To celebrate the recent release of Riddim Saunter’s latest album, Days Lead, here’s “Sweet & Still”. The band’s signature sound and Hiroto Homma’s flute are accompanied by “The Riddim Saunter Orchestra” and it’s all indeed quite sweet and chill. Also, got to love vocalist Keishi Tanaka’s “FUCK YEAH” t-shirt, as is said over at J-Rock Explosion.

Riddim Saunter is featured in the latest edition of the amazing magazine, Indies Issue (must-click link). The cover story includes exclusive photos, interviews, profiles, detailed discography, and a track-by-track breakdown of Days Lead. Members of bands like YOUR SONG IS GOOD, back drop bomb, The Bawdies, 80kidz, and asphalt frustration also leave comments.

In related news, Riddim Saunter and The Bawdies appear in a Tower Records “NO MUSIC, “NO LIFE” advertisement. Makes me wonder what a collaboration between the two bands would sound like.

For more info on Riddim Saunter and Days Lead, check out the band’s official site and MySpace page.

PLAY ALL!!!!!! live,accident,history,idea, We are YSIG 1998-2008, which comes out on May 13th, clocks in at over six hours and includes footage of more than 60 songs performed live by the dynamic ska-rock-slash-calypso band. The only thing more definitive than this protracted release would be a box set.

The live performances come to life on PLAY ALL!!!!!!‘s first two DVDs. The first disc, aptly titled “THE LIVE 1″, features 27 songs while the second disc, “The LIVE 2″, jams in 34 (songs 28 through 61).

The third DVD might seem like a bonus but it may be the most valuable disc to fans of YOUR SONG IS GOOD. “The Document” apparently features rare footage and dozens of testimonials about YSIG by a wide array of accomplished musicians. Those included are members of bands like Ging Nang Boyz, SAKEROCK, BEAT CRUSADERS, RAZORS EDGE, COMEBACK MY DAUGHTERS, Riddim Saunter, SOIL & “PIMP” SESSIONS, and many more.

And in case three DVDs isn’t enough, PLAY ALL!!!!!! also comes with a special 72-page booklet (is that still a ‘booklet’ or a book?).

PLAY ALL!!!!!! is an obvious must-have for YOUR SONG IS GOOD fans, both casual and hardcore. It can also be a unique crash course for those new to the band.

The collection costs 5,250 yen ($53 USD approx.) and that’s really cheap(!) considering that the band’s most recent album, 2007′s THE ACTION, goes for 2,800 yen ($28 USD approx.).

YOUR SONG IS GOOD formed in 1998 and is Rieji “ZeeeeRAY” Tanaka (drums, chorus, percussion), Hiroyuki “DaaaaTAKA” Takada (bass, chorus), Koji “SHIRASHI” Shirashi (guitar, chorus), Masatomo “MAURICE” Yoshizawa (guitar, chorus, percussion), Yasuhiko “SHORTY” Hattori (trombone, chorus), and Jun “JxJx” Saito (organ, vocal, percussion, leader). They’ve been signed with Nayutawave Records, a division of Universal Music, since 2007.

Get groovin’ with a 2007 performance of “あいつによろしく” (aitsu ni yoroshiku):

Buy PLAY ALL!!!!!! live,accident,history,idea, We are YSIG 1998-2008

YOUR SONG IS GOOD’s official site

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?

Disney Rocks! is a new breed of Disney cover song compilation. The nine-track album features covers by avengers in sci-fi, GOLLBETTY, the chef cooks me, The Telephones, Rufus, OTOGIBANASHI, →Pia-no-jaC←, Riddim Saunter, and Keiichi Sokabe.

That roster is an instant win. Considering how many of those bands have been featured on SparkPlugged, it’s like some of our favorite artists took part in one of those teleportation experiments but it went awry when a box set of classic Disney DVDs got left in one of the machines — a musical version of The Fly.

For the record, here’s some past articles: avengers in sci-fi (link), GOLLBETTY (link), the chef cooks me (link), The Telephones (link, 2, 3), Riddim Saunter (link).

Disney Rocks! is produced by Village Vanguard and set to drop February 27th.

The tracklisting for Disney Rocks!:

01.Mickey Mouse March [Mickey Mouse Club] – avengers in sci-fi
02.Whole New World [Aladdin] – GOLLBETTY
03.Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo [Cinderella] – the chef cooks me
04.Heigh-Ho [Snow White] – The Telephones
05.Kiss the Girls [The Little Mermaid] – Rufus
06.When You Wish upon a Star (Japanese version) [Pinocchio] – OTOGIBANASHI
07.Main Street Electrical Parade [Disneyland R] – →Pia-no-jaC←
08.It’s a Small World [New York World Fair] / Riddim Saunter

“Special Track”
09.When You Wish upon a Star [Pinocchio] & It’s a Small World (Japanese version) [New York World Fair] – Keiichi Sokabe

via Natalie.mu

Here’s some of the latest & greatest from Riddim Saunter: “Waltz of the Twins”. The slideshow-like PV is simple but heartwarming and was illustrated and directed by the band’s drummer Taichi Furukawa.

I’ve liked these guys since I first heard “Dear Joyce” (click & watch and you’ll be whistling the melody for days) a couple years ago. Plus I can’t help but like bands with a flautist in the line up :)

“Waltz of the Twins” lyrics