Video Interviews, Shibuya (#6)

Tokyo Trawler Catch of the Day: Helene & Raphaelle, France

Artist: Cut Copy

Tune: Hearts on Fire (Calvin Harris Remix)

Record: Hearts on Fire (Single, 2008) [Original: In Ghost Colours, 2008]

Helene & Raphaelle's essential rating: 5/5

Helene's Message to the People: "This song makes me horny. Voilà" (English translation)

The Interview:

The Tokyo Trawler’s Essential Review:

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

Not so much that it's lucky for you that there's no dancefloor, more that a dancefloor isn't even necessary for a tune like this, such is the infectiousness* of the beat. Instantly transporting* you to a Spanish island and into a smoky, strobe*-soaked* club, full of tanned 'beautiful people' doing what they do, the song starts as it means to go on*, with an exotic* drum line. Whilst this tune's fundamental* lack of originality is more than made up for* by the 'danceablilty' factor and the neat* pace changes throughout, unfortunately, it's difficult to imagine a song such as this reaching far outside it's highly specialised fanbase.

The Tokyo Trawler's message to the people: I wonder if my glowsticks still glow?

To download or not to download?? 3/5 (IT'S GOTTA BE DONE)
iTunes available: Yes
勉強のキーワード: infectiousness, to transport, strobe, to soak, to start as [one] means to go on (idiom), exotic, fundamental, to make up for [something], neat

Hearts on Fire URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAizl8wLxYs

Tokyo Trawler Recommendation #9 (24/02/10)

Artist: Jurassic 5
Tune: What's Golden
Record: Power in Numbers (2002)

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

Not your average rap tune. Like it or not, this is one thing we can all be certain of when considering this song. "We take it back to the days of 'Yes y'all in'", suggest Jurassic 5 here, and whilst not pretending to know exactly what that means; if in those days rappers used fixed loops*, pleasantly sparse* production and big, truly bop-inducing* beats, then I have to agree. Lyrically, J5 are keen to distance themselves from 'gangster' rap culture, stressing* the importance of the skills of writing and delivery*. With such academic principles*, and not an 'f-word' in sight, one might consider this essential music study material.

The Tokyo Trawler’s message to the people: For beginners and veterans alike, no harm'll be done by letting J5 be your rap professors.

To download or not to download?? 4/5 (ESSENTIAL)
iTunes available: Yes
勉強のキーワード: loop (music), sparse, to induce, to stress, (verbal) delivery, principle (noun)

What's Golden URL:

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

Tokyo Trawler Recommendation #8 (09/02/10)

Artist: The Vines
Tune: Get Free
Record: Highly Evolved (2002)

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

It's unfortunate that in recent years it's become a crime to listen to music (especially any 'rock' genre) which doesn't require a psychology* PhD* to work out the meaning of the lyrics. What happened to real rock 'n' roll?? Songs for the sake* of a rampant* riff* or mindbending* melody?? Songs that just make you wanna jump around your room?? Here is a song where the lyrics make little sense, the singer has negligible* vocal talent and the timer only just nudges* over the 2 minute barrier, but one thing is clear: It is an essential song. You must listen to it.

The Tokyo Trawler’s message to the people: Read the last line of the review, you'll get the message.

To download or not to download?? 5/5 (ESSENTIAL)
iTunes available: Yes
勉強のキーワード: psychology, PhD, for the sake of (idiom), rampant, riff, mindbending, negligible

Get Free URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B2OAfc52jY

Video Interviews, Roppongi (#5)

Tokyo Trawler Catch of the Day: Pierre, France

Artist: Bob Marley & The Wailers

Tune: Bad Card

Record: Uprising (1980)

Pierre's essential rating: 5/5

Pierre's Message to the People: "It's a fucking good song, by a fucking good artist" (English translation)

The Interview:

The Tokyo Trawler’s Essential Review:

Category: A sunny Sunday breezerider

Bob Marley was a walking set of ideals*, standing by and actually having faith in not only his politics, but also his musical roots* and his lifestyle. Focused on the 'dancehall' movement which emerged* in 1970s Jamaica, 'Bad Card' emphasises* the political importance of the scene as a means of communication with the youth of the time. Despite citing the importance of recognition* through 'noise politics' ('I want to disturb* my neighbour'), for the listener, the laid back rhythm and trademark 'kitchen' percussion certainly do not conjure* images of anything that could be remotely* described as noise, let alone* disturbance.

The Tokyo Trawler's message to the people: 'I'm so angry about.... oh, wait, I love this song...'

To download or not to download?? 4/5 (ESSENTIAL)
iTunes available: Yes
勉強のキーワード: ideal (noun), roots, to emerge, to emphasise,, recognition, to disturb, to conjure, remotely

Bad Card URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHDUdk0bApc

NEWS! Facebook Fan Page.... UP AND RUNNING!!!

// TOKYO TRAWLER // News //

Join the Facebook Fan Page and keep up to date with the comings and goings of the Tokyo Trawler...

Also look out for chances to be 'trawled' yourself... Information about the 'Amazing Grace' tattoo and club event in Ginza and Sat Feb 13th also available. The Tokyo Trawler will be conducting video interviews on the night, so if you've got an essential song and like a good party, then come on down...

Fan Page URL:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tokyo-Trawler/262652629597?ref=nf

JOIN!! JOIN!! JOIN!! JOIN!! JOIN!!

Video Interviews, Shibuya (#4)

Tokyo Trawler Catch of the Day: Travis, USA & Alex, UK

Artist: Scouting for Girls

Tune: She's So Lovely

Record: Scouting for Girls (2007)

Travis & Alex's essential rating: 4/5

Travis & Alex's Message to the People: "It's easy to remember, you should know it, learn to love it"

The Interview:

The Tokyo Trawler’s Essential Review:

Category: A sunny Sunday breezerider

POP. This is the word that immediately springs to mind when you listen to this song for the first time, and also probably what happens to your head after you listen to it for the sixth time. For all the raucous* pleasantry* of the piano and hand-claps in this song's intro, it is impossible to think of them as anything but a false dawn*. Delve* a little further into the song, and you begin to realise that it is lyrical weakness and gratuitous* use of rhyme which truly let this song down ("Shes pretty, a fitty, she's got a boyfriend though and that's a pity"). Karaoke song? Perhaps. Essential listening? No.

The Tokyo Trawler's message to the people: The start glistens*, but when you listen, you'll find out there's a little somethin' missin'...

To download or not to download?? 1/5 (ONLY IF YOU'RE DESPERATE)
iTunes available: Yes
勉強のキーワード: raucous, pleasantry, a false dawn (idiom), to delve, gratuitous, to glisten

She's So Lovely URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_Xkj6xRKio

Video Interviews, Shibuya (#3)

Tokyo Trawler Catch of the Day: Camelia, Andresa & Andrea, Brazil
Artist: Tom Jobim
Tune: Garota de Ipanema (The Girl from Ipanema)
Record: Getz/Gilberto (1962)

Camelia, Andresa & Andrea’s Essential Rating: 5/5

Camelia’s Message to the people: “Listen to bossa nova” (English translation!)

The Interview:

The Tokyo Trawler’s Essential Review:

Category: A whisky sippin' foot tapper

The way to listen to this song is to picture that beach in Rio. The dreamy guitar strumming* and featherlite piano tinkling* transport you right there, without requiring any understanding of the lyrics, because just like a packet of Brazilian cornflakes, you already know what the inner contents* are from the title alone. The brooding*, soft vocals and a distinctly Latin flavour back up this image of sun-licked shorelines*, soft breezes and whitewashed buildings, and whilst it wouldn't feel out of place in the background of your your local tapas* restaurant, or indeed your favourite 70s softcore porno, this tune has a distinct* charm and quality which make it a cut above*.

The Tokyo Trawler's message to the people: I can't decide whether I should listen to this on a sunny day or a rainy one...

To download or not to download?? 2/5 (WORTH A LISTEN)
iTunes available: Yes
勉強のキーワード: to strum, tinkling, brooding, shoreline, tapas, distinct, a cut above (idiom)

Garota de Ipanema URL (+English subtitles):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjJ4cHOW3rM