I thought we'd go with something a little lighter this week, and something that might actually be called J-Pop. Which is unusual since despite the name of this feature I usually go out of my way to pick something that doesn't sound like J-Pop (at least as Americans are used to). So here's some tunes by Yaida Hitomi. Yaida is a multi-instrumentalist whose music definitely embodies the Japanese pop sound, but it's eclectic and varied enough that it never becomes boring. Once again, quoting the invaluable ProjectJ:
"She insists during interviews that her songs are the embodiment of deep feelings she wants to express. This produces an energetic style full of wonders and surprises: "heart rock," as she calls it. Yaida Hitomi is still human, though: she openly admits there are many ugly things about herself and promises to reveal those in her songs, as well. Her dark side is not as exploited as her joyous traits but since she stays true to herself, who can blame her for having such exemplary proportions?"
Personally I'd like it if she revealed a little more of her darker side to counteract the bubble-gumminess favored by the Japanese record companies, but I suppose if she did that she wouldn't have a high profile recording contract and we wouldn't be listening to her stuff now.
Set List [links to Romaji lyrics]: Hitori Jenga, Startline, Adante, Mawaru Sora, Monochrome Letter, Over The Distance, Go My Way.
01/22/2006 - 01/29/2006 01/29/2006 - 02/05/2006 02/05/2006 - 02/12/2006 02/12/2006 - 02/19/2006 02/19/2006 - 02/26/2006 02/26/2006 - 03/05/2006 03/05/2006 - 03/12/2006 03/12/2006 - 03/19/2006 03/19/2006 - 03/26/2006 03/26/2006 - 04/02/2006 04/02/2006 - 04/09/2006 04/09/2006 - 04/16/2006 04/16/2006 - 04/23/2006 04/23/2006 - 04/30/2006 04/30/2006 - 05/07/2006 05/07/2006 - 05/14/2006 05/14/2006 - 05/21/2006 05/21/2006 - 05/28/2006 05/28/2006 - 06/04/2006 06/04/2006 - 06/11/2006 06/11/2006 - 06/18/2006 06/18/2006 - 06/25/2006 06/25/2006 - 07/02/2006 07/02/2006 - 07/09/2006 07/09/2006 - 07/16/2006 07/16/2006 - 07/23/2006 07/23/2006 - 07/30/2006 07/30/2006 - 08/06/2006 08/06/2006 - 08/13/2006 08/13/2006 - 08/20/2006 08/20/2006 - 08/27/2006 08/27/2006 - 09/03/2006 09/03/2006 - 09/10/2006 09/10/2006 - 09/17/2006 09/17/2006 - 09/24/2006 09/24/2006 - 10/01/2006 10/01/2006 - 10/08/2006 10/08/2006 - 10/15/2006 10/15/2006 - 10/22/2006 10/22/2006 - 10/29/2006 10/29/2006 - 11/05/2006 11/05/2006 - 11/12/2006 11/12/2006 - 11/19/2006 11/19/2006 - 11/26/2006 11/26/2006 - 12/03/2006 12/03/2006 - 12/10/2006 12/10/2006 - 12/17/2006 12/17/2006 - 12/24/2006 12/31/2006 - 01/07/2007 01/07/2007 - 01/14/2007 01/21/2007 - 01/28/2007 01/28/2007 - 02/04/2007 02/11/2007 - 02/18/2007 04/01/2007 - 04/08/2007 04/15/2007 - 04/22/2007 04/22/2007 - 04/29/2007 04/29/2007 - 05/06/2007 05/20/2007 - 05/27/2007 07/15/2007 - 07/22/2007 09/09/2007 - 09/16/2007 09/16/2007 - 09/23/2007 09/23/2007 - 09/30/2007 10/21/2007 - 10/28/2007 10/28/2007 - 11/04/2007 11/25/2007 - 12/02/2007 01/13/2008 - 01/20/2008