Robyn Writes

J-Pop Sunday – Morning Musume

Following on from our last instalment of J-Pop Sunday we’re sticking with the cute and catchy theme with one of the biggest acts in Japanese pop history: Morning Musume.

The current Morning Musume line up.

Quick Guide:
Act Name: Morning Musume (モーニング娘)
Years Active: 1997 – Present
Genre: Pop
Notable Singles: “Morning Coffee” (1998), “ Daite Hold on me!” (抱いてHOLD ON ME!)(1998), “Love Machine” (1999) “I Wish” (2000), “Ren’ai Revolution 21” (恋愛レボリューション21) (2000), “Sexy Boy (Soyokaze ni Yorisotte)” (SEXY BOY 〜そよ風に寄り添って〜)(2006), “Aruiteru” (歩いてる)(2006), “Help me!!” (2013)
Current Number of Group Members: 11
Total Number of Group Members: 39

Morning Musume is pretty much the epitome of manufactured idol groups so before we get into Morning Musume itself we’re going to have to quickly explain how pop idol groups in Japan typically work. The system is simple: Young girls audition to join a group; if successful they’ll perform with the group for a few years until they’re a little bit older when they will typically “Graduate” onto other projects – such as a solo career, a related sub-group, an acting career or even modelling. Using this system Morning Musume has been able to constantly keep itself fresh. Of course it’s not just Morning Musume that uses this system, groups associated with Morning Musume in famed producer Tsunku’s “Hello! Project” – such as Berryz Kobu (Berryz工房) or ° C-ute – also use this system as well as rival idol groups AKB48, Momoiro Clover Z and 9nine.

Now, onto Morning Musume themselves: The original five members started as individual runners up on a TV talent contest back in 1997. Although the girls failed to win the competition they caught the attention of record producer and songwriter Tsunku who set the girls a challenge: With his help the girls were tasked to make a demo single and sell 50,000 copies of it within five days’ worth of promotional events. If they were successful then Tsunku would offer them a contract. The girls accepted Tsunku’s challenge and hit the road to promote their single that November. You can probably figure out what happened next: The girls hit their target of 50,000 sales and managed to do so within only four of the five days. Morning Musume was born and the following January the girls released their first official single: Morning Coffee. (モーニングコーヒー)


“Morning Coffee”: Morning Musume’s first single.

Now, normally at this point in a J-Pop Sunday column I would do a brief run through of the act’s activities in chronological order, however, in the case of Morning Musume it’s pretty unremarkable: New members join and other members leave every year or so all the while a steady string of singles and albums flow out. Instead, I’d like you to take a look at a promotional video for Morning Musume’s next single “Brainstorming” and take a note of how different things feel compared to “Morning Coffee”:


“Brainstorming” will be Morning Musume’s 53th single. It’s released next month.

Hard to believe it’s the same group. Well, technically, it’s not. The last of the original Morning Musume members left in 2005. However the stark contrast between the two songs highlights the gradual change in sound and presentation Morning Musume has undergone over its’ 15 year history, moving away from a somewhat mature look and sound of early releases such as “Morning Coffee” and their first #1 single “Daite Hold on me!” (抱いてHOLD ON ME!) towards a more youthful and energetic style coupled with an increase in synthesisers in newer singles such as “Brainstorming” and “Help me!!”. Of course, it’s natural for change to occur; it’s not the 90’s anymore – kids these days don’t know what Pogs are – the market has evolved and Morning Musume, still under the care of Tsunku’s, has adapted in order to survive.

I’ll leave you with one last song of theirs from 2006: “SEXY BOY (Soyokaze ni yorisotte)” (SEXY BOY 〜そよ風に寄り添って〜) is one of my favourite Morning Musume singles and I feel it’s a interesting example to demonstrate the mid-point in the evolution of Morning: The look of the group is closer to that of early Morning Musume, however, the music and dance routine is closer to that or the Morning Musume we see today.


“SEXY BOY” will have the lyrics “Sekushii! Ue! Ue!” stuck in your head for the rest of the day.

Oddczar – One Word [EP]

There’s only one adjective that perfectly sums up Oddczar’s One Word – intense. This intensity applies not only to the tension between melody and pure chaotic vitriol but also to the caustic intensity of vocalist Brandon’s otherworldly screams. These throat shredding cries of are nothing short of pure anguish, voicing a stream of emotionally fraught and unashamedly confessional lyrics that place every thought and feeling onto the table for all to view and dissect. To say that Brandon wears his heart on his sleeve is an understatement; he wears his heart on a twenty foot flag pole with an equally large neon sign directing your attention towards it. Where most people would bottle up their emotions until they explode or vent their fury through passive-aggressive means, Brandon instead exercises his demons in the most public of ways, leaving little to the imagination. Such open displays of emotion are commendable but such outward sincerity is not necessarily unique in the sphere of this kind of intelligent yet aggressive music, with the band’s sound fitting all too snugly into the ‘Wave’ scene of contemporary US hardcore.

At times their short songs and angular, melodically inflicted riffs bear much resemblance to Touché Amore minus the blast-beats, a resemblance further exacerbated by Brandon’s similar vocal and lyrical stylings. However, I refuse to write off a band with so much passion and channelled anger as simple copycats or sound-a-likes but at certain times, such as in the minute long ‘Sidesex’, the similarity is uncanny. Often it is hard to make assessments of the songs without drawing lazy comparisons to their peers under easy sound bites such as “a mid-tempo Touché Amore” and leaving it at that but such statements do not do the band’s obvious musical fervour any justice. Delve deep enough and there are sure enough inklings that the band has the capability with which to forge its own unique and quite possibly brilliant personality but often I find I’m simply grasping at straws and placing faith for distinctive identity in single guitar parts or certain tiny nuances. Despite these detractors, the E.P still stands up as a stunning piece of work. The three minute ‘Janaluska’ has all the markings of a “mini-epic” with delay-ridden guitars culminating in a flourishing and euphoric crescendo that is nothing short of compelling but despite this, it wouldn’t sound out of place on the next Pianos Become The Teeth record. ‘Samsquanch’ is a conflict of melody and pure aggression whilst ‘Bud Brothers’ utilises painfully simple and hypnotic clean arpeggios as a centre-point surrounded by a riff that descends into aural disorder. Closer ‘Russian Girls’ is a clattering mix of clean and distorted riffs with each carrying its own projected emotional weight. As the North Carolina natives are still in their infant stages, having only been together for two years or so, their lack of originality can be mostly forgiven and One Word is still a thrilling listen. If they can cipher at least a fraction of their emotional and musical intensity into creating music that distances itself from all too obvious reference points Oddczar will really be onto something special.

Rockets On Wire – I Am Not Your Home

Rockets on Wire, a dark indie-rock band from New York, are making waves with their new debut album I Am Not Your Home. They even managed to win over some new fans when they made their new album available for a name-your-price download via their Bandcamp page for a week.

The whole album is bound together by the distinctive vocals of singer Marie Mayes, which allows the whole record to flow together as a solid whole while each song fluctuates with fluidity from the faster bouncing songs to the slower haunting tracks. The vocals, being probably the standout feature of the record, can be seen as a cross between singer-songwriters Christina Perri and Imogen Heap, but with moments of more gruff aggression and energy.

The song opens with the atmospheric rise and fall of the short first track, “Wake”. Listeners are lured in by the slow purposeful accompaniment of guitar and vocals, bringing in a consistent drum beat and backing vocals to increase the intensity before fading out into a platform for second song on the album “Fall” to jump off. Unlike the opening track, “Fall” swings along with a fast-paced, foot-tapping beat, but the main feature of the song is still the raspy vocals of Marie Mayes.

It is now that we really start to see what Marie can do and make people feel with her voice, unleashing the emotionally charged “Rose”. Although this track also features a strong drum beat and uptempo guitars, Marie steals the limelight with her gritty vocals as she rasps: “And I keep praying to god that I’ll break my fucking limbs.”
These powerful driving guitars are prominent in several songs throughout the album and especially in the fifth track, which clocks in at just over one minute long. Despite how short it is, “Repast” really packs a punch and as most punk fans will know, good things really can come in small packages – cliché and all. The lyrical content stays unwaveringly harrowing and its delivery through the medium of Marie’s vocals doesn’t lose any of its torturous nature as she crows about a failed romance: “Even Jesus Christ couldn’t save you now; you will sink like a rock.”

For a debut album, Rockets on Wire have definitely pulled one out of the hat with I Am Not Your Home. The whole record comes in the form of an indie/punk crossbreed which musically conveys the devastating emotional content of the lyrics with drums crashing like waves on the rocks and guitars swirling like a maelstrom. Pride of position rightly goes to the haunting vocals, but the band does not stand or fall with Marie’s voice; there is more to their sound than that.
Rockets on Wire have sent out all the right signals with their first record which has rightly caught people’s attention; it will be interesting to see how they cope with the tricky second album.

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3.5/5 high fives!

Immerse – s/t [EP]

It’s rare to hear such accomplishment on a debut EP. Most bands are usually finding their voice, playing songs that have potential but haven’t quite hit the mark in terms of style and structure. However, Leicester groove-metal outfit Immerse have an innate talent that’s hard to match and have created what can only be described as a titan.

Immediately, you’re struck with some crushing riffs and unbelievable tapping in ‘Obelisk’. Not only that, but the vocals are arresting. It’s great to see music in this genre without the generic cookie monster growls, and instead exploring some interesting ranges and tones. Immerse utilise clean vocals to their advantage well – not only in ‘Obelisk’, but throughout the release and particularly in ‘Mitigate’, where those clean vocals add a huge layer of emotion that may otherwise be lacking from the track. Immerse certainly have a keen sense of melody and rhythm, as is evidence from the extremely funky bass that crops up again and again. In ‘Gerun’, a brutal aural assault, the vocals get a bit desperate, the instrumentals get heavier and the bass is just sublime, especially in the more chilled groove section towards the end of the track.

This is certainly not a modest EP, not in the slightest. Nor should it be. Immerse don’t just know how to throw down, but how to enchant. ‘Plenitude’ is a beautiful piano interlude and sounds like it could have been ripped straight from a Final Fantasy game. ‘Ray(e)’ is an acoustic affair that blends prog sequences with ambient atmosphere. Thanks to these two interludes, every other track just feels massive.

Unfortunately, there are a couple of moments that clunk. The lead in on ‘Fallacy’ is too abrupt, too harsh after ‘Plenitude’s softness, and although it’s an excellent track in its own right, any subtleties that it has (like those amazing gallops) just get overlooked due to the jarring positioning. This is rectified somewhat when ‘Ray(e)’ transitions into ‘Mitigate’, but it’s too little, too late. Nevertheless, this is all forgotten by the time that ‘ZeroShift’ rolls around. An absolute banger of a final track, its fatalistic and brutal nature ends the EP on an unsettling and captivating note.

This is possibly the best introduction Immerse could offer to the world. If they can keep up the momentum, then they will be able to carve out a reputation as one of the most exciting and innovative metal bands the UK has to offer at the moment.

4 out of 5 high fives!

Artist Spotlight: Trails

Mention the word Surrey and the first things to pop into your head will probably be serene English countryside, quaint market towns and snooty people in 4×4’s ploughing through country lanes. With this in mind, Surrey is one of last places you’d expect to produce a supremely talented and intellectual yet angry young rock band. And no, I’m not talking about You Me At Six. I’m referring to Trails, four young lads from the cosy middle-class confines of Guildford who create a kind of deceptively complex math-infused rock music that encompasses punk, eclectic progressive rock and everything in-between. They join the likes of fellow noiseniks and Guildfordians Polar in shunning the stigma of growing up in an undeniably middle-class town and spending the latter days of their youth shouting at people in grotty little venues. Their latest E.P, Signs, marks their second release since their inception at the tail end of 2010, a record that they describe as “like an all you can eat buffet except we can guarantee that you’ll throw up in a gluttonous fit before it ends.” Their youthful angst shows no sign of wavering, but the band have twisted and moulded the brash punk outbursts of their previous release into new realms of vitriol- driven musical ventures.

Trails dish out heaviness and clarity in equal measure, without fully committing themselves to either camp. To balance demonic screams and crushing riffs with melodic intuitions and instrumental introspection is a practice that is often attempted but rarely pulled off with a seamless finesse with which Trails succeed at the task. Storming breakdowns give way to soaring vocal lines and soulful blues-ridden guitar solos that Slash would be proud of. Take the title track of the E.P for instance, four minutes of bi-polar punk that one second consists of edge-of-your-seat hardcore that leads into a chorus of staccato chords before coming to a close with a punishing half-time breakdown. This lays in brilliant juxtaposition to the track that follows – ‘Sinatra’, a slow paced number with vocals that are full of anguish, showcasing their ability for restraint for the benefit of emotional intensity.

The band’s sound is constantly evolving and despite it only being their second release, the jump from their debut E.P to Signs is one that some bands take several albums to accomplish. This constantly changing approach to song creation lays at the heart of the band’s forward thinking ethos, their central mantra being: “Sound like everybody and nobody at once”, a somewhat paradoxical statement but one that fits perfectly when it’s applied to their output. Expectantly, the band draws from an increasingly wide array of influences, some implicit and others that are decidedly outside of the box. Signs brings together a host of these influences into one tasty punk rock goulash. On show is the schizophrenic punk guitar wizardry of RX Bandits and newer Propagandhi, coupled with Biffy Clyro’s penchant for off-kilter pop sensibilities and rampant tempo changes. This solid musical core is topped off with the raw, driving modern punk of The Bronx and smatterings of The Mars Volta, minus the overindulgence. Oh yes, and the one band that is idolised by everyone from Fugazi to your dad – Queen. Although there’s no talk of sprawling rock operas, it shouldn’t be completely ruled out, especially given the group’s musical deftness and their main song writing aim “to write with no boundaries.”

Despite their vast musical palette, the band’s outlook and business practices remain decidedly punk in nature with the band recently joining the increasingly impressive roster of the defiantly independent Lockjaw records. A label such as Lockjaw pays dividends for the band, providing support whilst allowing the boys artistic endeavours to develop at their own pace. The group are extremely happy with their relationship with the label- “They’re the perfect kind of indie label who are more than happy for us to keep creative control of everything, so we’re just as comfortable in our own skin as we were before!” Taking the D.I.Y aesthetic even further, the production for Signs was helmed by guitarist Will, allowing the group to nail down the sound they had been striving for. Such an approach produces added bonuses – “this obviously saved us a penny or two as well which always helps being a self funded band.”

The UK rock scene has been recently bolstered by a small group of bands who have emerged intact from the gruelling grind of the toilet circuit into the mainstream conscious of the British public. Acts like Lower Than Atlantis and of course rock giants Biffy Clyro have been receiving substantial airplay on Radio One. Asked how they fit into the contemporary British rock scene, Trails are well aware that their sound has a foot in punk and alternative rock circles – “as a result we don’t neatly slot into either which enables us to partake in both, which can be both good and bad”. Unperturbed that their unique, twisted approach to the rock song often ends with many of the crowd scratching their heads in confusion, Trails have committed themselves wholeheartedly to the touring lifestyle, a way of living that can get the better of some bands. “Waking up hungover on your friend’s kitchen floor with cereal stuck to your face might sound like an unenjoyable experience but after a rock show it’s the dream,” they declare. Despite live music being reported in certain media outlets as under-attended and under-funded, Trails have encountered scenes across the country that are thriving – “the shows that we enjoy playing the most are the ones with real community spirit; for example, our recent dates in Scotland, which were some of the best we’ve ever done.”

Sure, the band may only be two years in existence but already there are plans for an album in late 2013 as well as a promo tour booked for Signs in March across the UK and Europe in April. Asked about their ambitions for the band, their answer is modest but not without humour – “We just want to continue making music that we enjoy making and smashing it into the ear drums of the unsuspecting passers-by.”

Trails are Will, Sam, James and Adam. Signs is out on the 1st of March 2013 on Lockjaw Records.