Japanese Progressive Rock presented by DamoX

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

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

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

Hmmm, indeed I've thought La'cryma Christi be one of Japanese "visual" rock outfits (so not heard yet).
Like early Queen? ...sooner I'll try, honganji.
And please join our conference next time hahahaha.

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!

Takeshi, next time please check YURAYURA TEIKOKU.
They are not defined as progressive rock but fresh and fruitful psychedelic sounds they have.

Listening to Miroque by Zettaimu

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

Let's all give to Mr Keishiro a pleasent forward staying here in PA and japanese prog rules

DamoXt7942 wrote: 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!