Musicwhore.org Great. Another music blog. (2005-2013)

A lot of release news came down the pike while I was busy doing Eponymous 4 stuff, so I never got around to posting about it. It’s handy, then, to have these round-up entries now and again.

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I received an e-mail from CD Japan this morning alerting me to the release of a new Sasagawa Miwa album on May 20. The album is titled miwaMIRAGE, and unlike her last two releases, this one will be available through retail. CD Japan, Amazon and HMV already have listings for the album, which contains 12 tracks, 10 of them original songs and the other two bonus tracks.

The Evil Sharing Networks gave me opportunity to listen to miwaBLUE, the mini-album she released after ending her contract with Avex Trax. It took a few spins, but I grew to like it. I’m glad this new album will be available in stores, but now I have to wonder whether I should just wait till November and save on shipping.

(Since I mentioned it, my brother has already booked the flight and hotel to Japan, so the trip really is going to happen.)

Quruli releases a new single titled "Yukai na Peanuts" on April 29, reports Bounce.com. The three-track release includes "Marugao" and "Kamome wa Kamome" as coupling tracks. In the meantime, the duo is recording its next album in New York. According to Bounce, the sound of the new album incorporates roots rock, jazz, blues and electronica. It’s been nearly two years since the band recorded its previous full-length album, Tanz Walzer, in Vienna.

Shiina Ringo is scheduled to release a new single under her own name on May 27, reports Bounce.com. The single, titled "Ariamaru Tomi", serves as the opening theme for the TBS drama, Smile, which stars Matsumoto Jun and Aragaki Yui. Bounce describes the single as her first solo release in 5 1/2 years. Technically, that’s correct, since 2007’s "Konoyo Kagiri" was billed with her brother Junpei and conductor Saito Neko. Shiina recently released the live DVD Ringo EXPO 08 to cap a series of releases commemorating the 10th anniversary of her debut.

Fuji Fabric releases its next album titled CHRONICLE on May 20, reports Bounce.com. A single produced by Kameda Seiji (Shiina Ringo, Tokyo Jihen), titled "Sugar!!", precedes the album on April 8. It’s been a year and four months since the release of the group’s previous album, TEENAGER, and the new album is expected to contain 15 songs. Details of a limited edition first pressing have yet to be determined. Bounce describes the album as a fresh start for Fuji Fabric, which now operates as a quartet. The band goes on tour in support of the album starting in June.

I’ve been battling a cold this past week, so I’ve been neglectful of pretty much everything. So neglectful, in fact, a number of releases from February slipped my attention. A recent visit to Pause and Play actually yielded items of interest.

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Hot on the heels of releasing a best compilation, Tommy heavenly6 is set to release a third album on April 29, reports Bounce.com. Details of the album will be announced later, but the release is expected to include both a limited edition first pressing and a regular edition. It’s been two years since the release of Tommy heavenly6’s previous album, Heavy Starr heavenly, and oddly enough, only one single, "PAPERMOON", has preceded the release of this forthcoming album.

Leo Imai follows up with his second album, titled Laser Rain, on April 22, reports Bounce.com. Guest musicians on this album include Ishiwatari Junji (SUPERCAR), TOKIE (unkie, AJICO), Rie Fu, Shirane Kenichi (Great3) and Fujii Naoyuki (Checkers). Bounce describes the concept of the album as "Music for the ’10s", and it continues the ’80s electro rock of the previous album. Imai embarks on a tour to support the album in June.

Billboard.com reports Sony will reissue a remastered version of Terry Riley’s In C on March 24 to commemorate the piece’s 45th anniversary.

Riley recorded In C in 1964 for what was then Columbia Masterworks, now Sony Classical. The reissue includes new liner notes featuring interviews with Riley and some of the original players on the recording. Riley and some of those participants perform the work on April 24 at Carnegie Hall.

EMI Japan announced details of two books to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Utada Hikaru’s debut, reports Bounce.com. The label will publish two books, Ten and Sen, on March 10.

Ten contains writings by Utada herself and includes an official interview with the singer. Sen collects the various messages Utada has posted on her website from her debut to the present. Photographs by Kuge Yasuhide round out the books’ offerings. A limited edition pressing also includes a USB memory stick.

Utada is also set to release a new English-language album in March, which includes production by Stargate and Tricky Stewart.