Artist: Various (Garlic Boys, Rapes, S.O.B., Sekiri, Danse Macabre, The Continental Kids) Title: TASTE OF WILD WEST 1 Production Co: TOKUMA JAPAN Cat#: TKCA-30076 Release: 1990/../.. Price: 3000yen Length: 6 bands/19 tracks Track Data: Garlic Boys: Yokozuna I Want Your Panty NIOI NO OOSAMA Rapes: At The Bottom Of Insanity ~ Dear Loser ~ Devil's Fire The End of Welfare S.O.B.: Ego Fix Suck Up Brain Or F**K Ya Brain? Humanity Of Stupidity Device Sekiri: SUIMA DABA (?) DORO DORO Danse Macabre: When I Can't Sleep Death Maker II Beast In My Mind The Continental Kids: Revenge For Living Hell Death Dive Hell Cat Comments: Apparantly in-house compilation CD of six Japanese punk bands. Styles and sound do not vary very much. Neither does clothing, as most bands (except for all-girl band Sekiri) wear long hair and black leather. Music is pretty straight ahead thrash with screamed vocals. Sekiri is a bit more reserved/melodic, but still punk. The Continental kids (with Transvestite lead singer, I am SURE this band made a cameo appearance in the movie Tokyo Pop - singing very different music) bring a bit more sophistication chordwise. Generally a good all-round listen, for those into punk. (Ross Clement: ross-c@scs.leeds.ac.uk) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Artist: Various Title: Cosa Nostra II Production Co: Zero Corp. (Toshiba EMI) Cat#: XRCN-1006 Release: 92/7/29 Price: Y2800 Length: 55'13" Track Data: 1 United Future Organization - "Loud Minority" 2 United Future Organization - "Moondance (Moon Chant)" 3 Cosa - "Go Who Goo Fool" 4 Cosa - "Misty" 5 Nishiazabu 2000 and Tetsutaro Sakurai - "U2 (Yu-u-tsu) 6 Nishiazabu 2000 and Tetsutaro Sakurai - "Tuesday Heartbreak" 7 Sureshine - "Do the Bougle Dance" 8 Sadao Osada for Digital Soul Productions - "I am the Blues" 9 Sth Notional - "Yawn Yawn Yawn" 10 Sth Notional - "Beyond the Outside" 11 Sth Notional - "Song With No Words" Goodies: Standard jewelbox. Comments: Interesting compilation produced by Tetsutaro Sakurai of "Cosa." This series predates his forming of "Cosa" the group, and made a substantial impact in Tokyo clubs. Club music comp with concentration in Acid Jazz. Cover: B&W photos of various women. Text: "Cosa Nostra II" Grade: B Genre: Acid Jazz, Reggae, Techno Bought via special order from Kinokuniya Bookstores (Benjamin List: list@scf.usc.edu) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Artist: Various Title: Multidirection Production Co: Brownswood (Nippon Phonogram) Cat#: PHCL-4 Release: 93/11/26 Price: Y28 Length: 46'53" Track Data: 1 Kyoto Jazz Massive - "Rising Sun" 2 Small Circle of Friends - "Sittin' on the Fence" 3 The Independent Colors - "Fly-Way" 4 Jazz Brothers - "Beatitude" 5 Cool Spoon - "Coolie Coolie Spooners" 6 Muro - "Makkuro ni Naru Made" 7 United Future Organization - "Upa Neguinho" 8 Soul-Bossa Trio - "Easy Bounce" 9 Nobukazu Takemura - "elm" Goodies: Standard jewelbox. Fold-out poster. Comments: Splendid acid jazz compilation produced by Japanese pioneers United Future Organization. Lots of excellent tracks on this album. Cover: Graphic of groovy looking folks. Grade: A Genre: Acid Jazz, Rap Originally purchased somewhere in Costa Mesa. (Benjamin List: list@scf.usc.edu) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Artist: Various Title: TOKIO Explosion Vol. 1 Production Co: Cult Dep/Watch Your Step (Nippon Crown) Cat#: CRCS-28004 Release: 93/6/21 Price: Y2500 Length: 74'01" Track Data: 1 Naohiko Watanabe - "N-12" 2 Bill Davis - "La-Key 7" 3 DJ Cash - "Don't B Afraid" 4 Heyta - "With All My Heart" 5 Hiroshi Fujiwara - "Bird II" 6 DJ Honda - "Beat it Ya All" 7 Takuya Sugisawa - "Gamlan" 8 Youngers Inc. Featuring Kimidorry - "Disc-O-Rama" 9 Wanderland - "Integrity" 10 Transzone - "I Still Remember" 11 Ken Sato - "We Can Feel It" 12 Dub Master X Miyazaki - "BJ 150" 13 Basic Unity of Sound - "It Can't Happen to Me" Goodies: Standard jewelbox. Comments: Club music compilation with lots of decent tracks. Cover: "TOKIO Explosion" All white. "FOR PROFESSIONAL USE ONLY" Grade: B+ Genre: Techno, Rap, Acid Jazz, Tribal Bought at Tower Records on Sunset Blvd in LA (Benjamin List: list@scf.usc.edu) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Artist: Various Title: TOKIO Explosion Vol.2 Production Co: Cult Dep/Watch Your Step (Nippon Crown) Cat#: CRCS-28006 Release: 93/11/21 Price: Y2500 Length: 75'27" Track Data: 1 Takuya Sugisawa - "It's a Dream" 2 Hirohito Ohtsubo & Tomoaki Hirata - "Acidfunk" 3 The Suburban Techno Salseros - "Un Rifle Association" 4 Akihito Kirihara - "Monkey Chase" 5 Naohiko Watanabe - "Twilight Pale Moon" 6 DJ Curtis - "Funky Flute" 7 Bill Davis the Creator of Sound - "Steps" 8 Kam & DJ Honda - "The Right Way" 9 Koji Nakamura - "What's the World" 10 Mr. Youngers - "Kaze no Uta wo Kike" 11 Wanderland - "Flipped Out" 12 Ken Sato - "The Nite with Tears" 13 Dr. Koyama Project - "Come Back 2 Mie" Goodies: Standard jewelbox. Comments: More of the same, excellent quality. Cover: Red text: "TOKIO EXPLOSION" "Vol.2" Photo of a DJ's hands on the turntables. Grade: A- Genre: Techno, Rap, Acid Jazz Bought via special order from Kinokuniya Bookstores (Benjamin List: list@scf.usc.edu) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Artist: Various Title: Jazz Jersey Production Co: Trattoria (Polystar) Cat#: PSCR-5175 Release: 92/11/26 Price: Y2500 Length: 37'02" Track Data: 1 Shuntaro Okino - "The Thrill is Gone" 2 Mick Talbot & Steve White - "Soul Kitchen" 3 Salon Music - "Unsquare Dance" 4 Tomorrow Peole - "Skyscrapers" 5 Hirotaka Shimizu - "Satin Doll" 6 Yoshie - "Telefone" 7 Marden Hill - "Watermelon Man" 8 Mo Music - "Into Something" Goodies: Standard jewelbox. Coments: Sampler of artists on Polystar's Trattoria label includes cover versions of some great jazz songs. This album is criminally short, but has some high quality acid jazz. Grade: B Genre: Acid Jazz, Jazz Bought via spcial order from Kinokuniya Bookstores (Benjamin List: list@scf.usc.edu) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Artist: Various Title: Rhythm CD 1&2 Production Co: Nippon Columbia Cat#: COCA-10518 / COCA-10519 Release: 1992 Price: Y2000 / Y2000 Length: 40'50" / 35'16" Track Data CD1: 1 P.M.X. + MC PYU - "Rhythm Attack" 2 DJ Doc Holiday featuring ECD, MC Joe and You the Rock - "For the Boys (remix)" 3 Ushipara - "Ge Ge Boys" 4 MC Joe - "Premium Jungle (remix)" 5 Boy Ken - "Boy Ken" 6 MAZZ & P.M.X. - "Kill That Noise" 7 Volume Dealers - "Hanayashiki (Wyatt Earp- kai)" 8 P.M.X. - "P-After Dark" 9 Gas Boys - "Kyou mo Tsurunderu" 10 You the Rock & DJ Ben - "Never Die (Riddim of Love)" Track Data CD2: 1 P.M.X. - "Ride the Rhythm" 2 Boy Ken - "Bishi'! to Yare yo!" 3 Volume Dealers - "Super Kenbo Sho" 4 Kimidori - "Happou Bijin" 5 D.J. Doc Holiday - "Pianoman (Pianopella)" 6 You the Rock & DJ Ben - Kanpeki Teacher (Dub)" 7 DJ Doc Holiday - "Raw Soul" 8 MC Joe - "Dou Natte n da" 9 Gas Boys - "Kyou mo Tsurunderu (AJA from hell mix)" 10 DJ Doc Holiday - "Under Control" Goodies: Standard jewelboxes. Comments: Where to start? Japanese rap is still in its infancy and should not be judged purely by the likes of the Bubblegum Brothers and such. I suppose it depends on where you stand with rap music in general, but these guys are still learning. In a country where most native rappers call themselves "MC nantoka" and all DJs go by "DJ nantoka," one wonders if they've really got the point. Luckily, the nature of the language makes for easy rhyming, though Japanese people would insist that the lyrics do not make sense. I would wager that Japanese rap lyrics are, like those here, similarly cryptic, but containing meaning for those who choose to listen. This 2 disk series is basically a sampler of this label's rap music and other indie type offerings. It would _all_ be rap but for the presence of the Volume Dealers (hard rock) and Boy Ken (dancehall reggae). The rap is fairly decent, but most acts have a little ways to go. Most lyrics are in Japanese with the exception of songs by MAZZ (English?) and of course instrumental songs, of which there are several. Its more of a voyeuristic view into the still evolving Japanese rap community, rather than a truly _pleasing collection_ of songs. Some good 'uns include: CD1: (1,2,6, 9) ; CD2: (1,3,4,5, 7, 8, 10) Cover: Large Rhythm Logo Grade: C+ Genre: Rap, Indie Rock Bought at the Wave in Ikebukuro (Benjamin List: list@scf.usc.edu) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Artist: Various (Charnel House compilation, prod: Kazuyuki K. NULL) Title: Dead Tech III - New Japanese Music Production Co: Charnel House (contact mason@netcom.com) Cat#: CHCD-4 Release: ??/??/90 Price: $12US Length: 11 tracks/13 songs Track Data: Artist Title 1 Ruins Dharskrive 2 Space Streamings Hiropon Goo!! 3 We are all Prostitute 4 Nohten-chiyyoka Hyper Love 5 Copass Grinderz Mongoose, I kill Cobra 6 Daihakase Uma wa Ao (Horse is Blue) 7 Ixa-wud Deus Meus 8 Avalanch Komanche 9 Suffocation 10 Funhouse Sorrow 11 Te no Kanshiyoku Kuroi Ikenie 12 Yawarakana Hirusagari 13 Zeni Geva You Suck!! (Live) Goodies: Comments: Noise guru K.K.NULL put together this compilation for the US label Charnel House, and it's a well thought out introduction for people unused to Japanese noise music (such as myself). Ruins are standard noise (as far as I understand it), but their song is short, and Space Streamings seem to be a Japanese equivilent of The Beastie Boys on highly illegal substances (assuming that The BB weren't). Copass introduce themselves with some catchy sounding guitar noise, fade to dissonance, then return to deliver a very accessible song. Daihakase are very different, with a strange (but nice) acoustic song featuring some traditional Japanese and other percussion sounds. The second half of the CD builds up through the more-than-metal sounds of Ixa-Wud, Avalanch (with interesting backing vocals from their female? drummer? which makes the song quite interesting), through (what I would call) more standard noise, to the last Zeni Geva (feat. K.K. NULL) track which is full-out noise. Not a single track on this CD is boring. Strange yes, boring no. IMHO this compilation has a lot of good stuff. (Ross Clement: ross-c@scs.leeds.ac.uk) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Artist: Various Title: Hodge Podge & Barrage From Japan Production Co: Cat#: 1+2 CD 021 Release: 1993? Price: Y2500 Length: (21 tracks) 64'38" Track Data: 1. Dog - "American Dream" 2. Beyonds - "Bobbish Man" 3. Stumpy Joe - "Proverbial Straw" 4. Mutant Monster Beach Party - "Do the Clam" 5. Girl Trouble - "Prison Betty" 6. Long Gone Daddy O's - "Train Done Gone" 7. Mono Men - "Gonna Miss Me" 8. The 5,6,7,8's - "Scream" 9. Fast Backs - "Trouble Sleeping" 10. Jeff Dahl - "3rd Generation Nation" 11. Jackie & the Cedrics - "Dick Dale Medley" 12. Devil Dogs - "Rock City USA" 13. Fifi & the Mach III - "I Wanna Kiss" 14. Young Fresh Fellows - "Tomorrow's Gone" 15. Cop-Ass Grinderz - "In & Out of Grace" 16. Marble Orchard - "You Don't Really Have a Clue" 17. American Soul Spiders - "Surfer's Rule" 18. Chesterfield Kings - "Pictures of Matchstick Men" 19. Sleeze Sisters - "Bubble Bomb" 20. Raunch Hands - "Mess Around" 21. Jackie & the Cedrics - "Banzai Diamond Head" Cover: "1+2 Sampler CD" "Hodge Podge and Barrage from Japan" "The 20 Great Garage Bands! Special Omnibus CD" Picture is a drawing in an underground comics style reminiscent of an R. Crumb drawing and depicts a blond schoolgirl being "accosted" by stereotypical "Japanese guys" with glasses and buck-teeth. Primarily red and yellow cover. Comments: Mostly Punk, Garage, and Rockabilly sampler from Japanese label 1+2. About half of the groups are Japanese, and most of the recording for those Japanese groups sounds like it was done inside a tin can. The music isn't bad for what it is, although I admit total lack of interest in Rockabilly music, which has somehow managed to survive in Japan. Grade: D+ Other Comments: "Anyone want to take this off my hands?" Bought used at Aron's Records (LA) for $11, I'll take the same including shipping. (Bejamin List: list@chaph.usc.edu) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Artist: Various Title: Ai to Giwaku no suspense ending theme collection Production Co: Cat#: BGDH-1013 Release: // Price: 2000 yen Length: (10 tracks) Track Data: 1. Kono ai ni oyogitsukaretemo(ZARD) 2. Tsumetai kaze ga fukutabini kimi no nukumori o shiru(REV) 3. Twisty Love(Ohguro Maki) 4. FOR MY LIFE(DEEN) 5. Crazy about you(Kawashima Daria) 6. Tookuhanaretemo(Kuribayashi Seiichiro) 7. Omoide wa adokenaku (Tsubokura Yuiko) 8. SMILE AGAIN(ZYYG) 9. Omoide wa dakishimerarenai(TWINZER) 10. Machi wa yasashikuirozuiteku(BAAD) Comments: First of all, the compilation is for the theme songs of Kansai/Fuji TV's "Ai to Giwaku no suspense". I am not too sure if all of them are actually used for the series or they are most image songs. But one most amazing fact is you have almost of the being artists getting together to record this album. ZARD's new single does not surprise me with its typical TETSUROEAN sentimentary blended into the whole mood of the song. As for other artists, however, it's not simple. You have have for instance Ohgro Maki whom we are so familiar with her dancerhythmn pop and ZYYG with its usual speedy melody singing slow sentimental songs. I guess the whole album is made really to fit the theme for the drama and so the artists have to sing to fit its mood. Nevertheless, for some other artists you do get varied melodies in fact. REV's songe is very upbeat with Deguchi's fine guitar compostion in the middle. DEEN's "For my life" is also very fast, upbeat and surprisingly different for their style seems to have changed(diff from Komamakimi..., tsubasa o hirogete.) Moreover, I am rather more impressed by other lesser known being artists. Both Twinzer and BAAD have ones with good rock, and really they have good potential in the future. On the other hand, Tsubokura Yuiko and Kuribayashi Seiichiro & kawashima Daria all have very good sentimenal ballades to accompany the album. (Frank Chen: francc@ocf.Berkeley.EDU) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Artist: Various Title: Dee Jay 3 (DMC Japan DJ Mixing Championship Presents) Production Co: Invitation (Victor) Cat#: VICL-231 Release: 1991 Price: Y2800 Length: 50'33" Track Data: 1 What Did You Front For? 2 ENEMA 3 Feel The Flow of my Lingo 4 Jazzy Beat 5 Yo! She's DEF 6 Get Busy Tonight 7 Vinyl Boogie 8 Real Turntable'2 9 Vinyl Boogie (Scratchless Trax) 10 Real Truntable'2 (Scratchless Trax) Goodies: Standard jewelbox. Booklet includes liner notes and (ugh!) lyrics. Comments: DJs Honda, Beat and Yoshi were the winners of the 1991 all Japan DJ competition. Notheless this is an embarrassingly bad album. These guys may be the best DJ's in Japan, but you wouldn't know it from this album. Horrible raps by untalented American Rappers, with terrible flow and just plain bad lyrics. The music is too long, rhythms heard too often else where and blatant overuse of samples. Bad, bad, bad. Cover: "DMC JAPAN DJ MIXING CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENT" "DJ YOSHI - DJ BEAT - DJ HONDA" "DEE JAY 3" Grade: D- Genre: Rap Bought via special order at Record Heaven in Kawagoe, Saitama (Benjamin List: list@scf.usc.edu) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Artist: Various Title: Cafe Boite QOO - 1st Anniv. Celebration Production Co: QOO (Daiwatsushou Co.) Cat#: ? Release: 1992 Price: Y2500 Length: 63'55" Track Data: 1 DJ Toshi - "Jungle Bass" 2 Earth Brothers - "Da Da Ya Da Ba Da" 3 The Volume - "French Movie" 4 DJ Ishihara - I Need A..." 5 Tatsuro Amamiya - "Space Ecstacy" 6 Satori - "I'd Rather Dream Alone" 7 Tech 9 - "Tibet" 8 Yoji - "1999" 9 The King of the Hippies - "Phantom of the Free" 10 Satori - "Maitreya" Goodies: Standard jewelbox. Fold-out with liner notes and free pass to Osaka Club "Cafe Boite QOO" Comments: High concept techno, with mediocre quality. Cover: "HEAVEN IS REAL Extreme close-up on a green leaf. Grade: D+ Genre: Techno Bought at Tower Records in Hiroshima. (Benjamin List: list@scf.usc.edu) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Artist: Various Title: Shake A Move Production Co: Nippon Columbia Cat#: COCA-10386 Release: 1992 Price: Y3000 Length: 49'30" Track Data: 1 Acrobat Bunch - "Tori Ai no Shuu" 2 Cool Acid Suckers - "Give Me Back" 3 Theater Brook - "Here We Go" 4 Hi-Standard - "Selfish Girl" 5 Marvin and the Cool Fool Pool - "Iku ze!! Power" 6 Animal Boat - "Okite Hatarake" 7 Abnormals - "Sexy Girl" 8 Afro Diamonds - "Bacara" 9 The Batties Boys - "You're Fat" 10 King Bees - "Hikari no Uzumi (PART II)" Goodies: Standard jewelbox. Fold-out insert includes photos and additional fold-out has lyrics. Comments: Excellent compilation of Japanese funk-rock. Most bands in this comp are excellent, though stylistically comparable to western rockers Red Hot Chili Peppers, or The Cult. Particularly unique offerings in this one come from bands Afro Diamonds, and King Bees. The former taking a Latin tack to the rock sound and the latter continuing their epic song "Hikari no Uzumi" with a backbeat. Cover: Text "SHAKE A MOVE" over colorful psychadelic red and green digitized photo of a building under construction. Grade: A- Genre: Funk Rock Bought at the Wave in Ikebukuro. (Benjamin List: list@scf.usc.edu) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Artist: Various