A new three-piece band named GENERAL HEAD MOUNTAIN has recorded a cover of Shiina Ringo’s "Tsumi to Batsu" for its first full album, reports Bounce.com. Titled Tsuki Kanashi Blue, the 13-track album has a June 4 release date. Comic book illustrator Nananan Kiriko provides the cover art.
I’m not sure how that cover would sound, judging by the one 30-second sample posted on the band’s Myspace page. GENERAL HEAD MOUNTAIN sound a bit mainstream, although singer Matsuo Akihiko (I’m guessing the Romanization here) has the kind of raspy voice that might make it work.
Honestly, I’m not sure who really could cover Shiina Ringo songs. Can you picture Hatakeyama Miyuki singing "Odaiji ni" or Tokyo Jihen’s "Keshounaoshi"? How about Cocco covering "Koufukuron" or "Gips"? I bet Chara could do something with "Superstar".
I would still love to hear Shiina herself cover some NUMBER GIRL and not just 10 seconds of "Frustration in my blood". She could probably do an awesome rendition of "TRAMPOLINE GIRL" from SAPPUKEI.
Bounce.com reports "samurai jazz" group PE’Z has teamed up with alt-folk singer suzumoku to form a special band, pe’zmoku. The band releases its first mini album, Gallop, on July 9 through DefStar, which signed PE’Z to a new contract. suzumoku himself releases a new album, Propeller, on May 14. It’s not the first time PE’Z has released a collaboration. In 2006, the quintet released an EP, Live for the Groove, with Nate James.
I’ve always liked PE’Z’s performances, even if they’re music can get rather homogenic. suzumoku, on the other hand, couldn’t come from a more distant aesthetic, as evidenced by this video clip. It’ll be interesting to see how the two meld.
I visit the Nonesuch web site from time to time to see what’s listed in its upcoming release section. The label now lists upcoming albums by Bill Frisell and Emmylou Harris.
History, Mystery by Frisell hits stores on May 13. According to Frisell’s official site, the album features an octet of strings, horns and rhythm section and includes new compositions as well as arrangements of his favorite pieces by other songwriters. The track listing on the Nonesuch site shows it’s a two-disc set.
All I Intended to Be by Harris arrives June 10. Nonesuch has no information at this point, but in an interview with Billboard many months back, Harris said, "You’ll get both Emmylou the interpreter and Emmylou the songwriter." The McGarrigle sisters and Seldom Scene singer John Starling both make appearances on the album.
Chara releases a new album, tentatively titled Honey, on June 25, so says Bounce.com. The new album arrives a year and 4 months after her previous album, Union. Honey contains 12 songs with production from Kameda Seiji, Shimada Masanori, and Noda Youjirou from RADWIMPS. The pre-release singles "TROPHY" and "Cherry Cherry" are expected to be included on the album, as well as new tracks "Hoku no Koto wo Shitte" and the News Zero theme song, "call me". A limited edition first pressing includes a DVD with video clips.
ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION quickly follows up the release of World World World with a mini-album, titled Mada Minu Ashita ni, on June 11. According to Bounce.com, Mada Minu Ashita does not have an overall concept the way World World World does. The six-track mini-album has been described as containing fast rockers and medium-tempo ballads. The band embarks on a tour to promote both albums at the end of April.
A side project featuring members of ART-SCHOOL and downy releases a debut album in May, so says Bounce.com. ART-SCHOOL Guitarists Kinoshita Riki and Todaka Masafumi join downy bassist Nakamata Kazuhiro and drummer Akiyama Takahiko in backing lead singer Achiko (on button down) to form KAREN. The band’s first album, MAGGOT IN TEARS, hits stores May 2 and contains nine songs. A special edition sold only at Tower Records includes a DVD with a video.
KAREN began in 2005 and has since performed live periodically. Judging by the songs on the band’s Myspace page, Kinoshita’s strong melodic sense seems very much present. Achiko’s mature voice has a slight rasp, which is complemented nicely by Kinoshita’s own nasal timbre.
I’m not sure I’d buy the album on the spot, but I’d certainly check it out if it hits the Evil Sharing Networks.
Utada Hikaru releases a single for "Prisoner of Love", a track off her new album HEART STATION, on May 21, so says Bounce.com. An alternate take of the song — the "Quiet Version" — is used in the Fuji TV drama Last Friends, and it will be the coupling track to the single. The release also includes a DVD with a video clip of the song, and a making-of feature about the video.
A while back, Bounce.com also reported Onitsuka Chihiro has a new song, "Hotaru", featured as the theme for the movie Last Game Saigo no Soukeisen. A single release is expected in August, although no details are yet available.
Shawnté Salabert from Hacktone Records saw my post about the LOVE PSYCHEDELICO compilation being released by the label, titled This is LOVE PSYCHEDELICO. She gave me a few more details about the release.
First, KUMI and Sato Naoki remastered the tracks with Joe Gastwirt, who has worked with Jimi Hendrix, Fleetwood Mac and the Beach Boys — appropriate credentials given the band’s classic rock sound. The deluxe packaging includes full lyrics of all the songs with handwritten transliterations by Naoki, plus a LOVE PSYCHEDELICO window sticker.
Salabert also mentions the duo will be in the US during the spring or summer to promote the album. A tour, perhaps? I’m hoping for a return visit to Austin.
You wouldn’t know it by reading the news section of Wayne Horvitz’s site, but the jazz pianist has four CDs in the works, scheduled to arrive pretty much at the same time. In an interview with SFGate.com, Horvitz blames "some combination of idiocy and lack of planning" for the bounty of releases.
A new Gravitas Quartet album, One Dance More, is slated for release on April 8, according to the Songlines label web site. A visit to the New World Records site reveals Joe Hill: 16 Actions for Orchestra, Voices and Soloist was already released (on April 1, no less.)
The other two projects mentioned in the article, Varmint and a new Sweeter Than the Day album, looks like they’re self-released. Varmint is a covers project featuring Robin Holcomb and pedal steel guitarist Jon Hyde. Both CDs can be bought on the merchandise page of Horvitz’s site.
Quruli’s performance with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra gets a DVD release on May 21, so says Bounce.com. The DVD, titled Yokohama Winner, documents the band’s Dec. 12, 2007 performance with the orchestra at Yokohama Pacifico. A limited edition first pressing of the DVD includes additional footage from the band’s homecoming concert in Kyoto on Dec. 6, 2007, where only 250 fans were invited. Other footage includes Quruli’s Sept. 23 outdoor performance.
I was also browsing the AllMusic new release page and discovered US label Hacktone Records releases a LOVE PSYCHEDELICO compilation titled This Is LOVE PSYCHEDELICO on April 29. A website promoting the release has already been launched. The track listing looks like it’s taken mostly from the first three studio albums, with nothing from Golden grapefruit. Long-time readers of this site are probably very well familiar with the tracks on this compilation, so here’s a fairly inexpensive way to introduce your loved ones to LOVE PSYCHEDELICO.
SXSW alumni Tsu*Shi*Ma*Mi*Re releases a new album titled Tsu*Shi*Ma*Mi*Re to Rock to Beer on May 21, so says Bounce.com. It’s been 10 months since the release of the band’s previous album, Brain Shortcake, and for the new album, the band worked with engineer Saitou Masataka (ART-SCHOOL, MASS OF THE FERMENTING DREGS) and producer Kataoka Taishi (Yaida Hitomi). A domestic tour to support the album is currently in the works.