Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Pablo Picasso - Soft Type LP (Telegraph Records, 1983)


Side A
Yah!
MANY MANY
内側の歌 Part 1

Side B
内側の歌 Part 2
Sign
Not Movin'

Following the 7" I posted earlier, here's the brilliant and only LP from this cacophonous Tokyo no-wave trio. Super dubbed out and effects-laden scrawl somewhere between The Pop Group's Y and PiL's Metal Box. The production on this one is so 'out there' at times, it had me checking the insert to see if it was produced by Kaoru Sato (it wasn't). Amazing stuff!

Monday, December 20, 2010

Urban Dance - s/t LP (Non-Standard, 1985)

Tracklisting

Side A
Why
Hitokoma No Ame
Ceramic Love
Subete Wa Himitsu No Yoru
We All Go Down

Side B
Hammer
Dr. Diet
Dreamer
Remaking of Non-Standard Music

Debut record by this stylish techno-pop group lead by Shinobu Narita, fresh from disbanding his previous group, 4-D (one of their members left to join P-Model). The production, by Yukihiro Takahashi and Haruomi Hosono of YMO, is head-spinning, featuring the kind of sharp-focus wackiness you have already have a taste for if you enjoyed the Momoyo and Yoran singles over at Habit of Sex. Listen close for some pretty silly lyrics too: I desire your VCR, I'd like to watch you in slow-motion (Ceramic Love), and So don't put your hands on those Rice Krispies (Dr. Diet) are personal favorites.


bonus video time!

Minca Panopica - Heckell Jackell 12" (Nagomu, 1989)

Tracklisting

Side In
Heckell Jackell
Trouble Western
Chikyu Wa Mawaru
Oh! Maria

Side Out
Chu-Chu
Go Go! Oscar
Bali-Hi

More doinko pop naiveté from the Nagomu crew. Just when you thought it couldn't get stupider, here comes electropop hoe-downs, children's choirs, rubberized guitar solos and other such nonsense. Sorta like a mass-market Picky Picnic, I suppose. Great!


bonus video time!
  

Pablo Picasso - s/t 7" (Telegraph Records, 1981)

Tracklisting

Side A
紫外線

Side B
Not Movin'

Tangled no-wave groove from the rather reliable Telegraph label. If you like the skritch-skratch guitar of DNA, Mars, et al, this one's for you!

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Yasuaki Shimizu - IQ 179 LP (Columbia Japan, 1981)

Tracklisting

Side A
Crow
Lizard Hako
Doll Play I
Puzzle 34
Cloud 9

Side B
△E=△mc2=Amnesia
IQ 179
Little "L"
Doll Play II
Shashin
Lost Horizon

Confounding electro-jazz-fusion moves from this ex-Mariah saxophonist. Just when you think you've got this record figured out, it turns on a dime. Seriously, the range of quality here is astounding, whizzing from Wha-Ha-Ha-esque levels of synth blippiness to white wine soaked Mom-Jazz, Grover Washington Jr style. I sure hope that comparison didn't just turn you all off from downloading this, as there are some pretty brilliant moments to be heard!