“SPACE OPERA” is the latest single and upcoming album from serial TV drama. The band’s second full length release is out October 21st and is not to be confused with Ao’s latest mini album, also titled Space Opera (coincidentally?) and also cool, which dropped September 2nd.

serial TV drama’s “OPERA” (serial TV opera? Space Drama?) kicks off with a goofy, almost Queen-like intro before soaring into edgy guitar riffs and chants. The band turns up the thrusters for this one while still maintaining control with their signature style. It’s great for rocking out…in space.

For more info and videos, check out serial TV drama’s page on RX-RECORDS.

“Promise” is the latest from NEW STRIKE ZIPPER and it rocks quite a bit. The track is off of the band’s first full-length album, “All Is Not Lost”, which is set to be released October 2nd of Kick Rock MUSIC. These girls rock \m/>_< For more info, check out NEW STRIKE ZIPPER's official website and MySpace page.

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…

The band’s latest effort, 26times comes blanketed in distortion and is pierced with accents of grinding bass, crashing cymbals, and percussion. During the eight-track mini album the quartet of Lucy (vocals), izumi (guitar), azu (bass), and Moe (drums), who are all heavily influenced by classic rock and 21 or under, blows out speakers in style with their brand of blunt yet clever and captivating rock.

Tracks like the opener “Liar”, “Navy Star”, “Chicken race”, and “Ring,ring,ring” fit comfortably inside their no-frills rock ‘n roll confines. All confront cursory concerns (the entire album is sung in English) and play like party anthems. The jabbing and shredding is kept from becoming grating thanks to clever composition with no elements falling needlessly out of place or popping up where they sound like they shouldn’t be. The sounds and textures may be erratic and rough but the execution is fine and crisp.

“Bitter Day” kicks off a transition that eventually bucks the wall-to-wall vocals/guitar assault trend thanks to an
instrumental-heavy second half that’s capped off with an inventive bridge. The lyrics turn positive but end with Lucy whispering, “Life is bitter chocolate and it never melts.”

“Now!” eventually sounds like its white-knuckled rock counterparts but the first movement builds up and helps to showcase LAZYgunsBRISKY’s ability to diverge from the anticipated. It walks gently and slow at first before accelerating into its teasing and frenetic climax.

26times concludes with “Abbey road”, perhaps the release’s strongest track. The song is softer, the gain on the guitar amp is turned off and glimmers of “ohh”-ing harmony poke through amid introspective lyrics of loneliness and longing. At just over two minutes long, the brevity of “Abbey road” is disappointing. It ends where one wishes it were half way through and since it’s the final track, it’s unfortunate that 26times doesn’t continue in this tone for a few more songs. The prominence of “Abbey road” is enhanced by the stark contrast drawn between its fine-tuned, reserved sound and the lively, extroverted works that precede it.

LAZYgunsBRISKY’s music is in your face, but not too much so. It’s close, intense, and impeding but is backed off far enough so the composition can actually be enjoyed for some of its beauty. Even the most long-haired, hearing-impaired, headbanging rock fan needs that sometimes.

LAZYgunsBRISKY was formed in 2006 and their debut album, quixotic, came in 2008. 26times is the band’s second mini album on Babestar Label, a subsidiary of Victor Entertainment.

Watch the PV for “Navy Star”:

Buy 26times by LAZYgunsBRISKY

Chatmonchy Restaurant Dessert (チャットモンチー レストラン デザート), which comes out August 26th, features rare footage from three of vocalist/guitarist Eriko Hashimoto (橋本絵莉子), bassist Akiko Fukuoka (福岡晃子), and drummer Kumiko Takahashi’s (高橋久美子) live performances. The lives include two dates at Shinjuku LOFT, performed exactly three years apart on April 1st, 2006 and April 1st 2009 and a third at SHIBUYA-AX on April 12th, 2007.

The 2006 and 2007 filmings mostly include songs from Chatmonchy’s debut mini album, 2005′s chatmonchy has come and their second full-length release Seimeiryoku (生命力, vitality). The 2009 performance, naturally includes a couple of songs from the band’s third and most recent album, Kokuhaku (告白, confession).

Chatmonchy Restaurant Dessert only includes “8cmのピンヒール” (8cm no Pin Hiiru, 8cm high heels) and “やさしさ” (Yasashi sa, gentle) off of Kokuhaku and while it’s surprising that some of the album’s more popular songs like the four singles aren’t included, it’s apparent that “Dessert” is the special treat in the “Restaurant Series”. It’s the rare and previously unseen live footage that’s the real draw. With just 11 live tracks, Chatmonchy Restaurant Dessert is short and sweet and unlike the more sizable Appetizer, Soup, and Main Dish courses.

The DVD also includes fun one-on-one bonus features that have the girls going incognito in a variety of ways. Eriko Hashimoto apparently performs under a false name in Yoyogi Park, Akiko Fukuoka dons a disguise and takes a part-time job at the Niigata Prefectural Civic Center and Zepp Tokyo, and Kumiko Takahashi puts on Oda Nobunaga’s (織田信長) armor while visiting Inuyama Castle.

Tracklisting:
“Half-done in Shinjuku Vol.1″ 2006.04.01 at Shinjuku LOFT
01. ハナノユメ (Hana no Yume, a flower’s dream)
02. 夕日哀愁風車 (Yuuhi Aishuu Fuusha, evening’s sorrowful windmill)
03. 決まらないTURN (Kimaranai TURN, undecided turn
04. 湯気 (Yuge, steam)

“Half-done in Shinjuku Vol.2″ 2009.04.01 at Shinjuku LOFT
05. ハナノユメ (Hana no Yume, a flower’s dream)
06. 8cmのピンヒール (8cm no Pin Hiiru, 8cm high heels)
07. やさしさ (Yasashi sa, gentle)

“Flower of Chatmonchy AX” 2007.04.12 at SHIBUYA-AX
08. 湯気 (Yuge, steam)
09. 手の中の残り日 (Te no Naka no Nokoribi, the rest of the day in my hands)
10. Y氏の夕方 (Y-shi no Yuugata, Mr. Y’s evening)
11. 惚たる蛍 (Hotaru Hotaru, charmed firefly)

Buy Chatmonchy Restaurant Dessert

I don’t know how I almost missed this, I love Kuuchuu Loop (空中ループ, aerial loop)! The band returns with their second mini album, 夜明け、光。(Yoake Hikari, dawn light), which is nearly guaranteed to be beautiful and full of delicate, wistful melodies. “小さな光” (Chiisa na Hikari, small light) is the EP’s first track and first PV from the release. Yoake, Hikari came out on July 8th and we’ll definitely have more on it very soon.

Also, please stay tuned because there’s a big surprise coming to the site within the next 24 hours!

“ウソツキ” (Usotsuki, liar) is the latest single from rap-rock outfit REAL’ (レアルダッシュ, real dash). Some of the song is sung as a conversation and while “Usotsuki” rocks plenty on its own, it’s the PV that really brings the ‘story’ it to life. Not giving away too much, the PV involves cute little kids, relationships, and the subject of cheating. Even better is the fact that the PV includes English subtitles! Dare I say it’s a must-see?

“Usotsuki” comes out September 2nd. Visit REAL’s official site for more info.

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!

The three-show tour, aptly dubbed “SILVER WEEKENDER”, will hit CLUB QUATTROs in Shinsaibashi, Osaka, Nagoya, and Shibuya, Tokyo on September 20th, 21st, and 23, respectively.

“SILVER WEEKENDER” may be short but it looks to be a sweet change of pace for fans since BIGMAMA, Local Sound Style, and UNISON SQUARE GARDEN will all be coming off fresh from major music festivals like SETSTOCK’09, ROCK IN JAPAN FES.2009, the RISING SUN ROCK FESTIVAL 2009, and PUNKAFOOLIC! SHIBUYA CRASH 09.

With four bands possessing four unique sounds with rather dissimilar styles, the “SILVER WEEKENDER” mini tour will be an electrifying spectacle in melodic rock. Tickets for all three shows go on sale July 18th.

via indiesmusic.com (JP)

“溢れる” (Afureru, to flood) is the latest single from lego big morl. It’s the first release since the band’s debut album, Quartette Parade, which came out back in January. The song’s got some nice groove and is sprinkled throughout with signature-style effervescent guitar licks. It may sprout from familiar ground but it does grow into something its own.

“溢れる” is set for release on July 22nd and features two additional tracks.