http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog.html Past entries of the weblog of Nicholas Freeman (Junk Magnet), with a focus on Japanese Popular Culture and neato Western Stuff. Updated pretty much every weekday. en-us Copyright 2004, 2005, 2006 by Nicholas Freeman nick@junkmagnet.com nick@junkmagnet.com http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0709.html#9.4.2007.1 Here's the almost-monthly updated list of some CDs and DVDs on pre-order from Japan, including the latest from the brilliant green, PUFFY, Yuki and Tokyo Jihen. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 5 Sep 2007 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0708.html#8.27.2007.1 Kaneko Atsushi is one of my favorite comic creators in any language. He's becoming known for [BAMBi And Her Pink Gun] in the US, but his latest series is [SOIL], now being serialized in Japan, in the monthly [Comic Beam] magazine. [SOIL] Volume 6, the latest collection of his serialized manga novel, was released in Japan on 8/25/2007, and it's just more of the same greatness. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 28 Aug 2007 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0708.html#8.1.2007.2 I have a special place in my heart for BENTEN, an amazing woman-focused label out of Japan. Right now they're promoting a mini tour by GO!GO!7188, a great female-heavy three piece. Follow the link to find out about their upcoming shows. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 2 Aug 2007 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0707.html#7.9.2007.1 [Hana & Alice] by Shunji Iwai is one of my most favorite movies. Three years after its release in Japan, it will be on DVD in the US, starting tomorrow. Follow this link to find out why you should care. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 10 Jul 2007 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0707.html#7.1.2007.1 A short listing of Japanese CDs and DVDs I have on order, including [Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society]. nick@junkmagnet.com Mon, 2 Jul 2007 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0706.html#6.11.2007.1 As usual, I have an updated list of some CDs and DVDs on pre-order from Japan. Perhaps one or two items will be of interest to one or two people. If nothing else, please note [Sakuran], the recent movie by Mika Ninagawa, which not only features music by Ringo Sheena, but the lead role filled by Anna Tsuchiya, out on August 3rd. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 12 Jun 2007 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0706.html#6.1.2007.1 Without getting lost in marketing mode, let me tell you about what I've been up to at work. The latest product from Elgato Systems, my intrepid employer, is Turbo.264, software and hardware which allows you to make H.264 video files extremely quickly. Follow the link for more information about such amazingness. nick@junkmagnet.com Sat, 2 Jun 2007 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0705.html#5.1.2007.1 [Kiraware Matsuko No Issho], translated as [Memories Of Matsuko], is a wonderful film from 2006 by Tetsuya Nakajima, the director of [Shimotsuma Story], aka [Kamikaze Girls]. Follow the link to find out who won a Japanese Region 2 DVD of the movie. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 2 May 2007 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0704.html#4.9.2007.1 Looking for the best 24" 1080p monitor for your PS3 or Xbox 360? Follow the link for an extensive review of my personal favorite. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 10 Apr 2007 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0704.html#4.2.2007.1 [Kiraware Matsuko No Issho], translated as [Memories Of Matsuko], is a wonderful film from 2006 by Tetsuya Nakajima, the director of [Shimotsuma Story], aka [Kamikaze Girls]. Follow the link to find out how to win a Japanese Region 2 DVD of the movie, without English subtitles (it's in the original Japanese). nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 3 Apr 2007 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0704.html#4.1.2007.1 As is my tendency, I have an updated list of some CDs and DVDs on preorder from Japan. At this point, perhaps one or two people actually find this useful, so now is the time for them to party. nick@junkmagnet.com Mon, 2 Apr 2007 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0703.html#3.12.2007.1 Would you like over 700 MP3s from tons of artists, for free? Follow the link now to legal torrents thanks to SXSW 2007, the music festival in Austin, TX this week. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 13 Mar 2007 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0703.html#3.1.2007.1 Wondercon 2007, a comic book convention with mass-media tendencies, starts tomorrow on 3.2.2007, running until Sunday, 3.4.2007 in San Francisco at the Moscone Center. Follow the link to find out why you should be extremely interested in this. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 2 Mar 2007 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0702.html#2.21.2007.1 OOIOO is a fine group of female Japanese musicians, led by the mythical Yoshimi, also of the Boredoms. They have a new remix EP out in Japan, [OOEYEOO - EYE REMIX], which is only 4 songs, but quite the chanting experience, due in part to EYE's (of the Boredoms) sonic swirling. Follow the link to find out more about their upcoming US tour, and the US release of their EP, thanks to the fine folks at Thrill Jockey. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 22 Feb 2007 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0702.html#2.20.2007.1 I always have a few projects on the back burners, and one is called the Runaway Girl Army. That's a phrase and concept that I've been secretly cradling for a few years, and am starting to put to use today. Follow the link for a slight introduction to the new, long march. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 21 Feb 2007 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0702.html#2.12.2007.1 I first became acquainted with Kaela Kimura due to her role in [Custom Made 10.30], a movie focused on two sisters who ultimately attend a Tamio Okuda concert. After tracking down her music, I can firmly say that she's a talent to look out for. Follow this link to find out more, via my new Kaela Kimura profile. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 13 Feb 2007 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0702.html#2.1.2007.1 Japan Nite 2007 is almost upon us. That's a South By Southwest (SXSW) event, as well as a tour, and it's all super-special. The featured bands are: The Emeralds, Go!Go!7188, The 50Kaitenz, ORESKABAND, HY, Pistol Valve, and Asakusa Jinta. Follow the link to find out which bands will play what shows. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 2 Feb 2007 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0701.html#1.29.2007.1 Today, I was watching some Chinese news, when I saw a brief piece on dodolook, an adorable young woman who's apparently making the jump from video-blogs to microstardom. She's a cute 23 year old, likes to dance energetically to J-Pop, and her overall work is brief bits of joy, guaranteed to produce smiles. If you're late to the party like I am, follow this link for video and info. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 30 Jan 2007 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0701.html#1.23.2007.1 Find out why that my Japanese PS3 delights me, perhaps contrary to popular opinion. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 24 Jan 2007 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0701.html#1.1.2007.1 Erika Saimon, one of my new favorite Japanese actresses, stars in [Nice No Mori - The First Contact], a recently released DVD with interconnected short films. ANIKI and others direct, and it's a funny, quirky and touching project that I recommend you find out more about. Following this link is a good way to start. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 2 Jan 2007 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0612.html#12.28.2006.1 Although I focus my ears (and wallet) on music from Japan, I also pay attention to releases from elsewhere. I didn't hear thousands of albums, but here are some that I heard, and liked. Follow the link to find out my personal top 10+. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 29 Dec 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0612.html#12.26.2006.1 As always, there are more great albums from Japan than I can rank comfortably, but of the ones I heard this year, a few stand out. Follow the link to find out my personal top 10. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 27 Dec 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0612.html#12.11.2006.1 After 7 months of not reporting my import activities, I have an updated list of some CDs and DVDs on preorder from Japan. As always, I'm sure this was lowly anticipated, but the idea is that you might come across one or two items that interest you as well. Pay close attention to the unexpected Sheena Ringo projects - a single, album, and DVD. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 12 Dec 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0612.html#12.2.2006.1 Kaneko Atsushi is one of my favorite comic creators in any language. He's becoming known for [BAMBi And Her Pink Gun] in the US, but his latest series is [SOIL], now being serialized in Japan, in the monthly [Comic Beam] magazine. [SOIL] Volume 5, the latest collection of his serialized manga novel, was released in Japan on 11.27.2006, and it's just more of the same greatness. nick@junkmagnet.com Sun, 3 Dec 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0611.html#11.24.2006.1 Soon, "everyone" (as in, lots of people) will know and adore the Hot IQs. Their first album is amazingly grand, and their new [Dangling Modifier] EP will storm the stores next week. I bought it in advance directly from the band's website, and Elaine (Drums), Eli (Vocals, Guitar) and Bryan (Bass) radiate 4 extraordinary new songs that channel the sounds of Archers Of Loaf and the lyrical obliqueness of Pavement, with ample helpings of fuzzy-buzz to increase the taste-sensation. nick@junkmagnet.com Sat, 25 Nov 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0611.html#11.6.2006.1 [Taxidermia], the third film I saw at the 50th London Film Festival, is disgusting. Now, I'm far from squeamish, but I didn't expect some twisted love child of Sam Raimi and David Cronenberg, born early and left on the incubator for years. Follow the link to find out more about a movie that even the daring should probably avoid. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 7 Nov 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0611.html#11.2.2006.1 Ah, the story of Louise Post and Nina Gordon, the female duo that once led Veruca Salt. I was quite enamored, way back in their Minty Fresh days, when labels like Geffen were buying up small, hot bands with a quickness. Through breakups and solo-careers, Louise is still holding the band together in a rockier and more accomplished form, and [IV], their latest album, is quite grand. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 3 Nov 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0611.html#11.1.2006.1 You might not know that I love the films of Lars von Trier. I do, and [The Boss Of It All], his latest work, is smart and funny, organic yet technological, and clearly the best thing I saw at the 50th London Film Festival. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 2 Nov 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0610.html#10.25.2006.1 As has been previously established, I have a firm appreciation for the films of Takashi Miike. So, when I was in London, I made sure to see his latest film, [Big Bang Love, Juvenile A]. Completely different from the Japanese title of [Shijuroku-Oku Nen No Koi] (4.6 Billion Year Love), the film is based on Masaki Ato's [Elegy For Boy] manga, and deals with prison, murder, and homoerotics - follow the link for my review. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 26 Oct 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0610.html#10.24.2006.1 As promised, I'm posting again, after two weeks in Europe. Specifically, I visited Munich, Germany for work, and London, England for play. Tonight are a few photos, before a few weeks of travel-related postings. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 25 Oct 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0610.html#10.4.2006.1 I love Hot IQs - check out past entries for ample evidence. They are coming to the West Coast all quick like, which is quite rare for this Denver band. Plus, they have a new CD out soon, so anyone who attends the shows listed at this link is bound to be entertained in new and novel ways. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 5 Oct 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0609.html#9.25.2006.1 The simply amazing Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re (aka TsuShiMaMiRe) and basically naked Suicide Girls are touring the US again. Follow the link to find out the states and dates. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 26 Sep 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0609.html#9.14.2006.1 [Veronica Mars] is an excellent show that's a clever combination of something like [The OC] and [Moonlighting]. Two seasons are on DVD, and the third starts in few weeks. Follow the link to find out more. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 15 Sep 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0609.html#9.1.2006.2 I'm a huge fan of Sardina, a wonderful band out of Indianapolis that died about a decade ago. [Presents], their only album, is a masterwork, and you can download it now for free, along with many other little-known gems. nick@junkmagnet.com Sat, 2 Sep 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0609.html#9.1.2006.1 I'm a big Juliana Hatfield fan, and her latest outfit Some Girls has a fine sophomore release, [Crushing Love]. Find out more today. nick@junkmagnet.com Sat, 2 Sep 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0608.html#8.15.2006.1 "Johnny Bacardi" has let me know that there's a strong change that the English translation of [BAMBi And Her Pink Gun] might be "on hiatus". That means only 2 out of 6 volumes might see the US (not counting the series-ending [BAMBi Alternative]). nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 16 Aug 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0608.html#8.14.2006.1 I loved Sleater-Kinney. I use the past tense because their last official concert as a band was on August 12, 2006, in Portland, Oregon, at the Crystal Ballroom. I took some vacation time to fly to see them; I saw one of their first concerts in 1995, and I thought it fitting to also see the last. Here are 10 pictures for you of the amazing show. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 15 Aug 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0608.html#8.1.2006.1 Find out all about CharityNavigator.org, a great resource to find the the most responsible charitable foundations to support. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 2 Aug 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0607.html#7.26.2006.1 As I mention every so often, I work for Elgato Systems, and we make products like EyeTV, for the Macintosh computer system. After many weeks of hard work, we've just released version 2.3 of the software, that includes a new Full Screen Menu. That means you can use all the important parts of the program from a distance, with a remote control, like you would with a cable box DVR or TiVo, with Front Row-like action. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 27 Jul 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0607.html#7.18.2006.1 Jet Set Show is a new videoblog aimed at kids, and it's quite fun for all ages. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 19 Jul 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0607.html#7.15.2006.1 The ultimate and perhaps surprising inspiration behind Junk Magnet is discussed. nick@junkmagnet.com Sun, 16 Jul 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0607.html#7.10.2006.1 LEGO Mindstorms NXT, a simple and fun robot building set, has been shipping to preorders for the past few weeks. I got mine a few days ago, and you can follow the link to read my first impressions. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 11 Jul 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0607.html#7.7.2006.1 [Koukyoushihen Eureka Seven] is a popular anime series in Japan, brought to the world by BONES, a production house that always seems to get things right. It's now in the US as simply [Eureka Seven], and I enjoyed what I saw when I rented the first 2 volumes from Netflix last week. Follow the link to find out more. nick@junkmagnet.com Sat, 8 Jul 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0607.html#7.5.2006.1 Rocketboom.com is a famous video log. Its telegenic and intelligently fun host, Amanda Congdon, is leaving the show to pursue her career in Los Angeles. Follow the link for more. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 6 Jul 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0607.html#7.4.2006.1 Nintendo has 7 Game Boy Advance games coming out that actually seem cool, with no Mario in sight. Find out more about the retro simplicity of bit Generations via the link. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 5 Jul 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0607.html#7.3.2006.1 [Rue Morgue] is a great horror magazine from Toronto, that covers all forms of the genre, from movies (including Asian Horror) to print, comics and even music. Check it out if you're at all interested in such things. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 4 Jul 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0607.html#7.1.2006.1 This will be the last post about Digg for a while. Find out how to view the many stories I've posted, many of which are weirdly interesting. nick@junkmagnet.com Sun, 2 Jul 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0606.html#6.29.2006.1 I just received my latest shipment of music from Japan yesterday, and I was quite impressed by the latest from Puffy, Hikaru Utada, Tommy heavenly6, and particularly Thmlues. Follow the link to some first impressions of each. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 30 Jun 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0606.html#6.27.2006.1 Digg.com, a fun collection of links to timely news and strange stories, has just been updated to a new, expanded design. Read more about my new adventures undertaking the Digg Dash for stories to post. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 28 Jun 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog.html#6.23.2006.1 [KatieBird: Certifiable Crazy Person] is a fine indepent horror movie by Justin Paul Ritter, with far more flair than most other recent screamers. Great use of implied violence and fragmented screen editing, and a fine debut by Taylor M. Dooley, who plays the protagonist during her teenage years. Fans of disturbingly entertaining fair should check it out. nick@junkmagnet.com Sat, 24 Jun 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0606.html#6.21.2006.1 I wanted a subscription to [Comic Beam], a manga magazine from Japan, but no one seemed to be able to provide it. Fujisan.com stepped up the plate and hit a grand slam; follow the link to find out more. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 22 Jun 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0606.html#6.19.2006.1 Scott Miller and The Loud Family, the San Francisco Bay Area's best kept secret, have a new album out after 6 years wait. A collaboration with Anton Barbeau, it's all sorts of pop-rock greatness that you should look into. Use this article as a start. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 20 Jun 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0606.html#6.15.2006.1 Simply put, crazy 100 word reviews of mostly great music from 1996. Like cookie fortunes meets [Snipehunt]. Dig in. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 16 Jun 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0606.html#6.14.2006.1 Fibulator, a band that used to hail from West Oakland, is one of my all-time favorites. Read the extensive interview I published 12 years ago in the first issue of [Junk Magnet], the zine, and then go find their music. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 15 Jun 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0606.html#6.12.2006.1 June is "brush off the Junk Magnet" month, to help celebrate the 10th anniversary. You can download an [anzitine] game and alternative story fragment, plus there are some new photos and art from my collection that might be of passing interest. Stop by often to get the latest curiosities. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 13 Jun 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0606.html#6.6.2006.2 Junk Magnet has been on and off the web since 1996. For the first time (again), witness the very beginning. Includes great content inbetween the few dead links. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 7 Jun 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0606.html#6.6.2006.1 be your own PET have their first album out today, and it's bound to be great. Find out more about this propulsive street punk band right away. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 7 Jun 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0606.html#6.5.2006.2 A new page, all about Tomoko Kawase, a.k.a Tommy february6 and Tommy heavenly6. Pure pop pow for those who crave it. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 6 Jun 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0606.html#6.5.2006.1 Simply put, Junk Magnet now has a search box. You can use it to find any word or phrase on the site, and there will be links to the appropriate pages. This is less amazing than it seems, but still useful. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 6 Jun 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0606.html#6.2.2006.1 Find out about upcoming releases from Puffy, Tommy heavenly6, Polysics, Jude and many more Japanese artists. nick@junkmagnet.com Sat, 3 Jun 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0606.html#6.1.2006.1 There's been a complete redesign and overhaul to Junk Magnet, after 5 years. You really should visit now - who knows what wonders await? nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 2 Jun 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0605.html#5.9.2006.1 It's show off new gamey things week. Find out a bit about what I think of E3 announcements. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 10 May 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0605.html#5.1.2006.1 Ze Frank has a video blog that's laugh-out-your-nose loud yet very simple, with examinations of current affairs and randomness, seeped with post-and-pre-irony. Follow the link to find out more. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 2 May 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0604.html#4.28.2006.1 Find out about some upcoming music releases from Japan, including the latest from Hikaru Utada, Thmlues, Puffy, and more. nick@junkmagnet.com Sat, 29 Apr 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0604.html#4.24.2006.2 Kaneko Atsushi is one of my favorite comic creators in any language. He's becoming known for [BAMBi And Her Pink Gun] in the US, but his latest series is [SOIL], now being serialized in Japan, in the monthly [Comic Beam] magazine. [SOIL] Volume 4, the latest collection of his serialized manga novel, will be released in Japan on 4.26.2005, and it's just more of the same greatness - follow the link to find out more. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 25 Apr 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0604.html#4.24.2006.1 Need an electronic Japanese dictionary, that also can recognize handwritten characters, including kanji? Have a Nintendo DS? Well, [Kani Sonomama Rakubiki Jiten] is a gift from my time-travelling children - follow the link to find out why. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 25 Apr 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0604.html#4.18.2006.1 One of the first artists I noticed in this year's torrent of music from SXSW was Laura Veirs of Seattle. She's a fine folky blues pop artist, reminding me of Heather Nova meets Suzanne Vega (who happen to be two of my favorites). Find out more about Laura (and download a full song) by following the link. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 19 Apr 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0604.html#4.14.2006.1 I love the Hot IQs - they're a thrashin' threesome from Denver, and their first album [An Argument Between The Brain And Feet] is one of my all-time favorites. Now, they've made a splendid video for [Firecracker], the bitchin' single off said album - follow this link to see its glory. nick@junkmagnet.com Sat, 15 Apr 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0604.html#4.3.2006.2 Our President does not like to admit when he's wrong, so some elementary school kids wrote him some apologetic speeches, which were then read by a Bush sound-alike. Priceless MP3s for those who folow the link, thanks to Stay Free! and Helena Keefe. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 4 Apr 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0604.html#4.3.2006.1 I'm a big Cake Bake Betty supporter. Lindsay Powell is amazing, and now she had a video for [64 White Little Things], another piece of evidence to justify my adoration. Download and enjoy it today, by following this link. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 4 Apr 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0604.html#4.1.2006.1 Animal Alpha rock Norway, and soon the world, like those stone polishing machines, only with less pebbles and more sharp edges. Find out why Agnete Maria Forfang Kjolsrud is the next lacy, rosey cheeked star for a new generation of noise. nick@junkmagnet.com Sun, 2 Apr 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0603.html#3.20.2006.1 18 Japanese web cams, plus the not-so-secret secret to find hundreds more. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 21 Mar 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0603.html#3.13.2006.1 More Japanese web cams. This time, restaurants and food shops, for your voyeuristic interest. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 14 Mar 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0603.html#3.7.2006.1 Japanese web cams. Watching cafes, gas stations, hair salons, streets, areas where pets congregate - don't you want to see them? Follow the link to find out the semi-secret mechanism, with links. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 8 Mar 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0603.html#3.6.2006.2 Yes, YouTube. Land of teenage lip-synched dancing and anime snippets. Follow the link to one of my favorite variations of the "music video" theme, the first in my exploration of the service. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 7 Mar 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0603.html#3.6.2006.1 Would you like almost 1000 MP3s from tons of artists, for free? Follow the link now to legal torrents thanks to SXSW 2006, the upcoming music festival in Austin, TX. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 7 Mar 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0603.html#3.1.2006.1 Call Buzz-O-Phone toll-free in the US via 1-800-591-5375, speak for a minute or two about anything you want, (a rant or complaint is best), and then your message is instantly sent out in digital form via a podcast. It's also put in a queue for all to hear on the web, but if you swear or act stupid - find out how to hear the "bad" messages. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 2 Mar 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0602.html#2.28.2006.1 Call Buzz-O-Phone toll-free in the US via 1-800-591-5375, speak for a minute or two about anything you want, (a rant or complaint is best), and then your message is instantly sent out in digital form via a podcast. It's also put in a queue for all to hear on the web, so you can listen. Follow the link to find out more. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 2 Mar 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0602.html#2.27.2006.1 Amanda Congdon and crew are great vloggers (video blogs) - find out more about their quirky offering via this link. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 28 Feb 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0602.html#2.20.2006.1 Toddle, fronted by the superlative Tabuchi Hisako (Number Girl, Bloodthirsty Butchers) released one of the best albums of 2005. Find out more about [I dedicate D chord] by following the link. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 21 Feb 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0602.html#2.15.2006.2 The superb band Ednaswap became Annetenna 6 years ago, a fact I didn't know about until last night. Free MP3s to those who follow this link. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 16 Feb 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0602.html#2.15.2006.1 Some kind thoughts about Art Circus, a female-fronted project from Infinity Cat records. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 16 Feb 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0602.html#2.13.2006.2 No One's Listening, a online and "real" radio show, meets Junk Magnet, via EyeTV and Macworld. Video clip included. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 14 Feb 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0602.html#2.13.2006.1 Download some enjoyable mashup action from DJ BC and some SF Bay Area folk. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 14 Feb 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0602.html#2.8.2006.3 Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re (aka TsuShiMaMiRe) are coming again to the US in March. Find out the details here. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 8 Feb 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0602.html#2.8.2006.2 "BAMBi And Her Pink Gun" Vol. 2 by Kaneko Atsushi is now out in English, thanks to Digital Manga Publishing. If you want to find out more about this beautifully anarchic series, follow the link. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 8 Feb 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0602.html#2.8.2006.1 The political stuff is over for now. Everyone can come back. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 8 Feb 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0602.html#2.6.2006.1 Part 3 In A Series: Reasons Why The US Really Sucks - A Taxing (Woe)Man. I'm so sorry - expect more about non-essential fun items in March. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 7 Feb 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0602.html#2.3.2006.1 Part 2 In A Series: Reasons Why The US Really Sucks - The One Branch, One Party System. Don't worry, I'll make sure to blog my surveillance and detainment after this series is over. nick@junkmagnet.com Sat, 4 Feb 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0602.html#2.2.2006.1 Part 1 In A Series: Reasons Why The US Really Sucks - Long Live King George. If you're after Japanese Pop Culture, this month is not for you. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 3 Feb 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0601.html#1.30.2006.1 I do watch some anime, and here are some mini-reviews of the final few episodes of [Genshiken] and [Gantz]. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 31 Jan 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0601.html#1.24.2006.1 I like to order music related stuff from Japan. Follow the link to find out about some interesting junk, including the latest from Ayumi Hamasaki, Hikaru Utada, Thmlues, Tokyo Jihen, Triceratops, Anna Tsuchiya, Yuki, Zazen Boys and many more artists. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 25 Jan 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0601.html#1.23.2006.1 Mochacochalatta are a Judy and Mary cover band from Bandung, Indonesia. That has to be enough to get you to follow the link. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 24 Jan 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0601.html#1.16.2006.2 The lusted for box is acquired, but, like Pandora before, all that's left is hope for better games. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 17 Jan 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0601.html#1.16.2006.1 Tales of EyeTV 2, Macworld, and imaginary pinatas nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 17 Jan 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0601.html#1.1.2006.1 Something about gunfire at mythical babies and Macworld, not in the same sentence. nick@junkmagnet.com Mon, 2 Jan 2006 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0512.html#12.29.2005.2 Hey Kids! Comics! You get the idea, only with less cliche, in list form. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 30 Dec 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0512.html#12.29.2005.1 More non-male CDs than you can shake something at. Please, stop shaking your something, and just read this fine list. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 30 Dec 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0512.html#12.28.2005.2 I love Takashi Miike, the Japanese genre director of note. Find out to what extent via this list. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 29 Dec 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0512.html#12.28.2005.1 Anime - some better than others, at least from the translated pool English language audiences get to pick from. Would you like to know my favorites for 2005? nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 29 Dec 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0512.html#12.27.2005.2 Who has the best album this year? Yuki, Jude, Tommy heavenly6? Find out now. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 28 Dec 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0512.html#12.27.2005.1 From Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re to The Emeralds, let me tell you about some good live bands. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 28 Dec 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0512.html#12.26.2005.1 I have a penchant for year end lists; this one deals with bands that I discovered via South By Southwest 2005, an annual musical get together in Austin, TX. From the Hot IQs to Damnations, find out about the latest musical folk you should bring home for dinner. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 27 Dec 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0512.html#12.12.2005.1 I've always enjoyed the work of Jackie Chan, but more so the films from Hong Kong, as opposed to his purely Western projects. No matter - one of his most recent productions that haven't hit the US yet is [The Myth], which is a pleasant mix between [Hero] and the [Indiana Jones] trilogy. Follow this link to find out more about this fine work. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 13 Dec 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0512.html#12.6.2005.1 MAUMA, a crazily enthusiatic band from Argentina, now presents the world with their first music video, [Cybergeisha]. Imagine a world where there is no distinction between the everyday and the classic 80s videogame, where Space Invaders are angered by our Martian space rovers, and decide to trash earth in retaliation. That's a world worth visiting, so follow this link for more information, and to experience the magic. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 7 Dec 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0512.html#12.1.2005.1 Last month, intrepid readers had a chance to win the Hot IQs first CD, [An Argument Between The Brain And Feet], along with an attractive T-Shirt. Follow this link to find out the winners. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 2 Dec 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0511.html#11.29.2005.1 I like Infinity Cat records. They're out of Nashville, TN, and know how to pick and cultivate the new wow sounds; Cake Bake Betty's recent masterpiece being a perfect case in point. Find out about the latest CDs from be your own PET and Jeff by following this magical link. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 30 Nov 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0511.html#11.23.2005.1 I'm a big fan of Mahiro Maeda, director of the [Aoi No 6] anime series, and now the visionary responsible for [Gankutsuou], a revisioning of [The Count of Monte Cristo], the classic novel by Alexander Dumas. Follow this link now to find out more about this amazing and beautiful work. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 24 Nov 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0511.html#11.21.2005.1 [AV], a relatively new Hong Kong comedy by Edmond Pang Ho-Cheung, follows the antics of friends who effectively rent the services of a Japanese AV (porn) star, under the guise of a fake film. Sounds scuzzy, but actually is cute, funny, and worth looking into. Visit junk.log to find out more about this movie, Manami Amamiya and the other stars. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 21 Nov 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0511.html#11.16.2005.1 In the 1990s, an amazing 4 piece from Australia existed, Clouds. Beloved to various degrees all over the world (including in my various apartments), they broke up in 1997, but Jodi Phillis and Patricia Young of that brilliant band now have joined back together as The Girls From The Clouds, for a new [LaLaLaLa] 5 song EP. Find out what you should care at junk.log now. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 17 Nov 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0511.html#11.14.2005.1 Did you know that about 10 years ago, I dabbled in crazy casio-powered music? Well, I did, even going so far as to make some recordings under the Quicker moniker. Download some MP3 tracks tonight, and then find out the secret process by which they were made. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 15 Nov 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0511.html#11.8.2005.1 Find out about upcoming singles and albums from The Pillows, Ayumi Hamasaki, Number Girl and Tokyo Incidents (Tokyo Jihen). A guaranteed exciting entry for 43 seconds; choose a link when boredom sets in. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 9 Nov 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0511.html#11.7.2005.1 Talk about the early stages of Junk Magnet 2.0. If you don't get excited by hand coding HTML, you'd best come back later. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 8 Nov 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0511.html#11.5.2005.1 Your Junk Magnet is back on the net, after finishing up his recent apartment move. Now, celebrate by entering the Hot IQs contest - win a CD and/or T-Shirts, and visit junk.log to find out how. nick@junkmagnet.com Sun, 6 Nov 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0510.html#10.18.2005.1 It has been established many times that I import heaping handfuls of music from Japan. Find out at junk.log tonight about recent and upcoming releases from a number of artists, including Jude, Sherbets, Polysics, Tamio Okuda, Tokyo Jihen, Salyu, Tomoe Shinohara, Hikaru Utada, and many more. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 19 Oct 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0510.html#10.17.2005.2 I love Metric, really. I've been into Emily Haines and crew since their first album, [Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?], and there second album [Live It Out] is available now. The executive summary is that they're amazing. Travel to junk.log to find out why. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 18 Oct 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0510.html#10.17.2005.1 The Hot IQs rock. I've known this all during 2005, but didn't have the concrete evidence until 10.15.2005, where they opened on the UC Berkeley campus for Tegan and Sara and Northern State. Read copious amounts about this event at junk.log now. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 18 Oct 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0510.html#10.13.2005.1 Thanks to South By Southwest 2005 I discovered the splendor of the Hot IQs. Their first album, [An Argument Between The Brain And Feet], is all enjoyable all the time, and I went on and on about it earlier. Eli Mishkin (Vocals, Guitar), Elaine Acosta (Drums), and Bryan Feuchtinger (Bass) are based out of Denver, so tours to the West Coast are a pretty special occasion - they tour with Northern State, and Tegan and Sara from 10.15 until 10.19 (from Berkeley to Portland), and with Divorce and Slender Means on 10.22 in Seattle. See junk.log for dates, places and times. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 14 Oct 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0510.html#10.10.2005.1 Lindsay of Cake Bake Betty is simply amazing. I discovered this thanks to Infinity Cat records, in my good graces thanks to their promotion of be your own PET. She makes the piano and guitar wail and shiver, via her Cake Bake Betty persona. Her latest CD, [Songs About Teeth], has been played literally dozens of times since I received it a few days ago, and strikes a pose somewhere between Evanescence, Rasputina and Joanna Newsom, with lots of blood and bones for good measure. It sounds like an small orchestra in a snow storm, solemn and shivering, yet shooting sparks from the musical outbursts. Some songs like [Song of the Sea] evoke the 10,000 Maniacs (which is a good thing, since I adore Nathalie Merchant) with yearning strings and her pleasantly sad voice. Others are quirky and dangerous, like [64 White Little Things], which concerns cannibalism, bones and babies, among other things, with harpsichord-like sounds that truly can be listened to hundreds of times in a row. [One By One] comes somewhere in between, with dozens of great vocal and piano moments compressed into three minutes. [The Charge (Knocturnul)] deserves its own paragraph, with comparatively complex piano work enveloping her lament for almost 8 transcendent minutes - so sad, yet still shining like the sun after the deluge. You have to have a taste for folky-classical to truly appreciate where she's coming from, but if so, then this is the appropriate point to bow down. I would argue that every song has something grand to offer, with perhaps only [Bears] being slightly out of place, due to various OOIOO-like cacophonies during its excessive length. Not that it's not nice in its own right, but it doesn't quite fit with the rest of the album. So, if you like exquisite corpses, in the literal and historical sense, along with singular visions enhanced by complex simplicity, then Cake Bake Betty is exactly for you. Offering solo explorations of the heart and knife-wielding hand, Lindsay knocks me out cold, yet my brain still dreams of sand trails and entrails. Listen to the snippets that won me over here (MP3), and hit the Infinity Cat store ASAP - the record doesn't really go on sale until January, but if you order now, it will come soon after. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 11 Oct 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0510.html#10.4.2005.1 I adore Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re (aka TsuShiMaMiRe), and they are not only touring the US with the Suicide Girls Live Burlesque all during October, but right after that they will grace the West Coast with another mini-tour, the sequel to Japan Girls Night. This time, they are performing along with AMPPEZ and Red Bacteria Vacuum, which I know nothing about, save for their gender, BENTEN affiliation, and likely talent. Go to junk.log for tour dates and links [[[ www.sister.co.jp/JGN2005NOV/ ]]]. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 5 Oct 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0510.html#10.3.2005.1 I used the internet a lot. Not as much as some, but at least for 9 hours each weekday. Most of the time, I have very specific destinations related either to my work or hobbies, and tonight at junk.log I thought I'd share those sites which draw my attention. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 4 Oct 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0510.html#10.1.2005.1 I will spare you excess writing about [Serenity], Joss Whedon's labor of love, based on the dearly departed [Firefly] TV series. Sure, sure, "Western in space" - just go to one of thousands of pages and reviews for lots of pontification. My feelings are clear. I watched and loved [Firefly] the few weeks it was on the air, then I adored the DVD set with unaired shows. I enjoyed the recent comic books, which served as a lead-in to [Serenity], and I might even buy some trading cards and such. I find all of the actors quite accomplished, and great as an ensemble, and I appreciate the detailed universe that they inhabit. The new movie rocks, and is tailor made for fans, but I'm not certain if it will be a mainstream hit - can general audiences really follow what's going on? Probably, but without the prior feeling for the characters fans carry in to the theater, it may not have the same resonance. No matter - I really enjoyed it, fully and without question, and I highly recommend that you check it out. Go early and often, buy the DVD when it hits, and we may be blessed with a few more films in the series in years to come. nick@junkmagnet.com Sun, 2 Oct 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0509.html#9.26.2005.2 Kaneko Atsushi is one of my favorite comic creators in any language. He's becoming known for [BAMBi] in the US, but his latest series is [SOIL], now being serialized in Japan, in the monthly [Comic Beam] magazine. [SOIL] Volume 3, the latest collection of his serialized manga novel, will be released in Japan on 9.30.2005, and it's just more of the same greatness. It juxtaposes "typical" life in a smallish town, with a growing mystery that threatens to engulf all normalcy. Science fiction and fantasy meet a grounded exploration of the hopes, quirks and fears of a population, as they try to discover just what seems to be corrupting their way of life. Perhaps I over-melodramatize, but it has comets, big piles of salt, people acting all crazy, a fair amount of blood, broad slapstick humor, and more, all rendered in that Kaneko Atsushi style that simply can't be beat. You might as well import and appreciate now, or else wait many years to see it translated. Either way, we all win. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 27 Sep 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0509.html#9.26.2005.1 Tommy heavenly 6, OK? If you haven't already been indoctrinated, Tomoko Kawase was an amazingly talented and beautiful part of the brilliant green, who were quite popular around the turn of the millennium. She eventually struck out on her own, as a synth-peppy-pop Tommy february6 (named after her birthdate). I didn't care for that project all that much, due to the relatively vapidity of the music. It was above average, and the visual components were greatly kitchy (so many cheerleaders!) but just not my beloved BuriGuri So, when her first band released [The Winter Album], their last record in 12.2002, I only cried a little bit, because I knew that Tommy had some secret, sparkly tricks left in her gig bag - namely her rockin' Tommy heavenly 6 project. It's everything that february6 was not - incredibly catchy in a guitar heavy sort of way, presented at times at a must faster pace then the brilliant green. So you have a combination of English and Japanese lyrics, soothing yet slightly edgy vocals, distortion and a solid back beat, plus loads and loads of pop rocks, already soda mixed and ready to maim. While february6 already has had two albums so far, heavenly6 didn't give us pure, unfiltered joy until 8.24.2005. I ordered my limited edition copy of [Tommy heavenly6] way before then, but due to the slow magic of shipping from Japan, didn't receive it unit last weekend. Without belaboring the point, it is truly amazing, containing her hit singles [Ready?], [Wait Till I Can Dream], [Hey My Friend] (from the [Shimotsuma Story] sountrack), not to mention some fan-fave B-sides ([Swear] and [Gimme All Of Your Love!]). Those 5 songs alone are well worth the purchase price. but they are surrounded by 6 other fine tracks, all of which I'm learining to love in their own special way. Specifically, I now adore [2Bfree] the album opener that starts with a question but then chokes you with sweet exclamation points. [fell in love with you] slows things down a bit with some familiar Tommy jingle jangle, only to propel the chorus the hell down the street, like an anxious water balloon. [Wanna be your idol] is better than anything on Fox reality shows, with a little lurch mid-song before the gas kicks in, and [+gothic Pink+] is cute yet hilarious ("Hello, welcome to my dark side/Why don't you have a picnic there") that the rollicking chorus more than makes up for. [Lost My Pieces] is very BuriGuri, albeit a more depressed, slinky version, with another of those killer choruses that Tommy seems to specialize in. Finally, [LCDD] is perfectly pretty, a nice culmination of the new Tommy sound that melds the past with the present. In short, this is one of the best records of 2005, without question. It might not be for everyone, but if you're a BuriGuri fan, or a Tommy fan in general, then you will be doing front flips with chair firmly under your ass. That's quite difficult, you know, which speaks to the world-shifting power of such pretty pop. A JM Best Bet. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 27 Sep 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0509.html#9.20.2005.1 I've always been quite taken by Juliana Hatfield - not her persona, just her music. In college (the early 90s) I discovered her amazing Blake Babies output (a project she started in her teens), and those albums are still some of my all time favorites. I also enjoyed her then new [Hey Babe] album, which introduced her solo career with indie pop perfection. She's definitely sounds like other rock musicians from Massachusetts, but she tempered melodic cuteness with a rough sonic edge that was quite progressive in its day and age. [Become What You Are] saw her on a major label, and while she had some success, I wasn't that taken, and said so in my first [Junk Magnet] print issues (which were packed to the gills with reviews). After that point I lost track of her work for the rest of the 90s, assuming that she was just no longer for me. I was quite wrong, because over the past few years she's been on fire, first with a Blake Babies reunion album, and then work by Some Girls (a new band she fronts, along with Freda Love of the Blake Babies), not to mention her last two solo albums. [In Exile Deo] from 5.2004 was quite the powerful record that fully ignited my fandom again, and one of my faves for last year. In 8.2005 she topped that with [Made In China], her almost masterpiece that has been on heavy rotation for me as of late. [Made In China] is a patchwork quilt spanning her career, albeit with all new songs. It's rough and tumble, which song fragments as opposed to long epics, yet every single track works to create a mesmerizing whole. It's feedbacky yet folk, personal yet abstract, with tons of sing-along moments. I haven't quite heard Juliana like this before, but I'm quite appreciative of the slightly more experimental turn. Plus, it's on her own label, Ye Olde Records, so buy a copy to more directly support her efforts. Now I just need to buy the 4 or 5 albums I'm missing from the middle of her career, and then I can fully champion this up and coming artist, who should have been a superstar long ago. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 21 Sep 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0509.html#9.19.2005.1 I adore Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re (aka TsuShiMaMiRe), the amazing trio from Japan. I heard from Yayoi (their beautiful bassist) a few days ago, and I was excited to receive their final schedule for their Fall tour of the US. Note that they are a part of the Suicide Girls Live Burlesque tour, which should add interest to the shows (follow the link to junk.log if you want a more readable chart): ***** 9.30.05 - Phoenix, AZ, The Clubhouse ********** 10.01.05 - Tuscon, AZ, Club Congress ********** 10.03.05 - Denton, TX, Hailey's ********** 10.04.05 - Austin, TX, Emo's ********** 10.05.05 - Houston, TX, Engine Room ********** 10.07.05 - Charlotte, NC, Amos ********** 10.08.05 - Baltimore, MD, Ottobar ********** 10.09.05 - Philadelphia, PA, Starlight Ballroom ********** 10.10.05 - NYC, Knitting Factory ********** 10.11.05 - NYC, Knitting Factory ********** 10.12.05 - Boston, MA, Middle East ********** 10.13.05 - Northampton, MA, Pearl St. ********** 10.14.05 - Buffalo, NY, The Icon ********** 10.15.05 - Pittsburgh, PA, Rex Theater ********** 10.16.05 - Cleveland, OH, Beachland ********** 10.18.05 - Indianapolis, IN, Vogue Theater ********** 10.21.05 - Chicago, IL, Logan Square Auditorium ********** 10.22.05 - Minneapolis, MN, Fine Line ********** 10.24.05 - Kansas City, MO, Granada ********** 10.25.05 - Denver, CO, Gothic Theater ********** 10.28.05 - Seattle, WA, Neumo's ********** 10.31.05 - Petaluma, CA, Mystic Theater ********** 11.02.05 - San Francisco, CA, The Independent ********** 11.03.05 - San Francisco, CA, The Independent ********** 11.04.05 - Modesto, CA, Fat Cat ********** 11.05.05 - Los Angeles, CA, El Rey ***** There also might be this show, which I'm not certain is cancelled: 10.19.05 - Newport, KY, Southgate House. Check with the venue to see if that's still on. **********11.07.05 to 11.13.05 - Japan Girls Nite US Tour, TsuShiMaMiRe / AMPPEZ/ Red Bacteria Vacuum********** If you want to be entertained by a funky pop-noise-punk trio that know how to rock, then by all means hit as many of these dates as possible. I know I will. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 20 Sep 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0509.html#9.14.2005.1 Last night I attended a sneak preview of [Corpse Bride], Tim Burton's latest stop-animated adventure, which opens nationwide on 9.23.05. I've seen about 95% of his work, so I can say with some authority that it's pretty much par for the course, artistically abundant but a bit meager in the graveyard plot. It does have star voices (Mr. Depp, Ms. Bonham Carter), bony dogs and cute maggots, and a bright merchandizing future, so perhaps that makes up for the occasional meagerness. You could summarize the happenings in two comma filled sentences, but I'll refrain - the trailer alone gets you there. Sufficed to say that it's animated, and thus somehow associated with children's fare in the minds of many, but in actually is quite dark and grim, with a playfully mean streak. The Land of the Living is dreary and gray, filled with ugly adults and dead fish, and once Vincent hits the Land of the Dead, all heck breaks loose, with colors and skulls a dancing (see all of his movies from [Beetlejuice] to [The Nightmare Before Christmas] for the aesthetic). Thus, I guess some commentary is being made, but I don't quite get it ("Death is cooler than life"?). However, all such metaphysics are barely explored, and most of the movie is a passible love story, with poor poor Vincent taking his pick of a living and dead wife, both smart and beautiful. Perhaps you can guess which one gets the matrimonial prize in the end? In that respect [Corpse Bride], where suicide is seen as an act of love at one point, is strangely traditional. No matter, as musical, charnel affairs go, this was a pleasant one, with witty lyrics and enough reanimated bodies to satiate most anyone who likes the walking dead. Myself, I'm more partial to skin rather than bones, but I could still get enough visual satisfaction to make my rating a firm 3 magnets out of 4. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 15 Sep 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0509.html#9.12.2005.1 SXSW 2005 has long since departed, but the memory of great music remains. One of the attending bands that I was turned on to (via MP3s) was be your own PET. A youngsome, toothsome, fearsome foursome, these high school age teens crawl out of the nearest volcano, setting all stages on fire, and melting their equipment mid chord. Yes, Jemina Pearl (Vocals), Jonas Stein (Guitar), Nathan Vasquez (Bass), and Jamin Orrall (Drums) are simply that hot, scorching enough that for a time, the music press couldn't get enough of their singles or live set. So far, they've only released a few songs, typified by their Japan-only EP called [Damn Damn Leash]. 6 songs that jump out of the sweaty, heaving union of Picasso Trigger and Yeah Yeah Yeahs ($10 to anyone that understands what I'm getting at); in other words, female-vocalized garage indie-punk rock with fast songs and rough edges. They are from Nashville. They yell and scream, and sound kinda like the Lunachicks, only with a taste of Pretty Girls Make Graves. Actually, I can't quite put their sound into words, even though it's immediately accessible, with much resemblance to bands past. Still, they're true teenage rockers, all cute and afroed and ready to rule the world. Go here for their first fansite, or go to Infinity Cat for the latest be your own PET brilliance. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 13 Sep 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0509.html#9.7.2005.1 Almost 9 months ago, I wrote about Fiona Apple's long-lost 3rd album, [Extraordinary Machine], that was liberated (leaked) over the internet and radio, even when Sony had no intentions of releasing it. This was all due to the machinations and protests of a dedicated fan base, who went so far as to gather en masse in front of the record label, until they were noticed. Back then I said that the album was great, and I promised that "if it was actually for sale, I would buy it in a instant." Well, come 10.4.2005, it will be for sale, on actual, physical CDs, and even a DuoDisc with extra stuff like videos. I'm so incredibly excited about this, you can't even understand, since this has been one of my favorite albums of the year. The final version will have extra production on most songs, and you can get a sneak preview at her official website, or at the iTunes music store (which has a 2 song single, before the album hits). The new versions have more strings and instrumentation, which isn't really necessary, but I'm sure won't kill the unique sound too much. You are well advised to check out [Extraordinary Machine] when it comes out in a few weeks, and those who already downloaded the earlier version have a duty to hit the stores, to prove with their pocketbooks that Sony was absolutely wrong before, but absolutely right now. Sometimes justice prevails (even if I have no idea about whether "injustice" was the cause of the past problems related to this album) and celebration is in order. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 8 Sep 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0509.html#9.6.2005.1 I'm a big Takashi Miike fan. Big as in a witness to a few dozen of his movies and TV productions, basically everything that has been released in the US market. He's extremely productive, sometimes making heaping handfuls of movies each and every year, and is generally known for a violent, sadistic, phantasmagoric streak, at least in a fair amount of his filmed fiction. [MPD Psycho] (MPD = Multiple Personality Detective) is his latest release in the US, although the series was first shown on Japanese TV in 2000. The manga it's based on ([Tajyuu Jinkaku Tantei PSYCHO] by Eiji Otsuka and Sho-u Tajima) was published in the late 1990s, and focused on a criminal profiler, Kazuhiko Amamiya, his many multiple personalities, and how they relate to a weird and evil conspiracy. I can't speak for the original manga series, since I've never encountered it. However, I can assume that the television series at least attempts at its essence. Takashi Miike works from a screenplay by Eiji Ootsuka, the author of the original manga and novels, and the audience is thrown in face first, as the death of his girlfriend seemingly splits Kazuhiko Amamiya into other personalities. As the series progresses, he flip-flops between the profiler and Yousuke Kobayashi, who is a more mild-mannered detective. He's chasing Shinji Nishizono, either another part of his personality that has been disembodied, or some other sort of evil spirt. It's not that clear from the first few episodes (each DVD contains two, hour-long parts), but there is a definite connection between his past and Lu-C Monostone, a musician and killer meant to remind of Charles Manson. The life and music of Monostone is intertwined with the events in each episode, as past horror seems to be crossing over into the present. To find out a lot more about this series, travel to junk.log right now. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 7 Sep 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0509.html#9.1.2005.1 I was going to start new contests today, but recent events made the act of giving away T-Shirts and CDs seem cheap. So, that will happen later. For the past few days, my focus has been on the Gulf States of the US, particularly Louisiana and Mississippi, which as most everyone knows are in dire straights. Over 100,000 people need immediate help, of the life or death variety - an apt metaphor is that many people woke up and found themselves on thousands of tiny desert islands (their former homes), with nothing but their wits or fear to guide them. Of course, we all knew that particular storm was coming, and so there were days that could have been spent in evacuation, or shoring things up. Experts and lay-people knew for decades that the levees were not enough, and that the federal government was increasingly unwilling to pay for their upkeep. That's simply unforgivable, especially considering that New Orleans is below sea level, so the threat has always been clear. Now, it's not all gone forever, but at least for months or even years everything will be different. It's not the first natural disaster, and odds are there will be dozens around the world before this year is up. I think the point is to get some real foresight in action, instead of just trailing after catastrophes with inadequate financial resources, and perhaps the best intentions in hindsight. You can find all sorts of analysis everywhere this week, so I'll spare you my lack of expertise. I know my share about Japanese music, but I'm not smart enough to think of a real solution for such larger issues. One could say that it's simply the inextricable forces of nature, and shrug shoulders, or we could all act, trying to create mitigation on many fronts. If we can send our young to war, then we can send them to build bridges and dams and homes instead. All I know is that I'm searching for ways to help in this particular case - the Red Cross is a good place to begin - knowing all too well that in a few days, months or years, a disaster of similar scale (earthquake) is all but assured to hit my home towns. I would hope to be prepared by then, but outside help will no doubt be necessary. Thus, I work to help those in need now, and hope that in the future some of that can be repaid in kind. In conclusion: Help, please. That's about thousands have the strength to say, so I'm doing my best to listen, and respond. Hopefully a lot of little arms can remove this big burden. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 2 Sep 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0508.html#8.29.2005.1 I have one more release to discuss, from my associates at Records Of The Damned - the 4th album by Mummy The Peepshow, entitled [School Girl Pop]. Their first full release in the US, it's very Western sounding, with a pop-punk sensibility and mostly English vocals. Maki (Vocals, Guitar), Naru (Bass) and Mayu (Drums) wear their influences on their sleeves (various great sounding indie bands from the early 90s, when they started), and so there's no wrong to be had in the 12 peppy tracks. They're like Shonen Knife before they became big in the West, or newer outfits like Barnabys or Noodles. You get the drift - all girl music explosion of the Benten variety, the kind I adore. However, I'm of the mind that Japanese vocals are a wonderful thing, and so I didn't enjoy some songs as much as I could have, because of the English. Not that Mummy The Peepshow don't write simple yet catchy songs with decent instrumentals, it's just that their Japanese tracks, like [Cut] are miles ahead of their others. This is obviously my bias, and perhaps others will find the English to be an attractive strength - the songs remain energetic, and the vocals are understandable. It's just that some bands, The Brilliant Green and Love Psychedelico among them, offer bilingualism that really works musically, at least for me. Yeah, that's pretty much my only criticism. Mummy The Peepshow are talented, representing Osaka the right way, and deserve your attention when they tour the world yet again, hopefully soon. By all means, let their new US label set you up this instant. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 30 Aug 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0508.html#8.25.2005.1 My new source for quirky Japanese imports, Records Of The Damned, has put their weight behind EeL, a musical collective fronted by the titular EeL, a woman of many satisfying vocal talents. Their second release from 12.20.2001, [people people], is just now seeing light in the US, and it's quite the carnival ride. 15 tracks of various wonderment, never remotely serious and well worth dancing to, in front of a pastel-colored screen like other members of the iPod generation. EeL sound very synthtastic, with driving beats, pleasing (yet sometimes annoying) vocals, and a face-front presentation that definitely keeps your attention. Sandou provides the peppy programming, and the whole thing sounds like Tommy february6 sped up three times, along with some Neo New Wave flotation. It all feels hand-made and one-woman-band, yet still pleasingly professional. Almost entirely sung in Japanese, I'm partial to songs like [Reality Bites], which reminds me a lot of the [Cool Cool Toon] soundtrack (the music from one of my most favorite Dreamcast games), with up-tempo keyboards, shuffle promoting percussion, and basically a sweet vibe that one can envision going on a candy shopping spree to. I also adore track 10, [Tamago] (title appears in kanji, translates as egg), which is sonically complex, not as high wound, with South Asian flavor that really hits the spot. What's even better is that every song is coming from a somewhat different place sonically, adding handfuls of extra interest. This early record makes me want to track down her other 3 albums and sundry releases, waiting for me in Japan. I'm going to first try [Little Prince] (her 4th album from 2004), and I'll let you know what's what. [= http://www.recordsofthedamned.com/ =] nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 26 Aug 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0508.html#8.23.2005.1 Did you ever play a Famicom video game system (known as the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US)? Well, YMCK sound exactly like those games did, only better and with smooth Japanese lyrical action. Lots of bleeps and blips, perhaps simulated, perhaps authentically 8 bit, but all arranged in pleasing jazz-pop structures that stimulate and satiate. Midori Kurihara (Vocals), Takeshi Yokemura (Music, Lyrics, Arrangement) and Tomoyuki Nakamura (Music, Animation) are three swell Japanese folk that have been around for a few years, and just released their first album [Family Music] in the US, care of Records Of The Damned, a fine outfit from Cedar Falls, Iowa. It quickly grew on me with the aforementioned charming old school sounds (Mario fans shall be pleased), and they are similar to PINE*am, if they were trapped in a Game Boy Advance cartridge. Yes, YMCK is short for Yellow, Magenta, Cyan and Black (aka CMYK), the offset printing color model. There's even a keen song, [Yellow, Magenta, Cyan and Black] with lyrics that follow this concept to the natural, psychedelic conclusion. That's commitment to a theme, and I for one appreciated the effort. Records Of The Damned have also recently brought out releases by Eel and Mummy The Peepshow, both of which are grand in their own special ways, and will be covered here soon. By all means, adopt a reasonably price imported Japanese band today. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 24 Aug 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0508.html#8.22.2005.1 There's so much manga and anime about everything but manga and anime, you know? Which is why I've enjoyed Genshiken, a manga from [Afternoon] magazine, created by Shimoku Kio, turned into an anime series in late 2004. Just now reaching the US in both forms, it's the amazingly self-referential tale of a group of Japanese college students, who have a friendly otaku club, "The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture" aka Genshiken, dedicated to anime, manga, games, cosplay and related mono. Visit junk.log now to find out more about this series, including the mushroom fixated [Kujibiki Unbalance] sub-series included within. It's all quite fun, and geek-affirming.nick@junkmagnet.com nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 23 Aug 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0508.html#8.16.2005.1 I've been getting into purchasing from eBay recently - mostly comics and associated items - and now I have a nice little gold star, signifying my newbieness. Due to my bidding, I've been browsing the various wares a bit more, and last night I came across the new phenomena of mystery auctions. The concept is simple enough, but the execution often turns into a lucrative scam. Consider an empty box. It could contain a million dollars, a penny, or perhaps a half eaten orange. You can sell that cardboard box on eBay as a mystery auction, with the direct promise of just a box, but the indirect solicitation of potentially valuable contents, given as a "gift" to the winner. You can't say exactly what it is, according to supposed eBay regulations, so there are lots of cryptic hints, of the "bigger than a breadbasket" and fill in the blanks sort. You see lots of "$$$$$$$" signifying money, I suppose, but that could also be a typographical flourish, like asterisks, indicating nothing in particular. Go to the mystery auctions section now, and look around for a few minutes before coming back. Hello again. Did you smell something funny, like I did? Note lots of empty containers that may including something, but are only obligated to have nothing. Still, some people do "win", but in every case the aggregate value is less than the bidded amount. It's kind of like those gashapon machines in Japan, that contain lots of cool, random stuff, all for just 200 yen. You never know what you're going to get, but it won't be that much. So, some people are just having "fun", spending money with random returns. You hear stories of people who thought they were getting a real, red car, but instead got a red riding lawnmower. People who thought they were buying a $6000 check for just $2000 (scam alert!), but ended up getting far less. I'm sure that people are out there who were expecting riches, but got pocket change or trinkets. Still, all they were actually buying was a box, right? Follow the link to junk.log now to find out how people are scamming away thousands in cash, apparently with eBay's blessing. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 17 Aug 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0508.html#8.11.2005.2 Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re is one of my new favorite funk-punk bands, and PINE*am are an up-and-coming synth-pop-rock group. The fact that both outfits are comprised entirely of Japanese women is besides the point; they rock out quite completely, and thus deserve your attention for that fact alone. They will be touring the US extensively (and separately), and if you want to find out the dates and times, then follow the link to junk.log this instant - there's too much information for me to give legibly via RSS. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 12 Aug 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0508.html#8.8.2005.1 Nicc Balce is a fine up and coming artist, who is the master of somewhat anime-inspired illustration, mostly of cute women. He had some online comics for a while, and recently was given the opportunity by Viper Comics to translate his vision to print. He came up with [Random Encounter], a 4 issue miniseries featuring some situations and characters that existed in his previous work, only this time with a larger canvas. Simply put, [Random Encounter] overlays a RPG structure to what appears to be a normal life, shared by Migo, Mona and Mica at the local Kwik Mart. One night, they encounter the "Goggle's Girl", who lands mysteriously on the roof, followed by a series of ink-black monsters. This new associate doesn't remember who she is, or where she came from, but in a pinch she turns out to be quite the monster slayer. The main thrust of the plot involves these and other characters fighting said monsters, and finding out just what going on in the first place. These seemingly random battles, much like your typical RPG, are countered by the acquisition of special power ups, which have a fairly involved back story behind them, but still are placed firmly in the realm of fantasy. The occasional video game joke is balanced by typical brushes with romance and adventure, rendered in a very pleasing, loose black and white presentation. I like Nicc's hand, especially his expressive faces and kinetic battle scenes, but it's a bit uneven at times, especially when compared to his stellar color work for the covers, and also found on his website. It's there that he really shines, and I look forward to when he can bring those skills to a book-length project. I know you want to check out this series, the (seemingly) last issue of which came out recently. If so, then head out to your local comic book store, or order from the comfort of your home using the Viper Online Store. They have other fine wares you should also check out, so act early and often. [= http://randomencounter.the-null.com/ =] nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 9 Aug 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0508.html#8.3.2005.1 After 2 months of delay, [BAMBi And Her Pink Gun] by Kaneko Atsushi is finally out in the US. Released today, I saw a few copies at my local comic book store, and picked up one to browse. Sure, I already "read" the series in Japanese, but I only understood 70%, and have anxiously been awaiting a translation. It looked good, and the presentation was very authentic, down to the regulation manga dust jacket and crimson ink. It's not as grand as the original release, but close enough. Thanks go out to Digital Manga Publishing for the fine job. I highly recommend that you check out this series, particularly after a few more volumes are released, when the story really picks up. You can't find it in stock at Amazon.com yet (where I've preordered it ages ago), but a trip to your local book store might prove rewarding. It's 18+, so bring an ID, fake mustache, and the like. [= http://www.junkmagnet.com/kanekoatsushi.html =] nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 4 Aug 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0508.html#8.2.2005.1 It has been previously established that I fell in love with [Bakuretsu Tenshi] (known internationally as [Burst Angel], before I even saw an episode. I was taken by the character design and overal Gonzo feel, and was not dissapointed when I finally viewed the first DVD volume a few months ago. Now, the second volume is out, and I'm still quite into the characters, but the plot line leaves something to be desired. Specifically, two episodes are taken up by the menace of a giant, mechanical crow which is haunting future Tokyo. Sure, it was a big crow, and yes, it did kidnap cute young women for feeding, but I found the whole thing to be a bit weird. There is a running mystery about "metal brains", some sort of cybernetic technology found in the crow and other baddies, and I guess we'll eventually find out about that. No matter, I'm mostly in it for the attractive and compelling mercenary girls, not to mention the well-executed mecha, and so [Burst Angel] still gets a ribbon. [Elfen Lied], as mentioned previously in junk.log, is both ultra violent and super "sexy", at least in the first few episodes. Volume 2 is more toned down, with only isolated beheadings, and flashbacks to dismemberment. There's the occasional nude scene, and a particularly graphic incest remembrance, but it's not as in your face as the beginning of the series, and does serve narrative purpose. I'm actually digging [Elfen Lied] a bit more than [Baku-Ten], because it's one long story broken into episodes, rather than episodic adventure that eventually ties together into a larger plot. All of the leads are young, from the horned girls Lucy/Nyu and Nana, to the students living in a former Japanese restaurant. There's a love story (albeit between cousins), and enough mystery to keep your attention. Those who don't mind the occasion blood or breast storm should check it out - it's really not all that much, and the plot itself is quite compelling, filled with more than enough cuteness and tears to wipe away the crimson. [= http://www.burstangel.tv =] [= http://www.vap.co.jp/elfenlied/ =] nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 3 Aug 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0508.html#8.1.2005.1 On 7.13.05, Tokyo Jihen blessed the world with a DVD containing one half of their recent Dynamite! tour of Japan. Bargain priced at 1980 yen, [Dynamite In!] includes 50 minutes of concert footage (5 full songs, plus fragments) and behind-the-scenes episodes. If you like Sheena Ringo and her band mates, then you will love this little disc, that happens to be All Region NTSC (that means you can import it and play it on your US DVD player). Brilliantly explosive, in 99% Japanese with no subtitles. What's more, on 8.17.05, the second part of this affair shall be released, entitled [Dynamite Out!]. It's the larger of the two, priced more normally at 4800 yen, and will bestow you with 120 minutes of pure concert footage. As can be expected, that's something I'm anticipating with bated PO Box key. This means that Tokyo Jihen have released 3 DVDs in 8 months, which is basically unheard of for anyone but perhaps Ayumi Hamasaki. Enjoy this avalanche of sonic goodness while you still can, or at least unit the put out more singles, hopefully in the next few months. [[ http://www.junkmagnet.com/music/jpop/tokyoincidents.html ]]nick@junkmagnet.com nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 2 Aug 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0507.html#7.26.2005.1 Frequent junk.log readers know that I'm a big fan of manga artist Kaneko Atsushi, author of [BAMBi], soon to be released in the US. He finished that series a few years ago, and recently he has been working on [SOIL], a great mystery story, with SF elements. I bought the first two Japanese volumes of [SOIL] and enjoyed them immensely. Recently I wondered if [SOIL] was still being serialized in [Comic Beam], a monthly magazine in Japan. Its website wasn't that clear, so I directly contacted Enterbrain, the publisher of Kaneko Atsushi's works. It turns out that he took a few months off from [SOIL], to direct a movie. I'm not sure what that new project is called, but I'll find out. I know he worked on [Space Police] last year, providing the visual design. The serialization of [SOIL] will now continue, and 3-4 more collected volumes are planned, depending on the ultimate length of the series. [SOIL] Volume 3 is due out in Japan in 9.2005, and you know I'll preorder it as soon as it is solicited. It should be published in [Comic Beam] for the next few years, at least, and hopefully I'll find a supplier of that monthly magazine soon, so I won't have to wait for the collections. As for the publication of his works in the US, [BAMBi And Her Pink Gun] is overdue, but should be out in a month or so from Digital Manga Publishing. You owe it to yourself to check it out, but realize that the series doesn't really shine until the second half. [ http://www.junkmagnet.com/kanekoatsushi.html ] nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 27 Jul 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0507.html#7.25.2005.1 With a rhyming title like that, you know this entry has to be important. Well, just be aware that the Morning Mayonnaise website is no more, and in its place is www.gomorning.com. Why is this newsworthy? Well, I've been virtually acquainted with one of the forces behind the Mayonnaise Project since it began, and it's always been a fine resources for many things related to Japanese pop culture, especially music. Go Morning is only carrying on this tradition, and has lots of content worth noting. Specifically, I really dig Morning Scene, which usually breaks the latest news about Japanese artists scheduled to play in North America. If you've been visiting there, you'd already know that PINE*am is about to tour the US yet again, or that Titan Go King's and Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re now have their albums at the iTunes Music Store. In short, Go Morning is a great place to hang out, with much more detailed information about certain topics than I'll ever be able to provide. I assume you're not even reading this sentence, since you're already checking it out. Back already? Well, you should also be aware of JGalaxy, one of the best kept blog-aggregating secrets. Carrying info from select sites that deal with things Asian - including junk.log and Morning Scene - it's a great way to check up on the latest RSS feeds from contributing sites you may not have encountered before. Great writing, timely news and tightly-bound links abound, so you know what to do. [ http://jgalaxy.theppn.org/ ] nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 26 Jul 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0507.html#7.19.2005.1 I've been seriously following comic books for about 20 years, and yet up until a few months ago, I never used the resources available to me online. Of course, a few years ago they didn't exist, but now there are a wide variety of places to read news and discuss topics related to the comics industry. Sounds geeky perhaps, but it's the sort of thing I enjoy. Lately, I've been using many websites to get my comic news fix, above and beyond [Comics Buyer's Guide] and [Wizard], which I read in print each month. Follow the link to the full junk.log entry, for lots of links and further discussion. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 20 Jul 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0507.html#7.18.2005.1 Imagine this: 123 live tracks over 8 CDs, plus two live DVDs. With a normal band, this might be tedious to say the least, but with Number Girl, a loud rock-punk band that I simply adore, this is something to shout from the rooftops about. I've been into them since 2000 or so, but haven't updated my shrine to them for almost 4 years. A shame, since they've had many great releases I've enjoyed, but not talked about. No matter. As of tonight, you can visit my Number Girl page and find out all about their latest live omnibus, [Omoide In My Head 2 - Kioku Series], not to mention all of their other singles and albums, with more information to come. Celebrate this group with me, and let me know if there any experts on the band out there, that can help me improve my meager presentation. [http://www.junkmagnet.com/music/jpop/numbergirl.html] nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 19 Jul 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0507.html#7.14.2005.1 Comic books as we know them have been around since the 1930's, a time called the Golden Age by fans. Since then the world has changed, and comics have changed with them, yet some characters are still firmly rooted in the past. DC Comics has big name guns like Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, all of which were created decades before many of our parents were born. Thus, there's always room to revise them, keeping their core essence while updating the details for new, younger audiences. Find out how DC Comics is attempting to bring their characters to teens of today, starting with [All Star Batman And Robin], by Frank Miller and Jim Lee. Released yesterday, you can read my extensive thoughts on it at junk.log. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 15 Jul 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0507.html#7.13.2005.1 Perhaps it's news to you, but by now most people know that there's a large Darknet out there, a subset of the internet obsessed with file production and trading, specifically that of copyrighted works. Through IRC (Internet Relay Chat) and FTP, they rip CDs and DVDs, creating a chain of trading that filters down from "top sites" to your typical BitTorrent tracker page. [The Scene] is an ambitious and somewhat unique project, distributed in much the same way, that provides a fictionalized and dramatized account of one small group of individuals, located around the world, and committed on acquiring and releasing Hollywood's hits before they officially hit DVD, and perhaps before they even leave the theater. Freely distributed though channels like BitTorrent, there have been 10 monthly episodes so far, detailing the rise and fall of Brian Sandro, a college student who runs a "piracy" group called CPX in his free time. Over the course of these real-time segments (like [24]), you follow a video feed of him or other characters, along with their IM and IRC chats, and the occasional email. Basically, you have a window into their Windows desktops, and peek over their shoulders at the most opportune times to advance the plot. It takes some time to get use to - you really have to enjoy reading chat windows - but after the first dozen minutes or so, you quickly get caught up not only in the drama of the group's attempt to beat their rivals in the scene with timely releases, but in Brian/Drosan's massive lies to his friends, girlfriends, scenesters, and even himself, as trouble always looms ahead. Will they get caught for "illegal" file trading? Will Brian's greed cause him no end of problems? There's lots to discover in this elaborate construct, and with 10 episodes now available (with more to come), you have a good chunk of the story to discover. It's not perfect (and not that realistic), but I can't think of many other people (in this case, the members of Jun Group Entertainment) that are even attemting to create new multimedia narrative forms like this. Entertaining as well as instructional, [The Scene] gives a peek into parts of the net that not everyone knows about. Thus, I recommend that you check it out - heck, it's free, so delete it if you don't like it. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 14 Jul 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0507.html#7.12.2005.1 Usually, I go on and on about all of the junk that I like, but tonight, I'll take the road less travelled by, just to be different. For the past few months, I'd been hearing all about Koda Kumi, which culminated with my purchase of the [Cutie Honey] live-action DVD, that she provided the title track to. It seemed catchy enough, so when she released her latest album, [Secret] on 2.9.05, I decided to check it out. Upon first listen, I was violently in un-like. Not that it was awful, but her music sounded a lot like other Avex Trax releases, most of which are poor Ayumi Hamasaki clones. However, she seemed to be very popular, so perhaps I was missing something? Turns out that I was missing her visual persona, which I experienced last night after finally watching the DVD of 8 promotional videos that was bundled with her last album. The secret to Koda Kumi is quite simple - sex. Sex sells, and she's vending it on all corners. Pretty much every video has her breasts, booty and thighs a poppin', and she's always trying to seduce male models, which I supposed are listener stand ins. In any case, it seems her handlers are trying to overcompensate for her average skills by making her out X-Tina your favorite female "singer". I don't know if this is a recent trend, or if that's always been her thing, to strip almost naked, attach feathers, jewels and bells to her fingernails, and do jerky dances with similarly attired women as backup. There is artistry in this, but it's of the more prurient kind. I can appreciate in-your-face sexuality, but that's usually a positive attribute of porn stars, not of the musicians I adore. The sad thing is that if her music was actually great, then she would be fairly unstoppable, due to her hormonal puppeteering. Fortunately, there is little to no chance of that happening, and if I'm wrong, then please let me know which of her releases is more impressive. Speaking of which, she does have a new album coming out on 9.21.2005 (no title yet), with two singles to be released in the month before it. Perhaps these will win me over, but there's not much chance of me finding out, since I don't intend on buying them. Anyway, I know you want proof for my thesis, so I took some screenshots to prove my point. I really tried hard not to enjoy preparing the Koda Kumi pictures now posted on junk.log. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 13 Jul 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0507.html#7.11.2005.1 After almost a year of anticipation, Jude finally released their 5th album, [Electric Rainbow], on 6.22.2005. It goes without saying that it's a great album, because simply everything that Kenichi Asai has been involved with for the past two decades has rocked completely. However, it is an evolution for Jude, with more Sherbets influence than usual. Of course, that's another one of his projects, so he's basically copying himself, to nothing but good effect. I have to hear it a few more times, but I'm close to declaring this the best Jude album yet. More about it soon at my Jude shrine. Last month I reminded you that [Landmark], the first truly solo release by Salyu, was scheduled for 6.15.05. I got it last week, and it's without question one of my top three albums this year. Every song is strong, and her previous stellar singles like [Peaty] have to compete with new amazingness like [Landmark], [Uee], and [Pop]. Really - if you like female vocalists, you'll love Salyu, even if you don't understand Japanese. As always, I have a large amount of preorders, and to read about some upcoming releases that might interest you, follow the link to junk.log right this instant. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 12 Jul 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0507.html#7.6.2005.1 I love Rakubiki Jiten DS so much that once I marry and have kids, I will construct a time machine just so that my daughter can go back to 2004 or so, and insure that the master programmers at Nintendo and Sanseido Co put this package together. What the hell am I talking about? Well, Rakubiki Jiten is a card for the Nintendo DS portable game system, that turns it into a fine Japanese/English and English/Japanese dictionary with ABC and kana input, using a touch screen interface. Think about that for a second. You have a game system, and instead of playing Mr. Driller Drill Spirits, you flip open a electronic dictionary with which you can use scribbles to find all sorts of words. It's very complete, with lots of cool little toggles, a word bookmarking feature, and a general swell interface, that's even cute in places. Sure, there have been electronic dictonaries in Japan for years, but this is notable because it fits in a postage stamp card, is inexpensive and somewhat complete (3 types of dictionaries) and because it lets you go all scribble-scrabble. Plus, it's wirelessly connected, if your friends have DS units and want to look up words, or chat. All of this said, I can only rate this 5 out of 10, because what the world (that is, me) really needs is the same sort of dictionary that can also take written kanji input. Kanji are the sometimes complicated characters largely borrowed from Chinese, that usually take humongous character dictionaries to find their verbal readings. What I wanted and hoped for, was the ability to enter a radical (part of a kanji character) and have all of the possible matches come up. Or, I wanted to draw a whole character, perhaps one in a magazine right in front of me, and quickly get a reading and meaning. Perhaps the Japanese market is saturated with such products - if so I need links! It would take lots more work, but for that feature alone, I'd send my kids back in time to program it themselves. All in all, if you are a Nintendo DS owner that can read basic Japanese, but has a poor vocabulary, then Rakubiki Jiten is pretty cool. It's not the best electronic dictionary in the world, but it lets you write, scroll, flip pages, all with your little plastic penlet. Yes, it does work on US consoles (as all Japanese DS software does), so don't be afraid to acquire it for 4800 yen. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 7 Jul 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0507.html#7.5.2005.1 Recently in junk.log I discussed how [The Eye 2] was an entertaining exercise in Hong Kong Horror from the Pang Brothers. It appears that on 3.24.2005 they released another film in the series, this time called [The Eye 10], in an attempt to cut to the chase, skipping seven theoretical sequels. It was released on DVD in May (Cantonese or Mandarin with English subtitles, from Media Asia Hong Kong), and I picked it up last weekend. Simply put, [The Eye 10] isn't as good as the two films before it. It's a Chinese Ghost Story, and the conceit is that the first two movies only covered two out of ten methods of communing with ghosts. The five lead "teenage" characters come across a Thai manual delineating the full ten ways to see ghosts. Being curious as well as stupid, one night they try it out for the sake of thrills, to way too much success. In this case, of course, success is actually a failure, because most of these ghosts are mean spirited, so to speak, and cause no end of terror, pain and death. However, this torment is cheapened by inexplicable moments of slapstick humor and attempts at levity, like a breakdancing contest with a possessed person. Most of the movie is about things jumping out, chasing, or disappearing when they're not supposed to, but this humor serves to alienate rather than accentuate. Yes, the film has ghostly special effects, but I was more impressed by the "less is more" attitude of the earlier episodes. The only real highlight of the film for me was Kate Yeung Kei, who played the lead character, tormented yet always cute and almost over the top. Her scenes are the ones that stuck with me, which speaks to her charm more so than the merits of the film. No, it's not an awful film, but it's all over the place, trying to be 8 films in one (one for each ghostly method) to make up for lost time. At this point, I would deem the series over, but who knows what the Bros. Pang will want to do next. Go right now to junk.log for pictures of the charming Kate Yeung Kei. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 6 Jul 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0507.html#7.1.2005.2 I've been enjoying that manga for years, and eagerly awaiting its translation into English. Well, the wait is almost over, since [BAMBi And Her Pink Gun] is due to hit the US this month, thanks to Digital Manga Publishing. To celebrate, I decided to give away two copies of that US release, out of the kindness of my pocketbook. The lucky winners are: Kendra K. and Sherlan A. Even if you didn't win, you should check out my thorough Kaneko Atsushi shrine right this instant. nick@junkmagnet.com Sat, 2 Jul 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0507.html#7.1.2005.1 One of the first bands covered by this site was Triceratops, oh so many years ago (umm...5?). I had an extra copy of [The 7th Voyage Of Triceratops], their latest album, which sounds quite swell. Out off a massively small drawing, a lucky junk.log reader named Inuki has won it. More Japanese Music contests will be forthcoming. nick@junkmagnet.com Sat, 2 Jul 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0506.html#6.28.2005.1 Four guys from Alvin, TX (an Houston suburb) have been making spazzy, Rodan and Pitchblende meets Hella punk-metal for the past few years, and I'm pretty partial to their collective effort, entitled By The End Of Tonight. I'm a sucker for high-octane, instrumental guitar music, with the big Bugs Bunny beat, and their albums/EPs are like late-night Adult Swim shows, only faster and more intense. This is music to jump turnstiles to, with extra transit cop chasing at the end. James Templeton (Bass), Jeff Wilson (Drums), Josh Smith (Guitar), and Stefan Mach (Guitar) have special finger and arm powers that can make splendid mini-albums like [A Tribute To Tigers], which serve to invigorate as well as confuse. How can the timing be that odd, or the percussion so explosive? Well, it really does sound like the evolution of a lot of semi-obscure indie bands from the 90's, but since I liked such music then, I still can dig the new version. Perhaps you like to dig, too? If you desire large, rocky holes, then download [It's Christmas Time Again] by following the MP3 link at junk.log. Intensity! nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 29 Jun 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0506.html#6.22.2005.1 I come from a Pop background. Meaning, I grew up with the standard hits from the 40s onward, as piped over AM radio. Eventually my tastes expanded exponentially, but I'm still a sucker for well-constructed, fairly-feel-good songs. Palomar are three women and a man from Brooklyn, New York, and since around 1999 they've been making pop that snaps and crackles just for the heck of it. Female vocaled, jangle-guitared, and intelligently lyrical, their third album [Palomar III: Revenge Of Palomar] is one of my favorite releases from 2004, that I only discovered during SXSW 2005. Sarah Brockett (Bass, Vocals), Dale W. Miller (Drums, Vocals), Christina Prostano (Guitar, Vocals), and Rachel Warren (Guitar, Vocals) sound almost exactly like Jale, with a touch of Velocity Girl. That's to say they sound very Sub Pop, with touches of my all-time fave Up Records, and I can make such comparisons freely because I've seen their sound-alikes live, at the same awesome show in 1994. Ten years later, and that sharp yet sweet sound is back, for all of our enjoyment. I'm quite enamored by perfect songs like [Not Earned], which are akin to classical popular indie rock, much like Spent or other secrets of the 90s. It's my job now to track down their first two albums, not to mention their latest EP, and fully swim in this brilliance. Simply put, you'd be well served by listening to [The Planeiac] by following the MP3 link from junk.log. If that suits your fancy, then dig deep to come up with jewels. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 23 Jun 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0506.html#6.21.2005.1 About 10 years ago, I was quite enamored by Sixteen Deluxe, a spunky band that picked up where My Bloody Valentine and a bunch of indie rockers left off. I loved their 3 albums, but lost track as their jaunt to a major label didn't bring the well-deserved stardom. Now, Carrie Clark from Sixteen Deluxe has joined bassist Matt Hovis and drummer Kevin Whitley in The Pretty Please, a kick-ass, fuzzy-buzzy, female vocaled rock slide that I'm really getting a kick out of. Their first 4 song EP, [Demonstration], captures their Austin, TX sound perfectly, from the super-catchy lead track, [The Rock Star Guide to Falling Apart], to equally swell sounds in [Falling Star], [The Artificial Hearts] and [Hit Parade], which come off as Sixteen Deluxe meets Cake Like and The Breeders. At this point, I know you're itching to have some of The Pretty Please, so why not listen to [The Rock Star Guide to Falling Apart] by following the MP3 link via junk.log. Or, hear [Hit Parade] from their web site. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 22 Jun 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0506.html#6.20.2005.1 Well, you might not break down in tears, but [Howl's Moving Castle] still is a fine Hayao Miyazaki anime production. Do I need to explain who he is? From [Lupin], through [Nausicaa], and then into super stardom with tons of movies from his Ghibli studios, Miyazaki-san is an institution. Heck, this year he was profiled in the [The New Yorker] magazine, so you know he's at least appreciated by the upper-middle class. Of course, the rest of us have been into his work for decades, liberating it from adoring hands in Japan into translated form. I myself have been a fan since High School (the late 80s), so I do come at this from experience. On Saturday I was able to see his latest release (from 2004) in a local theater, in its pure, subtitled form, which is the only way to go. Don't let Disney and other interested parties fool you - fancy star voices from Hollywood are next to crap when compared to the original Japanese vocal masters. You have been warned - if you must see the dubbed production (which I'm sure will still be great), then also rent the upcoming DVD down the road so you can experience the real, subtitled presentation. As for the plot and all that, you know that I hate to spoil movies by recounting the story. Sufficed to say that you can find hundreds of mostly glowing reviews via a simple trip to RottenTomatoes.com. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 21 Jun 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0506.html#6.16.2005.1 Did you know that there's a new Batman movie out? Seriously, I haven't seen any advertisements, magazine articles, actor appearances on talkshows, toys, tie-in comic books, novelizations, cellphone campaigns, nothing. I just walked up to my nearest theater last night, and there it was: [Batman Begins]. Sounded good, so I took my seat and went along for the ride. Actually, I has a little more foreknowledge than that. I've been a comic book reader since I could read, and while Batman isn't my most favorite character ever, I definitely know his mythos inside and out. I've been eagerly anticipating this particular revamp of the Batman franchise, because it promised to have a darker tone, more true to the source material. At Wondercon a few months ago in San Francisco, I even saw Christian Bale speak for about an hour about his role, and the force of his conviction in the power of this classic American icon warmed the cockles of all fanboys and fangirls present. So, of course I was there right after work on the first night, and even with my jaded, Bat-experienced eye, it was a remarkable achievement. Save for Katie Holmes, who never really does anything for me, the whole affair was action packed yet philosophical, mythical yet realistic. Taking the stories and art from various Batman creators and shifting them slightly, to better suit a new millennial movie audience, the end result was much better than any previous Batman movie, and placed solid foundations for sequels I actually would love to see. If you want more convincing than that, then go to your favorite movie review source and have a ball. Sufficed to say that this was an origin story cut from the same cloth as the [Spider-Man] series, and while a bit too dark for the little ones, I predict a similar success. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 17 Jun 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0506.html#6.14.2005.1 I like airplane crashes that lead to tropical island adventures, and thus was particularly receptive to [Lost], which is literally the only TV show I watch regularly. I'm looking forward to to the DVD release of Season 1 on 9.6.05, to study the few parts I missed, and to marvel at the relatively amazing quality of it all. I'll spare you from long-winded analysis, because there's enough of that on the net and in magazines already. Sufficed to say that it's a pretty entertaining show with touches of SF, fantasy, [Gilligans Island], [Land of the Lost], and all sorts of other stuff. The DVD set is timed perfectly with the start of Season 2, and if you want a sneak peak into that, then head on over to www.oceanic-air.com. Whois says that it was created on 4.20.05, and might have gone live as little as a few weeks ago (I'm not certain). In any case, it's the site for the fictional airline that carried the members of [Lost] to their island doom. It's played perfectly straight, but if you click around here and there you'll get extra video clips and biographical detail from the series. For those needing a hint (and those like me who don't keep a pen and paper near the TV set), the series goes on and on about the following string of numbers: 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42. Those are the unlucky lottery numbers of Hurley, one planewrecked guy, and they figure into many other island plot points. All you need are these numbers, and the fact that the plane was flying from Sydney to Los Angeles, to get into a "restricted" area, where you can use those numbers again to pull up video clips. Mess around a bit and you'll be set up, although the teaser trailer is more tease than trail, so to speak. Have fun, see the reruns, and tune in to new adventures when the time is right. P.S.: Also check out www.driveshaftband.com, which is another [Lost]-mythology related site. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 15 Jun 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0506.html#6.13.2005.1 A very long entry that talks about new and upcoming music-related releases from Japan, including the [Dracula Soda] DVD from Jude, [Funclips Funclub] from Puffy, Salyu's new [Landmark] album, and more. Go to junk.log immediately for details. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 14 Jun 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0506.html#6.8.2005.1 In 1995 I was a struggling zinester who spent what money he could each week on indie rock. One Tuesday I walked into Mod Lang in Berkeley and my record clerk friend said "Hey, this just came out today. You must buy this." The "this" in question was the self-titled Sleater-Kinney album, and it took me exactly one night to fall in love. I knew of Corin Tucker from Heavens to Betsy (brilliant), and Carrie Brownstein from Excuse 17 (equally shiny), but like peanut butter cups, they were two great artists that exploded with flavor upon contact. That weekend, circumstance provided Sleater-Kinney as the headlining act at 924 Gilman, the largely-teenage punk club hangout in Berkeley, CA. I took the bus to attend, and the club was largely empty - apparently no one knew what to expect of this "Women in Punk" night. The Donnas (then still school age) played an average set, while I talked to Corin at the merchandise table - "Your album is so great, I love it!". Which it was, and she politely told me about their band, but made sure to turn my attention to their drummer, Laura MacFarlane (a.k.a. Lora Macfarlane). I eagerly bought her latest CD, [Jelly], full of music from her various projects in Australia. I realized that I had been sitting next to genius Laura all night on the floor - thus was the laid back atmosphere. Soon enough, Sleater-Kinney took the stage, and blew everyone away, even me as I sang along to every song. It was like the moment that you turn on the brightest light bulb ever, only in slow motion - you could see the future fame shoot out of their mouths, guitars and drums. I was fully converted that night, and went to Lacey and Olympia, WA in 1996, to check out their birthplace. "Sleater-Kinney" is a busy road in Lacey, and so I made sure to go stand on it, and pat myself on the head for knowing about something so great, that barely anyone else was aware of. Follow the link to junk.log for the rest of this long entry, including thougts about their latest release, [The Woods]. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 9 Jun 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0506.html#6.7.2005.1 Tonight I go on far too long about the [Sky High] DVD release in the US by Media Blasters. It's the Japanese swords and ghosts movie by Ryuhei Kitamura, well known for [Versus]. It stars Yumiko Shaku, and has all sorts of neat, afterlife-associated things in it, including an almost-apocalypse. Still, I spend many paragraphs discussing a live-action attraction at the Sega Joyopolis, for no apparent reason. It's a must for all English-language readers, so follow the link now. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 8 Jun 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0506.html#6.6.2005.1 [BAMBi] by Kaneko Atsushi. I've been enjoying that manga for years, and eagerly awaiting its translation into English. Well, the wait is almost over, since [BAMBi And Her Pink Gun] is due to hit the US next month, thanks to Digital Manga Publishing. To celebrate, I'm planning on giving away two copies of that US release, out of the kindness of my pocketbook. Go to the BAMBi Contest page and find out more - entries are limited to US residents this time. Even if you don't want to enter, you should check out my thorough Kaneko Atsushi shrine right this instant. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 7 Jun 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0506.html#6.2.2005.1 One of the most violent movies I've ever seen is [Ichi The Killer] by Takashi Miike. In it, scores of yakuza are dismembered in the most gruesome way possible, with dismemberments, decapations, disembowelments, plus more. It's still a beautiful film in its own way, but it's a bitch to watch at times. [Elfen Lied] is an anime series based on manga by Lynn Okamoto (serialized in [Weekly Young Jump] magazine) that is [Ichi The Killer] for the [Happy Lesson] set (with touches of [Chobits]), with minutes upon minutes of blood and breasts, not necessarily in different scenes. See, a myserious young girl breaks out of a secret facility, killing everything in sight with terrifying, detached efficiency. She has problems, of the multiple-personality type, and her non-killer self is cute, child-like, and helpless, to the point that all she can say is "Nyu". I won't belabor the plot further, except you have a college age boy in a big house with at least 3 other females of varying eccentricity and/or propensities to violence. Thus, there's romantic tension (boy wants to take care of sexy Nyu without violating her innocence), familiar tension (girl has a thing for her male cousin) and just plain tension (the killer in Nyu, "Lucy", comes out at the worse times, only witnessed by a homeless girl, and not our protagonists). I enjoyed the first DVD volume, but with qualifications. It definitely took the violence much further than necessary, and the juxtaposition between the domestic sweetness and the gory attempts at getting Nyu back in captivity makes for a weird combination. It's geared towards males, what with excesses of mayhem, female (non-pubic) nudity and "romance" (having to deal with the attentions of multiple girls), but it still manages to make something new and not quite disposable. It's clear that future episodes will delve deeper into the mystery of Nyu and her kind, and that's what I'm looking forward to, rather than "cool" scenes of scattered body parts. If you can stand romance splatter horror, then this should be exactly for you. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 3 Jun 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0506.html#6.1.2005.1 One of the first bands covered by this site was Triceratops, oh so many years ago (umm...5?). Since them I've kept up with their work, but neglected to update their page, until today. Why today, other than the fact that they're a fine band that deserve your attention? Well, when their latest album came out a few months ago, I eagerly pre-ordered a copy, and received it shortly thereafter. However, before I received it, but after I ordered it, I saw a copy elsewhere and bought it, not remembering the order. Long story short, I have an extra copy of [The 7th Voyage Of Triceratops], just itching to be yours. Want it? Then simply visit the Triceratops Contest page for details. You have until 6.30.05 to enter. Don't worry - non-fans of excellent J-Rock should have other contests to choose from later this month. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 1 Jun 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0505.html#5.26.2005.1 PINE*am are a fine electronic trio from Japan, three talented women who know how to make pleasing pop music with keyboards and other cool instruments. Tsugumi (Vocals, Bass), Taeca (Keyboards), and Chizuko (Guitar, Vocals) came to visit came to visit Albany, CA last night, at the Ivy Room, and put on a tight and enjoyable show, with many songs from [Pull The Rabbit Ears], their new album that's out on 5.31.05. See junk.log for pictures. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 27 May 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0505.html#5.25.2005.1 This entry covers too much to include in a RSS feed, from [Ghost In the Shell: Stand Alone Complex] to my favorite comic books. To fully appreciate it, you must follow the link to the junk.log proper. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 25 May 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0505.html#5.23.2005.1 Just a reminder that the much celebrated PINE*am (celebrated by me, at least) is touring California as we speak. Thanks to Eenie Meenie Records, they are visiting the following locations, as the release date of their [Pull The Rabbit Ears] approaches: ****** 05/24/05 - San Francisco, CA @ The Make Out Room (3225 22nd St.), 10 PM, 21+, $8 ****** 05/25/05 - Albany, CA @ The Ivy Room (860 San Pablo Ave.), 10 PM, 21+, $7 ****** 05/27/05 - G4 Video Game TV live performance, 4 PM PST ****** 05/27/05 - Los Angeles, CA @ Tempest (7323 Santa Monica Blvd.), 11 PM, 18+ ****** 05/29/05 - Denver, CO @ TBA ****** 05/31/05 - Los Angeles, CA @ UCLA (Bruin Plaza), 12 PM, Free ****** 05/31/05 - Los Angeles, CA @ Amoeba Music (6400 Sunset Blvd.), 7 PM in-store ****** Yeah, Denver is stuck in there at the end, but perhaps I have some readers in Colorado. In any case, take part if you got parts to take. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 24 May 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0505.html#5.18.2005.1 Follow me here: De La Soul's first album was all sex and daisies, and to prove to the world that they were still "hard", their second album was appropriately titled [De La Soul Is Dead]. It was an amazing album, yes, and definitely more serious, but it wasn't entirely necessary to literally strangle the flowers to death. FannyPack have followed a similar route; their first album [So Stylistic] was fun and breezy hip hop, all giggles and butts waggling. [See You Next Tuesday], their recently released sophomore effort, ups the ante with nudity, sex, drugs, endless partying and "hard" girls, all presented in an entertaining and dancy manner. The three girls (Cat, Belinda and the luscious Jessibel) take the stage running, backed by Matt Goias and Fancy, their relatively expert production crew. I actually much prefer their new release to their first, largely due to the increased skill which tempers the requisite hardness. The "skits" are innocuous enough, and a few of the tracks like [Pump That] (extra-dancy), [Feet and Hands] (extra-hard) and [On My Lap] (extra-sexy) are way more catchy than I bargained for, and well worth the admission price. For more strongly committed FannyPackers like myself, you can get a "bootleg" CD-R direct from their website, which basically is a bunch of [So Stylistic] remixes, along with a few extra new sounds, not to mention another disc of band pics. It's a casual affair, and almost actually worth the price. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 19 May 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0505.html#5.17.2005.1 Shu Qi is beautiful and talented. Thus, pretty much any movie that she's been in has been watchable if only due to her presence, and [The Eye 2] is no exception. I saw the first [The Eye], an Asian neo-horror hit that saw limited release in the US, and enjoyed it more for the atmosphere than any profundity. Apparently it was popular enough in Chinese-language areas to see a sequel in 2004, which I picked up on DVD a few weeks ago (Cantonese or Mandarin with English subtitles, from Media Asia Hong Kong). Like I said, the lead actress is something special, so it wasn't much of a challenge to watch her deal with a pregnancy and unwanted spiritual intrusion into her life. If you want more plot than that, read the linked review. Sufficed to say that there actually are some scary moments you haven't seen before, assuming that you're still frightened by blurry, ashy yurei (Asian ghosts typified by [The Ring] or [Ju-On]). By the end of the movie, where the main "secret" plot point has been clarified, you can't help but marvel at the stubbornness of Joey, the frantic pregnant woman, who will literally do anything to help her unborn child, by making amazing leaps of emotion-filled illogic. Saying any more would spoil the plot, but I do like the visuals that the Pang Brothers summon, along with the alternative perspective that posits the horrific as spiritually essential. Some day, [The Eye] is scheduled to be remade by US production houses, but here's hoping that eventually this superior sequel sees the light of day on the big screen. Otherwise, go to YesAsia or your favorite Chinese-language video source for cheap thrills. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 18 May 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0505.html#5.16.2005.1 So. The XBox360 was introduced last week, on the most horrible The Killers heavy event known to man. Today, at the E3 Expo in LA, the PlayStation 3 was shown with far less fanfare. Considering the fact that the PS3 might be up to twice as fast as the X360, Sony didn't have to release a flock of crows, they just put on sunglasses and showed off their shiny, curvalicious box. You can find analysis of both of these devices at all of the usual places, and sufficed to say that I'll be buying both over the next year. However, I did have to comment about their respective controllers. The original XBox had big black monstrosities the size of small babies, and eventually they came out with a controller type S which hit the spot. Their latest controllers, seen above, are petite, wireless, and basically great, save for the asymmetrical thumbsticks. PS3 Sony's controllers are also wireless, but seem to be more suitable for a game of horseshoes. I cannot imagine playing with a crescent moon of such immensity, and hope beyond hope that they will come out with a wireless version of the traditional Dual Shock masterpiece. On that day, I shall send my wireless boomerangs aflight, smashing them into oblivion much like I'd imagine that Christian Bale as Batman would. Perhaps there will be a DVD tie-in there. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 17 May 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0505.html#5.9.2005.1 I just finished up a PINE*am contest along with Eenie Meenie Records, and here are the results: **** 1st Place: Jennifer **** 2nd Place: Ashley B. **** 3rd Place: Robert W. **** See the PINE*am contest page for exactly what they won. Winners have been contacted, and prizes will be mailed soon. Look for the next contests starting next week. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 10 May 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0505.html#5.1.2005.1 There are bands you like for purely aesthetic purposes - their sound, divorced from their show, is pleasing for whatever reason. Then there are bands like Titan Go King's that have to be appreciated via the whole package, music as well as stage presence. Pinky (Vocals, Guitar), Yonyon (Bass) and Lintsu (Drums) are three girls from Kyoto and Tokyo that have that special something, cuteness combined with a visceral pop punk explosion that's hard to resist. Titan Go King's are a great band, and I just completed a great contest to honor them. The winners are as follows: 4 Winners: [Titan Go King's Sound Sampler 01]: Ben Sabin, Bill Beckett, Jessica Co, and Christopher Tang. 1 Grand Prize: The above mentioned sampler, along with a DVD of their promotional video for [A Volume of Titan Go King's]. Plus, both of their albums in brand new Japanese versions: Marisa Repin. Winners have already been contacted, and will be sent their prizes shortly. Look for the next contest soon. nick@junkmagnet.com Mon, 2 May 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0504.html#4.19.2005.2 I was contacted by the forum-mistress of RingsCommunities.com, and it's not sponsored by DreamWorks at all. She wrote: "It *is*, however, *based* on the she-is-here.com site, which was/is a Dreamworks promo site. There were a lot of us that liked the roleplay on that site so much, that since we knew DW was going to end the site eventually, I teamed up with nensha.net to start RC.com. It's non-profit, and we all have a lot of fun with it! :)" So, there you have it. The fact that it's purely fan created and supported makes it all the more rad in my eyes, so if you're a Ring(s) fan, make sure to check it out. Sun, 24 Apr 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0504.html#4.21.2005.1 [Stellvia] is a pleasant SF anime series from 2003, geared to the slightly younger set, that I've been enjoying for the past few months. Based on manga by Ryo Akizuki, it's a little bit like [Harry Potter] in space, what with an unassuming girl named Shima Katase who has technological skills that border on the magical. She's a student/cadet on space station Stellvia, set with the task of shielding the Earth from supernova remnants that have been coming for years. This Second Wave is the focus of the first 3rd of the series, as Shima makes her way with her new environment, friends and rivals. It turns out that she's a very talented pilot (most stars of space series are). Other space stations associated with each planet also come in to play, and by the end of the 3rd volume... let's just say that things go a bit awry. DVD Volume 4 (of 8) just came out this month, and the last release is scheduled for December. Thus, now is a great time to hop on board and enjoy the teenaged drama, with flying ships, a super-huge robot, and attractive young girls for the guys, and ample romance and emotional turmoil for the girls. Yes, I dish out amazing stereotypes, and you could reverse the gender roles if you like. See, I like the whole lot, and find the technological bits sound enough to offer a good foundation for all the drama and appealing characters. Plus, the fan-service is truly minimal, so no breasts-a-popping, just longing and the occasional chaste kisses and hand-holding. OK.. the flight suits are quite tight, but that's about it. Fri, 22 Apr 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0504.html#4.19.2005.2 You know that tape in the movie, [The Ring]? Well, my best friend's sister's classmate just told me that it's based on real events! There are actual tapes from Japan and the US! Sadako and Samara are killing people right now! Find out more in junk.log, and at ringscommunities.com!nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 20 Apr 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0504.html#4.19.2005.1 Rescue are Drive Like Jehu for Detroit's millennial set. Their last EP on Slowdance, [Flamingo Minutes], is a brilliant 8 song collection that first caught my attention due to [I Am The Queens Of Comparison], which was the track they chose to share with the world via SXSW 2005. It's almost 5 minutes but sounds like 10, in the best way possible, with all sorts of ups and downs, starts and stops, growls and whispers. Alan Scheurman (Vocals, Guitar), Michael Majewski (Guitar, Vocals), Sean Clancy (Bass, Vocals) and Ryan Clancy (Drums) started playing together in 2000, and have had a few small and large releases since then. [Flamingo Minutes] is from 2004, and it's like a much less annoying Mars Volta meets the love child of Archers of Loaf and Pitchblende. I'll have to track down their out-of-print album [Volume Plus Volume] from 2002, or the 2004 re-release with more tracks. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 20 Apr 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0504.html#4.18.2005.2 "So many contests", you're saying. "I don't know if I can handle another one." Well, that's just too bad. Close your eyes and hum or something, while everyone else enters the brand new PINE*am contest, in celebration of their upcoming album, [Pull The Rabbit Ears], which I find quite winning. They're a fine electronic trio from Japan, three talented women who know how to make pleasing pop music with keyboards and other cool instruments. Travel to the ultra-amazing PINE*am contest page to find out how to win a signed T-shirt or CDs, not to mention posters, stickers, and other cool stuff. You have until 5.6.05 to enter. Please also note their impending tour of the US, which starts next month. Travel to my brand new PINE*am page to see all of the dates, which cross the wide expanses of North America in May. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 19 Apr 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0504.html#4.18.2005.1 Puffy is the primary reason that I started this website over five years ago. My Puffy contests have always been huge, because I love them so. Therefore, I just gave away Puffy AmiYumi's US best-of album [Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi], and three tickets to their San Francisco show on 4.27.2005. See here for more information about that, along with tour dates. See junk.log for the list of winners.nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 19 Apr 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0504.html#4.14.2005.1 Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re page at Junk Magnet, right now. Travel to the Japanese Pop section to find out even more about my new favorite band, with tons more to come. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 15 Apr 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0504.html#4.13.2005.1 [Shinkokyu No Hitsuyo] (The Necessity of Deep Breathing) is a film by Tetsuo Shinohara, covering young Japanese men and women who harvest sugar cane in Okinawa for a season. If that sounds like a boring premise, be warned that it actually turns out to be quite compelling, with a fine cast and a slow yet steady pace. These seven young folk aren't just talking a little vacation of 5 weeks of labor, they're processing spoken and unspoken traumas, defeats and transitions they left on the main island. Thus, each and every felled cane is punctuated by little and big struggles, as they learn how to work together, to look beyond the seemingly insurmountable, and to sit back and breathe before starting life's races. I didn't stand up applauding at the end of the DVD, but I did appreciate the skill with which all involved related this simple yet compelling story. Karina, who plays the lead female character, is an up and coming actress and model that strikes quite a presence, but all of the characters have something to pay attention to. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 14 Apr 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0504.html#4.12.2005.1 The Like Young are The White Stripes with far less blues and arguably more skill and texture. Amanda (Drums, Vocals) and Joe Ziemba (Guitar, Vocals) have been playing together in one form or another since 1997, and have been married for the past few years. This togetherness has obviously served to strengthen their latest musical unit, because [So Serious] and [Art Contest], their last two albums, are something magically catchy. You've got the lower-fi guitars, male/female vocals, and a certain higher octane grade of gas that's peppy to the point of explosion. This duo from Chicago know how to serve up rock-pop with a punk aesthetic, kinda like The Apples In Stereo with all of the 60's sucked out of them, replaced by more appropriate up-tempo 90's ennui. Joe fronts the equation with atypical quiet-loud-medium guitars and words, balanced out by Amanda's forceful drums and ever-sweet voice. It's the real deal, the sort of sound I'm always looking for, so I'll be eagerly awaiting their latest 7" EP, [The Timid], out on Polyvinyl on 5.10.05. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 13 Apr 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0504.html#4.11.2005.1 Wants some blues punk with roots rock tendencies? Well then, The Moaners are just what your headphones ordered. Melissa Swingle (Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica, Saw) and Laura King (Drums, Guitar, Vocals) have been performing together for a short while, and released [Dark Snack], their first album, on 1.25.2005 (Yep Rec, Yep 2088). They hail from Chapel Hill, North Carolina and sound just like it, that sort of southeast indie rock that comes in many unique yet related flavors. The Moaners flavor is fuzzy-buzzy bent guitar sounds that resemble an organ at times, backed by Laura's strong beats and topped by Melissa's vocal swagger - a whine-moan elaboration of a Deep South twang. Lyrically they're fairly conservative, offering variants on love songs, but it's the persistent, rollicking sounds that bring me back for more. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 12 Apr 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0504.html#4.7.2005.1 Denver is the new Portland. Well, at least when it comes to catchy new bands like the Hot IQs, who are one of my real finds out of the South By Southwest 2005 alumni. Their first album, [An Argument Between The Brain And Feet], is immensely catchy, reminding me of Spent meets Pavement, with some Cake thrown in for good measure. Meaning they're tuneful and melodic, with smart lyrics and danceable beats. Hot IQs Eli Mishkin (Vocals, Guitar), Elaine Acosta (Drums), and Bryan Feuchtinger (Bass) are a tight trio that started in 2003, and list the Pixies and Archers of Loaf as influences, so I'm sure you can see where they're coming from - Indietown, albeit with a nice smooth production that's hard to resist. Take their soon-to-be hit single [Firecracker] as a case in point - it sounds quite Hot Hot Heat, only better, and can equally fit on Modern Rock and College radio. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 8 Apr 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0504.html#4.6.2005.1 Maya Arul is something special. She's a Sri Lankan refugee girl who grew up to be a beat mistress from London named M.I.A., who's tearing up the dance floor with her first album, [Arular]. I really dug the single I heard a few months ago at the iTunes Music Store, particularly the video for [Galang], which was both body-moving and militaristic, a potent combination. M.I.A definitely has a buzz as of late, but her album is largely worth it, with up-beat production that presents a mixture of South-Asian and European sounds, capped by her pleasing, accented vocals. It's dancy hip-hoppy stuff that doesn't quite sound like anything you've heard before. I'm fond of the last three songs, [10] (an infectious floor stomper), and [Sunshowers] and [Galang] (her two singles), which never cease to get me moving. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 7 Apr 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0504.html#4.5.2005.1 5.10.05. That's the date I've been waiting for since I first started this junk.log, 7 months ago. Why? Well, that's the day the first DVD of [Burst Angel] hits the US. Known in Japan as Bakuretsu Tenshi, it's another Gonzo production, this one involving young, tough girls who fight their way though a futuristic Tokyo. It looks quite fun and well put-together, and I resisted the temptation to buy the Japanese DVD releases, or to download episodes from BitTorrent, just so I could savor the eventual US visit. Of course, I'll have the original Japanese language track on, but I'm sure the dub will be passible (annoying) enough to satiate foreign audiences. You'll hear more about my thoughts on the series next month (no doubt that I'll buy the [Burst Angel] starter set with series box and charm strap, just because). nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 6 Apr 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0504.html#4.4.2005.1 I'm fairly experimental when it comes to my entertainment purchases. Often, I'll go to a place like CDJapan, browse their Japanese DVDs with English Subtitles section, and pick something that sounds interesting. That's what I did with [Survive Style 5+], which I pre-ordered (for a release on 3.02.05) and received a few weeks ago. Before viewing it last night, I literally knew nothing about it, and thus I was all the more satiated when I found it to be a funny and inventive farce. Originally released in theaters on 9.25.04, [Survive Style 5+] is a series of seemingly disconnected vignettes, all tied to death or desperation. The core of the movie is the love/hate story between Ishigaki (Tadanobu Asano) and Mimi (Reika Hashimoto), which vividly revolves about his constant combat with and murdering of his wife, and her subsequent resurrections. It sounds horrid, but comes across beautifully, kind of like a miniaturized [Groundhog Day], as he learns to love her despite her inexplicable behavior. The rest of the movie ties into this story in one way or another, mostly through a pair of unorthodox hitmen, featuring Vinnie Jones, know mostly for his British crime capers. It does you no good for me to give away the plot further, but sufficed to say that characters inhabit the realm between well-drawn and cartoon, becoming archetypes as they search for love and contentment despite a chaotic world. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 5 Apr 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0504.html#4.2.2005.1 Puffy is the primary reason that I started this website over five years ago. My Puffy contests have always been huge, because I love them so. Thus, now you can win Puffy AmiYumi's US best-of album [Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi], or one of three tickets to their San Francisco show on 4.26.2005. Enter at my website, and you have until 4.18.05 to try. nick@junkmagnet.com Sun, 3 Apr 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0504.html#4.1.2005.1 "Oh my god", you're saying. Titan Go King's have taken over Junk Magnet! That's only partially true. The month of April is focused on this trio from Tokyo, and I have a great contest going on right now. Hit the big ass pictures on the right of most every page to find out more (hint: Win lots of CDs). Plus, I've just whipped up a Titan Go King's page for the Japanese Pop section, with other artists to come shortly. Thus, if you have ever needed a fix of high-energy girl punk-pop, now is the month to get it. You have until 4.30.05 to enter. What's more, those big ass pictures will change over time, revealing many more contests that I'm sure you'll be interested in. Hints as to the prizes will be right out in the open for you, my regular junk.log readers. (PS - Let me know if you find the new banners too annoying. I've been planning on filling all that white space for five years). nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 1 Apr 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0503.html#3.30.2005.1 I adore Tegan and Sara. This wasn't always the case, but after I discovered them a few months ago I've been in Canadian bliss. They swung through San Francisco last Friday, and out of three possible concert appearances, I made it to two. Head to junk.log for a detailed account, with some bad pictures. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 31 Mar 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0503.html#3.29.2005.1 My PSP (PlayStation Portable) finally arrived today while I was at work, but I was too busy to open the package, because I was messing around with another PSP around the office, trying to figure an optimized way to get movies into the critter. Sure, there are a few shareware utilities, but I have that deep down body thirst for MPEG-4 specifications. Thus, I had a few hours to put the PSP through its paces, and this is my quick report: 1) The screen is nicer than you think, 2) Lower resolution files and UMD movies like [Spiderman 2] look better than you'd expect, 3) It's a fingerprint magnet, and 4) The plastic shell surrounding the UMD disk might as well be rice paper - the hole exposing the media is so large you can fit a greasy finger in it. Which you probably will. SONY is trying to emphasize visible filth, apparently. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 30 Mar 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0503.html#3.28.2005.5 The Pillows, alright? Like many in the US, as soon as I was exposed to them via the [FLCL] anime, I was immediately taken. Unlike many in the US, I went ahead and bought every album they have in print, a task that took traveling to Japan to complete. Of course, I've also bought their last two albums as they were released, and kept up with their meager releases in the US. I say meager because they should be super-huge, as their show at Studio Z in San Francisco only attested to. Sawao Yamanaka (Vocals, Guitar), Yoshiaki Manabe (Guitar) and Shinichiro Sato (Drums) played the hell out of the [FLCL] soundtrack, with pleased the crowd to no end, and left the stage with everyone screaming for more. I would have preferred more songs from their extensive catalog, but the sheer honor of seeing them live superseded my obsessive fandom. The only reason I don't have a fan page for The Pillows yet is that they have so many albums to discuss, but now I'm inspired to finally get my act together. That will happen soon, but you can check them out right now, as captured by my trusty yet temperamental camera: nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 29 Mar 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0503.html#3.28.2005.4 Yes, I'm completely taken by Mari (Vocals, Guitar), Yayoi (Bass), and Mizue (Drums) of Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re, who have a live show that inspires fanboys to push for the front row spots, and then trail after them post set. Not that I can talk, I begged Mari for their set list on Saturday, and bestowed Yayoi some pictures of the band on Sunday. I wear my fixation proudly, which is easy when they're so nice yet talented. They sweat funky free-form, happy growl pop rock that sounds great on record, but can only really be understood live. Simply put, Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re put on one hell of a show, and I couldn't help but want to capture it all on film. Here is a severe paring down of my shots from Sunday night at Studio Z in San Francisco, and look for more of everything in April, when their JM page goes active. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 29 Mar 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0503.html#3.28.2005.3 Simply put: Titan Go King's ROCK. Big noise of bliss, the sort of punk-pop that's suitable for commercials or late night mosh pits. I'll hold back more commentary now, since next month will be Titan Go King's heavy, but here are some shots from their set last night at Studio Z in San Francisco, that couldn't help but impress: nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 29 Mar 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0503.html#3.28.2005.2 My second and final Japan Girls Night 2005 event was at Studio Z in San Francisco last night, and it was a blast. My new/old favorites The Emeralds, Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re and Titan Go King's were there, and you can see selected pictures of their sets above. I was really there to see The Pillows, who've I've massively been into for the past few years, collecting more of their CDs than you can imagine. But I also knew that the marvelous Noodles would be present, a pleasant yet powerful three-piece (which started with four members in 1991). I've known about them for years, but first heard them from my SXSW MP3 browsing - one track was enough to immediately spawn multiple CD Japan orders. Those albums haven't yet reached me, but I was nevertheless very impressed by their tuneful performance. Yoko (Vocals, Guitar), Ikuno (Bass) and Ayumi (Drums) are quite skilled, yet relatively low key, reminding me a bit of The Brilliant Green, what with English lyrics and a similar sonic vibe. I also had some opportunity to talk to Ayumi a bit, even scoring their IVY Tour t-shirt that all three members signed for me. It goes without saying that they have a new fan, that will write lots more about them when I acquire their body of work. Until then, here are some pictures for you: nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 29 Mar 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0503.html#3.28.2005.1 My other discover at Japan Girls Night 2005 tour at the Starry Plough in Berkeley on Saturday, wasn't a female band at all. The Emeralds are a tight trio of the Blankey Jet City school of rock, featuring the highly charismatic Kazuya (Vocals, Guitar), Osuke (Bass) and Akio (Drums). I was able to talk to Akio for a good long while that night, and also in San Francisco on Sunday, comparing notes about bands we like (anything with Kenichi Asai or Tamio Okuda) to how their 2004 and 2005 US tours went (tiring yet enjoyable). They all seemed like agreeable, fun fellows that really can bulge the speakers. They were quite impressive in Berkeley, yet totally tore up the stage last night in San Francisco. I've also enjoyed listening to their two EPs, and in April I'll cover them in more depth on their own Japanese Pop page. Until then, here are a few snaps from the Berkeley show: nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 29 Mar 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0503.html#3.27.2005.2 Coming into the Japan Girls Night 2005 tour at the Starry Plough in Berkeley on Saturday, I knew of Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re, but had no idea how superb they actually are, especially live. Mari (Vocals, Guitar), Yayoi (Bass), and Mizue (Drums) are a funky pop-noise-punk trio out supporting their first album, [Pregnant Fantasy], and they're extremely hard not to like, in a head and body bobbing sort or way. They're lyrically domestic, but sonically watery. I got a chance to talk to Mari, who takes charge of the microphone with whisper-screams, and they're having a blast with their second mini-tour of the US. I even found out that the rollicking Mizue is a Blankey Jet City fan, which only served to cement my appreciation for the band. Finally, one can't leave a Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re show without taking fond memories of Yayoi, who cradles her bass like it was a long lost boyfriend, and can only be watched with awe. Thus, Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re are my new favorite band, and even though I want to see The Pillows and Noodles tonight in San Francisco, along with the Titan Go King's again, it'll be this trio that I move to the front for. See Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re concert pictures by following this link. nick@junkmagnet.com Mon, 28 Mar 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0503.html#3.27.2005.1 There are bands you like for purely aesthetic purposes - their sound, divorced from their show, is pleasing for whatever reason. Then there are bands like Titan Go King's that have to be appreciated via the whole package, music as well as stage presence. Pinky (Vocals, Guitar), Yonyon (Bass) and Lintsu (Drums) are three girls from Kyoto and Tokyo that have that special something, cuteness combined with a visceral pop punk explosion that's hard to resist. I was quite impressed by their set during the Japan Girls Night 2005 tour at the Starry Plough in Berkeley, and I can definitely see bright things ahead for them. Besides getting a chance to talk with them a bit, I've been in contact with band representatives for the past week or so, arranging a special something for April. Those who know me, know that a giveaway will be involved, so make sure to come back then for the real deal. See Titan Go King's concert pictures by following this link. nick@junkmagnet.com Mon, 28 Mar 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0503.html#3.24.2005.1 Sad news from Yuki, who just released an amazing 3rd album called [Joy]. Her young son died recently, attributed to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Understandably distraught, she has cancelled her current tour. There's nothing much more I can say about this, other than my heart goes out to her and her family. Hopefully she'll be able to bring us more music when the time is right. Thanks go out to JM reader Keith Ticer for pointing this out to me; he found it on a great Yuki-focused website that does her justice. Check out my Yuki page for info about her latest album and DVDs, all of which I received in the past week. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 25 Mar 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0503.html#3.22.2005.1 Continuing my examination of great bands who played the 2005 South By Southwest music festival, tonight I shall let you know all about The Damnations, who are an amazing country-western tinged outfit from Austin, Texas. Started in 1994, they joined with Sire records for one album in 1999 ([Half Bad Moon]), and eventually ended up on Joy-Ride Records for the resplendent [Where It Lands] in 2002. I'm quite sorry that it took me so long to find that album, because it's quite solid and one of my new favorites. I was initially taken by the crash-bang [New Hope Cemetery] from that release, which combines earthy-sweet harmonized vocals by sisters Amy Boone and Deborah Kelly, with super-tight instrumentation by Rob Bernard on guitars and and Conrad Choucroun with drums. Don't be scared by the "country" label, because this is pure bar-room bliss, with equal touches of rock, folk, punk and languid rhythms that follow all parts of the southern border of the US. It's really hard not to smile at the skill and intelligent lyrics (and covers). The whole thing holds together quite well, presenting many moods with equal skill and heart. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 23 Mar 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0503.html#3.21.2005.2 Last week or so I gave you all fair warning that no only was the South By Southwest music festival in full effect, but that they were literally giving away almost 1000 MP3s from great bands scheduled to perform. I eagerly downloaded this music, and it took me over a week to listen to it all. During that process, I ordered scores of CDs from bands that struck my fancy, and I started receiving the spoils a few days ago. Over the next few weeks I'll be telling you all about my discoveries. The standout album in the first few discs has been [Sweet Weaponry] from Cruiserweight, who have been raising a sweet pop-alt-punk ruckus from Austin for the past few years. This album is their first national release (Heinous/Doghouse, 2.15.2005), and they had a SXSW showcase on 3.19.05 - check out this junk.log entry to download their delightful single, [This Ain't No Beach Party]. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 22 Mar 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0503.html#3.21.2005.1 Sometimes, the planets and stars align themselves just perfectly, so that amazing music is brought from around the globe right to my doorstep. That's exactly the case this week, when about a dozen bands I want to see will be playing on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (3.25 through 3.27). The more important event is the Japan Girls Night 2005 Tour, featuring Titan Go King's, TsuShiMaMiRe, Puppypet and Petty Booka - follow those links to find out about these great bands, who also happen to be female. Talent + Cuteness = the perfect equation for my happiness, so all is well. I've been planning on going to the San Francisco show at Studio Z. for months, because The Pillows are also playing, making it all the more a not-to-miss event. Plus - plus! - the Noodles are also playing that show, so I'm just about dying here. It also so happens that I live a few blocks from the Berkeley show on Saturday, so I'll be enjoying many of these great bands two nights in a row. (Got to mention The Emeralds on Saturday and The Freak Accident on Sunday, just to be complete.) nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 22 Mar 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0503.html#3.17.2005.1 Fiona Apple finally has a new album out. Well, actually, [Extraordinary Machine] isn't new, and it isn't officially out, but don't let that stop you from enjoying it. The basic story is that she completed her 3rd album for Sony a few years ago, and it sounded so amazingly unique that they decided to shelve it. As in not release it, ever. As in, better luck next time, Ms. Apple, bring us back some safe piano jams or a more sexed up Avril. Well, you know how fans are. They found out about this, and hated this, and conspired to actually hear the album in question. Jump ahead to 2005, and the more enterprising and connected obtained all tracks, and released them by force. First a few songs, then the whole album, now available by BitTorrent or your other favorite means. Just go to Google, type in keywords like fiona apple torrent, and you will be rewarded in full. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 18 Mar 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0503.html#3.16.2005.1 [Gantz] is a well-known and somewhat notorious manga by Hiroya Oku, serialized in [Young Jump]. It involves the conscription of the recently dead into an involved assassination "game", revolving around the machinations of a large black sphere. Strange concept, but quite well done. In April of 2004 it was translated into anime form by Gonzo, and was notorious for lots of censorship by Fuji TV and other authorities. Seems that the presentation of massive amounts of "real world" flesh and gore, like two teenagers getting run over by a train, ample nudity, or various occasions for bodily destruction, was just too much for broadcast TV. Ichiroh Itano (director) and the rest of his crew knew it would be a problem, but also knew that their original vision would eventually be seen on DVD nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 17 Mar 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0503.html#3.15.2005.1 For the past few weeks I've been playing Nanaca Crash, a simple yet addictive Flash promotional game for a Playstation 2 dating sim in Japan. It's like the long jump in Konami's old school Track and Field arcade game meets your favorite girls-fight-over-guy anime. At the start, a girl intentionally smashes her bike into a guy, and after you pick an angle of flight, he rolls in a ball and crashes into all sorts of characters. The longer you progress, the more special combos you can get (by well-timed mouse clicks), and the higher your score. Eventually, you'll be stopped by a well-intentioned young woman, but the point is to bruise up this living projectile as much as possible. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 16 Mar 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0503.html#3.14.2005.1 At WonderCon 2005 in San Francisco, I was overwhelmed by bargain comics, bootleg anime and lots of movie previews (as usual). I also had the distinct pleasure to meet Andy Goldblatt at the Channel 101 booth, promoting her latest DVD project along with the multi-talented Scott Chernoff. Channel 101 is a groundbreaking site that hosts tons of humorous little mini-sitcoms and shorts, limited to a few minutes each. The work of Andy and Scott is some of the most popular at the site, and their [SuperTV SuperShow!] DVD was released just in time for the convention. I was easily charmed by Andy into giving it a try, and I'm very glad that I did. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 15 Mar 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0503.html#3.10.2005.1 In the not-so-wilds of Austin, Texas, the South By Southwest music festival has been causing a live ruckus since 1987. A great way to showcase new and established artists from all over the world, it focuses on music, film and the interactive arts. I haven't been yet, but have always wanted to attend, due in no small part to the large number of Japanese acts that manage to perform (including The Pillows this year). It starts up again on 3.11.05, so make sure to check out the schedule. The fine folks with SXSW and participating bands have created a massive bundle of free tracks, representing most of the performing acts. These MP3s are freely downloadable via BitTorrent, and represent an amazing 2 days worth of continuous tunes. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 11 Mar 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0503.html#3.8.2005.1 After an unwanted break from this junk.log, I'm finally back to offer you the best in random entertainment-related musings. My parents' house has been watched, and the house cat fed, and so I can come to my own apartment each evening and offer you little tasty tidbits, such as information about [Gantz] Volume 2 and [Paranoia Agent] Volume 3, both being anime DVDs that were released today. Expect information about them, along with other amazing pieces of somethingness, in massive amounts as March progresses. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 9 Mar 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0502.html#2.28.2005.1 Even though the past few weeks have been some of the most busy times in recent memory, I did find a moment or two for an email interview at Keikaku.net. It's terribly verbose and detailed, as is my want, and covers questions about what's it like to create a website with a Japanese Music focus. Since that is the sort of thing I do, I was happy to participate. It's the first in a weekly series of such interviews, and I look forward to hear from my fellow webmasters. Thus, feel free to take some minutes to read my second Junk Magnet interview ever, and make sure to stick around Keikaku afterwards, because they're increasingly swell. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 1 Mar 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0502.html#2.16.2005.1 During 2004, I effectively didn't watch any TV. Sure, I had to see TV at work (during my tests of EyeTV), but the only show I followed was [Lost]. My theory was that the best stuff that was on would eventually make it to DVD, and then I could watch it in larger chunks, without commercial interruption. That served me well for [Arrested Development], and also for my latest "best show ever", [Wonderfalls], the entire series of which is now on DVD. First, it would help you to understand that [Wonderfalls] only aired for 4 episodes on Fox in early 2004, and was killed quickly despite lots of great reviews. Thus, 9 out of 13 episodes on the DVDs never were seen until this month. That said, it's a shame that [Wonderfalls] received such poor treatment, because it's clearly one of my most favorite shows, inspiring lots of intelligent laughs, not to mention crude jabs and few tears at the end. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 17 Feb 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0502.html#2.14.2005.2 Over the past month or so I've been running a Manda and the Marbles contest to give away two copies of their latest album, [Angels With Dirty Faces], which will be re-released widely in a few weeks on 2.27.05. Each CD comes with a poster, and out of the collected entries, the two winners are: Cheryl Wilson and Scott David Orr. They will be contacted shortly, so band representatives can send off their prizes. Look for another non-Manda related contest come March. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 15 Feb 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0502.html#2.14.2005.1 For five years, JunkMagnet.com has had pretty much the same interface and focus. Games, Tech, Music and Text were covered, but some sections more than others. For the past few years I've been trying to figure out what the next shape of Junk Magnet would be, and over the next few months I'll be starting to implement it. The most obvious change is the death of the Games and Technology sections, since I no longer play games more than one or twice every few months, and spend way too much time with electronic stuff for work. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 15 Feb 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0502.html#2.10.2005.2 I'm sure that the news has already appeared elsewhere, but I received an email today from Utada.com asking me to enter a contest. Not just any contest, but a drawing to see Utada performing live in New York City later this month. Specifically: "We're proud to announce Utada's first US live appearance on February 23, 2005 at Skylight in New York City . It's sure to be an amazing event, and to celebrate, we're extending to Utada Newsletter subscribers like you, an opportunity to witness history and get on "The List" for the performance and party! All you have to do is send an email to enter@islanddefjam.com with your name, birthday, email address, and phone number - by 2/17/05 at 6:00pm (EST) - and you will be entered. 25 winners will be chosen at random to get their name on the list plus one guest for the showcase." nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 11 Feb 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0502.html#2.10.2005.1 While looking for new Japanese Music sites, I found the wonderful Keikaku.net, which is one of the few other places besides Junk Magnet to have a Sherbets profile. Sure, mine was the first, but theirs is quite impressive, and managed to scoop me about their brand new album [Natural] (VKCS-31), due out 3.9.05 nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 11 Feb 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0502.html#2.9.2005.1 After a long and anxious wait, [Paranoia Agent] Vol. 2 is now in my hands (released on 1.11.05, but I was slow). The series is the latest work from Satoshi Kon, the creator of [Perfect Blue], [Millennium Actress] and [Tokyo Godfathers]. The skilled Madhouse are also involved in this amazing serialized anime TV show. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 10 Feb 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0502.html#2.8.2005.2 Tonight I randomly discovered Nippop.com, a grand experiment in Japanese Pop information, started at the beginning of 2005. It has a crazy amount of profiles on bands covered by Junk Magnet, along with scores more. With multiple contributers, XML feeds, a newsletter, articles, and all-sorts of other mmm-mm-good bloggy stuff, you really can't go wrong. They're already schooling me, so why don't you go and learn something too? nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 9 Feb 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0502.html#2.8.2005.1 The anime adventures of Mikura and her DSA (Danger Service Agency) crew conclude with [Mezzo] Shell Three, released today in the US (I found it last weekend, as is the tendency of my local Best Buy). It contains episodes 9 through 13, which serve to wrap up the various plot points, with equal parts suspense, action and humor, all comingled with relatively realistic urban SF action. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 9 Feb 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0502.html#2.7.2005.1 A few months ago I was raving about the Kleptones mashup masterpiece, [A Night At The Hip-Hopera], a skilled and tuneful mingling of Queen and hip-hop. Now, I'm raving about their latest work, [From Detroit To J.A.], which steals the soul and combines it with 80's pop, among many other things. Hard to quantify, easy to love. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 8 Feb 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0502.html#2.2.2005.1 Elisabeth Esselink of Amsterdam is perhaps one of my most favorite musicians, yet relatively few people even know that she exists. She's the massive force behind Solex, and over the years has had a few Matador Records releases of much merit. Now she's graced the world with [The Laughing Stock Of Indie Rock] (Arena Rock Recording Co), which exhibits more of the same quirky amazingness. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 3 Feb 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0502.html#2.1.2005.1 Sheena Ringo's new supergroup, Tokyo Incidents, are so terribly special, that I decided to give away a copy of [Kyoiku], their first album which happened to be one of the best of 2004. To be sneaky about it, the contest was only announced via my RSS Feed, and after a grand total of 3 entries, the randomly selected winner was Keith Ticer of Texas. He'll be receiving his prize shortly. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 2 Feb 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0501.html#1.31.2005.1 I'm a fan of Masamune Shirow, well known over the past few decades for his manga creations like [Ghost In The Shell]. While I was still in school, I was much enamored by translations of his work, from [Dominion] to [Appleseed], and snatched them up as soon as they were released in the US. Last year, [Appleseed] was transformed into motion-captured CG and released in Japan to some fanfare. Now, that version has reached the US, first as a limited-release movie, and later as a DVD. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 1 Feb 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0501.html#1.26.2005.1 When it comes to discovering great new (non-Japanese) music, I'm often slow on the uptake. [So Jealous] by Tegan and Sara is a strong case in point; it came out in September of 2004, but I didn't actually hear its amazingness until tonight. Sure, I started to get into their [Walking With A Ghost] single, after first getting over their uniquely squeaky/screachy vocals, but it took just one listen of their 4th album for me to fully fall in love. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 27 Jan 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0501.html#1.25.2005.1 Much to the shock of the most obsessive junk.log readers, I have yet another Japanese Pop page to introduce. Tonight it's for Yuki, she of Judy and Mary fame who has managed to make a stellar career out of the ashes of her former, iconic band. She's released all sorts of singles lately, including [Joy] on 1.19.2005, which I anxiously await hearing. It's the precursor to an album of the same name, to be out on 2.23.2005, which is a day everyone should remember. Seriously, she's truly amazing, and if you aren't already schooled in Yuki-teki mono, then by all means check her out now. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 26 Jan 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0501.html#1.24.2005.1 Since I'm a big fan of Anne Suzuki - the ultra-cute and talented star of [Hana and Alice] - I've been slowly but surely tracking down all of her past work. I saw her in [Returner] a few years ago (one of her more action-oriented vehicles), and recently I discovered that its director, Takashi Yamazaki, worked with Suzuki-san a few years prior on his first film, [Juvenile]. My interest piqued, I soon tracked it down on import DVD. [Juvenile], which came out in 2000, is a cross between [ET] and [Back To The Future], with ample portions of all those robot-buddy movies that came out in the 1980s. Misaki (Anne) is the friend and love interest of a young elementary student, who loves the concept of robots to the extent that when one mysteriously appears in the forest, his friends just assume that he's the perfect guy to take care of it. That small, cute, owl-like automaton is Tetra, who speaks simple Japanese and is all-consumed with devotion to his master, Yusuke, and some mysterious task at hand. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 25 Jan 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0501.html#1.19.2005.1 Most amazingly, two more Japanese Pop artists have been added to Junk Magnet today: Salyu and Barnabys. Both are up and coming artists, Salyu being an amazing singer who brought [All About Lily Chou-Chou] to life, while Barnabys are a dynamic rock trio best known for the theme to [Mezzo]. Careful junk.log readers already know that I adore them both, and those past entries have been updated for 2005, adding links and extra insight. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 20 Jan 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0501.html#1.18.2005.1 In 5.2004, the manga and anime phenomenon Cutie Honey received her own big-budget movie, released by Warner Bros. It was a colorful, busty affair with rubber-suited evil and excessive costume changes for the super-powered heroine. I wasn't in Japan at the time of release, so I had to wait for 6 months until it saw DVD. Last month was the revelatory date in question, and now the standard Region 2 disc is in my possession. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 19 Jan 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0501.html#1.17.2005.1 Looking for great, New Wavey music from Columbus, Ohio? Well, you should be, because Manda And The Marbles are the cure to all that depresses and offends. Manda Marble, the titular beauty with a voice to adore, leads Mark Slak and Joe A. Damage to all sorts of tuneful places, that recall early No Doubt, The Epoxies from Portland, OR, or many other bands you may remember from the 80s. Of course, there's also sounds suitable for the new Millennium, which fully cement the sing-along sidewalk. Their latest album, [Angels With Dirty Faces], was released in small amounts a few months ago, and now will be re-released nationwide in February. To celebrate, I've joined with band reps to offer some nice Manda swag, including two copies of their CD, and perhaps some posters as well. To enter for a chance to win, email me using Manda Contest as the subject. At least 2 winners will be chosen randomly on 2.15.2005, so enter before then. The re-release will come the following week. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 18 Jan 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0501.html#1.11.2005.1 That is to say, the company I work for (Elgato Systems) makes great products for the Mac like the EyeTV family of Digital TV Recorders, or the EyeHome and EyeConnect systems that get your music, movies, and photos on any TV or stereo. Our products are living large and in full effect, so much so that my work setting up and shutting down the booth, not to mention running demos and managing the presenters, is taking up my time. Fun, but lots of work. Thus, this week there will be minimal junk.log activity, to be made up for next week. Until then, make sure to check out Apple's new products like the cheap and tiny Mac mini (which works great with EyeTV) or the even cheaper and tinier iPod shuffle. It's all there for the taking. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 12 Jan 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0501.html#1.10.2005.1 Please visit my brand-new shrine to Tokyo Incidents, a.k.a Tokyo Jihen, who are a better band than most anyone deserves. Fronted by Sheena Ringo, and backed by certified all-stars, they cause quite the beautiful ruckus on [Kyoiku], their first album. You can find an easy to use collection of all their releases, along with reviews extended from that found in junk.log, buttressed with a growing collection of links. Suitable for framing indeed! nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 11 Jan 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0501.html#1.7.2005.1 Please visit my brand-new shrine to Thmlues, the great poppy-rock quartet from Japan that I adore. It includes all of their releases, along with information on their latest single, [Fuyu Iro Garu], and links to Japanese fan sites. You see, as far as I can tell, this is the first English-language Thmlues fan site, and I definitely want to spread the world. Check them out if you want to enjoy finely constructed modern music, and look for more Japanese Pop pages soon. nick@junkmagnet.com Sat, 8 Jan 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0501.html#1.5.2005.2 [Hana And Alice], OK? By now you've gathered that this is my personal pinnacle of moviedom as of late, so I'll spare you the particulars of my devotion. Instead, let me just share that the "Overseas" DVD version of it is now out, with great English subtitles. It's a Region 3 disc from Panorama Distributions out of Hong Kong, and can be found at places like YesAsia for a very reasonable price. If you have the means to play Region 3 discs, then you owe yourself the treat. Next wish: Official Region 1 US release of this film. If you know who I should contact to make this happen, let me know. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 6 Jan 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0501.html#1.5.2005.1 If you're reading this, then you know of at least one "blog" that can be nominated for a 2005 Bloggie award. Out of the scores of thousands of weblogs out there, perhaps this junk.log is worthy of mention, or even the grand prize of $20.05 (US)? I'm not going to nominate myself, due to a lack of tackiness, but if you feel I'm doing something of even small merit, then travel here and nominate away. Or, if you have other favorite blogs that you regularly read, by all means represent. You have until 1.10.2005 to vote, so act quickly. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 6 Jan 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0501.html#1.4.2005.1 Imagine: 12 young Japanese girls in fanciful clothes dancing and singing in unison. Give or take a few members, that's been the Morning Musume story for the past 6 years or so. The basic formula is to have a few good singers that can solo, a few particularly cute members that can spin off into subgroups, and a general atmosphere of call and response that covers a massive amount of musical genres. I came to the party with their first few albums, which have a large number of catchy dance tracks and a fair amount of tolerable "love me, love you" ballads. That "Classic Musume" period is well represented by their first [Best! Morning Musume 1] (1.31.2001) singles collection, which really was a remarkable event. Past that point, up to and including their newest 6th album, [Ai no Dai 6 Kan], the luster has decreased with time and massive rotation of members. Where once I was captivated, now I'm mostly bored. Not that it's ever been about raw musical talent, but there's only so many costumes and dances you can admire before it's time to move on. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 5 Jan 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0501.html#1.3.2005.1 Despite all evidence to the contrary, I'm not 100% obsessed with Japanese popular culture. In fact, I like junk from all over the world, and [2046] by Wong Kar Wai is a case in point. Best known the US for [Chunking Express], [2046] is in fact the first movie of his that I've seen all the way through. I first heard about it in [Giant Robot] magazine, and ever since it came out a few months ago I've been itching to see it. I was finally able to scratch last night, after finding it at my favorite local Taiwanese music and movie store. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 4 Jan 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0501.html#1.1.2005.1 Only for readers of this RSS feed: Win a new, shrinkwrapped copy of Tokyo Incidents' (Tokyo Jihen) first CD, [Kyoiku]. It's the super-special Taiwanese version of this great album, and to win simply contact me using "Tokyo Incidents Contest" as your subject. (Contact info is on the bottom right of every junkmagnet.com page). One winner will be randomly selected on 1.31.2005, and notified on 2.1.2005. Good Luck! nick@junkmagnet.com Mon, 3 Jan 2005 03:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0501.html#1.1.2005.1 Sheena Ringo's new supergroup, Tokyo Incidents, are not only celebrating their amazing new album [Kyoiku], but have also come out with a DVD featuring 6 Promotional Videos of their songs. [tokyo incidents vol. 1] (TOBF-5337, 12.8.04), is full of nuggets of joy, with remarkably inventive visuals and ample camaraderie between Ringo-san and crew. I have much more respect for Tokyo Jihen now that I've seen them both in the videos and making of documentary. These 32 minutes are well worth the 3200 yen, but if you don't believe me, then here are a few screenshots to prove my point: nick@junkmagnet.com Sun, 2 Jan 2005 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0412.html#12.31.2004.1 For the past 5 years, I've been a fairly large fan of Ayumi Hamasaki. I thought her second album, [LOVEppears] was bolt from the blue brilliant, and [Duty], the follow up, was almost as special. I cared less for the next three albums, and was bored enough with them and innumerable singles and remixes, that I haven't even included them in my small HTML shrine to her. No matter - now she's finally vindicated by [MY STORY], out in time to get 2005 started right. Produced by Max Matsuura (as always), yet more lively due in part to all of the collaborators, [MY STORY] (released 12.15.04) is not just a 17 song collection of singles and new tracks, but actually seems to cohere more than her recent efforts. Out of the trancy phase, now there are ample rock guitars to go along with the ballads, and while I was non-plussed the first time through, subsequent listens have provided much enjoyment. nick@junkmagnet.com Sat, 1 Jan 2005 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0412.html#12.29.2004.1 It seems that some of you are actually using the new junk.log RSS feed, which is great. Did I mention that sometime in early 2005 there will be RSS-only contests? Well, now you know. In any case, there's now another feed available for the terribly fixated: http://www.junkmagnet.com/junkloghistory.xml. It's a complete record of all past junk.log months, with short excerpts and links to the articles. Not much for you human types, but the search engines like Feedster or BlogDigger really dig it. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 30 Dec 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0412.html#12.28.2004.1 I really like Japanese cinema, even though I can't always comprehend every sentence. Subtitled or not (but never dubbed!) I usually find something to enjoy, in a way that most US movies can't provide. I've only seen less than 1% of the movies released in Japan in 2004, so my list is a subset of a subset. It only includes movies released in Japan this year, and not movies from earlier years that finally saw the US market. That said, on with the fun: 01) [Hana And Alice], Shunji Iwai - So brilliant in so many ways, and by far my favorite movie this year, in any language. Slow and steady makes the pace straight through my heart. 02) [Shimotsuma Story], Tetsuya Nakashima - Momoko and Ichigo are the odd couple to beat, all cute and fanciful yet full of fists by the end. A massive collection of delightful moments. 03) [Casshern], Kiriya Kazuaki - Visually exceptional, with only a few slow and ponderous stretches that take away from the spectacle. One of the most impressive "first movies" I've seen in quite a while. 04) [The Grudge], Takashi Shimizu - More than just a remake of a Japanese horror hit, this production keeps things "real", with the original director, actors, and a Japanese crew. Hopefully a sign of things to come. 05) [Innocence], Mamoru Oshii- Amazing visuals not quite ruined by excessively philosophizing. Extra points for all us [Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex] fans. Yeah, it's a short list, mostly because I'm severely lacking an easy way to see the normal Japanese releases. If you know of a Netflix-type service for Region 2 Japanese DVDs, then let me know. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 29 Dec 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0412.html#12.27.2004.1 For some reason, lists are important. Especially at the end of a year - lists all over the place. I'm not that partial to lists, since they always over-emphasize general traits, and sand off all the rough edges, the parts that aren't easily quantified. No matter, now I'll try an experiment and actually rank the top 10 albums I heard from Japan this year. Please note: I've only heard less than 1% of the musical output from Japan in 2004, so I can only speak for the bits and pieces I came across. That said, on with the fun: 01) Jude, [Zhivago] - Such brillance is par for the course for Kenichi Asai and crew. 02) Utada, [Exodus] - Hikki can do no wrong, now with full English in effect. 03) Tokyo Jihen, [Kyoiku] - Sheena Ringo continues her full-frontal assault, thankfully. 04) The Pillows, [Good Dreams] - If they were any more tuneful then no one would ever wake up. 05) Tamio Okuda, [Lion] - 10-year anniversary of the songsmith for the best in us. 06) Love Psychedelico, [Love Psychedelico III] - All friends of music should own this record. 07) Thmlues, [Junjou Aijou Supplement Bokutachi] - The best pure-pop concoction I've heard in quite a while. 08) Barnabys, [5 Songs] - Compact, like a fist to the face. Draws blood and makes you see stars. 09) Puffy, [59] - Even a mini-album by Puffy is better than most full-lengths. 10) UA, [Sun] - UA is beyond reproach, but this beautifully busy, jazzy experimentation is still growing on me. As always, there were runners up that I didn't hear enough to really judge. Please note the latest releases by Ayumi Hamasaki, Bonnie Pink, Boredoms, Hitomi, Morning Musume, Polysics, Rovo, Tommy February6, and Triceratops, (among others). nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 28 Dec 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0412.html#12.24.2004.1 Is there no doubt that I adore Becky, the Japanese personality of much amazement? First appearing in the public view in 4.1999, she quickly became known for her cuteness, humor, and overall pleasant acting ability. I first came across her in [Warau Inu no Bouken], a comedic variety show on TV, and since then I've been hooked. First of all, let's bring up the obvious: Becky is hot. Not just Japanese Hot, but a perfect mixture of Japanese and British that just works. Something about her just oozes quirky spokesperson, or secret love on the edge, or young fashion model on the prowl. She associates with Sun Music and Toshiba/EMI, and has put out a few singles over the years that, while not mind-blowing, still are fun to listen to. nick@junkmagnet.com Sat, 25 Dec 2004 02:30:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0412.html#12.22.2004.1 The anime adventures of Mikura and her DSA (Danger Service Agency) crew continue with [Mezzo] Shell Two, released on 12.14.04 in the US. It contains episodes 5 through 8, which further advance the fine tradition of earlier stories, with equal parts suspense, action and humor, all comingled with relatively realistic urban SF action. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 23 Dec 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0412.html#12.21.2004.3 Finally I figured out how to code the XML for RSS feeds by hand, and now I have my very own. http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog.xml, or this link here. Basically, I'll just post a brief synopsis of each entry to this file, which you can subscribe to with your favorite RSS reader. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 22 Dec 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0412.html#12.21.2004.2 Sheena Ringo's new supergroup is called Tokyo Incidents, but written as "Tokyo Jihen" in Japanese. That dual nomenclature serves their sound quite well, with its incredibly dense layering and excess energy that transcends genre and logic. Their first album, [Kyoiku] (TOTC-25452, 11.25.04) , is heaping hand and feetfulls of magic, yet perhaps simply too much for any one person to take in initially. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 22 Dec 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0412.html#12.21.2004.1 As established previously, I'm new to the world of mashups, but occasionally I find something that I like, usually involving a mixture of hip hop and something else. This time, I came across a project called the The Beastles, which is a rather groovy combination of the Beastie Boys and The Beatles. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 22 Dec 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0412.html#12.20.2004.1 About 8 months ago in Shibuya, Tokyo, I saw a movie trailer for what seemed to my kind of weirdness, [Shimotsuma Monogatari] (Shimotsuma Story). Based upon a popular novel by Novala Takemoto, and set in the smallish countrified town of Shimotsuma, it's an odd couple story that pits a "Lolita" girl against a "Yankii" girl. For clarity's sake, a typical Lolita usually sports a frilly baby-doll dress, and a Yankii is tricked out flashy garb often covered by exclamatory kanji. Lolitas emphasize their little girlishness and/or attraction to classical Modernism, while Yankii are all about the toughness, only accentuated by their modified mopeds and "gang" affiliation. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 21 Dec 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0412.html#12.16.2004.1 Since in the past I've been excessively fixated upon [Hana and Alice] and its stars, it goes without saying that I'm slowly but surely tracking down all of Anne Suzuki's work. I first came across her in [Returner], which saw a small theatrical release in the US a few years ago, and I was impressed with her energy, above and beyond the masses of cuteness. She has a look of wide-eyed wonder that really hits the spot when combined with her beauty, charm and intelligence. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 17 Dec 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0412.html#12.15.2004.1 Since I don't have anything world-shattering to share today, I thought I'd recall a feature of the JM Newsletter from a while back. Namely, let me tell you about the top 20 pages that people are accessing during the first half of December. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 15 Dec 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0412.html#12.14.2004.2 Since I started with Netflix last month, I've been receiving 3 movies a week for my occasional enjoyment. Without belaboring the point, let me share a little about some of what I've seen: nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 15 Dec 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0412.html#12.14.2004.1 One of the pleasures of creating a website is to be contacted by like minded individuals. Today I heard from Bobby O. of Joypop, who's daily blog is in some ways very similar to this junk.log. For example, he has a great interview with Yumiko Kayukawa, my obsession of the month, which you should read this instant. Furthermore, its current form started in September just as junk.log did, so I guess we're both on the same wavelength. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 15 Dec 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0412.html#12.13.2004.2 It is a complete and utter shame that I haven't covered The Pillows until now. They're one of my fast faves and all-time-finds, that I originally discovered due to the FLCL anime soundtrack. Since then, I've tracked down practically all of the albums they have in print (with much more no longer available), which is a heaping handful of goodness. [Good Dreams], their latest release, is more of the same excellence, super tuneful and smooth with amazing guitar work and Japanese vocalization. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 14 Dec 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0412.html#12.13.2004.1 Just a quick note to confirm what wasn't clear to me when I ordered it two months ago - Utada's [Easy Breezy] DVD, 10 minutes including a promotional video making of mini-doc - is completely and entirely in English. It has Japanese subtitles for those who want them, but both the video and behind the scenes footage are clearly made by the US market, for the US market. Plus, the DVD is all region NTSC, and therefore playable all over the world, and not just in Japan. Therefore, it's strange that such a DVD isn't available in the US, since that's the market she's really trying to conquer. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 14 Dec 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0412.html#12.9.2004.1 I've said it before and I'll say it again: [Last Exile] is one of the best anime series ever. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised to find the final DVD volume, [Sealed Move] on the shelves 5 days early at my local Best Buy. No waiting for the usual Tuesday release date, now I can enjoy it tomorrow and find out how things turn out. The world is like that sometimes - little treats when you least expect it. A shout out to nameless stock persons with a penchant for freeing the new anime. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 10 Dec 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0412.html#12.8.2004.1 I love Yuki. There, I've said it, and now my fandom is complete. She was the laser beam shining from Judy and Mary's raygun, may they rest in peace. Out of their ashes, she messed around with Chara and Co. for a while in Mean Machine (who's album is recommended for all sentient beings), and then started here amazing solo career, with [Prismic] in 2002, [Commune] in 2003, and a whole lot of singles before and after. Thus, even after JAM, I've been in Yuki heaven. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 9 Dec 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0412.html#12.7.2004.1 In my nightly journal, I often write short plots, trying out ideas for potential future stories. This is the final one that I'm willing to share (at least for a while), and it's about killer music. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 8 Dec 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0412.html#12.6.2004.1 I'm a big fan of the anime [Mezzo], due in no small part to the explosive beginning and ending themes by Barnabys. Shoko (Guitar and Vocals), Ai (Bass and Vocals) and Miyoko (Drums and Chorus) are a power trio that are awfully cute yet take no fuckin' prisoners. I was so impressed by their sound that I tracked down their two CD releases, a [Mezzo X Barnabys] single that contains the songs I heard, along with a [5 Songs] mini-album that adds on three extra-killer tracks. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 7 Dec 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0412.html#12.2.2004.1 I've been going on and on lately about the works of Shunji Iwai, namely [Hana and Alice] and [All About Lily Chou-Chou]. One of the best points of the latter film was the soundtrack, filled with the atmospheric stylings of "Lily Chou-Chou". In actuality, Salyu was the voice in question, and she's now my new favorite chanteuse. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 3 Dec 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0412.html#12.1.2004.2 Recently I had the huge pleasure of discovering the artwork of Yumiko Kayukawa. Celebrated in Japan as well as abroad, she has spent the past few years of her free time creating amazing, energetic works with a pop-Japanese style (which some people call "Anime", but that doesn't exactly fit) combining versions of an iconic sweet/sexy woman (perhaps a self portrait?) with Kana and Kanji. Each work revolves around a concept that's literally spelled out, and there's a playfulness and kawaii feeling that's hard to resist. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 2 Dec 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0412.html#12.1.2004.1 After receiving a few entries for my Amazon and Charity and Utada [Exodus] contests, I had the honor of selecting the winners. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 2 Dec 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0411.html#11.30.2004.1 We always spin tales about aliens come to visit Earth, and how that's good or bad (usually bad). But, what if we were the aliens on Earth, conquerers of a previous, forgotten race? In this plot, it's not archaeologists that find the clues leading to the big revelation, but geneticists. When the human genome is truly decoded and understood (say in 20 years or so), then what once was considered "junk" DNA is suddenly translated, and revealed to be meaningful, yet alien. It's there, but not to serve our purpose of life, but another's. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 1 Dec 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0411.html#11.29.2004.1 Just what is "offensive", anyway? How about "mature"? Well, let me tell you a little story, and let me know if it fits either of those terms. Candy Cane (Rebecca Welsh), a young woman with problems in school, was raised in an orphanage. That orphanage is presently lacking in funds, and so due to her severe devotion to it, she runs away from school and joins an all-women wrestling tournament, hoping to win and send all of the prize money to the needy kids. Now, doesn't that sound perfectly suitable for all ages? Heck, she doesn't swear once, even though she's a "punk rocker". nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 30 Nov 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0411.html#11.24.2004.1 Many people like Gwen Stefani, mad(e) famous from fronting No Doubt. I'm one of those admirers, from way on back, and so I'm understandably excited about her new solo album, [Love. Angel. Music. Baby], which came out yesterday. In fact, two versions of said jams were released, one for chump change and one for Trump change ($30 or so, unless you find a sale like I did). That special edition is all tricked out with Stefaniness, including not only a cloth hard bound version of the CD case, but a plush multi-CD sleevy ribbony case designed by Gwen herself. Thus, it's all fluffy extras for the really obsessive and impressionable fans, but not necessary to enjoy the music proper. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 25 Nov 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0411.html#11.23.2004.1 Sometimes a movie just doesn't make much sense. Yeah, sometimes things are intentionally vague, or weird, or oblique, but [Jisatsu Circle] (AKA [Suicide Club] or [Suicide Circle]) barely even tries to explain why everyone is suddenly killing themselves in a fictionalized Japan. First, a gaggle of girls jumps in front of a train, and then you have nurses, students, young folk and old folk dying, and everyone (including the viewers) is trying to figure things out. DeathDeathDeath! nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 24 Nov 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0411.html#11.22.2004.1 It may be apparent from this website that I enjoy video games. In fact, I think the correct description is that while I've always played games, over the past few years I became more of a collector, buying every system that comes out, and focusing mainly on releases from Sega. On Sunday, Nintendo's new portable machine was released in the US (before Japan even), and the Nintendo DS is unimaginatively named (it has Dual Screens) but magnificently put together. The trick is that both screens can be used concurrently or independently, and the lower one is touch sensitive (like a PDA) allowing for all new sorts of gameplay. Plus, the unit is wirelessly enabled, and backward compatible with Game Boy Advance games, so there's no really reason not to spend the $149 US to upgrade. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 23 Nov 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0411.html#11.18.2004.1 Something weird happens, and everyone all at one suddenly has a twin. That is to say a clone, of the same age, that appears all of a sudden. That's strange enough, but the thing is that the duplicates don't appear in the same space as the originals; they're seemingly randomly distributed around the world, so at first no one knows what happened. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 19 Nov 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0411.html#11.17.2004.1 It has already been established in most countries that Chiaki Kuriyama is a force of supreme beauty, and [Shikoku] was her first cinematic starring role in 1999. Thus, it provided a strong pull for me, which explains why I bought and watched it last week. She plays Sayori, a young girl who's parents used her as a spiritual medium. Many years later, her childhood friends Hinako and Funiya (now adults) search the Japanese island of Shikoku for her, not certain if she is dead, missing, or perhaps scheduled to return back to life due to her mother's schemes. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 18 Nov 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0411.html#11.16.2004.1 Tamio Okuda is one of my favorite artists of all time. Seriously - from Unicorn, to producing and writing many Puffy (AmiYumi) songs and albums, not to mention his 10 year solo career, now commemorated by his latest album, [Lion] - he has it all, and is not afraid to share it. He's an all powerful songwriter, with tight melodies and inventive lyricism, that also has a firm grasp on any number of guitar styles. Even though he sings almost exclusively in Japanese, I contend that his music can be felt and appreciated by anyone. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 17 Nov 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0411.html#11.15.2004.1 There are "movies", and there are movies. [Lily Chou-Chou No Subete] (All About Lily Chou-Chou) is a perfect case in point of the latter category; Shunji Iwai created this helter-skelter masterpiece in 2001 with enough verve and inventiveness to fill a whole shelve of wannabees. There is no simple description of this work, but one attempt is that the very essence of teenage longing, confusion and attempts at transcendence were distilled and liberally sprinkled around modern Japan, with Iwai-san capturing the results. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 16 Nov 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0411.html#11.12.2004.1 I love music. All sorts of music, from the loud, random and cacophonic, to sappy poppy so-called-poop. I'm of the mind that you should like what's good, what gives you wanted sensations, no matter what anyone else says or thinks. Thus, tonight I'll discuss 3 such "fuck the critics" artists, that all fall in the young-cute-singer category. nick@junkmagnet.com Sat, 13 Nov 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0411.html#11.11.2004.1 Just got back from my local Best Buy, where they have a tendency of breaking street date on random stuff. For example, I'm now listening to Eminem's latest album, [Encore], which is officially due tomorrow. A few days ago, I went in to buy the new [Ju-On] DVD, on the day that it was released, but they had already sold out. Turns out that it hit the shelves at that store a week early. Luckily, tonight they found me the last, "lost" copy and now I can replace my worn VCD. In the recent past I've also found anime releases on the shelves a few days before their official release, so no complaints from me. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 12 Nov 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0411.html#11.10.2004.1 A teenage girl, about 14 years of age, goes to sleep in her bed, yet wakes up in a puddle of water, at the bottom of a ditch in the desert somewhere, her pajamas burnt and in tatters around her. After the expected freakout, with tears and yelling for someone, anyone that she knows, she gathers herself and tries to find something to wear. She's able to tie together bits of fabric to barely cover herself. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 11 Nov 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0411.html#11.9.2004.1 Miwako Ichikawa is a goddess. I decided this after watching [Concent], a nice metaphysical thriller that came out in Japan in 2001. Based on a novel of the same name by Randy Taguchi, and directed by Shun Nakahara, [Concent] follows one young woman's awakening as a modern-day "shaman". The title refers to any electrical outlet, and through investigating and processing her brother's untimely death, she herself becomes an outlet for others to process their pain and sadness, and finally heal. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 10 Nov 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0411.html#11.8.2004.1 Sometimes in life you just want to be entertained. Cute girls, bullets flying, mysteries to be solved - the works. [Mezzo] is the perfect solution, providing thrills and chills as captivating killer Mikura and her DSA (Danger Service Agency) crew take on all cases, especially those involving big wads of cash. Her two male companions, an older ex-cop and a younger android maker, are both enamored by and protective of her, so while she goes in feet first to get the job done, they always have her back. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 9 Nov 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0411.html#11.4.2004.1 At the end of each night, a man enters the last train and methodically moves through the subway, using a small, quiet hand vacuum to pick up various samples of hair, skin flakes, and the like. Then, he later sorts out the particles, and sequences the DNA that they contain. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 5 Nov 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0411.html#11.3.2004.1 Yesterday, there was an election. Something really bad happened, but half of the U.S. waited in line to make it so. I don't understand this; it makes no sense on so many levels. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 4 Nov 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0411.html#11.2.2004.1 I'm not the only one that considers Satoshi Kon to be an anime genius. He wrote and directed [Perfect Blue], [Millennium Actress] and [Tokyo Godfathers], the latter of which I thought was nothing short of amazing. He's also affiliated with Madhouse, who are synonymous with quality, and lately decided to try his hand at a serialized anime TV show. [Paranoia Agent], the result of that experiment, is a kick ass production that you really should check out. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 3 Nov 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0411.html#11.1.2004.2 Finally, after 6 months of waiting, I've seen the spectacle that is Casshern. For those not in the know, or not paying attention as I went on and on about it in JM Newsletters past, [Casshern] is the first feature film by Mr. Hikaru Utada, otherwise known as Kiriya Kazuaki. He's an inventive PV director who's made videos for a number of Hikki's past smash hits. Some time in the past few years they got hitched, and you could consider [Casshern] their first child. No matter - [Casshern] was an anime from the 1970s, and Kazuaki-san has completely morphed it into a rockingly spazzy blue-screen fest, like [Laputa] meets [Zeram], with a bit of [Attack of the Clones] for good measure. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 2 Nov 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0411.html#11.1.2004.1 Hikaru Utada is tremendously great, and while she's sold less than 20,000 copies of [Exodus] in the US so far, I'm sure each and every one is being treasured by her fans. Speaking of which, for a few weeks many people were having difficulties in finding her latest work in stores, even with the backing of the Universal/Island giant. Some stores didn't order enough copies, while others like Best Buy placed her album in the Reggae section. This annoyed to no large end, and so I did the following to rectify it: 1) Wrote to Universal, 2) Wrote to www.utada.com, 3) Talked to my nearest Best Buy manager, and 4) Wrote to www.bestbuy.com. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 2 Nov 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0410.html#10.28.2004.1 A 5 year old boy, while rummaging around his parents' room (his mother was in the kitchen), finds a old, wooden box in the back of a closet. Opening it, he promptly disappears. His mother soon notes his absence, and searches all over the house and property, before noting the opened box. Then, instead of calling the police, she calls her husband at work, and tells him simply "He found it. Way too soon." nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 29 Oct 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0410.html#10.27.2004.1 In a former life, I had grand plans of becoming an Astronomer. Always one of my larger passions, it seemed like the perfect college major, but after six months of book work and Physics, I quickly realized that I didn't want to stay up all night studying far, far, away things when there's so many cool things right in front of my face. In order words, I wanted to work towards improving the world proper, as opposed to studying the distant past with the hopes of divining universal secrets. So I changed majors, and switched to Rhetoric with lots of Japanese on the side. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 28 Oct 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0410.html#10.26.2004.1 To keep everyone fashionably (and unnaturally) thin, a special microbe is created, that will literally eat the fat out of your bodies. It works fast, so if you eat a lot, you'll still lose it all. It also only attacks certain kinds of fats, theoretically keeping the rest of your body safe. Best of all, you can introduce the bugger by just drinking a potion that tastes like a chocolate milkshake with cookie parts. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 27 Oct 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0410.html#10.25.2004.1 That is to say that in the mostly 13 year old audience for Takashi Shimizu's [The Grudge] on Friday night, all of the girls were vociferously screaming, and many of their male chaperones were yelping and squirming, too. That's when I knew we had another [Ring] like phenomenon on our hands, which the $39 million opening weekend attests to. All the little ones want to see long-haired ghost terror, and they can, due to the liberal PG-13 rating. The big ones, like me, who wanted to see what Shimizu-san would do with a (small) Hollywood budget and his [Ju-On] franchise, were also quite pleased. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 26 Oct 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0410.html#10.21.2004.1 Imagine compulsory beauty contests for all girls and women. Kind of like the AmIHot site, only worldwide. Everyone is ranked - the same for men as well - and the rankings are constant, ever changing, and life-long. A better rank gets you higher social status, and lots of perks. Every person you meet has a real-time ranking number, that you can access to see if what you think correlates to what the rest of the world thinks. Perhaps this is done will cell phones or similar relatively ubiquitous technology. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 22 Oct 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0410.html#10.20.2004.1 Junk.log readers know by now that I love me some [Hana And Alice] (otherwise known as [Hana To Arisu] in Japanese). I saw it in Roppongi Hills, Tokyo about 6 months ago, and now it's out in Japan on DVD. It took me an extra week to receive my copy of the 2 disc Limited Edition, and last night I was fortunate enough to experience the wonderfulness all over again. First of all, be aware that the Japanese release only has optional Japanese subtitles, so make sure you know what you're getting into. That is to say, you'd be getting into an amazing movie made by Shunji Iwai of [All About Lily Chou-Chou] fame, with the stellar presence of Anne Suzuki and Yuu Aoi (also of [Lily Chou-Chou]). nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 21 Oct 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0410.html#10.19.2004.2 Jude is a particularly amazing Japanese rock band. Kenichi Asai, the heart of Blankey Jet City, has been making kick-ass guitar music for decades. When BJC folded, he came out swinging in two find bands, Ajico and Sherbets. Both were exercises in bliss, and out of their ashes came Jude (pronounced "Yu-day"). Jude represents the best of all of his prior projects, combining a modern, melodic ruckus with elements of surf, rockabilly, punk, and good old dirty garage rock. It's quite tasty, and we'll recommended even if you can't understand a word of Japanese. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 20 Oct 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0410.html#10.19.2004.1 A woman wants to have her own baby. That is to say, she doesn't want any father or mother involved besides herself. No genetic material save for what's active (and inactive) in her genes. Spontaneous baby production, carried and birthed by her. Some sort of advanced cloning action, with the necessary contributions from sperm extrapolated and then synthesized. This sounds like a terribly expensive and invasive procedure, but it's not in her day and age. She's not the first woman to give birth to herself (so to speak), and when she gets pregnant, all that's necessary is a few shots, then some patches (a la smoking cessation devices). Sure, pills would be easier, I guess, but they can't deliver specific doses to specific locations. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 20 Oct 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0410.html#10.18.2004.1 I've been debating just what to give away next, and ultimately I decided to offer as much flexibility as possible. So, the default prize is a $50 gift certificate for Amazon.com (the US store). For those who don't live in the US, or who want something that can't be found there, then just tell me what you want and I'll get it to you. Some hints would be to look at CD Japan, Amazon Japan or YesAsia. If you win, then you can send me the links to what you want, and I'll buy it for you, and have it sent your way. Yes, I'll pay for the shipping, too (if you don't choose the Amazon certificate). No, I can't buy goods that require age verification, so no drugs, booze, sex, and the like. Besides that, go wild - the internet is your store. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 19 Oct 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0410.html#10.14.2004.1 Someone devises a way to turn water into a hallucinogen. Not add a hallucinogen to liquid, but literally make the H20 into wacky water. Thus, the only way to trace it would be through close spectral analysis or something as scientific. So, wacky water is added to the regular supply, both what comes out of the tap, and what goes in the bottle, and so anything made from US water will cause hallucinations. The thing is, the hallucinations are highly directed, and usually involve commercial messages. Thus, while looking at my Becky, poster, she'll turn to face me, hold up the two peace fingers, and then ejaculate "Coke wa daisuki da yo!" nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 15 Oct 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0410.html#10.13.2004.1 I've been following an interesting and potentially conspiratorial story for the past week or so - during the first Presidential Debate many people noticed a peculiar hump on the back of Mr. Bush, a large boxy thing that couldn't be wished away as a mere fold in his jacket. That fact, combined with his strange performance - confused and angry with bouts of surprising lucidity - caused many to wonder if Bush was wired. That is to say, was Bush receiving transmissions from his handlers during the debate, via his back box and a wireless connection to a deep-down ear piece? nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 14 Oct 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0410.html#10.12.2004.1 Two friends in the 3rd grade. Both have powers: One can reveal the past in infinite detail, the other can see at any scale. Thus, Clara never runs out of stories to tell, about what anyone did yesterday, or what happened at the beginning of time. Lena can focus on individual water molecules in her glass, or peer up at the farthest galaxy, counting stars along the way. The two girls keep their powers secret; from time to time their families notice strange things, like how Clara seems to know everything about everyone she meets, or how Lena can "imagine" what things are like anywhere, down to the smallest detail. For them, the pleasure isn't using their abilities for "tricks", it's combining forces that really proves satisfying. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 13 Oct 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0410.html#10.11.2004.1 Having already established that I love anime, I particularly care for the output of Gainax and Production I.G., [Furi Kuri] being an exemplary case in point. So, last year when I heard about Dead Leaves a new OVA involving those production companies, along with Imaitoonz (well known for the [Fighting Vipers 2] designs for Sega), I was understandably excited. [Dead Leaves] fully lives up to that excitement, and I was quite happy to receive it after it was released in the US by Manga Entertainment on 9.28.04. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 12 Oct 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0410.html#10.7.2004.1 There are two reasons that I'm putting up this annoying [Utada] banner: 1) It's my job as an unofficial Utada promoter (for the "U-Unit" at fanscape.com), and it may award me an autograph if I'm lucky, and 2) When I went shopping at Best Buy tonight, all of the [Exodus] CDs were labeled as "Reggae" on the yellow price sticker. Reggae - that's so wrong, and if I was a random shopper it would definitely quell any impulse purchases. Anyway, so I decided to put up this banner (in a shrunken form) on a few Junk Magnet pages for a few weeks, on the off chance that it may attract some reggae listeners. If I win anything from it, I will make it a future contest prize, just to reward your tolerance for flashing crap. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 8 Oct 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0410.html#10.6.2004.1 I occasionally "read" (studied visually) the Japanese Newtype Magazine ages ago in High School, but only after studying the language in college did I really appreciate what was going on. Now, for the past few years I've been enjoying Newtype USA, which is a surprisingly literal translation of its Japanese counterpart. Usually, about 50% of the content is native, and the rest focused on the US market. That's fine by me, because I get the best of both worlds - almost new coverage of the latest Japanese anime, along with the latest stuff hitting my local stores. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 7 Oct 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0410.html#10.5.2004.3 When I'm not working on this website, I'm at work toiling away over EyeTV and EyeHome, two "amazing" products for your Mac. I'm both very biased and extremely knowledgeable about this stuff, since I have to support everyone who buys it. Therefore, I can honestly say that it works pretty darned well, especially our EyeHome box after today's 1.5 update. Basically, EyeHome lets you play back Movies, Music, Pictures and other stuff on your TV, only this stuff is all coming from your Mac's hard drives. Through a wired or wireless network, EyeHome will get your media there, and in an attractive fashion. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 6 Oct 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0410.html#10.5.2004.2 At this point you're probably Hikki-sick, but I don't care - today is the day that [Exodus], her great English-language album, was released in the US. That means you can visit your favorite record emporium, online of off, and get her music for normal, everyday prices instead of $30 via import. That means you can vote with your purchase, declaring to the world (the US music industry, at least) that not only do you want music from Japanese artists, but you're willing to pay for it. Dreams Come True didn't quite hit, Shonen Knife, Puffy and all of the Boredoms offshoots have their own brand of micro-stardom, but we need Utada to hit it big, really. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 6 Oct 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0410.html#10.5.2004.1 I completely trust Matador Records. If they like a band enough to put out their music, I usually like them enough to buy and enjoy their releases. I'll spare you all of the Matador stuff I have in my collection, save for Interpol's latest album, [Antics]. That was released on 9.28.2004, and it's a fine addition to their relatively new catalog. [Slow Hands], the first single you might have heard here and there, is exemplary in that it has an 80's loam to it, perhaps harkening back to parts of Love and Rockets, Psychedelic Furs or your favorite token modern rock master. Basically, Interpol rock it old new school, in a New New Yorky way. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 6 Oct 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0410.html#10.4.2004.1 Last month I had lots of positive things to say about the [Tomie] movie series, based upon manga by Junji Ito. I was intrigued enough by adaptations of his work, that I sought out both English and Japanese versions of the original [Tomie] manga, along with [Uzumaki], another movie made from one of his books. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 5 Oct 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0410.html#10.1.2004.1 Hikaru Utada is an amazingly talented Japanese Pop star that's looking to break into the foreign market in a big way. Her first album for Island, [Exodus], is topping the charts in Japan, and will reach the US next week on 10.5.2004. I decided to give a copy of of the Japanese release away to a random reader, and the winner is Theresa Remick. She will be notified and sent her prize shortly. nick@junkmagnet.com Sat, 2 Oct 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.30.2004.1 Japanese Hot (1) Makudonarudo (McDonalds) waitresses from Akihabara join forces and create a super crime fighting team with no compare. Well, actually they don't fight crime per se, just the loose morals of Japanese and Western culture. Always uniformed with smart shirt and matching visor, they go into the basements of nearby manga-yas and beat up the customers and staff with huge Loli-kon manga collections. They hold down Otaku and piss on their Gundam T-Shirts, and then pour hot fry vat grease down their gullets. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 1 Oct 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.29.2004.1 I'm not a mashup scholar, but I do love my Negativland and Plunderphonics. Therefore, I can't tell you if The Kleptones are merely technically proficient, excessively skilled, or merely the owners of cut-and-paste sonic software. No matter, I've been severely enjoying their latest internet release, [A Night At The Hip Hopera]. The conceit is simple: take Queen, and add liberal parts of hip-hop history, from Grandmaster Flash to Eminem. Mix it all up so that the guitar tracks accentuate the "guest" artists, and you get a fun time for all. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 30 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.28.2004.1 Due to my own demand, there now is a Kaneko Atsushi page on Junk Magnet. You can check it out right here. It has all of his available Japanese manga, with cover art and publication detail, along with extensive writing about the upcoming [BAMBi And Her Pink Gun] series. My goal is to offer English-speaking readers the ultimate Kaneko Atsushi fan site, and this is only the small beginning. Make sure to check it out, and look for updates soon with more details about every one of his collected works, plus all of the associated [BAMBi] swag that's available in Japan, and hopefully in the US eventually. Heck, click here to see the BAMBi and PAMPi toy I'm always going on about (looks far better in person), and don't be surprised if there are BAMBi related contests over the coming months. Excitement! nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 29 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.27.2004.2 My last full day in Tokyo (4.08.2004) was quite eventful. I took the Yamanote line from Ikebukuro to Shibuya, and then walked across the center of Tokyo to Roppongi. I had heard from a friend that Roppongi Hills was an excessively commercial yet happening place with a movie theater she adored. So, I walked in the general direction of where I thought the place was, asking friendly policemen along the way if I was lost or not. Apparently my sense of direction is still perfected, because I shortly came across a huge-ass tower with a bunch of people swarming in and out. I poked around a bit, got a Japanese and English map of the premises, and soon found where the Virgin Toho Cinemas was (schedule). The movie I wanted to see started later in the afternoon, and so I searched around for some vegetarian lunch before hand. Lucky for me, there was a tiny cafe servicing my needs, Vege Station. No matter how you cut it, this tiny place rocks. If you like healthy-juicy-tea type drinks, then you're in heaven. I opted for the soup, a potato-vegetable concoction that was super-hearty and tasty, presented with a side of freshly made bread to die for. I ate quite contentedly, as I watched people come in and out of the Roppongi Subway Station (Hibiya line), or read some nearby love letters to the cafe from visiting children. Inexpensive, healthy and totally satisfying, if you're in the mood for such fare then check it out. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 28 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.27.2004.1 Last year I was turned on to [Wonder What's Next], the breakout second album by the brothers Loeffler. Known collectively as Chevelle, they come roaring out of Chicago with a mighty fine grumble grind with melodic tendencies. I quickly acquired their first, Steve Albini produced album from 1999, [Point #1], and both releases became required listening both at home and at work. They rock in a loud-quiet screamy sort of way, with fine, tortured-soul songwriting. [This Kind Of Thinking Could Do Us In], released last week, is their fine 3rd release, with the punch-out single [Vitamin R (Leading Us Along)] killing on your local "modern/alternarock" station. Overall the album is a tad less catchy than the other two releases, but that's only after a few listens - I feel myself becoming more attached to songs like [Still Running] with each listen. Chevelle aren't quite for everyone, and definitely don't make pop, but I have a heavy-attack streak which they satisfy nicely. Perhaps they'll satiate your noise-tooth, too. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 28 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.26.2004.2 Kaneko Atsushi is a manga god in my eyes. I first heard about him around 5 years ago, and for the past 12 months I'm managed to track down all of his available works, most notably [SOIL] and [BAMBi]. The former is still being serialized in the monthly [Comic Beam], while [BAMBi] graduated from those pages into 7 collections. Those compendiums were a bolt from the entire rainbow for me, with hyper-kinetic art and heaping handfulls of gallows humor, interspersed with the sweet tale of a teenage killer girl kidnapping and then taking care of a young boy. nick@junkmagnet.com Mon, 27 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.26.2004.1 Soon after they started in the 80s, fans around the world proudly wore ironical Death To The Pixies t-shirts. After about 6 years those shirts became outdated, because The Pixies (one of my favorite bands) exploded into separate projects like Frank Black, The Breeders, The Martinis and Cracker. Now, after over a decade of wandering through the afterlife, The Pixies have returned for a reunion tour, with no particular promises of any togetherness beyond that. I was fortunate enough to see them in Berkeley on 9.24.2004, and the quartet remarkably reminded me of their concerts past, with minimal theatrics but maximal, monstrously beautiful sounds. The played the hell out of the earthy and abstract [Come On Pilgrim], [Surfer Rosa] and [Doolittle], while almost entirely ignoring their more spacy and literal last two albums. I didn't mind, because I was there to hear Joey Santiago's sweet guitar, to marvel at Black Francis' wail, and to bounce along to Kim Deal's and David Lovering's remarkable rhythms. nick@junkmagnet.com Mon, 27 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.23.2004.1 Did you know that I'd do most anything for Sheena Ringo? I'd climb big things, eat yucky stuff, just for the privilege of listening to her masterful music. Well, after 4 "solo" albums (with a fine backing band) she's now fully joined up with a new unit, Tokyo Jihen (Tokyo Incidents). Their first single, [Gunjo Biyori] (TOCT-4884) came out on 9.08.2004, and it's quite pleasing, but perhaps not to the same degree as her earlier work. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 24 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.22.2004.1 Do you remember the rock band named Salt, from the 1990s? Well, I absolutely adored that English-singing Swede-filled outfit, and [Auscultate] and [Delay Me Down And Make Me Wah Wah!!!] were two of the most overlooked albums of the decade. Really. So I was so terribly excited to find out that Nina Ramsby and Jim Tegman left Salt only to create Grand Tone Music, which is unfairly unreleased and unknown in the US. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 23 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.21.2004.2 The very first thing I bought in Japan was a pack of Apple Hi-Chew Candy. Beloved wherever there are mouths, I first became enamored with that particular flavor due to various Japanese grocers in the US. So, when I hit the Tokyo Train Station (PDF, 292KB), of course I would reach for some idyllic comfort food. Hi-Chew hit the spot, and I replenished my supply often during the course of the trip. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 22 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.21.2004.1 I'm musically obsessed. Most every waking hour has me singing along to something in the foreground or background, and it was a foregone conclusion that I would haunt record stores while in Japan. Of the dozens of shops I browsed, RECOfan in Shibuya (BEAM building) was the most impressive. It wasn't ultra fancy like Tower Records, but it had an expansive yet homey feel that reminded me a lot of Amoeba Records in Berkeley, which is high praise indeed. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 22 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.20.2004.2 I grew up with rap, and some acts I adore, no matter what language. That said, most mainstream US rap rubs me the wrong way, from "tough" imagery to excessive suckiness. Fortunately for all of us, Northern State, 3 women MCs from New York, fall firmly in the former, super-great category, and [All City] is fun, progressive and firmly danceable. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 21 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.20.2004.1 To me, coffee is flavored dirt. I hate it. However, I love toast, and so when I went into a Doutor cafe, one block from my Ikebukuro, Tokyo hotel, I focused on the bread. They had sandwiches with meats and such, and all sorts of coffee items, but all I wanted was vegetarian breakfast grub, and the semi-expensive toast suited me just fine. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 21 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.17.2004.1 Sky Captain and the World Of Tomorrow is simply amazing. It's an old science fiction magazine cover come to life, perfectly tinged with nostalgia and future longing. For a largely blue screen film things have remarkable depth, with only a few moments that are off. In that department it kicks the Star Wars prequels' asses, legs, and torsos once they fall on the ground whining. nick@junkmagnet.com Sat, 18 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.16.2004.2 Did you know I love the Boredoms? Follow that link as to why (hint: crazy noises), but sufficed to say that I'm always excited when Eye and crew put out a new album. Speaking of which, [Seadrum/House of Sun] is coming out next week (9.23.04, WPCL-10119), and I've had mine on preorder for a while. Who knows what the two (extended?) tracks will sound like, but that's most of the fun. If you want to join in, get your copy at fine stores like cdjapan.co.jp, who have helped me out in so many ways recently. Most prior Boredoms releases have come out in the US and elsewhere, but I have no word on that yet for this one. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 17 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.16.2004.1 As a traveller in Japan, I was hungry a lot. Pastry-loving guy I am, I first encountered Mister Donut in the more touristy part of Asakusa, Tokyo. I wanted sweet stuff, and I saw bunches of it as soon as I walked in, but I was befuddled. There were plastic trays and tongs, but no bags or plates to contain the donuts. I inquired about this inconsistency, and was told in simple Japanese to put the donuts on the bare tray myself, bring them to the register, and they would be transferred to a plate on another tray. So simple, yet so involved. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 17 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.15.2004.1 I'm a big fan of Gonzo Animation Studios, largely due to works like [Blue Submarine No. 6] and [Last Exile] (both designed by Range Murata). I heard about [Kiddy Grade] when it was still on TV in Japan, but I didn't get a chance to see it until FUNimation brought it out in the US. The sixth of 8 volumes was released last week, and I've been finding the series quite entertaining so far. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 16 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.14.2004.2 I heart Manda and the Marbles. They sound like a punk No Doubt meets all of your favorite 80's influenced local New Wave bands. Manda Marble is a stunner both vocally and visually, and her bandmates have a solid dancy attack that propels the singalong. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 15 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.14.2004.1 Let me coin a new word: penjacking. As you can see, no Google references yet, so I must be on the ground floor. Anyway, it turns out that you can steal a bike using just a normal ball-point pen. Specifically, some cheap Bic pen shells are the perfect size to easily jimmy a Kryptonite lock (and other locks with a similar structure). That means as of 9.12.04 or so, word is spreading that many U-shaped bike lock can be opened in less than a minute with little effort. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 15 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.13.2004.1 A few weeks ago [SOIL] Vol. 2 was released in Japan. The latest manga collection by Kaneko Atsushi of [BAMBi] fame, [SOIL] is a twisted mystery currently being serialized in the monthly [Comic Beam]. I'm a serious fan of all of his work - I've tracked down all of his available manga, and went to far as to search out the [BAMBi] doll in Asakusa. Therefore, there's no way that I wouldn't like his new series, but objectively the rendering is remarkable, and the story well structured and more subdued than [BAMBi], with his trademark touches of humor and pathos intact. nick@junkmagnet.com Tue, 14 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.12.2004.1 In April, at a Tower Records in Shibuya, I came across a little kiosk promoting an indie band named Thmlues (in Japanese, Sumuru-su). I was smitten by their just-released EP, so much so that I bought everything available from them on the spot. Without question, this poppy-rock quartet was the musical find of my trip, and I wore out those few tracks with repeated listens at home and work. nick@junkmagnet.com Mon, 13 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.10.2004.2 To complete my trilogy of tastiness, here's my super sugary Suntory favorite. First encountered in the more fashionable part of Harajuku, C. C. Lemon is all carbonated and yellow, like Mountain Dew only without the hills or condensation. It's opaque, and reminds me of a crafty lemon trying to be an orange. In short, it's the only thing to grab before or after a ride on the Yamanote line. nick@junkmagnet.com Sat, 11 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.10.2004.1 While we're on the subject of Japanese soft drinks that I like, how about Aquarius? Thirsty and bewildered in an Akihabara arcade, I coaxed the pause that freshes from a nearby vending machine, and then it was Aquarius all the way, baby. It tastes kind of like light blue water, only with some secret athletic sauce that energizes slightly. Not too sugary, sort of a low key Gatorade. Quite special, that, and I always kept a bottle nearby while in Tokyo and Osaka. nick@junkmagnet.com Sat, 11 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.9.2004.1 My brief time in Japan was made all the sweeter by nightly visits to Natchan heaven. See, Suntory makes soft as well as alcoholic drinks, and you're liable to find them all over in vending machines or retailers like AM-PM or Sunkus. I'm partial to their semi-sugary concoctions, particularly the orange and apple flavors. So much so that I brought some home with me, and now search various Nihonmachi-teki locations for any size bottle of this wondrous beverage. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 10 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.8.2004.2 Yesterday I had my doubts about [Easy Breezy], Hikki's first US single. Well, I've seen the Promotional Video now, and while some aspects are off, in general it's a traditional "cute/rough boy rejects singer but something good happens at the end" sort of deal. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 9 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.8.2004.1 Think of the [Powerpuff Girls], only rated NC-17. That's [The Super Milk-Chan Show], a delightfully mean-spirited yet sweet kids show for adults. Hideyuki Tanaka first came up with the concept (extremely young girl is both harsh and haplessly heroic) a few years ago, and currently Studio Pierrot are involved with a more polished, episodic product. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 9 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.7.2004.1 Hikaru Utada is an amazingly talented Japanese Pop star that's looking to break into the foreign market in a big way. Her first album for Island, [Exodus], is just hitting Japan now, and will reach the US next month. I'm lucky to have a copy of it now, and since I consider myself a minor Hikki scholar, here is my opinion. nick@junkmagnet.com Wed, 8 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.5.2004.1 For some strange reason I went to see [Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid] today, largely because I didn't think I could stomach Reese in [Vanity Fair]. In any case, the orchid hunt and snake terror were boring enough that I started to pay attention to little things, like shot choice and overall subtext. Well, let me tell you - the filmmakers have a particularly skewed (sub)conscious when it comes to "minorities". nick@junkmagnet.com Mon, 6 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.4.2004.2 I absolutely adore Metric, an energetic quartet that makes neo-new-wave-punk that's political, singable and danceable. Emily Haines is the singer and synthist at the heart of the band, who has a musical vibe that never ceases to satisfy. She and guitarist James Shaw have travelled the world (London, Toronto, Brooklyn, etc.) growing and then sharing the Metric magic, eventually giving birth to [Old Wave Underground, Where Are You Now?], my current daily obsession. nick@junkmagnet.com Sun, 5 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.4.2004.1 When Donnie Darko originally came out in 2001, I was wary of going to the Shattuck Cinemas to see it, because of all of the talk about a 6 foot bunny rabbit named Frank. It's a shame that the reviews were focused thus, because Frank is far from the focus of this peculiar masterwork. A few months ago I finally broke down and bought the DVD, and a few minutes into it I realized that I had missed something truly special. I could understand the late 80s angst, the analysis of "troubled" Donnie and his brushes with death and madness. I also dug the circuitous exploration of time travel, and whether one's fate could be discovered or even circumvented. The movie is open to interpretation, but I see mostly the boy inside the bubble, living a dream month of happiness while learning to love his shadow. nick@junkmagnet.com Sun, 5 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.2.2004.1 A few weeks ago I splurged at Best Buy and bought all five movies in the [Tomie] series. Based upon the horror manga by Junji Ito, it's about an ageless Japanese girl that can't die, that nevertheless is killed by scores of men who fall in love with her. Each grizzly death (often involving decapitation) brings spooky rebirth, along with a form of cloning. Thus, there are tons of Tomie-san running around, and each movie in the series has her played by a different actress. nick@junkmagnet.com Fri, 3 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.1.2004.6 I turned 32 a few weeks ago, and the heavily-candled cake was in full effect. Surrounded by family and friends at the stylin' Pasta Pomodoro, I was quite the happy fellow. Everyone who is not pictured is very dear to me; I'll see if they don't mind being shown off, and then post other pictures. Click on my head to the left for a larger version of the climax - I eventually defeated the flame, and shared the chocolatey spoils. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 2 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.1.2004.5 SYK Bags are the amazing hand-made creations of Seani Kim. Besides being one my best friends, she's an amazing artist and handcrafter that deserves your attention. Buy a cute handbag for yourself or a worthy woman in your life, and tell her who sent you. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 2 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.1.2004.4 Newsletter readers know that I work for Elgato Systems, a fine maker of Personal Video Recorders and so such. Just yesterday we released the latest EyeTV software, which now has lots of neato export options (from MPEG-2 to DV or MPEG-4, for example) plus some closed captions that I tested to death. Look for an equivalently great EyeHome update soon. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 2 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.1.2004.3 Jude, is one of my favorite bands, if for no other reason than Kenichi Asai. If you're not already a fan, then why not jump on the train with their upcoming album, [Zhivago]. 11 tracks of soon-to-be classics, which will promptly be reviewed once I receive my pre-order. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 2 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.1.2004.2 Bakuretsu Tenshi, my favorite Gonzo anime that I've only seen a few minutes of, is coming to the US under the name of Burst Angel. Licensed by FUNimation, it should be rather sweet, in the young girls with guns and mechs sort of way. I thought about buying the super-expensive Japanese DVD sets just to get the attractively large figurines, but calmer heads prevailed. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 2 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT http://www.junkmagnet.com/junklog0409.html#9.1.2004.1 Junk Magnet is back, and with a blog-like section even. Instead of pouring tons of time into the newsletter once a month each month, I've decided to start posting news and thoughts a few times a week. nick@junkmagnet.com Thu, 2 Sep 2004 04:00:00 GMT