Tokyo Jihen

Anyone who knows me knows I’m no fan of Japanese nonsense, except for the food. Mirmirr has tried to get me into anime but failed, other friends have tried their darndest to get me to join their manga world, I’ve even been exposed to the Cosplay world once, but all to no avail.

I just didn’t (and still don’t) get the Japanese sense of humour / style of animation / genre of music / fashion sense etc. Especially the music. I absolutely cannot stand the shrieking that most Japanese female singers do.

But this, I like.

Tokyo Jihen, or Tokyo Incidents is a Japanese band that plays a delightful mix of rock and jazz, with unique chord progressions and arrangements that make you tap your toes and itch to dance. (And perhaps this is why I like their music – it’s not very…Japanese per se.)

via

Fronted by Shiina Ringo, Tokyo Jihen was formerly her backing band when she was a solo artiste. What a coup for us that she decided to join them as a member. She’s got a killer voice, Izawa Ichiyou the keyboardist plays wicked jazzy arrangements on the piano, Seiji Kameda the bassist plays a mean solo on the double bass (why am I using adjectives that don’t mean what they usually mean) and not forgetting Ukigomo the guitarist who adds rock & roll riffs into the music and Toshiki Hata the drummer who provides the beats and rhythms that make you tap your toes.

I may say a lot about the Japanese, but one thing they are is not boring. The band’s renowned for churning out albums that are fresh and never similar to previous ones – no mean feat considering creativity and originality are such rare species these days.

Check them out below:

Marunouchi Sadistic

Jusui Negai

Himitsu