May 25, 2007

Harumi | Harumi |Fallout | Japan

buy it
I wanted to love this CD. An old Japanese psych reissue produced by Velvet Underground and Dylan producer Tom Wilson, this disc looked like it had a lot going for it. Even the artwork, featuring cartoon versions of Harumi and his pals traipsing through the forest dressed as Japanese peasants seemed to foretell rediscovered greatness. Yet there was a warning sign too--psych reissue label Fallout described the record as "a goldmine for sample hunters" in their promotional blurb. Faint praise indeed--after all, so is the latest Teletubbies record.

Listening to Harumi's self-titled, 1968 effort, I understood the reason for Fallout's understated promotions. Unfortunately, the record does not live up to its promise. Not because the recording quality is surprisingly poor (any frequent reader knows I like lo-fi 60s releases). Not because Harumi trades on the exotic potential of his ethnicity in the meandering mysticism of "Samurai Memories" (I'm all for that sort of thing too). No, this is not a good record because the songs are weak and the "mystical" parts are boring.

May 15, 2007

News | Links from the eMailbag |

One reason I'm glad I started this site (over three years ago) is that people send me links to cool stuff on the web that I probably wouldn't have found on my own. Here are some recent finds:

Mai from Tripmaster Monkey gives the headsup on this Time article on Indonesian indie and metal music. While there's a burdgeoning scene, the author points to a problem I've also seen in Taiwan: "When two little-known Scandavian bands recently played in Jakarta, the kids were willing to shell out $40 for the show, while a gig with five local bands would struggle to charge $5, even with a free drink." If indie scenes are to reach critical mass in these places, kids will have to support their local bands.

What if Liberace was Japanese? It's a question that western musicologists and philosophers have struggled with for decades, yet needlessly--if only they'd had a friend like Chui-wa to send them this video of Kenichi Mikawa. I first saw him on a hotel TV in Taiwan, dripping in furs.

Speaking of Japanese video, my friend Hsin-wen sends us this hip-hop summer jam by M-flo. Its pure Puffery sweetened with strings a la Pizzicato Five. I dig the wardrobe and the DJ scratches booties!

May 08, 2007

News | Boredoms to Take 77-Drummer Show on Tour |

Japanese noise masters Boredoms have gone increasingly rhythm-mad over the years, developing a hypnotic, drum-centric sound. This summer they will push things to the limit with performances of the oft-postponed "77 Drum" in Brooklyn, Canada and Europe.

According to Pitchfork, there will be a need for volunteer drummers for the Brooklyn show:

Interested drummers should contact Hisham Bharoocha (currently of Soft Circle and formerly of Lightning Bolt and Black Dice) at [e-mail address retracted at Bharoocha's request] for more information. Former Minuteman/current Stooge Mike Watt and Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley are helping to spread the word about the performance, so there should be all sorts of cool people involved.

Hear that, "cool people"?

Anyway, here are the projected tour dates:

06-30 Calgary, Alberta - The Warehouse
07-02 Toronto, Ontario - Phoenix
07-07 Brooklyn, NY - Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park (Brooklyn Bridge Park)
08-08 Oslo, Norway - Øya Festival
08-10 Gothenburg, Sweden - Way Out West Festival