Asian Invasion II: Japan

Please also check out the first Asian Invasion article.

Just to let you know, W♥M Radio is available on iTunes. You can find it by searching for "we heart music" on its podcast section. In an upcoming show (to be posted on next week?), Sally and I did talk a little about Guitar Wolf.

Also, in anticipation and excitement for Guitar Wolf to come to Minneapolis, for their "Alien Action Tour 2012", I've put up a screen print from the movie, "Wild Zero".

Check out the tour trailer below, check with guitarwolf.net for the latest updates. You can grab the strictly limited US pressing of the 10" EP "Jet Satisfaction" only available on tour. I may pick up an extra copy for my brother.

US TOUR 2012 "Alien Action Tour 2012" 03/27@Nashville, TN 12th & Porter 03/28@Chapel Hill, NC Local 506 03/29@Richmond, VA Kingdom 03/30@Baltimore, MD Ottobar 03/31@Brooklyn, NY Knitting Factory 04/01@Philadelphia, PA JB's 04/03@Fort Wayne, IN Brass Rail 04/04@Columbia, MO Mojo's 04/05@St Louis, MO Firebird 04/06@Lawrence, KS Bottleneck 04/07@Des Moines, IA Gas Lamp 04/08@Minneapolis, MN 7th St Entry 04/09@Fargo, ND Aquarium

04/10@Rapid City, SD Budd Uglys 04/11@Missoula, MT The Top Hat 04/13@Bellingham, WA The Shakedown 04/14@Seattle, WA El Corazon 04/15@Portland, OR Hawthorne Theatre 04/17@San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill 04/18@Los Angeles, CA The Satellite 04/19@Santa Ana, CA Constellation Room 04/20@San Diego, CA Casbah 04/21@Phoenix, AZ Martini Ranch 04/22@Albuquerque, NM Launchpad 04/24@San Antonio, TX White Rabbit 04/25@Dallas, TX Trees 04/26@Memphis, TN Hi-Tone

In other "Asian Invasion" news, briefly:

FAR EAST MOMENT fareastmovement.com My brother thinks these guys are cool. They are a really successful "asian" high energy dance/hip hop band that opened up for Lady Gaga about two years ago. They also have the misfortunate acronym of "FEM", which they have been using "FM" (for frequency modulation) instead. I read that their single, "Live My Life" is enjoying radio airplay. Also, check it out, you can hear FM's theme song for the anime "Monsuno" every Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. (ET) on Nicktoons.

SIGH (サイ) candlelightrecordsusa.com Sigh is described as "extreme black metal", but throwing in everything from jazz to traditional Indian music. Their new studio album, In Somniphobia, came out March 13th via Candlelight Records. For a band that's been around since 1990 Tokyo, the band doesn't actually have a website… but I don't think they care (or know about the internet). Pitchfork is streaming their album now.

TAFFY taffy8.com You know that Sally and I love Britpop, so I couldn't ignore this Japanese band that, according to the Guardian, sounds like bis, Echobelly, Sleeper and Salad! Far out. I did end up listening to Haah, it's very guitar noisy with sweet vocals. I don't really see those Britpop bands in that song. Then again, it's just one song that I heard. Their debut UK single, So Long, will be out on Record Store Day, April 21st, 2012.

AVEC AVEC soundcloud.com Speaking of the Guardian, the newspaper called Avec Avec's music "one of the most joyous sounds to come out of Japan" (link). Osaka's Avec Avec, whose real name is Takuma Hosokawa, his latest release is Plastic Soul Redux (released January 24th, 2012). I did to the 4-track EP, which sounds like a mashup of interesting warpy twitchy sounds. The most accessible song on the EP is "Jimmys". If you like that sort of thing, you can pick up the record at mushrecords.com.

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