Utada Hikaru is releasing another single on Dec. 7, reports Bounce.com. The title track of the single, “Passion”, serves as the theme song for the video game Kingdom Hearts II. A limited edition CD+DVD release hits stores Dec. 14.
“Passion” will be the fourth single Utada has released since her last Japanese language studio album, Deep River, in 2002. Three or four pre-release singles is usually a sign an album is in the works, but now that Utada is juggling both English- and Japanese-language careers, who knows what’s in the works?
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.
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:
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) …
In anticipation of its North American tour, Zoobombs have released a few albums on iTunes in the US and Canada. The following albums are currently available now:
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.
BBC Radio 3 hosts Webern Day on Thursday, Sept. 15 (tomorrow), on the anniversary of the death of composer Anton Webern. On that evening in 1945, Webern stepped outside to smoke a cigar, and an American soldier, seeing the glow of the cigar, panicked and shot Webern three times.
I guess Do As Infinity isn’t as eternal as its name implies. Bounce.com reports the band is breaking up. The duo (or trio?) releases a career retrospective, Do the A-Side, on Sept. 29, nearly 6 years to the date of its debut. Do As Infinity performs its last live show at Budokan in Tokyo on Nov. 25.
Singer Van Tomiko will continue as a solo artist, while guitarist Owatari Ryo makes his side project band, Missile Innovation, a full-time gig. Behind-the-scenes member Nagai Dao pretty much remains behind the scenes as a songwriter and producer.