J-pop, maybe?

pwb2103

I'm sure like many other people I heard the Minmi song (Shiki no uta) at the end of samurai Champloon enough times that I actually gave it a chance and really enjoyed it. Usually I don't listen to music very much like that at all (I stick more so to hardcore... if there isn't screaming it has to be pretty amazing or i'm not interested).

But imho shiki no uta is a totally awesome song. It doesn't sound like the normal less than awesome pop music I usually shy away from. The drum beat in the background is creative instead of some stock time keeper, the hook isn't ridiculously over used, dare I say the whole thing sounds borderline jazzy?

Well anyway, I tried checking out other minmi songs and none of them really caught my attention in the same way. Can or would anyone recommend any similar songs/artists? I'll warn you, if you just suggest an artist and say "all the cds are amazing" i'll probably drown in too many options. But if you can suggest a single good song from each then maybe I would be able to come away with something? Anyone not familiar with the song can check it out here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sccg1CZzi4

good old youtube. thanks for any help!

Rye

I'm going to make a weird suggestion:

Another Japanese artist: Akeboshi (song titled "Wind")
Most known as one of the first songs used in the many Naruto Ending credits. Don't let that taint your opinion of it though, please.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0XAJznAzdU


You may not like it because the Japanese guy is singing bad English, but the song really is pretty good. 5/4 timing is the bees knees.

xYUUBINKYOKUx

I realy enjoy Sambomaster. Check this one out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tfg31FTFdgA

Werewulfy

The Real Folk Blues might be good. It's slower than Shiki no Uta, but it kinda has the same feel. If you haven't heard it before, give it a listen.

Xenocide Geek

Rye wrote: »

I'm going to make a weird suggestion:

Another Japanese artist: Akeboshi (song titled "Wind")
Most known as one of the first songs used in the many Naruto Ending credits. Don't let that taint your opinion of it though, please.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0XAJznAzdU


You may not like it because the Japanese guy is singing bad English, but the song really is pretty good. 5/4 timing is the bees knees.

i don't think i would have liked naruto at all if it hadn't had fantastic music, i second this suggestion.

now i can't stand naruto, but that doesn't invalidate how fucking awesome the music is. i use to listen to this shit on repeat.

edit: in fact, just go looking for all the intro/ending themes to the show, OP. some are really good. particularly the endings.

tuscloud311

I'm sure im not alone when i say: Hikari's (or Utada Hikaru) Simple and Clean.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C76mYh-YlYY&feature=related

I simply love this song because of the game and get shivers every time i hear it. Weird i know....but i also listen to nothing but hardcore screaming. My guilty pleasure.

There is a faster version of this song. The URL posted above is the "full version" on her CD. browse around on YouTube and youll find it im sure.

:edit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySk1UCUV4bo&feature=related

Hmm, may not be J-pop exactly since the lyrics are in English, but she does the song in Japanese as well.

Kyougu

Xenocide Geek wrote: »

Rye wrote: »

I'm going to make a weird suggestion:

Another Japanese artist: Akeboshi (song titled "Wind")
Most known as one of the first songs used in the many Naruto Ending credits. Don't let that taint your opinion of it though, please.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0XAJznAzdU


You may not like it because the Japanese guy is singing bad English, but the song really is pretty good. 5/4 timing is the bees knees.

i don't think i would have liked naruto at all if it hadn't had fantastic music, i second this suggestion.

now i can't stand naruto, but that doesn't invalidate how fucking awesome the music is. i use to listen to this shit on repeat.

edit: in fact, just go looking for all the intro/ending themes to the show, OP. some are really good. particularly the endings.

I'm more partial to upbeat/fast stuff, so I really enjoy the Naruto OP's. Hero Come Back by Nobodyknows+ is one of my favorite ones.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99xWMZmSlOk

MushroomStick

Look for anything by High and Mighty Color.

Also most of the other opening and ending themes to Bleach too.

BathTubb

I am in the same boat as the OP, but including J-pop what is there in terms of J-rock?

Brolo

pwb2103 wrote: »

I'm sure like many other people I heard the Minmi song (Shiki no uta) at the end of samurai Champloon enough times that I actually gave it a chance and really enjoyed it. Usually I don't listen to music very much like that at all (I stick more so to hardcore... if there isn't screaming it has to be pretty amazing or i'm not interested).

But imho shiki no uta is a totally awesome song. It doesn't sound like the normal less than awesome pop music I usually shy away from. The drum beat in the background is creative instead of some stock time keeper, the hook isn't ridiculously over used, dare I say the whole thing sounds borderline jazzy?

Well anyway, I tried checking out other minmi songs and none of them really caught my attention in the same way. Can or would anyone recommend any similar songs/artists? I'll warn you, if you just suggest an artist and say "all the cds are amazing" i'll probably drown in too many options. But if you can suggest a single good song from each then maybe I would be able to come away with something? Anyone not familiar with the song can check it out here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sccg1CZzi4

good old youtube. thanks for any help!

The thing is that Minmi was working with a guy called Nujabes - the background for Song of Four Seasons was taken from this song. He worked with Minmi to adapt her vocals to his beat. He's a japanese based beatmaker who does a lot of jazz-inspired pieces.

Pretty much all the music in Samurai Champloo was done as an amalgamation of different styles. The four man artists are Fat Jon, Tsutchie, Force of Nature and Nujabes.

Tarantio

I don't know a great deal of the stuff, but I've got some of Ogre You Asshole (try the song Kaisentou) and Asian Kung-Fu Generation.

Alex Summers

MushroomStick wrote: »

Look for anything by High and Mighty Color.

Also most of the other opening and ending themes to Bleach too.

I second High and Mighty Color. Maakii has such a beautiful voice, and the band performs a nice variety of music. I would recommend the album "10 Color Singles" to start off with. I love it personally!!

Alfred J. Kwak

Another vote for Nujabes. Someone pointed me into his direction in another H/A thread just a few days ago, and I really can't stress enough how much I enjoy his music. A quick web research also revealed that he worked on the Samurai Champloon soundtrack.

victor_c26

I'd like to throw in the obvious The Pillows (No Video, sorry. Can't find any Live performances that don't rape your ear due to amature recordings at concerts) suggestion.

And also GO!GO!7188.

Not exactly "Pop". But good Japanese bands nonetheless.

Local H Jay

Promethane wrote: »

I am in the same boat as the OP, but including J-pop what is there in terms of J-rock?

Gonna throw Beat Crusaders, UVERworld, Polysics, The Pillows, and Orange Range for J-Rock.
All have at least 2-3 great songs. The Polysics are mostly well known for the crazy awesome Youtube videos like this one and this.

pwb2103

Alright, I gave all the bands a good few listens and there were a few great surprises in there. Specifically, I was pretty amazed when High and Mighty Color tossed a bit of screaming in there. The rest of the song already had me interested but when screaming happened I was completely sold. Go!Go!7188 has my attention too. I think I'm going to start hunting through Nujabes' collaborations too. Now that I know he helped MINMI with Shiki No Uta it makes so much more sense why that song is so different than her others. Don't get me wrong, she has a great voice, but that jazz influence is what takes it from an alright song to a great one (well in my mind at least). The Nujabes solo songs I have heard so far haven't quite blown me away either though. Reminds me of how Blockhead is so great in his compilations, but struggles to catch my attention in his solo albums.

I suppose I'm not ready for stuff like the Pillows and Polysics yet... maybe after I get the hang of some of the more familiar sounding bands I listed above.

I don't want to hijack my own thread and switch countries here but anyone familiar with this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srGToRDxhgI

That song was shit hot when I was in China, and now I still love putting it on when I'm wasted (or in sobriety too I suppose).

Noray

Ignore the video. I am fucking addicted to this song. It's Zetsubou Billy by Maximum the Hormone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97gbsWsqhjI

Utada Hikaru - Deep River

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-xC6wvvmvQ

pwb2103

Definitely the zetsubou billy is pretty sweet. Makes me think I should try to hunt down some j-hardcore ... or would it be called j-core? haha well anyway, american hardcore usually avoids mixing screaming with nice sounding girl singing (someone correct me if you can think of a good contradictory example... and don't say protest the hero, that girl can't sing to save her life). So it is cool hearing this different sort of sound (which is why I tried to look into j-pop/j-rock/j-whathaveyou in the first place).

But wow, you were right, that video is pretty... um... unfortunate?
Thanks for all the recommendations so far, this is great!

Fellhand

Orange Range - Asterisk
Do As Infinity (I think they're actually korean)
175R - Melody
Mad Capsule Markets
L'Arc En Ciel

The last two are more J-rock though.