junk magnet : music : jpop : pine*am

Sometimes you don't want heavy rock guitars and incessant posturing. Sometimes you want ethereal, electronic sounds orchestrated by three lovely ladies originally from Osaka, and at those times PINE*am (Playing Intense Neutral Electronica ad nauseAM) is just what the DJ ordered.

Tsugumi Takashi (Vocals, Bass), Taeca Kinoshita (Keyboards), and Chizuko Matsubayashi (Guitar, Vocals) have been producing laid-back tracks since 1999, from their eponymous EP of 2000 to their first album, which they supported during South By Southwest 2004 to much success.

I've been enjoying a pre-release copy of their the upcoming album [Pull The Rabbit Ears] for the past few months, and I find it remarkably relaxing, with crisp production, English vocalizations, and a general air of playful intelligence, which always helps enliven electro-pop. It's really grown on me, from the excellent [Gymnopedie 0.1] off their first EP to the languid [Cactus] or up-tempo [Cosmic Glider]. Parts of the album remind me of the [Cool Cool Toon] soundtrack (from the SNK Dreamcast game), which is high praise indeed since that's one my favorite things.

pine*am

Tsugumi Takashi: Vocals, Bass
Taeca Kinoshita: Keyboards
Chizuko Matsubayashi: Guitar, Vocals

pine*am - news

PINE*am to Tour The US, Again!

Thanks to Eenie Meenie Records, they are visiting the following locations, to support their fine album, [Pull The Rabbit Ears]. I'll try to make one of the San Francisco shows, but even if I can't, you should gravitate towards the venue nearest to you and enjoy:

8.19.05 - Baltimore, MD, Otakon (Baltimore Convention Center)

8.21.05 - Washington, DC, DC9 (1940 9th St. NW), 9:30 PM

8.22.05 - Philadelphia, PA, Silk City Lounge (435 Spring Garden St.)

8.23.05 - New York, NY, Piano's (158 Ludlow St.), 9:30 PM

8.24.05 - Boston, MA, Paradise Lounge (967 Commonwealth Ave.), 9:30 PM

8.26.05 - Athens, GA, Tasty World (312 E. Broad St.), 9:30 PM

8.27.05 - Atlanta, GA, The Earl (488 Flat Shoals Rd.), 9:30 PM

8.31.05 - San Francisco, CA, Amoeba Music (1855 Haight St.), 5:30 PM

8.31.05 - San Francisco, CA, Rickshaw Stop (155 Fell St.), 8:30 PM

9.01.05 - San Francisco, CA, Isotope Comic Book store (326 Fell St.), 5:30 PM

9.03.05 - Long Beach, CA, Pacific Media Expo (Long Beach Convention Center), 4:30 PM

09.03.05 - Los Angeles, CA, Little Pedro's / Razzmatazz (901 E. 1st St.), 9:30 PM