Superchunk

Nov 20, 2009

Superchunk

Dubbed the 19th best single of the 1990s by American mainstream rock rag Spin, the fuzzed-out, power pop anthem “Slack Motherf*cker” from Superchunk’s 1990 eponymous debut helped push them to the forefront of the U.S. underground music scene. With A&R reps scrambling to unearth ...

Nov 13, 2009

Yukie Sato

An active player in Japan’s underground rock scene from his teens (he performed alongside Yellow Magic Orchestra’s Ryuichi Sakamoto on TV while in high school), Tokyo-born guitarist Yukie Sato began to tire of his beloved genre in his 30s. His passion was renewed in ...

Yukie Sato

Nov 13, 2009

Yukie Sato

An active player in Japan’s underground rock scene from his teens (he performed alongside Yellow Magic Orchestra’s Ryuichi Sakamoto on TV while in high school), Tokyo-born guitarist Yukie Sato began to tire of his beloved genre in his 30s. His passion was renewed in ...

The Shapeshifters

Nov 6, 2009

The Shapeshifters

One of the world’s premier house-music labels, the U.K.-based Defected Records, brings its famed global “Defected In The House” shindig to Tokyo on Nov. 6. Headlining the event are The Shapeshifters. The London DJ and production duo of Simon Marlin and Max Reich (known ...

Ling Tosite Sigure

Oct 30, 2009

Ling Tosite Sigure

After selling out seven of their 11 “Just a Moment” CD release gigs in May and June, it came as little surprise that posthardcore act Ling Tosite Sigure’s upcoming “Tornado Z” solo trek would be an anticipated affair. Performing at Japan’s six Zepp music ...

Oct 23, 2009

Parms “Parms”

Formed in February 2008, in the short span of eight months Tokyo trio Parms penned their debut eponymous effort and traveled to Louisville, Ky., to record its 13 tracks with producer Kevin Ratterman, the ex-drummer for American emo act Elliot. The album was issued ...

Oct 16, 2009

Ogre embrace their inner nerds

“I’m not sure. I guess it is because of our name.” This is the simple answer offered by guitarist and vocalist Manabu Deto when asked why his band, the Nagano-bred postpunkers Ogre You Asshole, have gigged alongside more than three dozen foreign underground and ...

Limited Express (has gone?): “LTD”

Oct 9, 2009

Limited Express (has gone?): “LTD”

Formed in Kyoto in 1998, Tokyo-based trio Limited Express (has gone?) issued two full-length discs (the first of which surfaced on American avant-garde composer John Zorn’s well-respected Tzadik Records) and gigged overseas in Australia, Europe and North America before breaking up on New Year’s ...

Metric

Oct 2, 2009

Metric

Sure it is always an honor to be nominated, but at this point Metric have got to be jonesing for a win. One of Canada’s top alt-rock acts, the quartet’s fourth full-length, “Fantasies,” was shortlisted for this year’s Polaris Music Prize (Canada’s version of ...

Asagiri Jam

Sep 25, 2009

Asagiri Jam

The last major outdoor music festival of the year, Asagiri Jam has been dubbed “the real Fuji Rock Festival” due to its very scenic location at the foot of Mount Fuji in Shizuoka. The two-day concert was established in 2001 and inspired by the ...