Big Macs / Big Brain
Buffalo Daughter formed in 1993, settling as a three-piece with ex-Havana Erotica members suGar Yoshinaga (guitar/vocals) and Yumiko Ohno (bass/vocals), with the addition of MoOog Yamamoto (turntables/vocals).
The band has been labeled as part of the Shibuya-kei movement in Japan -- a sub-genre of Japanese pop music best described as a mix between pop, jazz, and electropop.
After hearing their latest (2006) album, 'Euphorica', I found myself listening to the album over and over again (as I am now) in an attempt to better understand it. The album transitions from the aptly titled, "Peace" to suGar and Yumiko crooning:
"I love you by the hour -- I'm your sometime lover. I fix you dinner -- yeah, sometimes I am your mother" over "Sometime Lover", followed by an ecstasy-filled trip through the forest for "Bird Song".
And that's just 3 songs on the album.
Italy's Arti E Mestieri are arguably one of the most interesting and original bands in the realm of progressive rock. The first time I heard 'Tilt: Immagini per un orecchio', I was curious how they didn't get as much praise/mention as other prog goliaths such as The Mahavishnu Orchestra. The band has been creating and releasing material for over twenty-odd years, collapsing in the late seventies and re-uniting in 1999 with 5/6 of the original members.
If you're unfamiliar, 'Tilt' is the perfect place to start, as it's easily one of their best releases -- just a shining example of great symphonic jazz-rock.
FULLARMOR is another great instrumental group from Japan, consisting of 2 bass-players (one being the bass player from LITE), synth/guitar, and drums. Originally a side project centered around vocalist Atsushi Horie, he opted to remove vocals entirely after one release, sticking just to playing keys/guitar. The result is a jazz/video-game induced groove with both bass-players in a musical battle of pong vPCP.0 between wailing horn sections, flush backbone drums, Atsushi Horie's dancing keys, and the occassional vocal sample for added flavor.
I have the most recent, 'Cataract', and the 2007 album, 'Zion'. I upped them into one link -- czech it, Slovak.
Fredo Viola is a jack of all trades artist who describes himself as an American singer/songwriter and multi-media artist. His music melds elements of 60's pop, psychedelia, electronica, and sews it all together with his exquisite (I say, good show!) voice. 'The Turn' came to me as a brilliant surprise -- I'd only heard Fredo's "The Sad Song" prior (which appeared on both 'Sad Song EP' and 'The Turn', as well as being featured in the remake of The Manchurian Candidate) -- which garnered him some attention and led to a collaboration with Massive Attack.
Def one of 2008's best so far, and an exciting artist to keep tabs on.
These guys were the UK's most promising and exciting hardcore/metal/ambient group before going on indefinite hiatus shortly after 'To You The First Star'. The band still lives on through shels, via Eden Maine's dynamic guitar duo. Seriously amazing and dynamic record -- shame these guys didn't last longer.
I fell in love with Dr. Dog's 2007 album, 'We All Belong' -- a serene but often serious album that personified my life last summer. Comparisons could be drawn to the likes of The Beatles or The Beach Boys, with the band's 60's-era pop orchestration and wonderfully effective vocal melodies. Dr. Dog can't be backed into a corner however, evident especially with their new follow up album, 'Fate'. The nuances they pull off so well ascend them past ordinary fare, with vocals/lyrics that assert them as simply effective, rather than just simple.
Strongly recommend giving them a try, just a wonderfully intimate and tangible group to have in your collection.
