Forum - View topicSearching for Japanese Music
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Full_Metal1923
 Posts: 312 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
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I've always said if I had the chance I'd love to support the many Japanese artists I listen to. Well, thanks to the need to purchase a textbook online, my parents have finally allowed me to shop online. Quite exciting, no?, probably not for you guys.
Since then, I've been browsing the Sound Decision articles that used to be written on this site in search of some positive input on new and familiar artists in regards to full albums rather than singles. Speaking of which, I'm not interested in the purhcasing of singles. Now, luckily, Amazon.com have been very helpful with some albums however the majority of them are very very expensive. With only few that I had an interest in being in a reasonable price range. Some of those include L'Arc's "SMILE" & "AWAKE", Hyde's "FAITH", "Yuki Kajiura's "Fiction" and then albums by Corrinne May, the Indigo and Yoko Ishida (artists I know little about but were highly praised in the Sound Decision articles at one point or another). Unfortunately, a lot of artists I had previous knowledge of, their albums are the equivelant of buying a game for my Nintendo Wii. So I was wondering if there was another, trustworthy site where I could find at the very least a couple more albums at a more reasonable price. I do understand why they're expensive but I just don't have the money to buy numerous albums for such a high cost. Additionally, I'd like your opinions on a couple of albums. Corrinne May's "Safe in a Crazy World" Yoko Ishida's "Sweets" & "All of me" (I think that's the name) And what is the Indigo like beyond "Ido!", which is the only song I've heard but I really like. The point that scares me a bit is that they were considered in the folk genre. Oh, and if you're wondering if there are any paticular albums I am searching for at a lower price. "My Story" by Ayumi Hamasaki "Greeting" by Nami Tamaki "Love Punch" or "Love Jam" by Ai Otsuka Anythign by L'Arc~en~Ciel and really, you can suggest any album worth getting. I know you guys will prove helpful as always and I thank you in advance. 
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abominaSion
 Posts: 125 Location: U.S...maybe |
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If You'r a Laruku fan you need to hear Kiss ,Dune(original or anniversary)...I was just about to name every album. Honestly I'd say any Best of Laruku is worth getting but make shure to see the release date since they have a couple of 'em.
The pillows "My Foot" is also worth looking into. |
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Murasakisuishou
 Posts: 1469 Location: NE Ohio |
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If you're into Ayumi Hamasaki and Yoko Ishida, I'd highly recommend checking out Ma'aya Sakamoto as well. You can get her Nikopachi album on Amazon dirt cheap (or at least you could a month or so ago), and it's a decent introduction to her range and the styles she works with. I bought it just for the song 'Here', but I love the whole thing.
As far as low prices go, eBay is a possibility (although something of a hassle). If it hasn't been licensed by a U.S. distributor, you're usually going to be out of luck. Still, I've found decent prices (still a bit high with shipping, but not awful) at cdjapan.co.jp, so you might try there. As a final thought, I would also recommend getting a BUCK-TICK Best Of collection or something similar; they're a fantastic band, even better than L'arc-en-Ciel (in my opinion), and a lot of their songs are similar in style. |
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abominaSion
Posts: 125 Location: U.S...maybe |
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Good thing I read -in my opinion-. I was about to launch a written attack. The strang thing about this is the wide variety of genres anime fans are into simultaniusly. There's a site called geneonanimemusic.com Oh the IRONY. |
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Full_Metal1923
Posts: 312 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
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That's the main problem, I don't know which artists/albums have been getting domestic releases. I believe Tofu Records is no longer doing so and I know the Geneon has several out there/ O';; be sure to check those mentioned albums.
I only know of BUCK-TICK's Trinity Blood theme "Dress" and Maaya Sakamoto's Singles Collection (the one mentioned) is also pretty cheap on amazon. I'll probably buy that one since "Hemisphere" and "Gravity" are on there, as they're two of my favourites. I've also heard L'Arc's "Kiss" already and it's a really awesome album but very expensive. Which would obviously be the case but even moreso because it's only been out ofr a few months now. And, I haven't heard any song from their "Dune" album unfortunately. Thanks for the link to the geneon page, I'll check it out.
EDIT: Ok, well I just checked it out and besides the Anime OSTs, most of those albums I've already searched up on already. I should also point out in regards to one of the posts made, I don't know much about Yoko Ishida nor the Indigo so if anyone can tell me if their albums are worth buying then it'd be great because they're on Amazon for a good price. "Sweets" and "All of Me" and I think even some of the Para Para CDs from Ishida are available. Though, I think the Para PAra thing might be too crazy for me (checked out some youtube videos). And as for the Indigo, I've only heard "I Do!", I really like it but I don't know what else they've done and what's included in their Best Suite albu to know whether to buy it or not. |
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Full_Metal1923
Posts: 312 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
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Short question because I'm nufamiliar with all of this still
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_m/105-8196606-8934050?url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=Best+L%27Arc ^ How come there's a '03 and '05 version for the two Best of L'Arc~en~Ciel CDs? I thought all three came out in '03 during their break along with that remix album Yukihiro produced. As you can see, one is cheaper than the by at least half the price. These are things that confuse the hell out of me. (also it doesn't seem that they list the tracklist for the cheaper albums shown) On a side note, I found Nana Kitade's "18" album, the only sng I know on that one is Kesenai Tsumi from Fullmetal Alchemist, so any info on that as well would be great. |
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CloverKuroba
 Posts: 506 |
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Just so you know, Kiss and Dune are available on iTunes if you have it. Hamasaki's My Story and Otsuka's Love Jam and Love Punch are on it too. I like both of Ai Otsuka's albums, her voice is really cute. I'm not an Ayu fan so I wouldn't know about My Story.
And about Nana Kitade's "18" album...it's okay, but I personally prefer "I scream". It contains the theme song from Powerpuff Girls Z and a cover of the Urusei Yatsura theme song. I really like The Indigo, and they've released two "Best of" albums as of now. I have the Indigo Suite album and while I don't have a tracklist on me, I really like it. Their style is kind of folksy, a bit alt.pop. I also like Sound of Fragance. The Indigo is pretty mellow in general. Maaya Sakamoto is a really good artist, and the Nikopachi collection by her is a good choice. Her other collection, Hotchpotch, is also good. And if you like Sakamoto, I also reccomend Bonnie Pink (did the ED for Guyver) and Rie Fu (known for "Life is Like a Boat" from Bleach and the ED for Darker than Black). Their albums are available on Amazon and Bonnie Pink has stuff on iTunes as well. I'd reccomend Bonnie Pink's "Even So" album as a starting point and Rie Fu's "Rie fu" album. And if you don't mind getting into Japanese artists who haven't done any anime songs, I reccomend Shiina Ringo and and advantage Lucy. |
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Full_Metal1923
Posts: 312 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
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Unfortunately, I don't have iTunes but I really like Ai Otsuka, she's in my Top 5 favourite Japanese artists. And I'm also a fan of Rie Fu but once again, I'll have to do a lot of saving for her album(s).
I've never heard anythign from Bonnie Pink so perhaps I will look into that as well. Thanks. Oh, and about the Indigo, are there more songs like "I Do!", as I've said before, I really like that song but the part where they're "folky" kind of puts me off because I really don't know what to expect and generally folk music isn't my thing but I really would like to hear more of their stuff to get a better idea. So far, th ones I think I'm going ot buy are L'Arc's "SMILE" & "AWAKE", Hyde's "FAITH", "Yuki Kajiura's "Fiction" and I've added Maaya Sakamoto's "Nikopachi" to that and perhaps the second one as well, I don't know many of the songs on that one as opposed to Nikopachi. I think that's pretty good and I'm strongly considering the Indigo Best Suite album. |
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Full_Metal1923
Posts: 312 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
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Sorry for double posting but I'd like to add that Utada Hikaru's "First Love" album has made the list and because her "Colors" single has "Simple and Clean" and not "Hikari" - I much prefer the English version, I'll be getting that as well. After all my searching, I think I've got a good number of albums to purchase and satisfy me for now.
I'm still highly interested in the Indigo and after I get the albums I'll probably lok towards singles, of course I'll be very picky since they cost as much as a normal album. I hope the movie to purchase "First Love" is a good one, I've heard a couple songs and was quite happy with what I heard, not ot mention it was praised in a Sound Decision article as being a masterpiece and her best work thus far. |
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Murasakisuishou
Posts: 1469 Location: NE Ohio |
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One more recommendation and I'll go away, I swear
Judging by some of the styles you seem to be gravitating towards (rock-y-er stuff with L'arc, more smooth, pop-ish stuff with Ma'aya, Ayumi, and Utada Hikaru), I would very, VERY highly recommend checking out the soundtracks to Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex at some point. All of them have a wonderfuly diverse mix of rock, techno, pop, occasionally jazz, and even more accoustic sounds. Yes, they're OSTs, but they don't play like OSTs at all; they're really more like albums featuring an assortment of very talented artists. Three of them (the first, the second, and Be Human) are licensed in the U.S. and can be had for cheap. I got my copy of the second OST at Best Buy for $6 because the case was smashed (the actual CD was fine), but I've seen it on Amazon for about $10. No prior experience with the anime is necessary to enjoy the music; I bought all of the soundtracks (including the two that are import only) before watching the anime, and the music was so good that it actually made me want to watch the anime more. Good choice on Colors, BTW. I too prefer Simple and Clean over Hikari, and the song Colors is even better. I'm not even a big Utada fan either :p The rest of your choices are pretty cool as well; we seem to have similar tastes in music 
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Full_Metal1923
Posts: 312 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
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Indeed, we do. I'm a big fan of Yoko Kanno and some of the artists in the Ghost in the Shell OSTs like ORiga, Ilaria Graziano, and Scott Mathew. I really appreciate all of the recommendations. Keep them coming
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d.yaro
Posts: 528 |
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My two bits worth: I wouldn't pick up those albums. I gave "My Story" a listen at the time it came out (2005) and wasn't impressed. My interest in her material died right there. I'd say back track to "Memorial Address", "Rainbow" or "I am...". "Greeting" had such a short lifespan in my CD collection it's not funny. I think I played it in its entirety once. I believe I unloaded it at Book-Off within a month of purchasing it. But that's just me. Given what you've expressed interest in so far I wouldn't really recommend Shiina Ringo or Tokyo Jihen (the band she currently fronts) to you for now. I don't think of her as an entry point artist for someone just getting into popular Japanese music. To me she has distinctly Japanese sensibilities and they don't always translate well. She has released material that sounds accessible and then she's released stuff that seriously can twist your brain. (I have all her solo albums, all three Tokyo Jihen albums, her collaboration album with Saito Neko and the 7cm CD collection "Zecchoshu".) I'll offer up this web page as a starting point to do some exploring of Japanese popular music: ProjectJ page. If you want to wade in deeper here's the wonderful Rock of Japan page. |
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Full_Metal1923
Posts: 312 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
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Well, it should be noted, I do know a considerable amount of Japanese artis, most of which from anime openings and endings of course but I do know a fair share. I'm unfamiliar with those you mentioned but in the case of "My Story" and "Greeting", I was interested in them since Sound Decision had praised them.
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CloverKuroba
Posts: 506 |
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Good choice on Utada Hikaru, she's great. IF you want to hear more of her stuff, I suggest you try out her Singles Collection vol.1, it's a good introduction to more of her songs.
On Shiina Ringo-- I just suggested her because I've gotten a lot of my friends into j-music by introducing her to them. Shiina and her band Tokyo Jihen are both fantastic, but she is very different, for lack of a better word, than most popular j-artists. |
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Full_Metal1923
Posts: 312 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
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Since I'm posting around ANN today. Might as well update, and cringe at some of the typing errors I made previously.
As far as what I'm going to be buying (I managed to save the money up but Super Smash Bros. Brawl comes out tomorrow, so I'll have to start again): L'Arc's Best of L'Arc '94-'98 Best of L'Arc '98-'00 SMILE AWAKE ~I'd also add KISS but it's still very expensive, and I don't have iTunes. Utada Hikaru's First Love -Singles- COLORS Be My Last Sakura Drops/Letters ~She recently released Heart station/Stay Gold. Both of which are awesome songs, so that'll be the next one after these. Maaya Sakamoto's "Nikopachi", and Hyde's "FAITH". As you can see there's quite a lot for me to get. That's why I didn't listen any others I'm merely thinking about picking up. These are guaranteed purchase worthy. So I'll be working on obtaining these. Overall, I think it'll take a couple hundred dollars. A small price to pay for promoting Japanese artists, and their music. |
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