Hello everybody!! I had to drop by and share a video. I am alive and well and in Japan! Been living here for the past month and a half so excuse the M.I.A.ness. Jimi’s been holdin’ down the fort very well, so thanks pal!

“ENEMY” is the latest from KAREN, an obviously awesome band made up of vocalist Achiko and members of ART-SCHOOL and downy. Need I say more? Time to watch! ^-^

Check out KAREN’s official MySpace page for more…

ALL MY LIFE is ABSTRACT MASH’s first nationally released mini album but it’s technically their fifth overall. If the band’s past work is any indication of what to expect with this latest release, ALL MY LIFE is going to be marvelous. Actually two of the mini album’s six tracks can already be heard online along with quick previews of each track.

photo by Oshikata via MySpace

The Chiba-based band’s name provides some insight into what to expect. ABSTRACT MASH’s sound is a noticebly eclectic amalgam of influences that are squeezed together to shape something original yet familiar and not abstruse. Rather the result is quintessential indie rock that sounds lucidly crafted from the ground up. The band mentions British rock and emo as being among their most broad and substantial influences.

Vocalist and guitarist Taku Muramatsu (村松拓) stands in the foreground with his Telecaster and unmistakable gravelly voice. Muramatsu’s throaty vocals are vigorous yet fluid. His range is impressive and his overall vocal style compliments the rest of the band remarkably well.

Guitarist Yugo Kobayashi (小林雄剛) supplements Muramatsu with driving and melodic guitar riffs while bassist Kohei Nashimoto (梨本恒平) provides a sturdy foundation of low-frequency pulses and drummer Yuta Sakamaki (榊巻雄太) consistently produces pertinent rhythms.

The preview ‘digest’ of ALL MY LIFE is available on ABSTRACT MASH’s official MySpace page. The 40 to 60 second previews of each track indicate that the mini album has some nice flow when it comes to the track arrangement although five of the six tracks have been featured on previous releases in some form or another.

We’re not done yet…

It’s a really big deal and worth noting that Taku Muramatsu is also in the band Nothing’s Carved In Stone (NCIS) with Ellegarden guitarist Shinichi Ubukata, STRAIGHTENER, FULLARMOR, ex-ART-SCHOOL, & ex-ZAZEN BOYS bassist Hinata Hidekazu, and FULLARMOR & ex-ZOOBOMBS drummer Takanori Ohkita. Talk about a dream team! The newly formed quartet will play their first show on February 27th with OGRE YOU ASSHOLE and blieAN.

ABSTRACT MASH formed in early 2004 and are currently signed with lilBallet.

Watch a live performance of “1mm タール” (1mm Tar):

Check out ABSTRACT MASH’s official site and MySpace page.