Video Interviews, Shibuya (#15)

Tokyo Trawler Catch of the Day: Mance, USA
Artist: DJ Kentaro

Tune: Sakura Sakura

Record: ?

Mance's essential rating: 5/5

Mance's Message to the People: "Happy New Year - 新年あけましておめでとうございます"

The Interview:

The Tokyo Trawler's Essential Review:

If one were to suppose that making a credible* hop-hop/drum & bass track by chopping and mixing a traditional Japanese folk song might be a difficult endeavour*, then one might well be correct. The world-renowned* DJ Kentaro appears, upon first listen, to make hard work of this track, but after a couple of spins, this song announces itself as a very well-crafted marriage of an unusual myriad* of tinny* percussion and bamboo-bashing with expertly controlled string synth. Whilst this song is certainly more likely to please modern music fans than those of traditional Japanese folk, it serves as proof that unlikely combinations are often more successful than one might expect.

Category: It's lucky there's no dancefloor here...

The Tokyo Trawler's message to the people: Go on, give it another listen!!

To download or not to download?? 3/5 (IT'S GOTTA BE DONE)
iTunes available: ?
勉強のキーワード: credible, endeavour (名詞), world-renowned, myriad, tinny

Sakura Sakura URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvMUu8g4DVU

Tokyo Trawler Recommendation #21

Artist: Tom Paxton

Tune: The Last Thing on My Mind

Record: Ramblin' Boy (1964)
 

Category: A sunny Sunday breezerider

Unfortunately, when it comes to being 'pure and simple', there is often much less of the 'pure' and much more the 'simple' (just ask Paris Hilton). In this tale* of complacency* in love, however, both are in abundance*, and Tom Paxton's emotive* and clean vocals beautifully accompany a fingerpicked, fluid* guitar melody. The one lingering* feeling from this song is that while it serves it's purpose wonderfully, it's so simply constructed, that it leaves one with the feeling that Paxton never ventures* out of second gear throughout. Whether or not this effortlessness* is a good thing is up for debate, I suppose.

The Tokyo Trawler’s message to the people: As effortless as persuading Paris Hilton to come back for coffee.

To download or not to download?? 3/5 (IT'S GOTTA BE DONE)
iTunes available: Yes
勉強のキーワード: tale, complacency, abundance, emotive, fluid (形容詞), lingering, to venture (動詞), effortlessness

The Last Thing on my Mind URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voqL5ksOuoo

Tokyo Trawler Recommendation #20 (25/01/11)

Artist: Kano ft. Craig David

Tune: This is the Girl

Record: London Town (2007)
 

Category: A hump 'n' grinder

A much-maligned* fallen star, denounced* by critics* and past his best. No, silly, not Tokyo Trawler, but British vocalist Craig David. Here, with the smooth-talking London rapper Kano, David scales* the heights that his talent enabled him to reach in the early 2000s, and indeed, that made his fall to earth so painful. A tune of great balance and polished* production, the heavily-accented* Kano compliments David's sugary crooning* with an self-critical assault* on his previous philandering* ways, and a promise to his sweetheart that he's now reformed*, and a one-woman man. It's easy to be cynical when this comes from a rapper, but let's be honest, this kind of stuff doesn't usually come from a rapper.

The Tokyo Trawler’s message to the people: Jay-Z fans: Did you catch the lyrical reference?

To download or not to download?? 3/5 (IT'S GOTTA BE DONE)
iTunes available: Yes
勉強のキーワード: maligned, denounced, critic, scale (動詞), polished (2), accented, crooning, assault, philandering, reformed, cynical

This is the Girl URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDWkaDzZ6N4

Video Interviews, Ikebukuro (#11)

Tokyo Trawler Catch of the Day: Johnny, USA
Artist: The Crazy Ken Band

Tune: Thirty Seven Degrees

Record: Thirty Seven Degrees (2005)

Johnny's essential rating: 3/5

Johnny's Message to the People: "For tonight, everybody, Got Faded Japan, it's all good"

The Interview:

The Tokyo Trawler’s Essential Review:

Johnny told us that this song is "probably the best song you could ever go with", and whilst the Tokyo Trawler can't agree entirely* with that notion*, we can agree that this is an extremely smooth tune. Using the Trawler's slightly limited powers of translation, the Japanese lyrics to this tune appear to be littered* with innuendos*. This playful lyrical content is matched well with the almost cheesy* instrumentals - think the background lobby music in a beachfront hotel on the Copa Cabana - and the somewhat unnerving* laughter towards the back-end* of the song ensures* that you could never take this song too seriously.

Category: A hump 'n grinder

The Tokyo Trawler's message to the people: There's no way you can pick up 37 girls in one night unless you're the mother-fucking super-fly pimp 'n shit.

To download or not to download?? 3/5 (IT'S GOTTA BE DONE)
iTunes available: Yes
勉強のキーワード: entirely, notion, littered (2), innuendo, cheesy, unnerving, back-end, to ensure

Thirty Seven Degrees URL:

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

Tokyo Trawler Recommedation #18 (06/12/10)

Artist: Arcade Fire

Tune: Crown of Love

Record: Funeral (2004)
 

Category: A deep thinker/twilight zoner

Don't you sometimes wonder how your speciality* tomato sauce pasta would taste if you were able to make it in Gordon Ramsay's kitchen, and the man himself were there to guide you (read: swear relentlessly*)? Undoubtedly* of huge talent, with a reputation for innovation* and originality, Arcade Fire appear actually to stick to the basics here, at least lyrically. I mean, this probably isn't the first painful love-poem you've ever heard, but make no mistake*, there is a hell of* a musical feast to be had here - the lead-footed, bassy piano opening, the rich violins, the build up to an almost frantically* angry ending. The recipe's a classic, but it just shows what you can do when you've got all the best tools at your disposal*.

The Tokyo Trawler’s message to the people: Actually recorded in Gordon Ramsay's kitchen. Fact. 

To download or not to download?? 3/5 (IT'S GOTTA BE DONE)
iTunes available: Yes
勉強のキーワード: speciality (2), relentlessly, undoubtedly, innovation, make no mistake, a hell of (5), frantically, at one's disposal (3)

Crown of Love URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QY_dkTWHfg

Tokyo Trawler Recommendation #15 (12/09/10)

Artist: Cheap Trick
Tune: Surrender
Record: Heaven Tonight (1978)

Category: A foot to the floor, windows down-er

If I ever caught my parents 'rolling* on the couch' and listening to Kiss records, I'm sure I'd be quite shocked and disgusted*, and I'm almost certain* that the last thing I'd do is write a song on the matter*. Well each to his own, because here, a song was written on the matter, conjuring up* some bizarre* images whilst pointing out* to the listener that they probably don't know what their parents got, or even get, up to. Catchy, unmistakably* '70's', and littered* with references* of the time, there is enough brain candy* to paint an accurate picture of the scenario, and perhaps even have you doubting your folks' innocence.

The Tokyo Trawler’s message to the people: I hope, for your own sake as much as theirs, that you never find your parents falling off any Indonesian junk.

To download or not to download?? 3/5 (IT'S GOTTA BE DONE)
iTunes available: Yes
勉強のキーワード: to roll (2), disgusted, certain, matter (2), to conjure (2), bizarre, to point out (動詞), unmistakable, littered(動詞), reference, brain/eye candy

Surrender URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Zhul9E6arw