Tokyo Trawler Recommendation #10 (09/03/10)

Artist: Bright Eyes
Tune: Take it Easy (Love Nothing)
Record: Digital Ash in a Digital Urn (2005)

Category: Pass the lighter...

Now, loyal* readers, you've been waiting a fine while, and you are now finally rewarded* with a song about sex! But wait, here, delightfully quirky* production, mixing Super Mario-esque* chimes with electro pitter-patter and something resembling* change jingling* around in an old geezer's* pocket provide the backing for lyrics examining* the emotional dynamics* of a 'loose' sexual relationship.The detailed and eloquent* storytelling travels well along this song's rigid* structure, and whilst the lyrics boast* of feeling 'free, and a little bit empty', it strikes one* that this song is a personal reflection* not on past glories, but on past regrets.

The Tokyo Trawler’s message to the people: I get the feeling many of you could relate to this song...

To download or not to download?? 3/5 (IT'S GOTTA BE DONE)
iTunes available: Yes
勉強のキーワード: loyal, to reward, quirky, (noun)-esque, to resemble, to jingle, geezer (slang), to examine, dynamics, eloquent, rigid, to strike (one), reflection,

Take it Easy (Love Nothing) URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3FqHWZ4IIc

SPECIAL EVENT VIDEO: 'Amazing Grace' Tattoo Show

Tokyo Trawler's good friend and cameraman, the ever professional and delightfully cheery guy from Wildcard Lab (www.wildcardlab.com), has recently bequeathed us with his video summary of the recent 'Amazing Grace' Tattoo Event in Ginza, Tokyo, on Saturday the 13th of February 2010. In his eternal kindness and wisdom, our cameraman has allowed us to exclusively post the video here on tokyotrawler.com.

The event was a stunning mix of live tattooing, DJs, VJs, pole-dancers, crazy drunkards, (real) sumo wrestlers and a high proportion of tattooed party-goers. Our man, Carlos from Tattoo Church (tattoochurch.carbonmade.com) commissioned this video to encourage both tattoo enthusiasts and newcomers to embrace the art. The interviewees in the video were all tattooed by Carlos himself, and are a fine example of the wide catchment which tattooing - in this day and age - extends to.

All interviews conducted by Tokyo Trawler, and look out in the coming weeks for the next round of music fishin', which also came from the 'Amazing Grace' event.

Tattoo Church presents Amazing Grace from Wildcard on Vimeo.

Video Diary1

Latest Tokyo Trawler News etc...

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