Yes, it's time for another J-POP band. This time the pick is newcomer, Ikimono Gakari, an unsigned group very new to the MySpace Music scene. Yet MySpace music fans are already discovering them with over two thousand hits to their site (in only a couple of weeks of being online.)
Despite the language barriers to English-speaking listeners (lyrics are in Japanese), this group sounds just like a European-American pop band with a nice balance between slower ballads and preppy, upbeat tunes.The sound is very professional, major props to the producer of their music! Musicality is complex yet pleasant, very easy on the ear. Vocals are well done, though there is room for growth there as the band matures (and the female lead vocalist matures and grows in experience.) Nice selection of songs.
As things stand now, the orchestrations and instrumentals are far more complex, professional and challenging than the lead singer, who still sounds reasonable but not as interesting nor as passionate. She needs to really feel the music and stop playing it safe vocally and psychologically. When she finally began to cut loose on the song, Hanabi, I finally heard something really worth listening to. However, I wanted to hear that kind of energy and passion on every song, even the ballads.
Still, if this band can break out of 'safe' and really take the risk and challenge themselves, I think that given their impressive raw talent, you'll have an amazing final result.
Decide for yourself, you can find them at http://www.myspace.com/ikimonogakarifansite
Ayabie
Second up, is an indie label band and while they aren't J-POP, I had to
include them because it is actually very difficult to merge Electronica and Rock and do it successfully. This band actually does do a good fusion of the two...then add in their J-POP like visual look...and you have quite a unique bunch of singer/musicians.Hyperactive and fast paced, with metal/rock-like frenetic and driven vocals, this group takes off in surprising ways. One minute they are the usual beeping and tooting of electronica and then suddenly metal deep-throat vocals cut loose followed up by the 'wang' of guitars singing rock and roll dreams.
They are perhaps a bit too scattered and need to collect themselves and focus on what they really are trying to accomplish. Perhaps that will come in time as they continue to work on their fusion of rock/electronica. And perhaps it will show better with more than two songs to sample (the third wasn't available and the fourth was a comment from the band.)
No matter what, they weren't boring and definitely worth a listen.
Find them at http://www.myspace.com/ayabieusa
TM Network
For this last one, I have to admit I'm a bit bemused. The band made me smile so I'm including it here. I honestly didn't realize that Japan was so into 80's Disco music? That's
what the sound of these guys struck me as, stuff from the 1980s, right down to the their hairstyles and the soft tones of their vocal delivery, not to mention the wider, rounder vibes from their synthesizers.It's not quite the music choice I would usually make, but it was professionally done (and by a major label) and kind of fun to hear. I like that Japan embraces so many musical styles.
Check them out at http://www.myspace.com/tmnetwork
Best,
CG Anderson
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