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I post this song, but really, I want you to listen to this song...

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 00:18:00 +0900

I post this song, but really, I want you to listen to this song — after. You can’t understand how awesome that one is, though, until you listen to this original first. Shiina Ringo guests on the other track and sings the trumpet melody from this version… and it makes you realize what an awesome singer she is. The way she throws her voice around is incredible. So listen to this first, then make sure you check out the other version.

If this song doesn’t grab you right from the opening...

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 22:25:00 +0900

If this song doesn’t grab you right from the opening riff… I don’t really need to say much more, other than to tell you that you need to get Tokyo Jihen’s new album, Dai Hakken.

My consumption of ’90s soft rock skyrockets in the summer...

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 11:23:00 +0900

My consumption of ’90s soft rock skyrockets in the summer for some strange reason… but to ease off the cheese factor a bit, today’s dated selection is Spitz, so I’m sure it’s forgivable, yeah? :) My cab driver was playing this in her car this morning (yes, her!), and I’ve had it stuck in my head since. Breezy with a tug of wistfulness in a great melody line.

Whereas I can enjoy ’80s pop music without a hint of...

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 21:09:00 +0900

Whereas I can enjoy ’80s pop music without a hint of irony, I think the ’90s are still a little too close that there’s a fair amount of guilt if I enjoy it too much. Luckily I don’t feel that way with the New Radicals, who I wish had transcended from one-hit wonder status after “You Get What You Give.” I’m a little more partial to their follow-up, “Someday We’ll Know.” I got a thing for soft alt-rock power ballads. The musical similarities to Todd Rundgren doesn’t hurt either… who also sang on the Hall & Oates cover of this song, by the way…

Sometimes you need gloomy music for rain. Ohashi Trio’s...

Sun, 12 Jun 2011 15:21:00 +0900

Sometimes you need gloomy music for rain. Ohashi Trio’s “Clam Chowder” is not the one, but still perfect rain music… hopefully while you are indoors and not getting soaked. :)

I used to be in love with CHEMISTRY. Maybe...

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 08:40:00 +0900

I used to be in love with CHEMISTRY. Maybe “obsessed” is a better word. After I moved on from pop boy bands (… okay, slight lie, they are still my Achilles heel), I transferred that devotedness to this R&B-pop duo, who I’ve been following since their televised debut. Their music went through some varying phases, from R&B-based tunes to a jazzier base, a dip into uninfluenced adult contemporary pop, and even their recent (not-so-great) dance-pop efforts, complete WITH dancing. Poor CHEMISTRY. It’s hard to survive among the AKBs and Perfumes and EXILEs out there.

I don’t listen to CHEMISTRY much anymore, but some of their older songs are still classics. “Itoshii Hito” is a lesser known B-side that is a constant on my summer playlist. The roar of the train in the intro, the whistled melody line, the lush and relaxed arrangement… this is summer-sunset, retrospective hammock-nappin’ music.

Don’t you love it when you rediscover songs you never paid...

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 23:56:00 +0900

Don’t you love it when you rediscover songs you never paid attention to before, but suddenly aggressively assert its melody while your playlist is on shuffle? This live recording of Hata Motohiro’s “Yoru ga Akeru” strips down the original to a much more pared down arrangement, making for a bluesier, lonelier and altogether more soulful rendition. Retrospective summer nights soundtrack material. Blast the volume for the full effect.

Recognized more for his falsettos, Mayer Hawthorne switches...

Tue, 17 May 2011 13:35:39 +0900

Recognized more for his falsettos, Mayer Hawthorne switches things up for his covers EP, Impressions, employing more of his lower range for a refreshing change. “Work to Do” is a cover of the 1972 original by The Isley Brothers. (Please, let’s not talk about that scary ’90s cover by Vanessa Williams…) Faithful to the grooviness of the original, if just a notch more sprightly. This one’s for all you workaholics.

Immediately from the opening of this song, I envisioned this as...

Fri, 13 May 2011 09:51:00 +0900

Immediately from the opening of this song, I envisioned this as the title track to the opening sequence of my life movie. It’s also the perfect Sunday brunch tune. (Or, rather, the perfect Sunday-in-bed-while-debating-moving-for-brunch tune. You know how those Sundays go.) Ohashi Trio — a misleadingly-named one-man operation — pretty much fits the bill for my musician wishlist, which sounds like an amalgam of all my favorite genres: Pleasing pop sensibilities with a jazz/blues influence. Thoughtful, simple arrangements associated with singer/songwriter types — but whimsical enough that it doesn’t take itself so seriously. Plug it in.

The cast of “Glee” must have a blast, because their...

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 22:33:40 +0900

The cast of “Glee” must have a blast, because their job—and the show—is essentially glorified karaoke. The success in terms of sales for the soundtracks is impressive, and songs from both the ’80s and of last week get a temporary lease on new life after exposure on the show. Justin Bieber songs, on the other hand, don’t need “Glee” to help its popularity… but in this case, may make them more bearable. Chord Overstreet, who plays the all-American, ripped-straight-out-of-a-Hollister-ad golden boy Sam, makes the the ’00s teenybopper anthem “Baby” a little less squeaky, a little less pre-pubescent.

…. What, you thought Bieber Fever ended last year? I DARE you to listen to this and not get it stuck in your head for the next week. (You’re welcome.)

Finally, finally, finally: Corinne Bailey Rae drops her new EP...

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 20:56:00 +0900

Finally, finally, finally: Corinne Bailey Rae drops her new EP of covers. Her version of Bob Marley’s “Is This Love” comes off a tinge woeful and hits you right where it should with its strong, soulful melodic imprint. “Lovely” is an overused word to describe CBR songs — but hey, it is what it is. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, love?

Checkin’ out for the holidays. Have yourself a merry...

Tue, 21 Dec 2010 23:51:11 +0900

Checkin’ out for the holidays. Have yourself a merry little Christmas with this mellow variation on a classic minus any obnoxious in-your-face holiday spirit.

This is the ultimate chill-out music to go along with lazy...

Sun, 19 Dec 2010 23:39:03 +0900

This is the ultimate chill-out music to go along with lazy Sundays, or solo drives on the highway at night, or a four minute escape from the monotony of everyday commuting. Fit into my leisurely weekend. Sad to think that Nujabes is no longer around to make some of the beautiful music that he did…

This is what gets me up in the morning these days — the right...

Sat, 18 Dec 2010 09:46:15 +0900

This is what gets me up in the morning these days — the right amount of catchiness that builds up inoffensively. Unrequited love always manages to sound charming and fluffy with electropop beats and childishly girly twee voices like Giselle Rosselli’s, which I can only describe as the kind of tickling voice you want whispered in your ear.

It’s officially December, which means the embargo on...

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 17:27:06 +0900

It’s officially December, which means the embargo on holiday music is now up: you can play all the Christmas music your heart desires until December 25. (You can get away with it until December 28, but really, what’s the point of listening to Christmas music after Christmas? The excitement’s died down and it’s back to the usual programming!) To celebrate the first day of the last month of the year is “White Light” from Namie Amuro. Not quite Christmas, but definitely seasonally appropriate. Almost makes me wish it would start snowing. (Almost.)

Those opening bells do me in every time: this is THE feel-good...

Fri, 26 Nov 2010 19:04:58 +0900

Those opening bells do me in every time: this is THE feel-good song. Do yourself a favor and start your day off right (or end it, depending what time it is right now).

If you don’t listen to Japanese music, this is where you...

Thu, 25 Nov 2010 23:32:00 +0900

If you don’t listen to Japanese music, this is where you begin. Tokyo Jihen (Tokyo Incidents) fuses jazz and rock together to create some of the most dynamic melodies and arrangements with some killer spurts of guitar. The genius behind this band lies purely within its lead singer, Shiina Ringo, whose depth of solo work is something you must delve into if this song hooks you at all. “Sounan” needs no further introduction, other than that it’s one of the best representations of excellent Japanese music beyond all that idol pop permeating the airwaves.

The second half of 2010 has been a brilliant year for pop...

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 21:16:00 +0900

The second half of 2010 has been a brilliant year for pop albums. That said, I was initially not feeling Maroon 5’s third album release, Hands All Over. Musically, though the group has never hit the high of their debut, which weaved groovy funk with pop sensibilities, they have remained fairly consistent — to a fault, with familiarity giving way to formulaic. And lyrically — well, let’s just say I’m not someone who ever pays attention to lyrics, but the drippy emo whinings of Adam Levine got a bit too hard to ignore, particularly on this CD.

So why, you must be asking, why the heck is today’s song a cut off said CD? Because the same thing happened with this album like it did when I grudgingly listened to their second album over and over again: I loved it. In spite of all the

“Just a Feeling” is not about heartbreak, but the dread of impending heartbreak, which in some cases is even worse. In our case, it’s better, as we don’t have to be subject to the woe-is-me pity party, although there’s enough of a melancholic tinge that gives it just the right amount of despair. This is classic Maroon 5, and if you enjoyed their anthemic ballads, this is right up your alley.

Confession: I do have a “slow jams” playlist. This...

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 11:25:14 +0900

Confession: I do have a “slow jams” playlist. This is the most played track on the entire playlist. Before Monica became a druggie and Usher started writing confessions about his infidelity and clubby sexy jams, you had this sweet R&B duet. Gosh, don’t you miss the ’90s? (Okay, I figure we need another 10 more years to fully appreciate the ’90s music like we do with the ’70s and ’80s right now… but as a ’90s child, I will forever embrace the nostalgia it brings me.)

I looked out the window the other day and realized that the...

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 12:25:50 +0900

I looked out the window the other day and realized that the leaves have finally started changing colors here in southern Japan. The lack of central heating makes me forget it’s still unbearably warm here for what should really be the transition from autumn to winter – it’s 70ºF (21ºC) today! In November! And yet I have co-workers brrr’ing and raising rampant fears of “snowstorms” like last year’s deadly 2–inch snowfall…

But back to fall. Nothing better to welcome the flashes of red and orange than this contemplative jazz piano ditty. Zip up your boots, pop in this tune in your iPod and take a walk before the crisp air turns brittle.