually not all that wild about zeuhl (and, i guess by extension, prog -- or perhaps it's the other way around), but this shit is delicious. it's thick, murky, and loud. it reminds me of Les Rallizes Denudes or Fushitsusha, or some of the other japanese psychedelic bands of the 1970s.

i don't really have anything else to compare it to, but i know that if you like the japanese psychedelic movement of the 1970s then you'll most certainly like this.


1. America
2. 猟奇歌
3. Boys Of Bedlam
4. To Be (帝国の逆襲)
5. Heavy Waters
6. Ural


ENJOY

Ruellia - DARK BALANCE

DARK BALANCE is an EP/single by Ruellia (who i previously mentioned in my post about kc+loid). more drag queens making metal inspired post-punk.

i posted this EP/single only so that you can hear the track "Fate of Claustrophobia". it's easily my favorite track by this wonderful band. the guitars on this song are so incredible. it kills me every time i hear it.


1. Fate Of Claustrophobia
2. DARK BALANCE
3. 黒い華


ENJOY

The Castle

This post is to redirect you to Habit Of Sex where you can download Tomo Akikawaba's epic, The Castle. i have to say this may indeed be the best album i've discovered from another blog all year.

i won't say much about it except that if you don't download it then i feel really bad for you. this is the album. also, the dudes over at Habit Of Sex sum it up much better than i could. they've clearly been looking for this album for a while, and they make it clear through their review of this flawless album.

the best part, for me, is the sincerity and utter sadness of the vocals. if he puts across one emotion in his singing then it's desperation. complete, crushing desperation.

チャクラ - さてこそ

さてこそ is チャクラ's (chakra, चक्रं, what have you) masterpiece. i can't tell you much about this band because, like many other albums on this blog, not much info exists for them on the western internet.

essentially, though, these dudes were making music that sounds like a mix between Picky Picnic's later childlike cute pop and SHI-SHONEN's lovely new wave synths. they've become one of my favorite bands.


1. めだか
2. シュンシュン
3. おちょーし者の行進曲
4. You Need Me
5. これから死んでゆくすべての生命体に捧げる詩
6. いとほに
7. Free
8. 3
9. 微笑む
10. ちょっと痛いけどステキ
11. おはよーみなさん


ENJOY

The Grey Wolves - THE AGE OF DISSENT

The Age of Dissent is my favorite album by legendary power electronics act, The Grey Wolves. i don't feel like writing anything up about it right now, except that you'll like it if you like early Whitehouse.


1. Crawl
2. Empty Threat
3. Destructive State
4. Aura of Violence
5. The Age of Dissent
6. Skin Hunger
7. Low Level Transmission
8. New World Dis-Order
9. Bodycount


ENJOY