Nov. 21 is a big day for Tokyo Jihen, which releases a new DVD single and a vinyl mini-album, so says Bounce.com. The DVD single, titled "Senkou Shoujo", features a new song with music written by bassist Kameda Seiji and lyrics by Shiina Ringo. The band premiered the song at the start of its latest tour.
The song is part of a DVD release which includes video clips for the singles "OSCA", "Killer Tune", the title track and coupling track "Tokuten Eizou". The song also appears on Goraku (Variety) Zoukangou, a vinyl release containing all tracks from the singles "OSCA" and "Killer Tune".
My family got sick to death of my playing U2’s The Joshua Tree over and over on the stereo, and it’s hard to believe that was 20 years ago. Billboard reports the album is getting a deluxe reissue treatment, with a remastered version appearing in four different formats: single CD, a 2-CD set, a 2-CD set with a DVD and a double vinyl album.
I love the b-sides from that album, which were released two at a time per single. The a-side was 45 rpm, the b-side 33 1/3, and over the course of three singles, the extra tracks totaled to six. (Four singles were released from the album, but "In God’s Country" contained album tracks on the b-side.)
For the sake of portability, I dubbed the album onto a 90-minute cassette tape — so state of the art! — and used the b-sides to fill out the rest of the space. The extra tracks make for a nice extended complement to the album itself, and in some ways, they’re more interesting.
The Joshua Tree was a dark album, but the b-sides were even darker. "Walk on the Water" and "Deep in the Heart" feel as black as the album cover art of the period. "Luminous Times" starts off deceptively slow and seethes to a dramatic end. "Spanish Eyes" and "Silver and Gold" provided the hooks, and they could have fit well on the album. But If they were, the tone would have gotten none more black.
And no, I was not a fan of the re-recorded version of "The Sweetest Thing" on The Best of U2, 1980-1990. It was sapped of all the bittersweet heart that went into the original.
Still, it’ll be nice to have these songs in one package, especially if they’re remastered.
the brilliant green is set to release a new single on Dec. 12, so says Bounce.com. The title of the single has not yet been determined, but the new song has been described as a medium-tempo ballad to match the winter season. The band’s reunion commemorates its 10-year anniversary. The single "Stand by me" was released in September.
ZAZEN BOYS releases a new single titled "I Don’t Wanna Be With You" in December, so says Bounce.com. Details on the new single are forthcoming, but it’s expected to include new ZAZEN BOYS bassist Yoshikane Sou Yoshida Ichiro.
UPDATE [10/31/07 18:16 pm]: CD Japan sent an e-mail stating Dec. 5 as the single’s release date.
A new Utada Hikaru song, "Stay Gold", made its debut Oct. 1 on a commercial for Kaou Hair Care, so says Bounce.com. At the moment, there are no plans to release the song as a single. Utada met with producers in New York City to discuss the direction of her next English-language album, according to a post in her blog.
Cocco’s limited edition single, "Dugong no Mieru Oka", will be reissued for general release on Nov. 21, according to an e-mail I received from CDJapan. Coupling tracks for the single include "Never ending journey (radio edit)", "Heaven’s Hell (Live at NHK ‘Natsu no Uta’)" and "Okashi to Musume (Radio Session at FM802)".
At the end of a pair of reunion shows at Shibuya-Ax, Oblivion Dust flashed a message on the video monitor behind the stage: "New Album. Coming Soon." Bounce.com reports guitarist KAZ posted on the bulletin board of his official site that the band has already recorded some songs, although a title and release date have not yet been determined. Oblivion Dust split up shortly after the release of their third album, Butterfly Head, in 2000, and lead singer Ken went on to form Fake? with Inoran of Luna Sea.
I keep forgetting to post about the new mono collection in stores now (today, in fact), titled Gone. The album includes tracks from the very rare debut Hey You EP, as well as material from various vinyl and split EP releases. The band is also releasing a DVD documenting their overseas tours, titled The Sky Remains the Same As Ever. It’ll be available in the US in early 2008, according to the band’s website, and it’s already available in Japan. When the band tours the US this fall, they’ll be selling copies at their shows.
Bounce.com also reports envy releases a new album on Nov. 17, titled transfovista. Like mono, the band also releases a DVD on the same day, titled abyssal. The DVD follows the band on its US tour and includes some promo videos as well. No US release date was specified for neither the album nor DVD.
Boom Boom Satellites releases its new album on Nov. 21, so says Bounce.com. The album is not yet titled, but it’s expected to include the singles "Easy Action" and "What Goes Around Comes Around". "Easy Action" is used as the theme song for the film Vexile, while "What Goes Around Comes Around" was featured in a commercial for Dodge. A limited edition first pressing includes a DVD with promo clips and a history of the band.
Yorico releases a new single on Nov. 14 titled "Kokoro no Kagi", so says Bounce.com. The title track is used as the opening theme for the TV Asashi Drama Shikeshou Embalmer Mamiya Shinjuurou, and a cover of Cyndi Lauper’s "Time After Time" serves a coupling track. Yorico took a break shortly after the release of her second album, second VERSE, for health reasons. The single is first release in a year and 9 months.