Tokyo Trawler Recommendation #19 (13/01/11)

Artist: Bombay Bicycle Club

Tune: Jewel

Record: Flaws (2010)
 

Category: A deep thinker/twilight zoner

If it hasn't already been said that love and regret* go hand-in-hand*, the Tokyo Trawler will put his head on the line, and if you chat to the singer from Bombay Bicycle Club, he might well do the same. A tale* of lost love that once 'looked so beautiful', Jewel is a proverbial* gem* of an acoustic track, with folky simplicity and rich, almost clockwork* guitar. The vocals are unique in that they could belong to that aunt you see once a year with the husky* voice, but if you are able to picture a bloke* singing this ear-soothing* melody, this tune is guaranteed to be far more enjoyable.

The Tokyo Trawler’s message to the people: A refreshingly melancholy song for the non-broken-hearted.

To download or not to download?? 4/5 (ESSENTIAL)
iTunes available: Yes
勉強のキーワード: regret, hand-in-hand, tale, proverbial, gem (2), clockwork, husky (1), soothing

Jewel URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn7REtVFpZw

Tokyo Trawler Recommedation #17 (28/10/10)

Artist: The Cure

Tune: Cut Here

Record: Greatest Hits (2001)
 

Category: Keep the bathroom cabinet locked

Having a distinctive* voice and a distinctive sound, and not becoming engulfed* by cries of "they're songs all sound the same!", is no mean feat*. Well, The Cure have, over the years, mastered the balance, and on Cut Here, they play to their strengths. Whilst both lyrically and vocally, this song is nothing short of being heartfelt* and melancholy*, the playful, almost sugar-coated guitar and keyboard combination refuses, in triumphant*, paradoxical* fashion, to bow to the weight of vocalist Robert Smith's loaded words. A song with a wide-ranging appeal, and spanning* a number of genres, a tale of regret has never tasted this sweet.

The Tokyo Trawler’s message to the people: A perfectly balanced sweet and sour diet. 

To download or not to download?? 4/5 (ESSENTIAL)
iTunes available: Yes
勉強のキーワード: distinctive, to engulf, no mean feat, heartfelt, melancholy, triumphant, paradoxical, to span (動詞)

Cut Here URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sKWrpaEw0k

Video Interviews, Ikebukuro (#10)

Tokyo Trawler Catch of the Day: Demian, USA

Artist: The Damage Manual

Tune: Sunset Gun

Record: The Damage Manual (2000)

Demian's essential rating: 5/5

Demian's Message to the People: "Check out TokyoTrawler.com, Dystopiaq.com and TokyoAnaba.com"

The Interview:

The Tokyo Trawler’s Essential Review:

"A mish-mash* of that kind of the electronic, grungy* electronic, analogue syth, digital syth with the rock", is how Demian described this song, and, despite sounding like the kind of crap* you get when you use a free internet translator, it has, upon listening to this tune, proven to be quite an accurate description*. Whilst this is certainly a 'grimy'* number, the layering* and production has the sort of precision* you might expect from something coming out of the so-called 'industrial' genre. With an utterly* infectious* guitar riff, this lyrically dark effort is the sort of song that has clearly influenced younger bands of more mainstream* backgrounds*.

Category: A frowny-faced, head-boppin' street strutter

The Tokyo Trawler's message to the people: A song only fully appreciated when playing air guitar on your spanner.

To download or not to download?? 4/5 (ESSENTIAL)
iTunes available: Yes
勉強のキーワード: mish-mash, grunge, crap, description, grimy, layer, precision, utterly, infectious (3), mainstream (2), background (3)

Sunset Gun URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmoVIKDlZS8

Tokyo Trawler Recommendation #16 (16/09/10)

Artist: Blur

Tune: Coffee & TV

Record: 13 (1999)
 

Category: A deep-thinker/Twilight-zoner

Sometimes the beauty of something is in it's simplicity*, especially if you're partial* to a bit of modern art. Couple simplicity with effortlessness*, and you may well have an ingenious* piece of work. On Coffee & TV, there is little in the way of experimentation* or the unexpected, but as a result there is huge appeal in the lack of complexity*. An easy listen, with steady but far from intrusive* drums, layered guitars with a slight crunch and subtle* harmonies, Blur are well within their comfort zone* here. That's no bad thing though: this is the musical equivalent* of the best Chicken Korma curry you ever had.

The Tokyo Trawler’s message to the people: Easy on the chillies.

To download or not to download?? 4/5 (ESSENTIAL)
iTunes available: Yes
勉強のキーワード: simplicity, partial to (2), effortless, ingenious, experimentation, complexity, intrusive, subtle, comfort zone, equivalent

Coffee & TV URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXRVX1AKAew