Hermann H. & the Pacemakers are one of Japanese pop music's brightest new hopes. As with the superlative Cymbals spotlighted in last week's column, this six-piece band specializes in the musical genre known as "power pop." But in the case of Hermann (as the band is collectively known), the emphasis is a little more on the power side of the equation.

Hermann H. & The Pacemakers enter the big league with the release of "Six Packs" on mainstream label east west Japan.

They're a tight band with an incredible knack for coming up with catchy songs. These can be tender and lyrical, as in the single "Yoru ni wa Hoshi to Ongaku wo"; zany, as in the sci-fi-flavored "Newly Discovered Crater"; or just straight-ahead pop-rock, as in their latest single, "Kotoba no Hate ni Ame ga Furu."