James Eldred
Random Weird Record Reviews
I’ve been taking a deep dive into some weird music lately. I don’t know why. Usually I would share this stuff on Lost Turntable, but since that blog is only for music that is out-of-print (support the musicians you like!) I can’t really do that.
So apropos of nothing, a series of mini-reviews of avant-garde, progressive, leftfeild, new wave, ambient, drone, industrial records that I bought last week. Some are new pressings, all are new to me. And all of them are easily available on iTunes!
Blackouts – Ashra (Manuel Göttsching)
I’d seen Göttsching’s name before and have browsed over his records in the past, but this was the first time I’d picked one up. But I think I’ll be grabbing more in the future, because this album is really special. It’s loop and sequencer based, but it also has strong melodies and hooks on top of all that. Imagine Fripp/Eno but catchy. Really amazing guitar sound on this record, I cannot recommend it enough. If you like Brian Eno, Tangerine Dream or any of the wonky shit I post at Lost Turntable, you’ll probably dig on this. Continue reading
A Nostalgia for MP3 Blogs
The internet is old enough for us to have nostalgia for how it used to be, but most people don’t. Sure, the internet is a flaming garbage pile now, but 20 years ago it was a really ugly flaming garbage pile that ran really slow.
But recently I’ve found myself waxing nostalgic for the internet of 2005-2010. Not because it was before social media ruined everything, but because it was the age of the MP3 blog. Continue reading
Osamu Shoji: 1932-2018
Last month, the music world lost a genius you’ve most likely never heard of, Osamu Shoji. He was 85 years old.
Osamu Shoji was born in 1932, and he started out as a songwriter for Japanese pop artists in the late-60s, but his solo career didn’t take off in any substantial way until the late-70s, when he embraced the then relatively-new world of synthesizers and sequencers. In 1978, he released two albums of original synthesizer music: Welcome To The SF World, and Jataka, two absolutely wonderful records that feature ambient, new age and experimental tracks that showcase everything a synthesizer could accomplish in the late 70s. Continue reading
Japan Record Store Day Release Review Round Up
Record Store Day has been going strong in Japan for a few years now. First, they were content to only carry imports of the UK and US releases, but more recently Japanese artists have started to release their own RSD titles as well. I was able to get a few of them, as well as some other recent re-releases of note, and I thought I’d run through them here for those curious but hesitant to pay the import fees without knowing a bit more first.
Mioko Yamaguchi – Anju
When Mioko Yamaguchi’s studio albums were finally given a CD release a few months back, her “greatest hits” compilation Anju didn’t make the cut. This 7″ single collects the two songs that were recorded for that compilation, and thankfully also includes a CD with them as well. Continue reading
Requiem for Moog (and other synthesizer) covers albums
Synthesizer covers albums. They were a minor rage in the late-60s to mid-70s, thanks largely to the success of Wendy Carlos’ epic Switched-On Bach, one of the very first albums arranged entirely entirely on the Moog synthesizer that actually sounded like music. Before that, synthesizers was either a minor component in a larger band setting, or was only being used for ultra-experimental works that barely functioned as music proper. If you’ve ever gone record shopping, you’ve probably stumbled across these covers albums a budget bin. Maybe you picked one up, laughed at the audacity of it and put it back down. Or maybe you bought a couple just for giggles, only to forget about them soon after.
Or maybe you’re like me and you’ve bought somewhere between 50 and a hundred of them. (It’s hard for me to keep count, my collection is spread across two continents at the moment). Continue reading
Queer Eye for the Trump Guy
Netflix brought back Queer Eye last month, and it is shockingly good. The new Fab Five are great, and the relocation to Georgia was a fantastic idea. Most importantly, the subjects chosen for the makeovers are all really interesting. There’s the 57-year-old single man struggling with Lupus; the semi-closeted gay black man who wants to come out to his family; the father of six(!!!) whose life is in a predictable amount of chaos; and so many more amazing and really unique individuals whose lives could clearly benefit from a head-to-toe makeover.
Oh, and there’s also a white cop who voted for Trump. Fuck that dude. Continue reading
Formerly Out-Of-Print Japanese Albums You Need Now
I write about Japanese music a lot, but I’ve been motivated to write about it even more as of late. I’ve recently covered the whole “city pop” thing a few times now, mostly to the extent that I just don’t get it. It’s fine, and there are some artists in that scene that I definitely do dig, but to me it just seems like such an odd subgenre of J-pop for people to be interested in, mostly because there’s just so much more interesting stuff out there, especially in terms of Japanese synthpop (or, as they call it, “technopop”).
And no, I’m not just talking about YMO and their related acts (although, for fuck’s sake listen to YMO and their related acts) but other artists too. The early-80s was simply jam-packed with amazing Japanese synthpop, and now, finally, a lot of the better stuff that was lost to time is being re-isssued, many for the first time on CD. So I thought I would take a quick look at three amazing artist worth checking out whose albums have recently gone back into circulation. Continue reading
It’s 2018, ironic use of the F-word (no, the other one), isn’t okay.
I have never been a fan of the word “queer.” Wasn’t a fan of it when I was in junior high and called one. Wasn’t a fan of it when it became popular term for LGBT people to use to describe themselves. Wasn’t a fan of it when I started college and heard it in academic circles. I forever associate that word with bullies making fun of me for my perceived…queerness.
But whatever. That word has transcended its original meaning and is now used in a positive manner for those who identify as it. It’s not a word you’ll hear me say often, but the masses have spoken. Queer is an okay word to say (in context). I’m not going to argue that one.
But I won’t give “faggot” the same courtesy. Continue reading
Sniff This: Tokyo’s Smell Exhbition
You live in Japan long enough and the whole idea of “weird Japan” kind of goes away. What was once “weird” just becomes life. Oh, there’s a giant mascot shaped like an onigiri standing outside the station? Must be Tuesday.
But then your boyfriend says “I want to go to the smell museum,” and the weirdness jumps right back in your face. Continue reading
A Guide To Buying City Pop In Tokyo
A while ago I wrote a comprehensive guide to record stores in the greater Tokyo area. Ever since then, I’ll occasionally get an email from someone about to visit Tokyo, and they want to know the best stores to find their targeted genres.
These emails used to be comprised of people asking about soundtracks or heavy metal. Now they’re almost entirely from people asking about city pop. I was right, this is becoming a thing.
So I thought I would save everyone the trouble and just detail here the best stores in Tokyo to find city pop. Continue reading