 FEMM (Far East Mention Mannequins) pretty much blew up in 2014 when the PV for their song "Fxxk Boyz Get Money" went viral. Even if they never made it onto the charts that song became an instant hit for the group. With their debut album "Femm-Isation", FEMM solidified their spot as international pop stars that broke through barriers typically set for Japanese artists. This new release, "PoW!/L.C.S." is a bit of an odd one. The title songs make up a brand new single for the group, but this was actually released as a double album, including both the English and Japanese versions of "Femm-Isation", both previously released digitally. Since "Femm-Isation" came out two years ago, I'm only here to review the new songs. That said, "White Noise" (from the "Femm-Isation" album) is an amazing song, and never got as much attention as it should have. Now on to the review.  My first thought is that "PoW!" really lives up to its name. Featuring superhero imagery and lyrics, it's basically just another super catchy radio pop song. The production is great, the song just explodes in a perfect way. I also love the group's look in the PV, another iteration of their well-known mannequin style. "L.C.S." starts out with some Daft Punk-esque vocoder, and it certainly fits the theme. It's a robotic, electric-sounding song. It's actually pretty unique within FEMM's discography so far, just in terms of melody and structure. There's a little more risk, a little more experimentation. I love it! The video features the "mannequins" in motion capture outfits, in a computerized environment filled with 3D models and CGI effects. This song is a natural progression for FEMM, I think. I love the idea that they can make such radio-friendly pop sound so strange and robotic. I think it's a little odd that FEMM decided to tack on their entire debut album (TWICE!) onto this single, but it's not like it hurts the release in any way. The two new songs are pure gold, and I cannot WAIT to hear more from FEMM. I'm 100% on the bandwagon with them, and I won't be getting off any time soon. -Justin FEMM Is: RiRi (MS-00000 / Honey-B) LuLa (SW-000000 / W-Trouble) For More Information: Website: http://femms.jp/femme/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/FEMM____ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7Pp-ffsPH8ozLKFMdxOvFw/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/femm____/ FEMM - PoW MV   KANA-BOON is an indie rock band, who have released some pretty strong music in their relatively short career. Their single "Naimononedari" is, in my opinion, one of the best examples of indie J-rock in recent history. "Origin" is their third full-length album, and it's hard to say just how well it stands up to their previous work.
My first thought on the album was that there are a worrying amount of songs that just don't stand out at all. The first two tracks sound fine, but I couldn't tell you a single thing about them if they weren't playing at the time. The third song is a bit better, with a fantastic melody in the chorus. As far as the first half goes, "anger in the mind" has some pretty heavy riffs, and "Indifference" is just overall a great song, if a bit standard for KANA-BOON. It's the second half of the album where things start to pick up a bit. While nothing is overly as catchy as the band's earlier singles, there's still a lot of great songwriting and technical skill on display. Even as none of the songs stand out on their own, there's a lot of emotional intricacies at work. I LOVE "Stand By Me", which has nostalgic melodies fitting snugly together with some incredible riffs. The closing track, "Origin", is a pretty solid end to the album. The second half of the song in particular speeds things up for an explosive finish, something I wasn't expecting based on the rest of the album's tone. It's not a slow album exactly, but it's not an exciting one either. "Origin" isn't the best song, but its placement on the track list is what gives it that extra edge. It works nicely as a closer if nothing else. KANA-BOON has definitely done better work in the past. That said, "Origin" isn't a terrible album. It has its ups and downs, but in the end it falls somewhere around the "decent" mark. It's not bad, it's not great. Bigger KANA-BOON fans than myself might love it (or hate it?) but I'm feeling pretty unmoved by it. Favorites: Nandemo Nedari, Indifference, Stamd By Me, Origin -Justin KANA-BOON Is: Taniguchi tuna (Vocals, Guitar) Koga Hayabusato (Guitar) Iida Yuba (Bass) Takahiro Koizumi (Drums)  The Lost Ctrl are a hip-hop and EDM influenced rock band formed in 2010, based in Tokyo, Japan. "Blink" was released as a double A-side single in 2013, along with "Ball and Chain", but the video wasn't released until just this week. It also serves as the band's first-ever music video. Shot while the band was on tour in California (a tour that included a show at the world famous Whisky A Go Go), the music video for "Blink" features the band members walking along Santa Monica beach and pier. It's pretty straightforward, there's not a lot to be said about the video itself except that they chose a nice location for their first MV outing. Santa Monica is a nice enough place, if maybe a little strange for a band from Japan. The video mostly features the band hanging out in various shops near the beach and occasionally interacting with locals. The song is pretty straightforward too, like the band's aesthetic. It's a pop rock song with a little bit of rap thrown in for good measure. It kinda reminds me of Orange Range meets Spin Doctors, the sort of radio-friendly hard rock that was really huge in the mid 2000s. The band knows their way around their instruments, and it all sounds pretty clean. It's all very down-to-earth, a fun song for a club show (at the beach even) and maybe even a road trip. That said, I don't understand why The Lost Ctrl would choose such an old song for their debut video (They released a new single in December of last year, after all and the song "QUASAR" is an A-To-J favorite.) but it's not bad. If you're into some sort of chill, comfort-zone pop rock, this band might be up your alley. -Justin The Lost Ctrl is: AMA: Vocals/Rap Jim: Guitar/Synth Ray: Guitar/Cello Tatsuki: Guitar Katy: Bass Masaya: Drums For More Information: Website: http://tlclol.wix.com/thelostctrl-english Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelostctrl The Lost Ctrl - Blink MV As fair warning, I wanted to begin by saying that I have a huge bias for Hello! Project music. It’s the bulk of what I listen to, because they tend to cater to my tastes to the tee. That being said, there are a handful of picks which aren’t from Hello! Project, so they are definitely something special. Also, I really can’t order these in order of rank, because too many of them would end up as a tie. Instead, I’ve arranged them in order of artist (alphabetical order). Within each artist’s list though, those songs are ordered by rank (this only applies for artists I chose multiple songs from). Trust me, I tried for a long time to rank all the songs but I simply could not. It’s better this way. Think of it this way: if it made it on this list, it’s amazing and deserves to be checked out. I hope you enjoy my list, and if you aren’t familiar with any of these songs, I hope you discover something new and exciting. 1. Otome no Gyakushuu – ANGERME From the moment I heard this song in the beginning of the year, I knew it was going to be hard to top. I remember saying that it would likely be my song of the year. If not for the emotional impact of Berryz Kobo’s final song, this would definitely be my song of the year, without a doubt. It has a very dark tone, a very catchy beat, great use of vocal talent and a very well-directed music video. To top it off, it has a meaning that’s a little deeper than the average idol song. That’s not to say it’s a deep and complex song, but it is reasonably so within the genre. This song is what made me a believer in S/mileage’s reboot as ANGERME. They have since kept their high level of quality and have been on fire the whole time, as can be gathered from the number of songs on my list by them. 2. Desugita Kui wa Utarenai – ANGERMEThis one’s a doozy. Composed by Yuki Uozumi of LoVendoЯ, it has a very heavy rock feeling while still being grounded in the idol world. I’m especially fond of Yuki’s skills and I love her style when it comes to her compositions. The fact that she was able to contribute to the hottest Hello! Project group of 2015 in one of their best songs is awesome. The song has a very beautiful flow to it and makes use of some really strong vocal talent from the group to help push the song forward. 3. Taiki Bansei – ANGERME I’m not going to lie. Anything Takui Nakajima touches is usually pure gold. He’s made some really top-notch contributions for Hello! Project, this one arguably being his best. Interestingly, this was going to be an original song in his own album but he agreed to give this version to ANGERME instead, thus making his version a cover. Odd how that works out, but as far as I’m concerned both versions are his creations so neither is a cover. This song was ANGERME’s first foray into that rock-idol fusion and was a darn good start. This fusion has also been ANGERME’s prevailing theme in their singles since they started. 4. Nana Korobi Ya Oki – ANGERMEAny song where Meimi Tamura is at the forefront of the chorus is a good song in my books. Being one of the strongest singers in not only ANGERME, but also Hello! Project, she brings a very phenomenal talent to the table. This particular song is propelled by her talent, and is undeniably the main pull of this song for me. That’s not to say that the rest of the crew does not shine, because they most definitely do. 5. Mahou Tsukai Sally – ANGERME Alright, this one is a little silly of me. This is far from being intense or complex. In fact, it’s probably one of the most simple. It has a repetitive chorus, and a repetitive sound as a whole. That being said, this song is freaking catchy as heck. Most importantly, it is extremely fun! From the cute little witch outfits to the really adorable approach to the singing style, this song tickles me in all the right ways. This is actually a variation on the theme song for the anime of the same name. Over the many years and many iterations of this anime there have been an equal number of variations on this song. Another reason for my love of this is the very distinct S/mileage feel. This was the first song since they started as ANGERME where I felt they did a good job of bridging that gap between old S/mileage to new ANGERME. That, is ultimately why I love this song so much. 6. Love together! – Berryz Kobo (TEEPU’S TOP PICK FOR 2015) Oh my goodness, I don’t even know where to begin. This song drives me insane. I’ve grown into the person I am today due in large part to the music I started listening to back in 2005. Morning Musume and Berryz Kobo have been the biggest positive points in my life. That being said, having to see Berryz Kobo go on indefinite hiatus (read: quit) was heart breaking. Being there to see it in person even more so. I remember sitting in the audience, holding my breath when the final song was announced, tears on all the members’ faces. Suddenly a piano appeared to the left of the stage, and they sang this song purely to a piano instrumental. Despite their imperfections due to them crying, this song was the epitome of performances to me. It was fueled by the most power, emotion and love of any song I’ve ever seen performed in my life. Not just by the pianist and the singers, but also by the audience as we sung along too. It was an experience unlike anything I’ve seen. This song has some very powerful lyrics that really hit you in the heart as their final farewell to their fans and the world of idols. Admittedly, I like that last live much better than the original arrangement, but the song as a whole is just an extremely beautiful song that will forever hold a special place in my heart. It’s composed beautifully, places each of the girl’s talents accordingly and has a very melodic feel to it. I think it is extremely fitting and touching that Tsunku wrote and composed this final song for Berryz Kobo, considering his resignation as Hello! Project’s general producer. That final point is honestly the real defining factor. It’s the thread that ties the whole package together neatly and elegantly. I find my love for this especially odd because this isn’t exactly the type of song I normally like. That speaks volumes of its quality, impact and meaning. Love together! is, without a doubt, my favorite song of 2015. Bar none. 7. The Middle Management ~Josei Chuukan Kanrishoku~ - ℃-ute Most people I know liked Tsugi no Kado wo Magare the most out of this particular single release. Being in the minority, I liked The Middle Management far more. I know it has a little more synth and also a bit more auto-tuning than Tsugi no Kado, but to me it has a far more attractive beat. If a song can effectively intertwine singing talent with auto-tune, and have an organic feel with a practically all synth track it speaks volumes of its quality. I was also very impressed with the music video, which was fun but very grounded. 8. I’m alone – callme (No official or unofficial video source available) My surprise hit of the year: callme. I had the distinct pleasure of reviewing their debut album and to interview them as well. I knew nothing about them, and figured they would be another throwaway J-Pop group who would be of little interest to me. I was grossly mistaken. From the moment I started listening to the album I knew it was something extremely special. I later learned that they are completely self-composed. In the idol world, I found this extremely intriguing. They brought various themes and talents to the table, including but not limited to: video game influence, choreography, instrumental talent and compositional skills. This particular track screams awesomeness to me. I really love how they infused the piano into the song to create a very exciting and addictive song with beautiful singing talent. This song is without a doubt my number 3 song of 2015 (right under Love together! and Otome no Gyakushuu). 9. My affection – callme Forcing myself to being limited to only two songs from Who is callme?, this was my next best choice. The album as a whole is phenomenal, and if you haven’t heard it yet, do yourself a favor and buy it. Seriously, why are you still reading this? Go and buy it! Jokes aside, this song felt like the best combination of composition skill, lyrical arrangement and vocal talent of all the other songs in this album to me. 10. Koi Dorobou – Country GirlsCountry Girls is the oddball of Hello! Project. They tend to focus on more cutesy and elegant songs which are admittedly not going to be as popular as a song that sounds like it’s on fire. While they have solid music, this song was my personal favorite of theirs, and is definitely worthy of being on this list. If you take that cutesy and elegant feel I mentioned earlier and turn it into a catchy tune, this is what you get. 11. GIRLS BE AMBITIOUS – Juice=Juice Words cannot describe how blown away I was by Juice=Juice’s first album. It is hands down the best album release I’ve seen. It had one disc of all singles, another disc of brand new songs and another disc of covers. What a glorious way to kick things off. Admittedly, Juice=Juice’s quality had become arguably unstable after their first 2-3 singles. The sound of a new album wasn’t exceedingly attractive, but when it released and I got to hear the whole thing, I was flabbergasted. This song in particular was ‘the one’ to me the moment it started playing. It’s what proved to me that they could stray from their base style with resounding success. This song is far more poppy and cute than their initial ‘cool’ jazz-pop style that defined them. It doesn’t help that I can never get this song out of my head. 12. Umaretate no Baby Love – Juice=JuiceContrasting my previous choice, this song was the strongest reminder of the jazz-pop style they started as. This song has a nice simple yet complex jazz base to it that is complemented by some really smooth and beautiful vocals. It may not be the catchiest or the most exciting song of the album, but it is most definitely the most well-made in my opinion. It’s also a nice reminder of why they started off so strong to begin with. 13. Nen ni wa Nen – Kobushi FactoryUsually when a group is formed out of eggs (Hello! Pro Kenshuusei), it’s a bit rough around the edges and very underdeveloped. ℃-ute, Berryz Kobo and Tsubaki Factory are perfect examples of this. Kobushi Factory, on the other hand, hit the ground running at full speed. Nen ni wa Nen is one of the most powerful idol songs to come out of Hello! Project in 2015. This is due in no small part to the genius distribution of talent and integration into the instrumental of the song. 14. Ramen Daisuki Koizumi-san no Uta – Kobushi Factory Another choice of mine that isn’t bursting with talent, but is simply FUN. Like Mahou Tsukai Sally, it’s mostly repetitive, but is so silly and fun that it’s hard not to smile when listening to this song. Interestingly, this is actually a cover of a Sharam Q song. 15. Crazy Party Night (Pumpkin no Gyakushuu) – Kyary Pamyu PamyuI personally didn’t think 2015 was a good year for Kyary Pamyu Pamyu considering her high quality music from before. That being said, this particular song hearkens back to the kind of silly and catchy music she’s done in the past. The cute Halloween theme helps top off the package perfectly. It’s also oddly addictive. 16. Desert of a moonlight night ~Tsukiyo no Sabaku~ - LoVendoЯ Remember how I mentioned Yuki Uozumi earlier? Here is one of the songs she has composed from scratch. It’s a purely instrumental track, but is really rockin’. She brings her love of anime and video games into the heart of this track, while still keeping a distinct LoVendoЯ feel to the whole track. I’m especially fond of this song because it shows off her talent, which isn’t shown off enough. 17. Iin ja nai? – LoVendoЯHey guess what? It’s another Takui Nakajima song! I did warn you that practically everything he touches is gold. This song is no exception. He manages to show his talent by creating a rock song that has enough of a hint of idol to cater to the unique sound that LoVendoЯ is known for. 18. Sukatto My Heart – Morning Musume ‘152015 was a mixed year for me in regards to Morning Musume ’15. In their defense, they managed to address a variety of styles which catered to various tastes. Since they focused on a singular style in 2014, this was very refreshing. The tradeoff is that fans aren’t guaranteed to like everything they put out. Of all their songs, Sukatto My Heart was definitely their standout song of the year for me. I’m a sucker for jazz-pop songs, and this is no exception. Throw in a slight touch of disco and you’re golden. It has a very swingin’ beat that is something I can’t help but move my body to. Another defining factor that pulls me in is that the singing is spread out in a format that is easy to learn, and thus, easy to sing along to. To top it off, each of the girls is given their own moment to shine in this song. With a group of 13 members, that’s no small feat. 19. Tsumetai Kaze to Kataomoi – Morning Musume ‘15 I have a feeling this song is going to eventually become one of my favorite songs ever. Back when Toki wo Koe Sora wo Koe released, I was oddly intrigued but didn’t care about the song much. It just wasn’t my style. A year later and it turned into my all-time favorite Morning Musume song. Tsumetai Kaze to Kataomoi has a similar type of story. The overall style doesn’t exactly appeal to me. There is something really special about the really smooth flow, elegant singing and graceful music video that reaches out to my heart. It’s simple yet oddly alluring. It’s a really beautiful final single for Riho Sayashi that focuses on her while not making her the focus, if that makes any sense. It’s a subtle farewell that plays on the talents of all the girls while still giving Riho her time. This is definitely worthy of being on this list. Even though it’s not one of my favorite songs right now, I know it will be as it grows on me more and more. 20. Pick Me Up – PerfumeOne of Perfume’s most exciting features is that they tweak their sound every album. It keeps them fresh. The problem with this is that we won’t always like what they release. 2015 was a lackluster year in accordance with my tastes. They still produced top-notch high-quality material, but none of it screamed to me. Except Pick Me Up. This song has a very surreal feel to it that makes me feel at ease but also gets my heart racing. It’s an odd feeling that makes me really appreciate the song as a whole. It helps that I totally dig the music video and also that I simply cannot make a favorite songs list without Perfume in it.
There you have it! I actually started this list with 31 songs, cut it down to 25 and then finally (painfully) cut it down to 20. I emphasize that some of these songs may not exude quality, but since they speak to me personally, they are my favorites. I hope you enjoyed the list and maybe discovered something that speaks to you. Here’s to hoping that 2016 proves to be just as exciting as last year! - Teepu (Bowser05)  FLOW is a famed J-Rock band formed in the late 90s, known for doing most of your favorite anime opening themes. #10 is their very appropriately named tenth studio album. With a handful of singles already out (All of them featured in current anime, of course.) this album has been teased for at least a year now. The first song, "Niji no Sora" (a.k.a. Naruto Shippuden ending theme #34) sounds good, but probably isn't a very strong opener. It sounds like it belongs on the end of the album. Luckily, track two doesn't have that same problem. "Oblivion", featuring Hisashi of the band GLAY, is fast, exciting, and probably to be featured in an anime coming out within the year. Let's also not forget the song "World Symphony" which is the ending theme for NHK WORLD show, J-MELO. FLOW - Niji no Sora PV  Anime jokes aside, FLOW is a pretty well-respected band, especially after such a long career. Even on their tenth album, they prove that they've still got it. "Steppin' out" is exactly the kind of playful, high-energy pop rock song that you would expect from a DuRaRaRa!! opening (which this song is, of course).
The album takes a huge turn about halfway through, with "DECATHLON". Feauturing Japanese beatboxer AFRA, this hip-hop influenced track has some of the heaviest guitars (and one of the best basslines) on the whole album. "JOY TO THE WORLD", featuring the band Kiba of Akiba, is a super heavy punk-influenced song with GazettE-esque screams throughout. Overall, #10 is a pretty varied album. It's some pretty high-quality work, which is to be expected of a band like FLOW. It's masterfully written, performed, produced, and sequenced. Except for that thing about the first song being a bad opener, but it's not a huge deal. This isn't a bad album at all, I'd recommend it for sure. Favorites: Oblivion, Steppin' out, DECATHLON, JOY TO THE WORLD -Justin FLOW Is: KEIGO: Vocals KONSHI: Rhythm guitar TAKE: Lead guitar GOT'S: Bass IWASAKI: Drums Tracklist 1) Niji no Sora -Album Ver- 2) Oblivion feat. HISASHI (GLAY) 3) DARK SHADOW feat. TeddyLoid 4) Steppin' out 5) Hikari Oikakete -Crystal Lake mix- 6) Chimimouryou feat. Hayate 7) DECATHLON feat. AFRA 8) JOY TO THE WORLD feat. Kiba of Akiba 9) World Symphony 10) Good Days ~Kimi wo Wasurenai~  J-pop singer Eri Osanai has been active for a pretty long time. This single, "Shining Day", was released in 2006 under the name ERi. Ten years later, it holds up just fine. The title track is super jazzy, backed with horns and what sounds like an upright bass. It's not extremely catchy or anything like that, but it has a lot of character. ERi's vocal range is fantastic, and she hits a ton of really high notes. There's also an instrumental version of the single included as the last track.
The first b-side, "Your Love", is a more stripped-down piece, pretty much all acoustic. ERi shows a more emotional side here, supported by piano, acoustic guitar, and a light drum beat. The second b-side is a live rendition of Stevie Wonder's "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)". ERi's English is pretty strong, and her voice is really well-suited to the more souldful R&B sound on this song. It sounds like something Namie Amuro could have been doing around the same time this came out. This is a really old release, but that shouldn't put anyone off listening to it. It's pretty calming, especially the b-sides. It's a good few songs to just chill out to, if you're into jazz and R&B. Tracklist: 1) Shining Day 2) Your Love 3) Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)  Guess what WagakkiBand fans? They’re coming back to America! WagakkiBand (和楽器バンド) will kick things off with a special concert in the Irving Plaza at New York City on March 14th. On top of that, they will be a guest for the South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival in Austin, Texas. This festival takes place from March 11 to March 20th. WagakkiBand previously played at Club Nokia in Los Angeles for a sold out show at Anime Expo last year. They’re popularity has only risen higher and higher since then, due to their unique approach to performance and music. Based on this, I’d highly recommend you snag your ticket as soon as possible in order to ensure your spot. Along with the normal ticket, you can purchase a VIP ticket which includes: front of the line, access to the VIP Gallery behind the soundboard and a poster. WagakkiBand is a unique group of 8 extremely talented individuals who combine Shigin (traditional Japanese poetry recitation), traditional Japanese music and rock. It’s an experience unlike anything you’ve seen or heard. Tickets for the Irving Plaza show range from $35 to $75 (for standard and VIP respectively) and are on sale now. The doors open at 7pm and the show begins at 8pm. Badges for SXSW range in price from $795 (for the March 15-20 music festival) to $1645 (for the complete SXSW access). For Ticket Information: Irving Plaza Tickets: http://concerts.livenation.com/event/000050360F8F7F00 SXSW Badges: https://cart.sxsw.com/?_ga=1.205152848.1781224809.1454362891 For Information On WagakkiBand: WAGAKKIBAND OFFICIAL PAGE: http://wagakkiband.jp/ WAGAKKIBAND OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/WagakkiBand WAGAKKIBAND OFFICIAL TWITTER PAGE: https://twitter.com/WagakkiBand WAGAKKIBAND OFFICIAL INSTAGRAM PAGE: https://www.instagram.com/wagakkiband/ - Teepu (Bowser05) Official Concert Trailer Senbon Zakura Music Video |
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