The PV for “ダイヤモンドリング” (diamond ring) by BIGMAMA has arrived and it’s pretty awesome. It’s not as blow-you-away amazingly catchy as some of their songs like “Paper-craft” but it’s a really nice song nonetheless. The single is due out on July 22nd and I’ll definitely have to get my hands on it. Time to watch!

Not only is it a big month, personally, but by judging from our release calendar, July looks to be a great month for music, as well. The Telephones’ major debut is slated for release as well as ACIDMAN’s 7th album, A beautiful greed. If those were the only two releases this month, July would be amazing, but of course there’s much, much more.

Here’s a list of the albums and singles coming out in July that we’re most excited about. Most of these are pretty major since some of the indie ones like to really sneak up on us. The featured releases are organized by week, with the most anticipated album/single up top and “other great releases” below (it was really hard to choose just one as “most anticipated” for each week!).

July 8th

The Telephones – DANCE FLOOR MONSTERS (album)

tracklisting:
01. D.A.N.C.E to the telephones!!! 　
02. Baby.Baby.Baby　
03. Urban Disco
04. Monkey Discooooooo　
05. Catastrophe
06. Hopping Shower
07. Jabberwocky
08. Dance With You
09. Perfect World
10. Dead Men
11. HABANERO
12. Yesterday,Today,Tomorrow(My Life is Beautiful)

Other great releases:
→Pia-no-jaC← – 風神雷神 (album)
KREVA – 赤 (single)
MONGOL800 – eight-hundreds (album)
the ARROWS – FREE AND SHIP (single)
VELTPUNCH – HOUSE OF THE PAIN (DVD)

July 15th

FoZZtone – The Sound of Music (album)

tracklisting:
01. pandemik
02. 音楽
03. NAME
04. 死んだというのは聞かないが
05. JUMPING GIRL
06. Rainbow man
07. School
08. NIRVANA UNIVERSE
09. ホールケーキ
10. I play the guitar
11. ワンダーラスト
12. シンガロン
13. のぞみ

Other great releases:
10-FEET – super stomper (single)
GRAPEVINE – TWANGS (album)
SUNSET BUS / CHOKE SLEEPER – Cross Island

July 22nd

lego big morl – 溢れる (single)

tracklisting:
01. 溢れる
02. 隣の少女と僕と始まり
03. マイアシモト(THE LOWBROWS Remix)

Other great releases:
BIGMAMA – ダイヤモンドリング (single)
FACT / ENDZWECK / FC FiVE / IWABO / TRIBAL CHAIR – Pentagon.1
RADICAL ARTS – 春風と君の声
school food punishment – butterfly swimmer (single)

July 29th

ACIDMAN – A beautiful greed (album)

ACIDMAN’s 7th album has arrived!!

tracklisting:
01. A beautiful greed (introduction)
02. ±0
03. CARVE WITH THE SENSE
04. Who are you?
05. Under the rain
06. ファンタジア
07. 星のひとひら
08. HUM
09. ucess (inst.)
10. Bright & Right
11. I stand free
12. OVER

Other great releases:
SPECIAL OTHERS – Live at 日比谷野外大音楽堂 090516 “QUTIMA Ver.10 -PB Adventure-”
Yuzu – いちご

There are so many releases to be excited about. What are you looking forward to this month?

Here’s a blast from the past, RAD style! I really like the album version of “祈跡” (Kiseki), which appeared on RADWIMPS’ second album in 2005 but I had never heard the single version, which was released in ’04, until a friend showed me the PV recently. I don’t know why I hadn’t heard the single version before but I love the stark tonal contrast between the single and album versions. Both songs run over eight minutes but where the album version takes a slow, calm, and introspective turn, the single version lets loose with energy.

Even if you’re on top of things and have seen the single’s PV, it’s worth another viewing just to remember how young they looked back then =P

“Moonlight” is the latest from dynamic acoustic hip-hop duo AKLOと空 (AKLO to Sora). That’s an interesting blend from an interesting pairing. MC AKLO is Mexican-Japanese and has lived in Mexico, Japan, and the USA and guitarist Sora studied extensively in England.

I really dig the chemistry between the vocals and guitar. Check out their official MySpace and I’m excited to hear more!

Show Notes:

Featured Artists
Plastic Soul Band – “手紙を書くよ” (Tegami wo Kaku yo) (official site)
Jesushairdo – “She Says” (official site)
Equator – “Lake Baikal” (official MySpace)
SEASICK – “Late Night” (official MySpace)

Momo-J – “Time of ancient times” (official MySpace)

[audio:http://sparkplugged.net/podcasts/pod11.mp3]

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lilynote‘s “butterfly”.The PV is really simply done (pure text!). But it has a very Japanese ASCII charm which makes it strangely addictive to watch.
And m(_ _)m is the best emoti ever.

Cover albums aren’t always known for being stellar or improving upon the orginal tracks, yet all nine artists on Disney Rocks! take the essence of classic Disney and morph it, to varying degrees, into something that’s remarkably fresh and fun. Okay, I’m starting to gush…I like Disney AND I’m a fan of the artists that participated in this release. Here’s a track-by-track:

avengers in sci-fi kicks things off in a fashion that’s surprisingly unmysterious when compared to some of their original stuff. The Mickey Mouse Club theme’s iconic spelled out lyrics are relatively discreet and avengers take the song in a new creative direction.

I was a bit worried about GOLLBETTY’s ska/pop/rock take on this beautiful ballad but then I actually heard the song. “A Whole New World” by GOLLBETTY is an awesome stand-out track that maintains the wonderful melody while kicking it up a couple dozen beats-per-minute and adding a whole lot of horns.

the chef cooks me shines in this song that’s rough at first before shifting into something more complete. A dancing guitar and all sorts of synth instruments are sprinkled throughout the track that really brings the chef cooks me’s “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo” to life.

This is probably my personal favorite cover and that’s probably because I’m already a big fan of The Telephones. The playful, almost tongue-in-cheek nature of The Telephones and their music lends itself incredibly well to this remake and the falsetto segments are like gold.

I wasn’t familiar with Rufus before hearing “Kiss the Girl” but afterwards, I must hear more. His take on “Kiss the Girl” surges with a Beach Boys-esque, oldies rock vibe. The dynamic track starts slow but really gets going a quarter of the way through.

OTOGIBANASHI’s “When You Wish Upon a Star” made me realize how good Disney songs can sound in Japanese. It’s a pretty vanilla cover that’s true to the original sound and tempo of the song. The warm tone and purposefully unrefined vocals make for a very pleasant and mellow listen.

The →Pia-no-jaC← version of “Main Street Electrical Parade” could be a cover or just a demo in how awesome of musicians this piano/cajon duo really are. A delightful exhibition fit for the streets of Disney. It’s “instrumental awesomeness” indeed.

With instrumentation and a singing-in-unison chorus, “It’s a Small World” by riddim saunter is exceptionally faithful to the original song and very fun. Despite being draped in signature riddim saunter sound, it’s so unswerving that it needs to be played on the It’s a Small World Ride at Tokyo Disneyland!

The light and acoustic medley from the great Keiichi Sokabe himself is a outstanding bonus track. It’s a rough cut and the noticeably loud, ambient hiss make it an add-on track, production wise. Despite that, Keiichi Sokabe’s performance and simple touch is charming.

Listen to a sample of “A Whole New World” by GOLLBETTY
[audio:http://sparkplugged.net/wp-content/uploads/music/awholenewworld.mp3|titles=A Whole New World|artists=GOLLBETTY]

Listen to a sample of “Heigh-ho” by The Telephones
[audio:http://sparkplugged.net/wp-content/uploads/music/heighho.mp3|titles=Heigh-ho|artists=The Telephones]

Village Vanguard produced the outstanding compilation and you can check it out here: http://vgvd.jp/vv/goods/00000CD205/

If you’ve listened to Disney Rocks!, what’s your favorite cover?

TAKE 5 Record’s first release is a compilation titled 独り・暗中 (hitori anchuu, alone in the dark). The compilation features 12 tracks by 12 bands and is something of a soundtrack for being alone in the dark. With the auditory sense seemingly heightened by a lack of vision, this release would be great to hear while lounging in an unlit room.

TAKE 5 aims to “offer a diverse selection of music, from your post-hardcore to your visual kei,” and Hitori Anchuu is a fitting manifestation of that goal. From bands like ISTRiA and R’AIE XIII to LOST and N.E.S., there’s something for Japanese and Asian rock fans of many persuasions.

Hitori Anchuu hits the internet shelves on April 8th and pre-orders start March 18th. The album costs $15 USD and with just 100 copies available through TAKE 5′s online store, the CDs should go fast.

The company that strives to “bring quality music from the far east at prices you can afford,” looks to be off to a great start.

The Tracklisting for Hitori Anchuu:

01. “The beginning of the end” – Asaguren (2:01)
02. “CULT” – ISTRiA (3:52)
03. “è¡€~裏罪” – R’AIE XIII (4:37)
04. “Angel Loves The Devil” – Shuriken (3:19)
05. “Pain of the words carved on my chest” – LOST (3:40)
06. “RANTAI” – LAPSE NADIR (4:34)
07. “thin line” – N.E.S. (4:37)
08. “RAIN” – WARPHOLL (3:49)
09. “CROSS OVER” – KUЯO (5:40)
10. “Forever I remember” – WHEN THE LEAF SEARED (3:43)
11. “Picture” – 渥美定義 (3:12)
12. “SILENCE” – STOЯYFLY (3:57)

Visit TAKE 5 Records’ official site for mp3 samples of 10 of the 12 tracks on Hitori Anchuu and pre-order the release on TAKE 5 Records’ official store.

TAKE 5 plans to release LOST’s upcoming new album next winter. Also, the young company is looking for volunteers and if any readers have suggestions for bands, you’re encouraged to contact TAKE 5.

the ARROWS’ “Karada no V” PV from the recently released AROI album. It features footage from the award-winning “Frog in the Well” performance by the Okayama University Modern Dance Club.

You’d think with Sparkplugged’s snazzy Release Calender feature, these surprise releases would be a thing of the past. Oh well, how boring a life it would be without serendipity.

OGRE YOU ASSHOLE’s (hehe) new EP, “pinhole” hearkens back to the style of their first EP, but more refined and a little louder.

The PV is probably one of the quirkiest to date, it consists planetoids and light graffiti.

OYA is awesome.