Category: Release News

King of the Mountain

I’ve been so focused on the impending release of Kate Bush’s Aerial on Nov. 8 that I totally missed the fact a single, “King of the Mountain”, was released yesterday (Sept. 27) on iTunes. Of course, I bought it, and I’ve listened to it. It’s not an immediately catchy song, although I can see how it can grow on a person. The first thing I thought, though, was, “Kate, darling, enunciate.”

The Kate Bush News site has some shots of the cover, and of course, EMI has launched a placeholder site at KateBush.com.

You say you wanna …

Nirgilis is releasing its first single since the departure of founding member Moyo Satake, according to Oops Music. Titled “My Revolution”, the single contains three tracks and will be on sale at Tower Records Japan on Oct. 20. The full track list:

  1. Common Girl
  2. My Revolution
  3. Destroy J-Pop

Firefox blocked this pop-up window for me when I went to visit Niriglis’ official site.

Looking ahead

Updating discography information in the old artists directory was one of the most time-consuming, tedious tasks in maintaining Musicwhore.org. And yet, even I find myself missing the convenience of seeing upcoming releases.

So I guess I have to do this manually now.

No problem. At least now I can editorialize on some of those releases. Here are a few releases I’m looking forward to (not that I’ll manage to buy any or all of them) …

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Hajime Chitose returns

Everyone once in a while, something or other reminds me how much I miss Hajime Chitose. She can sing a phone book, etc. etc. But if she did sing it, it would be the most moving performance of a phone book ever.

Hajime took a break from her music career to focus on her new family. Two years after getting married and having a child, she’s releasing a new single, according to Bounce.com. “Kataritsugu Koto” hits stores Nov. 23, with a title track produced by Sukima Switch’s Tokita Shintarou. The single also includes the theme to the game “Genji”, titled “Tsuki wo Nusumu”, and a cover of the Beatles’ “Happiness Is a Warm Gun”. On Oct. 22, Hajime’s management company, Office Augusta, hosts a live event featuring Anzu, Yamazaki Masayoshi, Suga Shikao, COIL and Hajime Chitose.

Tokyo Jihen, Sasagawa Miwa

Shiina Ringo’s band Tokyo Jihen is set to release a new single, titled “Shurajoo”, on Nov. 2, Bounce.com reports. The three-track single will be coupled with “Koi wa Maboroshi”, which is a cover of ’70s SoCal singer-songwriter Ned Doheny’s “Get It Up for Love”, and “Rakujitsu”. It’ll be the first release from the group since the departure of keyboardist H-Zeto-M (Hiizami Masayuki) and guitarist Hiruumi Mikine (Hirama Mikio).

Sasagawa Miwa, meanwhile, is pulling a Cocco1. Bounce.com also reports the distinctive singer-songwriter will release another single, “Shiunji”, on Oct. 26., but sale of the single is restricted to the Niigata area. Sasagawa grew up in the area and wrote the song as a homage to her hometown. Musicwhore.org already reported on the release of Sasagawa’s next single, “Himawari”, a re-recording of her very first indie label release.

1 Cocco restricted the sale of her single “Fuuka Fuusoo” to Okinawa back in 2000.

Gyuuniku to toriniku no hoo ga

A hip-hop super group including members of m-flo and Rip Slyme is releasing its debut album on Nov. 16, Bounce.com reports. Teriyaki Boyz features Ilmari (Rip Slyme), Ryo-Z (Rip Slyme), Verbal (m-flo), Wise (Apesounds) and Nigo (A Bathing Ape), and the group worked with a number of producers from inside and outside Japan on its first album, Beef or Chicken. The list includes the Neptunes, Daft Punk, DJ Shadow, Ad Rock from the Beastie Boys, Cornelius, Mick Ronson, Alchemist, Dan the Automator, DJ Premiere and Just Blaze. A special edition of the album will be packaged in a slipcase cover.

Speaking of m-flo, Bounce.com also reports the release of Dope Space Nine, a remix album based on m-flo’s barely released new album Beat Space Nine. Remixers this time include CBK Annex, Clazziquai Project, Cubismo Graffico, DJ Maar, DJ Marky, DJ Mitsu, The Beats (Gagle/Jazzy Sport), Home Grown, Kevin Blechdom, Kreva, Maboroshi, Reggae Disco Rockers, Shinichi Osawa (Mondo Grosso) and Tongari Nipopo. m-flo begins a nationwide tour in Osaka on Oct. 6, and with the exception of a Tokyo show, Emyli and Yoshika, melody. and Yamamoto Ryouhei and Lisa are expected to join the band onstage. Details of the tour are forthcoming on m-flo’s official site.

A Year Without Eithne

On the way to finding more about UA’s Nephews album, I noticed Tower Records Japan was already starting to anticipate a new album by Eithne Ní Bhraonáin, better known to the world as Enya.

I was skeptical. Enya recorded a song in Japanese for a Panasonic commercial in 2004, and Warner Japan was way too eagar to announce the release of an album shortly afterward. Enya’s management wrote a press release backpedalling the Japanese label’s enthusiasm, stating no new album was ready for release.

Tower lists the album for a Nov. 9, 2005 release date. I haven’t found much corroborating evidence to support the news, aside from a second-hand mention of a German release.

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They aren’t nieces?

CD Japan e-mailed me an announcement that UA was releasing a full-length album on Oct. 26, only 7 months after the release of a full studio album in March. Speedstar Records hasn’t yet mentioned it, neither does UA’s commemorative 10-year anniversary site. Tower Records, however, was kind enough to provide some ad copy.

The new album, titled Nephews, is a rarities collection featuring UA’s contributions to films and commercials, plus collaborations she has done with other artists. Tracks include Kodama Kazafumi’s “Gekkou Waltz”, Mondo Grosso’s “Hikari” and Towa Tei’s “Last Century Modern”. The collection will also include two new songs, “A Felicidade” and “Kono Sakamichi no Tochuu de”. The former is featured on a commercial, while the latter is the theme song for the film, Kuuchuu Teien.

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