For sure! Actually, many of the Japanese artists seem oblivious to our genre definitions, so they do experimental stuff that colours outside the lines. Thanks for stopping by and for your comment!
Loving the Japanese rock/fusion/jazz scene!!! To the point of almost giving up on everything else (almost, but not quite). KOAI is yet another Japanese group of outlandishly skilled players weaving together beautifully composed songs that captivate me. I don't think any band will ever take my attention, joy and love as much as Band-Maid has, but some of these groups are coming close. Thanks for the great discussion and insight!
Thank you for checking this out. I feel much the same about Band-Maid, and of course I am just constantly amazed at what I am finding in the Japanese scene. I have more on the way, and am always open to suggestions for new artists to write about! Thanks again,
Thanks Thea for checking it out and for the re-stack. Yes, as crazy as their instrumental chops are, what really impresses me is their songwriting. It seems so mature for a group this young.
I listened to all of the songs in this and your previous post called A Dazzling Young Band. In all honesty, I was completely blown away by Rina's vocal talent. Her voice is both rich and expressive, there's a maturity and level of emotion there that I found gripping and compelling and made me want to hear much more. At this point in time, I didn't experience that with Kotono's voice, which as you say is clear and ringing but does not have the same richness or emotional depth. I'm sure that will come with time, and then they'll be a great band.
I also have to say that I loved the songs that had a jazz feel, like One More Chance is Enough and Looking Up to You.
I also have to admit that it's never been about virtuosity for me with any band, and after one song with a lot of that (even with Hendrix!) I personally want them to get back to telling a musical story and stop with the instrumental hijinks. I didn't notice that so much with Rina but it's a bit much for me personally with this new incarnation. The music needs to be in service rather than a main event (for me).
So to answer your question, they're not my favorite new band yet. But perhaps I'm not their intended audience and you are. I wouldn't want them to change their approach if their audience loves what they're doing. THey might be completely on track and headed for superstardom!
Hey Ellen, thanks as always for the thoughtful comments. First of all, I agree with you about Rina's talent, and can't fathom why she would hang it up.
Re. virtuosity--I don't see it as either/or. A virtuoso simply has more tools at their disposal to tell a story, but the point is indeed to tell a story. That is why, for example, I find Yngwie Malmsteen boring. He is one of the world's great shredders, but that is almost all he does. Still, the instrumentals for me can be the main event. Two of my favorite guitar solos of all time are David Gilmour's solos in "Comfortably Numb" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTseTg48568 They are slow and measured, yet only a virtuoso could pull these off. The vocal parts of the song set the stage but the solos are undoubtedly the main event, and they pack a huge emotional wallop.
Re: superstardom: Rock has become a small niche, and bands are not in vogue now, so if superstardom is measured by crowds or clicks, then that's not realistic. The good news is at their age they already have the respect of other musicians, and that's a big deal.
Hi again Charles, it does seem a loss for Rina to leave the business, but it seems like a challenging profession from a personal standpoint with the rehearsal, performance, and touring demands that can interfere with having a rewarding personal life. I know someone in the classical world struggling with balancing having two young children, a working wife, and a career as a musician that doesn't require constant travel or staying put but playing with a bureaucratic orchestra. So, like anything, there can be some difficult trade-offs and maybe Rina realized that it wasn't for her.
You will now realize with horror what a musical cretin I am. When people play long guitar solos, I find myself spacing out and thinking about what I'm going to have for dinner! I think I tend to be in the middle of the music spectrum, with the folks that want a great tune that grabs their attention and tells a quick story on one end and music aficionados who love virtuoso performances on the other. It's like people who read fiction or watch a film for a quick thrill on one end to people who love to watch great actors at work no matter the quality of the film at the other. We all get our kicks in different ways -- depends what kind of chemicals you want surging through your brain!
(Tell me if, as usual, I'm being overly opinionated. I do own up to it! But I can't seem to help myself.)
Yes, making a life as an artist is tough and appears to be getting tougher. The industry is brutal, so your points are spot on.
From one opinionated person to another, I just say go for it! I love classic rock so we have a lot of overlap. I think my tolerance for instrumentals, including guitar solos, comes from having grown up on instrumental music (classical, jazz) before being exposed to popular music. My main exposure to vocals was the 60's folk singers (Pete Seeger, PP&M, Woody and Arlo Guthrie, Joan Baez etc.) The Beatles were the game-changer for me, as they were for many people.
There are a number of interesting Japanese bands…of all genres.
For sure! Actually, many of the Japanese artists seem oblivious to our genre definitions, so they do experimental stuff that colours outside the lines. Thanks for stopping by and for your comment!
Loving the Japanese rock/fusion/jazz scene!!! To the point of almost giving up on everything else (almost, but not quite). KOAI is yet another Japanese group of outlandishly skilled players weaving together beautifully composed songs that captivate me. I don't think any band will ever take my attention, joy and love as much as Band-Maid has, but some of these groups are coming close. Thanks for the great discussion and insight!
Thank you for checking this out. I feel much the same about Band-Maid, and of course I am just constantly amazed at what I am finding in the Japanese scene. I have more on the way, and am always open to suggestions for new artists to write about! Thanks again,
And how do you pronounce the band name? Koy eye?
Yes. It means "strong love" in Japanese.
Thx!
Holy shit! Their diversity. And guitars! Love them.
Thanks Thea for checking it out and for the re-stack. Yes, as crazy as their instrumental chops are, what really impresses me is their songwriting. It seems so mature for a group this young.
Unexpected compositions are always refreshing!
I listened to all of the songs in this and your previous post called A Dazzling Young Band. In all honesty, I was completely blown away by Rina's vocal talent. Her voice is both rich and expressive, there's a maturity and level of emotion there that I found gripping and compelling and made me want to hear much more. At this point in time, I didn't experience that with Kotono's voice, which as you say is clear and ringing but does not have the same richness or emotional depth. I'm sure that will come with time, and then they'll be a great band.
I also have to say that I loved the songs that had a jazz feel, like One More Chance is Enough and Looking Up to You.
I also have to admit that it's never been about virtuosity for me with any band, and after one song with a lot of that (even with Hendrix!) I personally want them to get back to telling a musical story and stop with the instrumental hijinks. I didn't notice that so much with Rina but it's a bit much for me personally with this new incarnation. The music needs to be in service rather than a main event (for me).
So to answer your question, they're not my favorite new band yet. But perhaps I'm not their intended audience and you are. I wouldn't want them to change their approach if their audience loves what they're doing. THey might be completely on track and headed for superstardom!
What Ellen said!
Hey Ellen, thanks as always for the thoughtful comments. First of all, I agree with you about Rina's talent, and can't fathom why she would hang it up.
Re. virtuosity--I don't see it as either/or. A virtuoso simply has more tools at their disposal to tell a story, but the point is indeed to tell a story. That is why, for example, I find Yngwie Malmsteen boring. He is one of the world's great shredders, but that is almost all he does. Still, the instrumentals for me can be the main event. Two of my favorite guitar solos of all time are David Gilmour's solos in "Comfortably Numb" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTseTg48568 They are slow and measured, yet only a virtuoso could pull these off. The vocal parts of the song set the stage but the solos are undoubtedly the main event, and they pack a huge emotional wallop.
Re: superstardom: Rock has become a small niche, and bands are not in vogue now, so if superstardom is measured by crowds or clicks, then that's not realistic. The good news is at their age they already have the respect of other musicians, and that's a big deal.
Thanks again for the thoughts!
Hi again Charles, it does seem a loss for Rina to leave the business, but it seems like a challenging profession from a personal standpoint with the rehearsal, performance, and touring demands that can interfere with having a rewarding personal life. I know someone in the classical world struggling with balancing having two young children, a working wife, and a career as a musician that doesn't require constant travel or staying put but playing with a bureaucratic orchestra. So, like anything, there can be some difficult trade-offs and maybe Rina realized that it wasn't for her.
You will now realize with horror what a musical cretin I am. When people play long guitar solos, I find myself spacing out and thinking about what I'm going to have for dinner! I think I tend to be in the middle of the music spectrum, with the folks that want a great tune that grabs their attention and tells a quick story on one end and music aficionados who love virtuoso performances on the other. It's like people who read fiction or watch a film for a quick thrill on one end to people who love to watch great actors at work no matter the quality of the film at the other. We all get our kicks in different ways -- depends what kind of chemicals you want surging through your brain!
(Tell me if, as usual, I'm being overly opinionated. I do own up to it! But I can't seem to help myself.)
Yes, making a life as an artist is tough and appears to be getting tougher. The industry is brutal, so your points are spot on.
From one opinionated person to another, I just say go for it! I love classic rock so we have a lot of overlap. I think my tolerance for instrumentals, including guitar solos, comes from having grown up on instrumental music (classical, jazz) before being exposed to popular music. My main exposure to vocals was the 60's folk singers (Pete Seeger, PP&M, Woody and Arlo Guthrie, Joan Baez etc.) The Beatles were the game-changer for me, as they were for many people.