It’s Cake Day 2.0

So I made a cake. Happy 2 Years International Wota.

Thanks to International Wota and the J-Music blogosphere for all the news, entertainment, and camaraderie over the past year. For someone relatively new to the Japanese music scene, it’s great having a plethora of wonderful resources out there. Here’s to another great year, oh and cake! Messy, messy cake (-_-) gomen… but hey, it’s the thought that counts, right?

The Cake - Strawberry cake for mah Berryz ♥

The Frosting - IW blue, kinda. Well it's blue anyway.

Pink Things - WTF?

intlwota 2009 - Frosting fail.

The Finished Product

Sankyuu

Berryz Ranking

2010 Update » Berryz工房ランキング

Mmm Berryz. Please excuse any ramblings, incoherentness or the like, but man, I love me some Berryz if you couldn’t tell. My reintroduction to Hello! Project was at the hands of Berryz Koubou. Gag 100kaibun Aishite Kudasai specifically had me hooked with the cute upbeat sound. Then the dance shot version of the song, something I had never really seen before. As I was watching, I was overloaded with cute.

Berryz Koubou

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Buono! Ranking

Buono! desu! *pokes cheeks* *drinks milk*. As with °C-ute, Buono! had just released a single around the time I first started getting into Japanese music. Also similarly, their first single, Honto no Jibun, didn’t really wow me. That’s where the similarities end however, everything since I’ve thoroughly enjoyed and given time, even Honto no Jibun has earned a spot. There’s really not a song of theirs that I don’t like, and a whole lot that I just love. There are a couple of reasons why Buono! didn’t make the top spot in my Wonderful Hearts listings. But I’ll just leave that alone by saying “Berryz.”

Buono!

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°C-ute Ranking

2010 Update » ℃-uteランキング

Three of four in the Wonderful Hearts line up, °C-ute’s got an interesting discography that is quite enjoyable. I had just gotten into Hello! Project around the time that Tokaikko Junjou was released. The song was supposedly a cool, revolutionary-ish style for the group, one which didn’t really catch me. Followed up with LALALA and their third album, I’d say they were a bit of a disappointment, especially after high expectations from when they won the Best New Artist award.

°C-ute

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Wota Wonderings 3

After glancing over the questions for this months Wota Wonderings, I quickly came up with the response “No.” But well, that wasn’t going to cut it…

Tie-Ins

The music industry has had many tie-ins with animes and doramas. Of those tie-ins, did one manage to capture your interest and get you hooked on their music? Or, did one manage to change your perspective of a musical act? Did you end up watching the anime or dorama in its entirety or give up once the musical act’s tie-in ceased?

So how’s that formula work out anyway. I had to ponder that for only a short while. The type of tie-in I was thinking about was an artist promoting a product for an anime or a drama. That is, rather than promoting the anime directly. The product in this case however, is the artist/song themselves. A bit quick to jump to the response of no, it didn’t take too long to come up with one of the biggest artist tie-ins that’s grabbed me. Read more

Morning Ranking

2010 Update » モーニング娘。ランキング

I’m not the biggest of Morning Musume fans, but I think I know enough to give this a try. Of the Wonderful Hearts, Morning Musume is my least favorite. I enjoy the music, but have not felt motivated enough to go much beyond that. Initial hesitations came from the size of the group. Too many to form any sort of attachment perhaps, and then the feeling of a choir, no individualized sound. Scanning through their discography tho, I’ve been able to find enough that is enjoyable and still mostly like their more recent releases.

Morning Musume

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20,000 and an iTunes Survey

Well, it’s been 4 months and 5,000 plays since I did my last iTunes Survey and my music library has grown quite significantly since then. I’ve picked up a lot of new artists from the wotasphere, iTunes and last.fm recommendations. 9mm Parabellum Bullet, Base Ball Bear, Ikimono Gakari, Rei Okamoto, SCHADARAPARR, Tomoiki Ki o Uetai,  and W just to name a few. Even with that doubling of the size of my music library, I still feel, and I know that there is so much more out there that I have yet to discover. Survey starto! Read more

Wota Wonderings 2

I love you. Did you say you loved me? Tell me if you love me.
You won’t say it. You won’t say it to me? I want you to say it!
Please love me as much as 100 jokes!

All you need is love!

I challenge you to find the best example of idol love. Showcase this “love” as your post for Wota Wonderings #2.

That first little bit of nagaliciousness was brought to you in part by Berryz Koubou’s Gag 100kaibun Aishite Kudasai. The song that introduced me to Berryz, and remains one of my favorites to this day.

My original plan to sing a few love songs has failed. And well, this is by no means the best example of idol love, but it is my love, and it’s all I could come up with with all of life’s other goings on. If I had the time, perhaps I could learn a few dances. Oh what fun that could have been. In the end, I’ve decided to string together a few hiaku to show my “love” and support for Berryz Koubou. Read more

GO!GO!7188 – Futashika Tashika (+Antenna)

Futashika Tashika

GO!GO!7188′s 15th single, released January 14th, 2009. Futashika Tashika is a fairly mellow song and I really like the flow of it . It concludes with a nice three minute instrumental, one that I can just sit back, listen to and enjoy.

The second track is a bit more upbeat, as is the third, which is more in line with their usual fanfare. Interestingly, the single features the track Bariburi, which has their drummer carrying the lead vocals. GO!GO! have done this before and it seems to work okay in this case. Overall not a spectacular release, but I still enjoyed it.

I’m sure there’s some deep meaning behind the video, but I’m not too keen on catching that kind of stuff. The cover of the single has an Ashura which is also featured in the PV. It seems to illustrate some sort of life death evolution or some such. I’m sure that bit has some link to Ashura as well.

Antenna

Antenna was released on February 4, 2009. Their 7th album features their latest singles Futashika Tashika and one of my favorites, Kataomoi Fighter, plus 10 new tracks. I have to say that I get the feeling of more of the same from this album, but at the same time, the tracks are unique and enjoyable enough that it doesn’t really matter.

The beachy surf rock style can be heard throughout, although only subtly at times. It’s this style and along with Yuu’s vocals that make the band for me, so it’s all good. I think someone new to GO!GO! can get a good feel for what this group is all about through this album. Their Best of from a few years ago has a good sampling as well.

Outside of the great single tracks, Chinton shan, Kuwazu Girai and Ame no Hi Dake no Koi stand out. Chinton shan and Kuwazu Girai for their upbeat tempo and familiarity, then Ame no Hi Dake no Koi for the interesting vocals.

With Ame no Hi Dake no Ko, GO!GO! again throws out some vocals to their drummer, Turkey. He doesn’t carry the whole song tho which creates an interesting dynamic between the whole of the composition. I’m really starting to like his voice, which I was a little bit hesitant on back when I first heard it on their cover album Tora no Ano 2. Hopefully they continue this trend, as it adds a good bit of variety and spice.

On the whole, good stuff.

Judy and Mary: A Tribute (Album)

Being newish to the Japanese music scene, I’ll admit that I’m not as familiar with Judy and Mary as some others may be. So while I may not be the best judge of how awesome this could turn out to be, I am looking forward to an upcoming tribute album, to be released on March 18.

Reading up on their history and seeing some of the tunes they’ve produced, things did begin to click in my head and perhaps a few bits of familiarity as well. What I’ll say tho, is that I’m most excited about is the list of artists who are giving this a go.

• Ikimono Gakari – Classic
• Ai Otsuka – LOVER SOUL
• Okuda Tamio – Sanpomichi
• Kimura Kaela – Happy?
• SHIGI – KYOTO
• SCANDAL - DAYDREAM
• school food punishment – Brand New Wave Upper Ground
• SUNEOHAIR – Chiisa na Koro kara
• Nakagawa Shouko – Sobakasu
• PUFFY – motto
• HALCALI – Lucky Pool
• Takeshi Hanzawa (FreeTEMPO) – RADIO
• Magokoro Brothers – Doki Doki
• Midori – Music Fighter
• mihimaru GT – Over Drive
  

15 artists for 15 years; a great line up, ne? Nakagawa Shouko had previously covered an opening theme from Rurouni Kenshin with 1/2, which I loved. She’s at it again similarly with Sobakasu, which I’ll definitely be looking forward to. Being familiar with a big chunk of the artists on the list is what’s really got me anticipating this, plus from my limited listening, Judy and Mary’s overall sound is great.

Hmm, so far it doesn’t look like I’m going to get my wish of fewer cover songs this year. Ah well, at least they’re breaking the resolution early and who am I to complain.

Thanks for the tip Henkka; via Tokyograph and natalie news.