Forum Home Forum Home > Progressive Music Lounges > Prog Blogs
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Japanese Progressive Rock presented by DamoX
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Japanese Progressive Rock presented by DamoX

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1 4243444546 52>
Author
Message Reverse Sort Order
DamoXt7942 View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar

Joined: October 15 2008
Location: Okayama, Japan
Status: Offline
Points: 17493
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DamoXt7942 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 15 2009 at 07:06
Clap

 Baroque in the Future by DEJA-VU album cover
Studio Album, 1988
3.25 | 5 ratings

Baroque in the Future
Deja-Vu Symphonic Prog

Review by DamoXt7942
Special Blender Sherry Butt Team (Japanese Whisky Specialist)

3 stars Wow, very classical keyboard symphonic progressive!

DEJA VU was a Japanese "EL&P-like" three piece band around a lyrical keyboardist Motoi SAKURABA. Also in Japan EL&P have been much appreciated by many fans, reviewers, and musicians - in those days lots of keyboard-bass-drum-based three piece ensembles were formed, and most were dismissed soon. Disappointingly DEJA VU were one of Japanese short-lived bands including three talented players. In general a brilliant keyboardist, reminding us Keith Emerson or Eddie Jobson, can be in the spotlight more than the other players...Motoi of DEJA VU was no exception. It's absolutely natural his dreamful keyboard play should be much approved, and surely I can second this approval. We cannot overestimate him with such a dramatic, lyrical, and classically matured solo. Consider again, however, could they play so strictly and rigidly without the rhythm section? No. The terrific and fantastic keyboard sounds did need the basis by the heavy bass and the steady drums and percussion - Tetsuya NAGATSUMA (bass) and Genta KUDOH were great as well. In other words, the rhythm section less-motivated should let DEJA VU be short-lived and break up soon.

Their background aside, though there are pros and cons, I love Motoi's beautiful but "coarse and unrefined - human-smelled" keyboard play, with graceful composition. That is, his play sounds like not a stream but a seashore with big waves - without any mechanical flavour. At this point I cannot help saying he should be less technical than Keith or Eddie - but but I love this rustic play. (Oh, of course not because he's a Japanese like me.) Sadly cheesy voices sometimes attacking my ears cannot be permitted - completely not fit for this beautiful atmosphere. Well variously changeable keyboard sounds and, the steady basis by the bass and the drums holding the keyboard from under...we can taste enough well only by one album.

Let me say this: Please appreciate them more, please. ;-)

P.S. This Baroque In The Future was recommended as one of the best Japanese symphonic albums by a great Romanian reviewer Bogdan Olariu aka b_olariu. Thanks Bogdan!

Back to Top
leonard View Drop Down
Forum Newbie
Forum Newbie


Joined: June 26 2009
Location: Netherlands
Status: Offline
Points: 5
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote leonard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 14 2009 at 08:38

Hi everybody,

I have now 3 CD's of Bi Kyo Ran but they have made so much more (especially live albums).
 
This is what they made:
 
studio:
 
Bi Kyo Ran
Parallax
Go Un
A Violent Music
Anthology volume 1
Cromartie O.S vol 1
Cromartie O.s vol 2
 
I have Bi Kyo Ran, Parallax and Anthology (especially Parallax is a classic !) and I can buy the other albums (hard to find) but not Go-Un (impossible to find).
 
They also have released a lot of live albums (5 in total).... are those albums also hard to find in Japan ?
 
greetings,
 
Peter (the Netherlands)
 
 
 

 

Back to Top
DamoXt7942 View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar

Joined: October 15 2008
Location: Okayama, Japan
Status: Offline
Points: 17493
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DamoXt7942 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 14 2009 at 06:13


TOTSUZEN DANBALL (Suddenly Cardboard?) were formed by TSUTAKI brothers (Eiichi, Shunji) as an experimental rock outfit in 1977.

They've got much experiences in gigging on stage in Tokyo over and over, and the hard efforts make them more gifted and more famous in Japanese underground music scene. In 1980 they shot the first single "White Man" and the joint EP "Pass Live" with Gunjogacrayon from Pass label. The following year was very important for them - their debut album "Naritatsukana? (Can I?)" saw the light, which could gain much approval from not only Japanese but worldwide reviewers of experimental music. In the middle 80s, they got more motivated for collaborations with Fred Frith (Henry Cow) (1982) or Lol Coxhill (1983). Shortly they released two EP - "Shinkeish*tsu-puuhaa" (1984) and "Gyakuneji" (1985) - from their self-label "Floor". In 1991 "Fubi" (including 'Around The Lostworld', one of the longest Japanese rock suite at that time) came from Alchemy Records. TOTSUZEN DANBALL released three albums from Wax Records in the 90s and TSUTAKI brothers repeated trial and error such as with changing members or contracts with some labels.

Sadly Eiichi TSUTAKI passed away from this world in 2003 but Shunji made a firm resolution to keep on playing with their friends. New TOTSUZEN DANBALL with eight friends released "Junsui De Socchoku Na Omoide (Pure And Frank Memories)" in 2007, with their memory of Eiichi.


Naritatsukana? (Can I?) - TOTSUZEN DANBALL (1981)

Absolutely minimal change of rock music by TOTSUZEN DANBALL (TOTSUDAN familiarly I call them).

Suddenly, yes suddenly fascinated by loose and lazy voices and a percussive guitar. The lyrics I cannot understand in detail...really Eiichi's voice itself can be thought as a 'colourless' instrument. What an extremely minimal psychedelia - the first track Sentaku To Hairetsu (The choise and the arrangement of the symbols) can be fit for this expression. Sticky and persistent repetitions by simple guitar and voice sounds, and some vacant intervals suddenly popping up, both are remarkably important for this song. And, though overestimated, this track might determine where TOTSUDAN should go.

Another side of their approach we can definitely find is the next track, a cover of The Girl From Ipanema. First please listen, and we'll feel it very impressive that such a typical Latino bossa nova can transform itself into an unpolished and uncategorized psychedelic bubblegum-rock. Unavoidable for us to say what a slow-down or an asthenic the middle part is hahaha. That's it, should they reject themselves categorized in spite of themselves? Or simply did they do what they wanted to do in this work? ...God (and the late Eiichi) only know.

The third track Mokkoh (Woodwork) and the eighth Yukkuri Tatsu Yukkuri Suwaru (Slowly stand up, slowly sit down) are psychedelic folk songs with a twittering & rumbling acoustic guitar solo on eccentrically twisted melodies. Their folk songs are not only folkish but awfully warped to trance - they might say so, always I suggest with these songs. Furthermore, Ya-Su-Mi (Ho-li-day) is like a broken rhythm machine - completely novel enumeration of voices and sounds (I cannot call it 'a song'). The last song is crooked rock and danball Naritatsukana? (Can I?), a slightly powerful but somewhat drive-lacking track. You know, they should reject to finish shooting the album normally.

Six bonus tracks are in - some are their what-is-called mischief with their psycharacteristic sounds, and some are psychedelic songs like others in the album. I cannot help saying about the last bonus track Natsu Wa Kageroh (The summer is shimmering). A very gentle and quiet (unlike the other songs) folk psychedelic song - should it drop out from the album because of its safe and sound atmosphere?

The pioneer of Japanese minimal psych is Naritatsukana? by TOTSUDAN, born 32 years ago. Now on sale.


Thank you for reading this blog. 

Edited by DamoXt7942 - October 14 2009 at 09:05
Back to Top
DamoXt7942 View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar

Joined: October 15 2008
Location: Okayama, Japan
Status: Offline
Points: 17493
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DamoXt7942 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 12 2009 at 08:04
A shining star in Japanese psychedelic rock scene! Clap



YURAYURA-TEIKOKU, as a three-piece outfit (four-piece only the beginning), were formed in 1989 around a guitarist and the leader Shintaro SAKAMOTO. In the middle of 1990s their terrific skill of play could make them more renowned all over fans and reviewers in Japan, by gigging many times and releasing lots of cassettes. For them 1998 was the season of change - they could sign a Japanese major label "MIDI Inc." and release their debut album "3x3x3", which was much approved by a huge amount of fans and reviewers. In those days the member were Shintaro SAKAMOTO (guitars, voices), Chiyo KAMEKAWA (bass), and Ichiro SHIBATA (drums, percussion); they have not been changed still now. Over 20 years YURAYURA-TEIKOKU have kept their "psychedelic rock" activity under Japanese independent rock scene.



As I put my impression into a phrase, they are exactly "very warm rock gang tinged with a bit of psychedelic flavour and a spice of grunge taste, less progressive colour and no flattery".

Well you know the first exploded sound bomb can surprise you completely, and...what a funky and funny development! At the next moment you should laugh out at their funky sounds and voices with industrially-crashed guitar solo. Yeah the key essence of their musical style has come around you immediately.
Of course not only this but also violently loud and speedy kicks hit your brain directly - such a grunge texture should be very important for them in this album. From the beginning many kinds of taste - bitter, salty, spicy, sweet and delicious - can pop up like a cracker bonbon with various colours of tape. Through the album, you can find lots of faces and appearances from YURAYURA's inner mind. In this work are simply bluesy rock songs or psychedelically relaxed ballad as well. The songs especially I'd like to emphasize are the sixth track Tsukinuketa and the tenth Evil Car. The former is stuffed with typical textbooks of loudly grunge-tinged guitar explosion and obscure shouts in only one minute - exactly psychedelic and industrial brain knocker I feel. And the latter should be, with a rumbling and trailing guitar solo and lazy crazy freaky voices, defined as a psychedelic progressive rock song in my opinion. This song is full of psychedelic elements as above mentioned, in over 9 minutes. Indeed pity that the whole album is not covered such a psychedelic progressive veil so I cannot call them psychedelic progressive rock outfit, but enough full stomach only to be caught in a shower with colourful and fruitful rock elements.

Over 20 years they are active and aggressive. This album is exactly the origin of their swinging (Yurayura).



Thank you for reading this blog. 
Back to Top
Takeshi Kovacs View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: September 27 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 2454
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Takeshi Kovacs Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 10 2009 at 14:33


Listening to Miroque by Zettaimu
Open the gates of the city wide....
Check out my music taste: http://www.last.fm/user/TakeshiKovacs/
Back to Top
honganji View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: September 21 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 571
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote honganji Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 10 2009 at 11:03
Hi DamoXt7942

La'cryma Christi is not close to Queen.
Tight and hard rock arrangement → Vienna
Pop and mass appealing melody → Yes
I feel such influences.

Maybe many Japanese proggers miss this group because of labelling as visual kei even though they are very famous. LOL


Back to Top
DamoXt7942 View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar

Joined: October 15 2008
Location: Okayama, Japan
Status: Offline
Points: 17493
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DamoXt7942 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 10 2009 at 10:39
Hmmm, indeed I've thought La'cryma Christi be one of Japanese "visual" rock outfits (so not heard yet). Ermm
Like early Queen? ...sooner I'll try, honganji. Smile
And please join our conference next time hahahaha. LOL

Alucard, always thanks...
There are surprisingly lots of Tatsuya Yoshida's projects;
Ruins, Koenjihyakkei, Tairiku-Otoko-Tai-Sanmyaku-Onna, Daisanmyaku X, Akaten, Korekyojin, The Magaibutsu, Seikazoku (awesome!) , Zubizuba, Daimonji, Sekkutsu-Jiin...etc, etc, etc, etc, etc,,, whew! Wacko

Takeshi, next time please check YURAYURA TEIKOKU. Tongue
They are not defined as progressive rock but fresh and fruitful psychedelic sounds they have.
Back to Top
Takeshi Kovacs View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: September 27 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 2454
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Takeshi Kovacs Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 09 2009 at 16:07


This was on my playlist today on my way home from work!
Open the gates of the city wide....
Check out my music taste: http://www.last.fm/user/TakeshiKovacs/
Back to Top
honganji View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: September 21 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 571
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote honganji Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 09 2009 at 04:39
La’cryma Christi Tour &amp;amp;#26410;&amp;amp;#26469;&amp;amp;#33322;&amp;amp;#36335; 1998.8.28 &amp;amp;#26481;&amp;amp;#20140;&amp;amp;#22269;&amp;amp;#38555;&amp;amp;#12501;&amp;amp;#12457;&amp;amp;#12540;&amp;amp;#12521;&amp;amp;#12512; &amp;amp;#12507;&amp;amp;#12540;&amp;amp;#12523;A and more

さすがに、この時期のLa'cryma Christiは充実しています。98年のライブにおまけとして02年のライブも収録されていますが、1stアルバムの曲多数の98年のライブの方が断然良い出来栄えでした。02年の方は、悪くはないけれど、どういうわけか今ひとつな感じです。
どうもビジュアル系ハードロックというレッテルが先走っていることで、見落とされがちですが、La'cryma Christiのメジャーデビュー後の3枚ぐらいまでは、かなりプログレ・ファンに向いているアルバムだと思いますよ。よく言われるように、ビジュアル系の仮面をかぶったプログレッシブ・ロックという評に、私も同意します。
Back to Top
DamoXt7942 View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar

Joined: October 15 2008
Location: Okayama, Japan
Status: Offline
Points: 17493
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DamoXt7942 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 06 2009 at 18:12
Originally posted by avestin avestin wrote:

Sorry if this band has been mentioned, but Ryodan is playing some very enthusiastic and energetic music:
http://www.myspace.com/ryodanmyspace



Wonderful ethnic music with primeval percussion for 'their' trance! Recommended! Clap
Back to Top
Rivertree View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator / Band Submissions

Joined: March 22 2006
Location: Germany
Status: Offline
Points: 17659
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rivertree Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 06 2009 at 02:15
Originally posted by avestin avestin wrote:

Sorry if this band has been mentioned, but Ryodan is playing some very enthusiastic and energetic music:
http://www.myspace.com/ryodanmyspace


just try to find the YouTube videos - great band Thumbs Up



Back to Top
avestin View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: September 18 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 12625
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote avestin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 05 2009 at 22:28
Originally posted by honganji honganji wrote:

Originally posted by avestin avestin wrote:

Sorry if this band has been mentioned, but Ryodan is playing some very enthusiastic and energetic music:
http://www.myspace.com/ryodanmyspace

I don't own this band's albumsShocked


Wow, that's a first... LOL

Anyway, they sound pretty good, I'll try and get something of theirs.


Back to Top
honganji View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: September 21 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 571
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote honganji Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 05 2009 at 22:03
Originally posted by avestin avestin wrote:

Sorry if this band has been mentioned, but Ryodan is playing some very enthusiastic and energetic music:
http://www.myspace.com/ryodanmyspace

I don't own this band's albumsShocked
Back to Top
Alucard View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: September 10 2004
Location: France
Status: Offline
Points: 3888
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Alucard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 05 2009 at 15:38
 
my  favourite Japonese prog musician Yoshida Tatsuya and his band /projects Ruins  & Koenjihyakkei (whom I saw two weeks ago during the RIO festival, one of the best concert s I ever saw)
 
 
 
 
BTW 1 there are a lot of excellent Japonese records on John Zorn's Tzadik label (Prog & Non Prog)
 
BTW 2 there is an excellent book about Japonese Prog edited by the label Musea (written In Fench)
MUSIQUES JAPONAISES INDEPENDANTES DES ANNEES 90 ( comes along with two CD's)
 
 

 

CD 1

90's japanese independent musics :

 

1

Hoppy Kamiyama - Fantasm B

 

4:33

2

Haco - Moonlight in Glory

 

3:29

3

Bondage Fruit - Prayer

 

7:06

4

Kondo Tatsuo - Chrome Yellow

 

4:34

5

Trembling Strain - Funeral Song II

 

6:51

6

Ruins - Regard de l'esprit de joie

 

2:06

7

Tetsuo Furudate - La jetée

 

5:05

8

Gaji - Hungry Children

 

4:30

9

Yuko Nexus6 - Henachoko Clock

 

4:48

10

Acid Mother Temple - Hello Eskimo or Polyhedric MU

 

7:10

11

Soh Band - Humble Paranoïa

 

9:06

12

灰野敬二 - Voice & Electrik Percussion

 

5:16

13

Filament - A Moonshine Affair

 

3:48

 

CD 2

Le meilleur du rock progressif japonais : The judgement of Osiris / Ars Nova ; Maria / Teru's Symphonia ; Tides of history / Motoi Sakuraba ; Floating ice / Wappa Gappa ; Chaos / Gerard ; Go together / Side Steps ; Heels of boots / Makoto Kitayama & Shingetsu Project ; Left alone / Magdalena ; Labyrinth (1998, new version) / Bellaphon ;

 





Edited by Alucard - October 06 2009 at 12:48
Tadpoles keep screaming in my ear
"Hey there! Rotter's Club!
Explain the meaning of this song and share it"

Back to Top
avestin View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: September 18 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 12625
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote avestin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 04 2009 at 21:52
Sorry if this band has been mentioned, but Ryodan is playing some very enthusiastic and energetic music:
http://www.myspace.com/ryodanmyspace
Back to Top
honganji View Drop Down
Forum Senior Member
Forum Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: September 21 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 571
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote honganji Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 03 2009 at 23:08
(^^;)
I live very far from Tokyo, so I haven't been there more than 20 years. Could you enjoy conference?
(^o^)/

By the way, La'cryma Christi will release some live albums on October 7.
They are very underrated because of categorizing as visual kei hard rock band. However they were, I believe, one of the best progressive rock band in late 1990s. Especially Sculpture Of Time is a great gem in late 90s Japanese scene.
Sculpture of Time

Yes + Vienna ??? Highly recommended album!

I ordered an album entitled La'cryma Christi Tour 未来航路 1998.8.28 東京国際フォーラムホール A and More. Maybe I suppose this is the best live album for me because they released Sculpture Of Time in 1997 and Lhasa in 1998. La'cryma Christi was very bright at that time.
La’cryma Christi Tour &amp;#26410;&amp;#26469;&amp;#33322;&amp;#36335; 1998.8.28 &amp;#26481;&amp;#20140;&amp;#22269;&amp;#38555;&amp;#12501;&amp;#12457;&amp;#12540;&amp;#12521;&amp;#12512; &amp;#12507;&amp;#12540;&amp;#12523;A and more

Also I ordered some Japanese albums.
*Taj-Mahal Travellers / Live Stockholm 1971
*Imahori Tsuneo - Yoshida Tatsuya / Territory
*Various Artists / Kumoi Hototogisukoku
*Fukamachi Jun and 21st Century Band / Rokuyu
*Kinniku Shojotai / Sister Strawberry
*TEE / The Earth Explorer

-news-
Oboreta Ebi no Kenshi Hokokusho may release 1st album in next spring. 

Back to Top
DamoXt7942 View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar

Joined: October 15 2008
Location: Okayama, Japan
Status: Offline
Points: 17493
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DamoXt7942 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 03 2009 at 18:05
Originally posted by Finnforest Finnforest wrote:

Cool, have fun tomorrow Damo!!  Clap
Yey, thanks Finnforest!
Yesterday Kazuhiro and I could make a short but warm rendezvous in a Shochu bar near Shinagawa Station, Tokyo. Big smile
Many many discussions about progressive rock scene and ProgArchives we had - oh, of course, RPI Specialist Prof. Finny came up in our discussion. Wink
We two could reach an agreement on suggesting more and more progressive artists we know to PA Specialists. Thumbs Up

Sooner he and I will get more active here hahahaha. LOL
Back to Top
Finnforest View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar
Honorary Collaborator

Joined: February 03 2007
Location: The Heartland
Status: Offline
Points: 17464
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Finnforest Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 02 2009 at 16:09
Cool, have fun tomorrow Damo!!  Clap
...that moment you realize you like "Mob Rules" better than "Heaven and Hell"
Back to Top
DamoXt7942 View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar

Joined: October 15 2008
Location: Okayama, Japan
Status: Offline
Points: 17493
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DamoXt7942 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 02 2009 at 07:48
Anyway, tomorrow I'll make a day trip for Tokyo, where my mate kazuhiro and I will have a mini conference about Japanese Progressive Rock...with MUCH ALCOHOL. Cool

How about your joinin' us, honganji? Hug
Back to Top
DamoXt7942 View Drop Down
Special Collaborator
Special Collaborator
Avatar

Joined: October 15 2008
Location: Okayama, Japan
Status: Offline
Points: 17493
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DamoXt7942 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 02 2009 at 04:14
Two Japanese psychedelic pioneers - one is King of Japanese psych, and another is fantastic novelty...but both have suspended their activity... Cry

 77 Live by LES RALLIZES DENUDES album cover
Studio Album, 1991
5.00 | 1 ratings

'77 Live
Les Rallizes Denudes Psychedelic/Space Rock

Review by DamoXt7942
Paranoiacollaborator Psych/Space Team (Jap. Psych Specialist)

— First review of this album —
5 stars Please listen to this album and be too surprised to say a word.

You cannot close your eyes and mouth - also I've been very surprised at my first try for this album. As follows, there are three points I would like to emphasize here:

1) Basically Takashi MIZUTANI's enthusiastic, tasteful, and fragile (sometimes madly exploded) electric guitar solo can take the initiative to drive the outfit as a basis. I feel he might particularly use neither eccentric phrases nor technical variations, but simple and laidback psychedelic riffs on his play. His strong policy and intention might immerse the audience deeply into his psychedelia, with simple and comfortable phrase repetitions by his 'numbing' guitar solo.

2) There is no suspicion that his 'electric heavyland' should have a bulky influence on the next generation bands such as Acid Mothers Temple. However, his remarkably different point from the younger players is that I can catch a glimpse of his 'junkie' smile in his loudly heavy earthquake. Namely, he could play loudly but with relaxation, not with scattering sweat and spit - such an atmosphere most of the novel psychedelic outfits cannot carry on, in my opinion.

3) Takashi's songs and voices are as awful as of a drunken guy in a cheap karaoke bar - as if I should be knocked out by sour and perfume smell over a matured whisky. Ah, sorry that I've used blatant words but, contrary to above mentioned, such a cheesy vocal might add some droning, hypnotic spice on their guitar-based psychedelia. Who knows what a poor stuff should get much impressive, and at least about them, who cares his voices be fishy - let me say how wonderful the ensemble should be, in spite of his voices.

Regretfully it's not easy for lots of psychedelic rock fans to get this album but so glad and happy if you can get and listen to the album with this point of view on the corner of your brain.

Well such a theoretical issue aside, let's enjoy this terrific album - you may feel the sound quality should be terribly crude, but this crudeness must push and kick you over the cliff named 'the real world'. 'Listen!' Takashi Mizutani's loudly growlin' and trailin' guitar solo would give us such a suggestive shout, and you will get happy with LES RALLIZES DENUDES' junkie and freaky intoxication around you - splendid time is guaranteed for all!


 City Calls Revolution by GREEN MILK FROM THE PLANET ORANGE album cover
Studio Album, 2005
4.00 | 1 ratings

City Calls Revolution
Green Milk From The Planet Orange Psychedelic/Space Rock

Review by DamoXt7942
Collagenizor Psych/Space Team (Jap. Psych Specialist)

— First review of this album —
4 stars Let me say - for me, there are two sorts of psychedelic progressive rock. One is what I listen to for some comfort or relaxed mind, and another is for getting more active and more powerful - a musical charger as it is said. GREEN MILK FROM THE PLANET ORANGE, a power play, is of course the latter.

As said about Jaapnese psychedelic bands, GREEN MILK FROM THE PLANET ORANGE's musical style on City Calls Revolution is the garage rock flavour of MARBLE SHEEP blended with the spacey innovation of ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE. Aside from just the beginning of the first track Concrete City Breakdown, mellow and hypnotic spelling of a keyboard solo, here is exactly a lump of fuzzy, noisy, hardy guitar and active, aggressive, cumulative drums and percussion. Obsucure voices and whispers and shouts can make their sounds more violent and more incoherent - sorry that I cannot understand Dead K's voices, not only English words but Japanese ones, but his voices should be a real violent instrument itself, especially the Japanese shouts like a leftist movement or proclamation in the latter part of the Concrete City Breakdown. Who cares what they said in the track - everything active, everything powerful, and everything violent is okay for us 'depressed listeners'. (Um, in this sense, the beginning of fragile keyboard sounds would be heard like an weird opening act. ) OMGS is characterized by an intense battle between a speedy guitar and strengthened drums. Fiercely terribly terrific with violent shouts added! Demagog is exactly a psychedelic grind core as from Earache label.

And, contrary to the previous tracks, the longest laidback jam session A Day in the Planet Orange gets started unnoticed. Slowly stoner / shoegaze and strongly persistent riffs by all instruments including crazy chorus are immediately erosive and comfortably itchy bitchy. An earachy and deeply dignified guitar solo in the second third of the track should be kickin' knockin' us "tired listeners" and makin' us active and aggressive immediately. The last third part is, I consider, surely "lingering imagery" or "subtle overtones" with exploded violence once again at last. Why don't we get powerful and intensive with bein' immersed by this volcanic work?

Sadly, absolutely sadly, GREEN MILK FROM THE PLANET ORANGE has suspended their activity - we may not gain their power anymore.



Edited by DamoXt7942 - October 02 2009 at 04:16
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1 4243444546 52>

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down



This page was generated in 0.192 seconds.
Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.