Best of 2006 (Japanese Music-hen)
First of all, I’d like to say that Football Manager is evil, pure evil. I’ve lost years of my life to that blasted game. Moving on…..
Now that the Oricon year is over, time to post one of those boring best ofs. I had been keeping similar lists for the last 9-10 years (on paper) but seem to have misplaced them. Aargh.
The Japanese music scene was fairly dull for me this year. There wasn’t a lot of stuff I really liked, there were quite a few disappointments and tons of merely ‘OK’ albums.
To kick things off;
Top 10 Japanese Singles of 2006 (in no particular order)
1. Dear friends. TRIPLANE
Sounds very much like a Mr.Children song. Not that that’s a bad thing.
Simply fantastic single. Anthemic and nostalgic, you can almost imagine them singing this to a packed arena, lighters (and camera phones) aloft.
Quruli fans no doubt find this a match made in hell. I don’t mind either band though my affection for Quruli has lessened somewhat over the last 2 albums or so, but this pair of tunes are top pop songs.
4. Koisuru otome. Ikimonogakari
My favourite new band of 2006, it was hard to decide between their four singles. Settled on this because the c/w song was brilliant too. Power pop at its best.
Another sparkling pop single, complete with cheesy Amazing Grace sample.
I still think they’re better off sticking to ballads.
Its parent album PARADE was rather bland, but this single is one of his best in years.
I can’t seem to find his album anywhere; I might actually resort to buying it. Great guitar powered pop-rock.
I had them pegged as Ketsumeishi wannabes the first time I heard Toshindai no Love Song, but they’ve gone from strength to strength and ended the year by releasing an equally great single (Sen no Yoru o Koete) and album (Kaze o Atsumete).
I suddenly realise I’ve forgotten to buy their album Constant Music 2 and hence it didn’t have a chance of making it into my top 10 albums. Oops. I’m not normally into J-ska but The Miceteeth make such nice, happy music that I can’t resist.
Other notables: Nakamaura Ataru’s Tomodachi no Uta, SEAMO’s Mata Aimashou, SunSet Swish’s Kaze no Runner, Onsoku Line’s Mizuiro no Machi, BONNIE PINK’s A Perfect Sky, Asai Kenichi’s WAY.
Top 10 Japanese music albums of 2006:
I’d been anticipating this one for ages. sweet montage A was a great record, and I had high hopes for Message Pie. The only single from the album Cinderella is a perfect showcase of the band’s talents with its soaring melodies and perfect harmonies; and the rest of the album follows in a similar vein.
I have a fondness for nasal-voiced girlie rock. Probably stretches back to the times when Judy and Mary were chart-toppers and regularly sold 1m+ copies of their albums….. I was quite looking forward to GO!GO!7188’s new one as well but that kinda sucked. chatmonchy’s Shangrila > GO!GO!7188’s Shangrila.
Weird noise, strange beats and general chaos abounds in their songs. Somehow it all comes together to make a fun, catchy electro-poprock album which sort of reminds me of Supercar in their electronic phase.
4. Me and Your Borderline. LAST ALLIANCE
Chock-full of catchy pop-rock tunes and big choruses. Good for anyone seeking an alternative to ELLEGARDEN.
It’s not as good as ‘traveling fair’ but there’s still some great songs on it such as White and Melody. Makes me yearn for the Radiohead of old.
So what if their sound hasn’t progressed from the last couple of records? There’s nobody around who produces rock as polished and tight as this.
Bands with names as rubbish as this shouldn’t be any good. But this is great guitar pop with nonsensical lyrics and nursery rhyme-like melodies. There’s not much variety in the songs, but who cares when they’re all as fun as this.
A very good easy-listening pop album, and is music your mum would no doubt approve of. God only knows why they had to release it the same week as Ayumi Hamasaki’s newest coaster.
A brilliant mish-mash of ska, swing and rock. I’ve always liked these guys and this mini-album is a fun ride from start to finish.
No-one really listens to them I guess, but their music is a unique blend of funk, blues and pop. Apart from the vomit-inducing Aishiteru, this is a smart and groovy album that deserves more attention.
Best Best Of Albums
Won’t bother saying much about these, they’re greatest hits for God’s sake.
Guitar virtuoso. His cover of Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence is the best version I’ve heard yet.
A good reminder of what a great singles band they are. Though I can’t fathom why Sentiment Express was left off.
Possibly the greatest Japanese guitar-pop band ever. Their early material still sucks though.
Maybe it’s cos she’s a ukelele player, but she just doesn’t get the attention she deserves.
Sob. I remember just days after getting my copy of this they announced their break-up. I was kinda suspicious I suppose, with a best of collection having been announced already, and them doing a tour so close to the album. It was fun while it lasted.
Close, but no cigar: BONNIE PINK’s Every Single Day might’ve made it if Bonnie’s Kitchen didn’t exist. Shono Juli’s Best, Amano Tsukiko’s Deluxe Catalog and Hitoto Yo’s BESTYO were also pretty nifty compilations.
Stay tuned for the rest. I’m also gonna do a best of for anime, but I’ll wait til some of the current shows finish their run (Otoboku, Asatte no Houkou, Hataraki Man).
December 24th, 2006 at 11:21 pm
BORIS
where art thou?
guessing the overlap ain’t there, but there’s no denying that 2006 was the year they ruled w/ an iron fist and a wall of amplifiers.
December 26th, 2006 at 6:57 am
ah well, BORIS (and noise in general) don’t do much for me (and my tinnitus).
January 4th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
As a Quruli fan I can verify that I for one certainly did find their collaboration with rip - slyme pretty distasteful.