Topic: Nihon no rokku.

[Quemaqua]

So in my attempts to learn more Japanese I've been doing my best to surround myself with the language in as many casual ways as possible.  Obviously one of those ways is music, especially since I sit around for hours upon hours at work every day listening to stuff while I go about the endless monotony of my useless existence.

So I decided I needed to try some new stuff out.  I have really had very little experience with Japanese music in general, so went hunting for a few things a little bit ago, and found a few things I thought I'd share.

Firstly, Number Girl.  They're sort of a weird little rock group with occasional hints of shoegazer Starflyer59 et al. (and maybe a little noisepop).  I've heard they're not popular outside of Japan, but for some reason I really dig them.  They're mostly pretty chill, but at times they like to throw a solo in that really stresses the "noise" of the aforementioned genre.  Fortunately, these are rather short and relatively unintrusive.  Unfortunately, it appears they've broken up.  Suck.

CIBICCOさん - The video's kind of funny, but just enjoy the tunes.  I love this song.
NUM-ABI-DABUTZ - Also goofy, but another good tune.
Tuesday Girl - Can't find any of the videos I wanted to share, but these are good.
鉄風 鋭くなって

And it's now too late because I've been looking in vain for the videos I wanted to find... so I'll just post a couple other random bits.

Boris - My Neighbor Satan - No idea, but the song's cool.

The Pillows - Another Morning - Everyone knows these guys because of FLCL.
The Pillows - Instant Music - Love this song, but whatever you do, don't watch the original music video.  SCARY.

And because I have to...

Maximum the Hormone - Koi no Megalover - In HQ so you can better see the cute dancing girls!  I love these nutjobs.  I don't know why.

I have to sleep now.  I'll post more stuff later.

OMOSHIROI TOPIKKU DESU YO.

[Quemaqua]

Stuff from chicks with gorgeous voices (random anime themes today) -

Undine - Yui Makino - Aria the Animation's opener.  This slays me.  Chick that sings it isn't bad, either!
きれいな感情 - Akino Arai - Ending theme from Noir.  I love this one too.
Kiseki no Umi - Maaya Sakamoto - Opening for the newer Lodoss.  This also kills me.  What a voice.
Hikari no Suashi - Akino Arai - Ending to same anime.

Stuff from dudes -
Logos Naki World (A World Without Logos) - Yasushi Ishii - Op for Hellsing.  Well worth listening to.
夕立ち - Shikao Suga - Boogiepop Phantom's opener.

And more from Number Girl -

Abstract Truth
Delayed Brain (Live) - Wish I could find the record version of this somewhere.  This is nice, but you miss some of the subtle vocal harmonies that really make it for me.
TATTOOあり - I wish these guys were still around.
Zegen vs Undercover

More later, maybe.  Like... more of the stuff I intended to post when I made this thread.

EDIT -

Back Seat Dog - The Pillows - Because this thread needs more Pillows.

EDIT x2 - Okay, this doesn't help me at all becaus they sing in English, but what the crap these dudes are heavy.

[Quemaqua]

Updates happening.  And as a sidenote, for anyone avoiding this thread due to my metal tendencies, most of the stuff I've been posting is lighter rock, so feel free to click away.

Oddly enough, today I've gone some stuff with no lyrics to identify it as Japanese, and also some stuff in English.  But I came across these and enjoyed them enough to share.

Mouse on the Keys - 最後の晩餐
Akeboshi - Kamisama no Shitauchi

(there was more, but I couldn't find them...)

And some stuff with actual Japanese lyrics:

ストレイテナー (Straightener) - Little Miss Weekend - Good fun.
ストレイテナー - Lightning - These guys have their moments.  This is definitely one of them.
Qomolangma Tomato - Through Your Reality - A little heavier, a little weirder, but kind of fun, and the video is goofy as hell.
The Molice - Headphone - Also fun and goofy.  And catchier than it should be.
The Molice - Love Song
Macdonald Duck Eclair - Yellow Go - A little bit of cute-sounding WTF for your evening.
Perfume - Edge - Okay, it's straight up J-pop, I admit it, and it scares me that it's even in this thread.  But this thing grooves fucking hard, seriously.
Immi - Joe le Taxi - Uh... repeat above.  Even has video so you can want to vomit even more.  But it's catchy, damn it, and I sort of used to listen to a lot more electronic stuff... I'm having flashbacks...

One group I particularly like is School Food Punishment.  Best band name evar, and the chick is cute.

School Food Punishment - Butterfly Swimmer - Picks up about a minute in.
School Food Punishment - Feedback - I kind of like these guys.
School Food Punishment - You May Crawl - A bit more energetic, and catchy as hell.  Wub.
School Food Punishment - Futuristic Imagination
School Food Punishment - Ukabi Agaru
School Food Punishment - Set Low, Fine

I'm not quite sure what to make of Rinto Shite Shigure.  I want to like them, but their lead singer doesn't want me to like them.  If he did, he wouldn't sing.  But they're still interesting.  Think: Japanese Mars Volta, kinda'.  I wish I could find the song I really liked that I heard, but these are pretty decent.  If you can get used to the voice.  When the chick sings, it's better.

凛として時雨　- Telecastic Fake Show
[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Lh76RiaQ6c]凛として時雨 - JPOP Xfile
凛として時雨 - 感覚UFO
凛として時雨－ - Disco Flight


I had a number of others, but man, I can't find the fuckers anywhere.  It's hard to come by this stuff in easily-accessible formats sometimes.  Anyway, this is plenty for now.  I need a break.

EDIT - And one final addition before I go to bed because Susumu Hirasawa is a mad monkey genius.

Town-0 Phase-5 LIVE - Crazy man is crazy... but what a voice.
BERSERK ~Forces~ - Truly one of the most epic songs ever written.  This thing is an absolute masterpiece.

Also, if you haven't seen Berserk yet, GO WATCH IT YOU CULTURELESS SLOB.

[Quemaqua]

Mothercoat - uh... some song, I guess
Mothercoat - Story
Mothercoat - Galileo (live)

Samurai Delicatessen - Hirusagari (live)
Samurai Delicatessen - Doraneko no Blues (live)

LiN CLOVER - Shuon no Tokei (live)
LiN CLOVER - some random live video

Swinging Popsicle - Satetsu no Tou
Swinging Popsicle - Perfect Loop

Up Hold - Fork - I can find absolutely no good videos.  This one is... odd.  But the song is dope.

Bomb Factory - Exciter - You've heard it before, but it's still fucking awesome.
Bomb Factory - Viper - I can't get into the band on the whole, but they have some pretty decent tunes.

[beo]

exciter - haha, classic. love that song - ripped a copy direct from my dreamcast years ago.

[beo]

don't know who recommended it to me, but it somehow ended up in my youtube favourites and i think it belongs here:

Galneryus - EVERLASTING

[Quemaqua]

Galneryus have their moments, to be sure.  Their song Alsatia has a great video with a girl dressed as a goat.  They're a little power metal for me, but they can get pretty heavy when they want to.  I also wish they didn't sing in English, but I guess you can't have everything.

Here's some more stuff:

Shakalabbits - Monster Tree (live)
Shakalabbits - Roller Coaster
Shakalabbits - マッシュルームキャットナンバープレート

Melodic punky stuff, catchy as hell.  These guys are a new favorite of mine.  Sounds like stuff I used to listen to like 10 years ago.  Also, the last song translates to "Mushroom Cat Number Plate" (i.e. license plate).  Which has to be the great song title ever.

Ketchup Mania - Please Marry Me!
Ketchup Mania - Life Size
Ketchup Mania - Real Yaayo
Ketchup Mania - Bad! Bad! Bad!

How the hell don't I have any Ketchup Mania in this thread yet?  Pretty much the same as Shakalabbits - catchy, punky, fun.  Just for god's sake never read any of the comments to any of these videos.  You'll want to kill yourself.

Berry Roll - I'm Your Friend
Berry Roll - Climber

Fun band.  This is even more basic, old-school punk stuff.  The stuff they used to play at the shows I went to when I was 15.  Like 5 bucks for 12 bands that went from 7:00 at night to 3 in the morning, always in a warehouse on the docks somewhere.

Cherry Blossom - Cycle

I include just because.  The girls are cute, but a little annoying too, and the band is a bit more mainstream rock/pop stuff.  Some of it's pretty catchy anyway.

3nd - SSK

Wish I could find more by these guys.  There was another song I heard that I loved, but all I can find on YouTube is a bad live version.

Mo'Some Tonebender - You Are Rock n' Roll
Mo'Some Tonebender - Unhappy Newage

If you don't laugh at the second video, something is wrong with you.  I just randomly stumbled on these guys while looking for other videos.  I can't make any big judgments as this is about all I've heard, but I think I'll have to check them out.

Tokyo Jihen - 遭難
Tokyo Jihen - 秘密
Tokyo Jihen - まるのうち Sadistic
Tokyo Jihen - 修羅場
Tokyo Jihen - 復讐

You just have to try these guys.  You'll likely either love 'em or hate 'em, but the girl is seriously gorgeous on gorgeous, so you might as well try!  Strange mix of rock stuff with jazzy undertones.

Nico Touches the Walls - ホログラム (Hologram)
NICO Touches the Walls - アボガド

Heard these guys on a podcast and I kinda' dig 'em.  Haven't heard much, though.