Gaijin Sounds 2008

By Jon Wilks, Jon Nice, JP DuQuette & Emily Millar

Gaijin Sounds 2008 will be released on May 15th. For a full list of distributors and sponsors, please scroll to the end of this article.

There was a point, somewhere near a month ago, where we were convinced Gaijin Sounds 2008 was about to go tits up. With less than a week to go before the deadline, we had less than 10 entries, few of them promising; hardly the award-winning compilation we'd intended to present. But somewhere deep down, we knew you'd come through. So what if you left it all to the last minute? It'd only be true to form. You're gaijin, afterall.

Sure enough, the following days were hectic, with entries arriving on the hour, sometimes delivered by an exhausted and romaji-cursing postman, sometimes presented in person. Some of your parcels were impeccably pieced together, others actually contained blank CDs (we'll start naming names next year, dunce). The strangest package contained some fairly freakish t-shirts, a couple of stickers, and a CD full of spoken-word filth so villainous that we've handed it over to Kazuhide's friends in immigration. Have a safe trip home.

In all, we had close to 100 entries - significantly more than last year. The quality varied from woefully amateurish (Garageband has a lot to answer for) to beacon-like brilliance. Genres ran across the board, though the hip-hop community was sadly under-represented. Are there any of you out there, or have you all been scared off by Orange Range?

As with the 2007 competition, most of the entries constituted guitar-based indie-pop. We've tried to present the best of each genre here, redressing the balance as far as we can. It should also be noted that, while there are some great musicians out there, often it was the song or the character of the performance that stood out above technical ability. This might also be an excellent time to point out that self-editing is a valuable skill. The average listener becomes mutinous after 4 minutes. That's why Rick Wakeman is almost extinct. 

Many of those that didn't make it onto the CD are represented here in writing. I'd like to say better luck next year, but the truth is that most of these artists are already well-established on MySpace and YouTube, so interested readers can hear what's on offer at the click of a button. Look us up on the seekjapan.jp website for direct links, or hit up our Facebook community to join the debate.

It's been an absolute pleasure developing this CD, and we're proud to recognize the vast amount of foreign talent bubbling away across Japan. If only the local music industry did the same. As a Kyushu resident, I've always been impressed with the way the local gaijin music community here pulls together to make themselves heard. With any luck, this CD can help do the same on a national level.

And so, without further ado, allow us to present you with our selection of Gaijin Sounds 2008. Strap on your ear-goggles. It might get jiggy.

Jon Wilks
Japanzine Editor

Track 1: Bensh: How Come Nao

Describing himself as, "an active songwriter, performer and multi-instrumentalist", and by one of our judges as, "the lovechild of Beck and Syd Barrett", Bensh kicks the doors open on this CD with one of the most catchy songs we've heard in ages. He's so good, we had to do some research to make sure that he was actually an amateur and not some European wunderkind trying to pull a fast one.

From the bouncy bontempi organs to the frankly fascinating lyrics, How Come Nao is a class act, produced by Dan Swift of Snow Patrol and Aqualung fame, and it really shows - all the tracks that we received sounded polished and could easily have been picked off the shelf of Tower Records. It's not all singalongs, though; his turn of phrase is more subdued on Woman 77,  which produces a very different sound, with shades of Franz Ferdinand and The Strokes.

Bensh is originally from Austria and has popped back there briefly to work towards becoming a household name, and with songs like these, we'd be very surprised if he didn't. If you like what you hear, you can visit his website, www.benshmusic.com, or the obligatory myspace page at www.myspace.com/benshmusic.

Track 2: Jah Jah: Sunny

If Shaft was remade by NHK, it's likely that Sunny would be the title track. In fact, it's entirely possible that Nikkau, Jah Jah's energetic singer and 'ideas man', would play the eponymous ass-kicker himself. We loved Sunny for its bounce and it's upbeat mood, but the other tracks they sent in demonstrated a more dub-scented, Finley Quaye side, which showed them to be more than a straight-up funk band.

Not happy with being boxed, however, Jah Jah also turn their hands to Soul, Pop, Reggae and, "anything else we feel like having a bash at", a comment which we reckon sums them up very well. The band's gaijin contingent consists of a British bassist, and a South Korean drummer, "happy to play along until his working holiday visa expires and he gets deported" - which we can only hope is a joke. 

They don't have a website, but we reckon they're definitely a band to see live. If you're in or near Kyushu you may be in luck - Jah Jah are playing a special concert at the Billboard Live Club in Fukuoka on June 1st, and if you can't get there, it's being shown on J-COM TV, as well.

Track 3: Fatblueman: Couldn't Get the Girl

Fatblueman is a constantly evolving musical collective, described by singer John Janzen (with typically self-deprecating humor) as, "essentially me and any friends I can get to play with me on a given day." Neither fat nor blue, Janzen has that special knack with catchy-but-plaintive melodies that is key to great pop music. Couldn't Get the Girl, the track we've chosen here, is rarely off the Japanzine office CD player, not because it features stunning musicianship or razor-sharp lyrical observations, but because it's just so damned charming. It's a track brimming with character - and those gorgeous harmonies don't do it any harm either.

Fatblueman are a Nagoya-based outfit, commonly featuring John Janzen, Tom Fallon (are there any Nagoya bands he isn't in?), Hiroko Iwase and Hiro Hirashiki. The band are a popular fixture on the local live circuit, known for their unassuming nature (they start all their circular mail with an apology and a promise not to bother us too often) as for their good-time performances.

Their debut album was released in March, 2008, and is available from CDBaby and iTunes. For more information, including gig news, head to the official website at www.fatblueman.net.

Track 4: nanbanjin: Let it Go

After last year's victory in this competition, the Oita-based trio have done anything but rest on their laurels. Not only have they been recording new, punchy material,  they've been touring the country like men possessed. Something's definitely changed here though - and nobody can deny that it's for the better. Their sound is much more consolidated and they're supremely tight, due primarily to spider-armed drummer Manabu. Let it Go was by far the most accessible of their three entries - it jumped out at us and had us head-nodding from the get-go.

2008 looks set to be a big year for nanbanjin. The band are planning tours of Japan, Korea and Uzbekistan (the latter for reasons best known to themselves, perhaps), and if that wasn't enough to keep them busy, in the time between submission and judging, they've taken on a new member, Brandon Geist, set to provide an electronic element to their sound. We expect great and bleepy things in the near future.

Aside from being an astounding live proposition, they're not shy about giving out their songs, either; both their debut album and their most recent EP can be had for free at www.tadamusic.org. For more info on tour dates and new releases, check out www.nanbanjin.net.

Track 5: Pauley Ethnic AKA Abunai Jones: International Styles

One of the few hip-hop entries this year, Pauley Ethnic does a fine job of combining street sounds with live instruments, fusing the resultant mix with rock and reggae. It's a mix that Pauley calls, "a sure-shot to the mind and body." We're not too hip on our jive-talk, but we reckon it's got to be a good thing.

Like some kind of mic-rocking Dylan, Pauley is an itinerant performer who can call any number of cities home. Before arriving in Japan, he shared the love back in New York, Colorado, Connecticut and Seattle, and is a former member and sometime leader of underground legends Bliss Band and Magus NYC. Now keeping it real on the Osaka underground (where he performs as part of the Abunai Jones collective), we were smitten by his international message of love, as well as his down and dirty riddims.

Checkout Abunai Jones featuring Pauley Ethnic at his regular gigs throughout the Kansai area every month. For more details, hit up their MySpace account at www.myspace.com/abundaijones.

Track 6: Trio Logic: LOOP

"Upon hearing the band's debut CD, Beethoven reportedly barked in broken English, 'Mein Gott! Turn that heavenly cacophony up to 11!'" We don't doubt it for a second. It's not like the man was deaf or anything...

We have to be honest though, it was the jazz flute that won us over (and let that be a lesson to all you other hopefuls out there). Seriously, whether it was the similarity to the likes of Corduroy, the stunning musicianship, or the simple fact that Trio Logic obviously know how to get a party started, something here definitely appealed to the Northern Soulster in each of us. LOOP writhes and squirms - any funkier and it'd do some damage - and we're sure you're gonna dig it.

What makes Trio Logic even more impressive is the fact that they've only been together since 2007. Anyone who's ever been in a band will know that it takes some serious skill to get that tight that quickly, but Meg, Stevie, Capital, Kazu and Rumi obviously have the neccessary chops. Though their homepage is a lesson in tall tales, we're pretty sure you're most likely to catch them in Tokyo ("And America. And Britain"). Hitting up their website (www.trio-logic.com) is probably the best way to learn the truth... such as it is.

Track 7: lost in found: Helluva Mess

Although lost in found romped home with the highest points in this year's competition, their inclusion wasn't without controversy. 2 of our illustrious judges came close to blows over which track to include on the compilation, Helluva Mess finally winning after a fierce round of janken. For good measure, we also recommend you seek out the gorgeous Sacrifice the Air. True bliss.

Naysayers have often been quick to point out the similarities between lost in found and Belle & Sebastian. We're not totally sure why that can be considered a bad thing, and besides, when pop music is this infectious everything else becomes irrelevant. There's a sweet naivety here that we found totally disarming, though the song is far from simple. The production is actually very sophisticated - think 4 Bonjour's Parties (label-mates, incidentally) rather than B&S. Get those horns kicking in at 1:12... it's pop heaven!

The band play regularly around Tokyo - their next events are at Basement Bar (May 2nd) and Ruby Room (17th) - and help to run a successful indie label that bears their name. Information on both the band and the business can be found at www.lostinfound.com.

Meanwhile, we're off to sing our little hearts out...

Track 8: Kev Gray: How the Story Ends

Kev Gray's entry arrived at the last minute, bound in little more than sacking and cellotape. After a day of trawling through uncountable other hopefuls, we didn't hold out much hope for his hastily-put-together bundle. Talk about not judging a book by its cover! The only immediate problem we could see was how to choose between his 3 tracks, each one as sublime as the next.

Based in Tokyo, Kev is a regular on the jazz scene, though - as his debut album, I Wouldn't Stop There, reveals - he's a master of most styles. He's played all over the world, and amongst his up-and-coming projects is an intriguing folk album that features songs written from the point of view of characters he's met on his travels. Keep your eye on Japanzine for news.

How the Story Ends, the song featured here, demonstrates Kev's lyrical genius, as well as his undeniable instrumental gifts. However, it was the voice that initially had jaws dropping around the Japanzine office. Imagine, if you will, an encounter between Nick Drake and Antony Hegarty, and you might be somewhere close. Alternatively, click on his Garageband page (www.garageband.com/artist/Akibakei) and listen for yourself. Catch him live at What the Dickens (May 8th/ June 12th) or FCCJ (May 31st).

Track 9: Oran: Sparrows

In their own words, Oran are "dark and strange". That may well be true, and judging by the photographs they sent us, they also have a really hard time keeping still. Luckily though, that hasn't affected their music, which is a cut above the other post-rock we received.

Based in Nagoya, Oran were founded by a Black-Sabbath tribute-band bass player, and a (self-confessed) Neil Young wannabe. They've got a 7-track EP under their belt, and it's pretty darn good. During the judging process, Oran's submissions were difficult to choose between - it took some considerable time to pick Sparrows from the tracks that we were sent, so for the 'full Oran', as it were, it's really worth getting hold of Little Accidents, too.

While Sparrows was easily the most accessible of the tracks we received, the rest of their songs were reminiscent of Slint (without the scarily dark episodes), or the Meat Puppets (without the vocal monotones or weight gain). If you want to see them live, or catch some videos of them in action, pop over to www.myspace.com/oranjapan, or hear their thoughts (and download tracks) at oranband.blogspot.com or www.tadamusic.org. Just don't try to catch them on camera...

Track 10: Nick Morrison: Polymorphizing

Norse gods never ruled Japan, but their bastard offspring certainly found inroads. Iron Maiden recently completed a comeback tour, and Queen can still sellout baseball stadiums despite the frontman having been dead for more than 15 years. It's surprising, then, that Nick Morrison isn't better known than he is. While a man of his considerable talents is undoubtedly able in most genres, we reckon this Canadian maestro rocks the hardest of all - and he's performed with the likes of Pat Methany and Chic Corea just to prove it.

Whether you're a metalhead or otherwise, it's hard to dispute the man's axe-skills, and our featured track, Polymorphizing, shows a wizard at the top of his game. Knocking down time and key signatures like they're skittles in a game, Nick deals in the kind of melodic metal last heard when giants walked the earth, moshing was for the courageous, and justice for all.

If you're in the Kansai area and feel the need to wreck your neck muscles, check out his one-man show, or one of the many Japanese bands he works with. Oh, and Marty Friedman - if you're reading - you could do worse than having this guy in your backing group. We can hook you up if you're interested!

Track 11: The Watanabes: Gettin Over Yuka

Having 'bubbled under' in last year's competition, The Watanabes have upped from the sticks and relocated to Tokyo, ready to, "launch an assault on the music industry". Their campaign began with the recording of new material, and judging by the tracks we received, they're tooling up properly this time around.

Getting Over Yuka - the judges' favourite - is more than a little reminiscent of Hatful of Hollow-era Smiths. It has a really wide, open sound, and builds to a wailing climax powerful enough to make a grown man weep. Recorded in Tokyo, and entirely self-funded to the tune of a mere half million yen, they have a new album in the offing, which - if their submission is anything to go by - promises great things. 

By the time you read this, they will have returned from a mini-tour of Ehime, pumped and ready for more capital adventures. Our interest was certainly piqued by the three tracks we heard, so if you want more Watanabes, head over to www.tadamusic.org for their latest single and gig dates. They're shooting for success, and here at Japanzine, we say please, please, please let them get what they want.

Track 12: Ivy Lynn: Springtime Morning

Despite the lack of any real information on the artist herself, we're suckers for whistling on records here at Japanzine, and Ivy Lynn (or Linn - nobody's really sure, not even Ivy) serves us well in this respect.

Having left her native Taiwan ten years ago to train in Jazz and Contemporary music in London, she spent two years touring back home and she's now based in Japan, working on an album. That's all we know about her - an enigma, perhaps, but a pleasant one. Intersektion Records, a label based in Tokyo and currently residing at www.intersektionrecords.com will tell you a little more about it, but not much. 

Ever a chummy bunch, the judges voted to include her track on the Gaijin Sounds CD by three-to-one, and whilst no blows were struck, it certainly polarised opinions. Double-tracked, off-kilter harmonies and sparse instrumentation smack of Double Fantasy-era Yoko Ono - definitely a plus in our opinion, though we're aware that our opinion is bound to reflect the minority view. Brew a cup of herbal tea, pop on the CD, and let us know what you think.

The music and pictures used on "Gaijin Sounds Vol.1" are the property of the artists featured. The CD is a giveaway with Japanzine, copyright 2008, and is not to be sold separately.

Want to get your hands on a FREE copy of the Gaijin Sounds CD, containing the winning tracks featured in this issue of Japanzine? They will be available from May 15th at the following locations. This year we are distributing 2,000 copies, so be sure to get yours before they're gone!

Tokyo

Hobgoblin Akasaka
B1, Tamondo Building
2-13-19 Akasaka
Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 03-6229-2636
www.hobgoblin.jp

Hobgoblin Roppongi
1/F, Aoba Roppongi Building
3-16-33, Roppongi
Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 03-3568-1280
www.hobgoblin.jp

Hobgoblin Shibuya
3/F, Ichiban Building
1-3-11Dogenzaka
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 03-6415-4244
www.hobgoblin.jp

Fujimamas
6-3-2 Jingumae
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 03.5485.2283
www.fujimamas.com

Sakura House Office
K-1 bldg 2F
7-2-6 Nishi-Shinjuku
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Tel 03-5330-5250
www.sakura-house.co.jp

Sakura Hostel
2-24-2 Asakusa
Taito-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 03-3847-8111
www.sakura-hostel.co.jp

What The Dickens
Roob 6 Bldg.
4F 1-13-3 Ebisu-Nishi, Shibuya-ku
Tel: (03) 3780-2099
http://www.whatthedickens.jp/

Town Cryer Kamiya-cho
Shiroyama MT Build.2F
4-1-17 Toranomon
Minato-ku Tokyo
Tel: 03-5401-9995
www.towncryer.jp

Nagoya

Elephant's Nest
1-4-3 Sakae, Nakaku, Nagoya
Tel: 052-232-4360
www.uri.sakura.ne.jp/~tsc38/

MyBar
Tatenomachi Bldg. B1F
3-6-15 Naka-ku, Nagoya‚Ä®
Tel: 052-971-8888

The Plastic Factory
32-13 Kanda-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya
Tel: 090-9894-9242
www.plasticfactory.jp

St. James's Gate
Miyaki Bldg. 1F,
3-14-22 Nishiki Naka-ku, Nagoya
Tel: 052-973-4560

Nagano

Tracks Bar
22200-7,KamishiroHakuba,
Kita-Azumigun, Nagano,Japan
Tel: 0261(75)4038
www.tracksbar.com

Hakuba Alps Backpackers
22200-7,Ohaza,Kamishiro
Hakuba-Mura,Kita
Azumi-Gun Nagano
Tel: 0261-75-4038
www.hakubabackpackers.com


Kansai

Zerro Bar
Queen's Court Bldg. 1F,
2-3-2 Shinsaibashi-suji
Chuo-ku, Osaka Kansai - Osaka
Tel: 06-6211-0439

Hobgoblin Kobe
7 F, Kondo Bldg,
4-3-2 Kano-cho,
Chuo-ku, Kobe,Japan
Tel : 078 325 0830
www.hobgoblin.jp

Fukuoka

The Dark Room
(On Oyafuko-dori)
802 Tenjin Bacchus Kan 3-4-15,
Tenjin, Chuo-Ku, Fukuoka
Tel: 092-725-2989
www.thedarkroom.biz

Corporate Sponsors

We would also like to mention our gratitude to the corporate sponsors who have helped make the Gaijin Sounds Project possible.

Nippon Beer / Corona Beer
Mr. Ilkay Cayli
www.nipponbeer.jp

InterGlobal Japan
3F Koike Koraibashi Bldg.
1-3-4 Koraibashi Chuo-ku, Osaka
0120-76-7703
www.interglobalpmi.com

Mad Lovely Music
Mr. Trevor David

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