Singer, actress and Japanese idol Yoko Nagayama is celebrating her 25th Anniversary with an eleven CD and DVD release of her work. Nagayama has performed as J-pop singer and enka singer.
Legend of Venus (12-2-2009)
Label/Distributor Victor Entertainment
Where to buy
Order from CD Japan
Order from YesAsia
Links
Yoko Nagayama official (Japanese)
Post your comments about our Skybeaver Interview and let us know what you thought of them.
“Man, it all started from this song. Starting with a sweet, tearful melody in the beginning and then moving to an almost satanic feel at the end, like everything is falling to pieces. We couldn’t control our excitement the first time we played this song.” – Ang-pang
That song is Starting Over by the band Skybeaver. Like the song, this four-man band rocks to a powerful Weezer-inspired style of music, mixing elements of Metal and Power pop. Their latest album, “The First Countdown,” was released earlier this year from Thistime Records.
So come take a listen to the group who describes their start in the world of music with the vivid expression: “…we were struck by the lightning bolt of rock, grabbed the baton and ran with it.”
On November 27, 2009 Ang-pang from Skybeaver was kind enough to give an interview to J-Pop World. Skybeaver Interview.
Its been over four years since UVERworld released their first single, “D-tecnoLife.” After fourteen singles and four albums the band has decided to release their first “best of” collection entitled “Neo SOUND BEST” featuring 16 tracks.
Neo SOUND BEST (12-9-2009)
Label/Distributor Sony Music Entertainment
Where to buy
Order from CD Japan
Order from YesAsia
Links
UVERworld at Sony Music (Japanese)
UVERworld at Sony Music (English)
The American author Wendy Nelson Tokunaga releases her second novel “Love in Translation” with the tie-in song The Wishing Star (Nozomi no Hoshi) on November 24, 2009. From her official press release:
“The San Francisco Chronicle called Wendy Nelson Tokunaga’s debut novel, Midori by Moonlight, a “terrific first novel.” Now she’s back with her second book, Love in Translation, which again explores the themes of Japan and Japanese culture and being a stranger in a strange land, which have played a major role in her life and writing.”
Love in Translation
by Wendy Nelson Tokunaga
Trade Paperback $13.99 ($17.99 Canada)
978-0-312-37266-8
240 pages St. Martin’s Griffin
Available: November 24, 2009
Web Site: WendyNelsonTokunaga.com
“For anyone who’s ever dreamt of finding love and family in an unexpected place…
After receiving a puzzling phone call and a box full of mysterious family heirlooms, 33-year-old fledgling singer Celeste Duncan is off to Japan to search for a long, lost relative who could hold the key to the identity of the father she never knew. Once there she stumbles head first into a weird, wonderful world where nothing is quite as it seems–a land with an inexplicable fascination with foreigners, karaoke boxes, and unbearably perky TV stars.
With little knowledge of Japanese, Celeste finds a friend in her English-speaking homestay brother, Takuya, and comes to depend on him for all variety of translation, travel and investigatory needs. As they cross the country following a trail after Celeste’s relatives, she discovers she’s developing “more-than-sisterly” feelings for him, although his mother seems to have other plans for her son. But it is when Celeste learns a Japanese song called “The Wishing Star” that things begin to change for her in ways she never expected, leading her to ask, what is the true meaning of family? And what does it mean to discover your own voice?”
Praise
“A delightful novel about love, identity, and what it means to be adrift in a strange land. This story of a search has an Alice in Wonderland vibe; when Celeste climbs down the rabbit hole, one can’t help but follow along.”–Michelle Richmond, New York Times bestselling author of The Year of Fog
“An amusing story of one woman’s quest for her father and the improbable path of love.”–Meg Waite Clayton, author of The Wednesday Sisters
“Tokunaga… describe[s] Japanese culture in absorbing detail.”–Publishers Weekly
“Witty, lighthearted and charming story of finding love in an unexpected place.”–Fresh Fiction
“A delightful plot with wonderful characterizations.”–Affair de Coeur Magazine
“Four stars!” –RT Book Reviews Magazine”
Links
WendyNelsonTokunaga.com
Former Morning Musume members Hitomi Yoshizawa and Rika Ishikawa are making their debut together as the duo “Hangry & Angry.” The group is a tie-in with the Harajuku fashion store featuring the Japanese designer h.NAOTO and Illustrator GASHICON.
The bonus DVD version comes in a cool lunch-box.
Here is a JapanFiles press release:
“The new album from the duo (portrayed by Rika Ishikawa and Hitomi Yoshizawa) contains 10 tracks, including the new single “Top Secret,” plus remixes of tracks from their mini-album “Kill Me Kiss Me,” and a special “h&A Death Tracks” version of Morning Musume’s hit “The PEACE!” which was first performed at Hangry & Angry’s live performance at Sakura-Con earlier this year.
The USA release will be identical to the Japanese regular edition, featuring the complete 20-page Japanese booklet. JapanFiles is offering free shipping to all customers who order the CD in advance of the December 15 release date.”
Sadistic Dance (11-18-2009)
1. Mr. Monkey
2. Top Secret
3. Sadistic Dance
4. Lady Madonna
5. DOUBT
6. Angelia (crash berlin version)
7. Shake me
8. Kill Me Kiss Me (crash berlin version)
9. GIZA GIZA (crash berlin version)
10. The☆Peace! (h&A Death Tracks) [bonus track]
Where to buy
Order from JapanFiles.com
Order from CD Japan
Order from YesAsia
Formed in March of 2008, Megaromania is a Visual Kei band from the UNDER CODE PRODUCTION label. “Prophetic Faction – the Universe” is their first full album and includes 11 songs.
Prophetic Faction – the Universe (11-11-2009)
Where to buy
Order from CD Japan
Order from YesAsia
So what are some of the perks of having once been Japan’s goodwill ambassadors to the US? If you’re Ami and Yumi, you get two seats to watch President Obama give a speech in Tokyo’s Suntory Hall during his first visit to the US last week.
Post your comments about our Dead End Interview and let us know what you thought of them.
“Before playing with the members of Dead End on some of the Creature Creature recordings I was curious what kind of musician/person they became. After they played I started thinking that a Dead End reunion would be extraordinary.” – Morrie
Once upon a time a rock group with the chilling name “Dead End” left their mark on the Visual Kei movement, creating a fascinating visual experience that enhanced the power of their own music and became a source of inspiration for many groups who would follow them. Twenty years after their last performance together the four members of the band decided to team up once again for a series of reunion shows. And much to the delight of their fans, they also decided to return to the studio to create a brand new Dead End album: “Metamorphosis.”
On November 10, 2009, Morrie, You and “Crazy” Cool-Joe of Dead End were kind enough to give an interview to J-Pop World talking about their historic reunion, the re-releases of their classics albums and the new shows they have scheduled.
Post your comments about our Grantz Interview and let us know what you thought of him.
“As the lyrics in the song says, the song is about cheering your friend who has a dream, no matter how much the world makes fun of him or her or laughs at their struggling.” – Grantz
That song would be Rain of July by the Japanese rock group Grantz. As the band members say so well, chasing one’s dreams, whether its living life as “actors, novelists, dancers, comedians…” is something best done with the support of your friends. Begun in 2001, this five member band features a diverse rock sound with compelling tracks like Nothing’s Gonna Change My Way and re-classify.
So come take a listen to the musical world of the group who proclaim “We don’t really care in which genre we would be classified to… Good music is good, we always think that’s what really matters.”
On November 5, 2009 the members of Grantz were kind enough to give an interview to J-Pop World. Grantz Interview
Post your comments about our Tokyo Counterpoint Interview and let us know what you thought of him.
“There is a production concept for Tokyo Counterpoint: ‘Make the art more pop’ and ‘Make the pop music more art.’” – Junichi Hoshino
Sometimes its good to just chill out and take a listen to some soothing tunes. For Junichi Hoshino of Tokyo Counterpoint creating that type of music has been a life’s journey. Inspired by the musical styles of artists like Andy Warhol and Steve Reich, Hoshino has crafted a intricate style of music, striving as he says to resonate life’s “moments of beauty” into his songs.
His first album, “Oval,” was released in 2004 and updated earlier this year as “Oval+” featuring the vocals of Wawa and Kanata Okajima. His resume includes a remix of Kaze ni Hitori de that was featured in the 30th anniversary compilation album of the Gundam soundtracks, and arranging the song SELECT? for the anime series “The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.”
On October 25, 2009 Junichi Hoshino of “Tokyo Counterpoint” was kind enough to give an interview to J-Pop World. Tokyo Counterpoint Interview.
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