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I found out about Sazanami Label when I contacted Goggle-A - for me at that time unknown Japanese band who's gig I missed, unfortunately. They were nice and sent me their 45 and CD and some stuff they released. I was happy to discover a whole new scene that was little different from Japanese bands I knew till then (Guitar Wolf, Teengenerate, Neatbeats, ...). That small difference was that bands on Sazanami Label were closer to Japanese 60s GS sound and had, for my European ears, more exotic sound. In the meantime, Sazanami Label grew up from small label into something more serious and they released many nice things, so here is the latest bunch they sent (thanks girls and guys!!!).
SAZANAMI LABEL: http://www.sazanamilabel.com, otayori[@]sazanamilabel.com
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CHOCOMATES S/T CD, Sazanami Label 2005
All girl band from Japan that plays mod power pop with strong 60s influences, but on some strange way you never heard before. All songs have English titles, but Chocomates actually sing in Japanese or at least, it sounds like that to me. Raw sound, fast songs by this charming tender Japanese girls! Fantastic CD to party. I'm sure Chocomates are even better live. On the inner sleeve they eat something strange - looks like some kind of pie or maybe it's pizza. One of the best powerpop bands I ever heard!!
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GOGGLE-A "KENJI SAZANAMI TRIBUTE" CD, Sazanami Label 2005
As you can see from CD title, this is tribute to Kenji Sazanami, who probably inspired the name of this label. Unfortunately Kenji Sazanami is not very known here in Europe. But when you hear these 17 songs played by Goggle-A, they are real killers. It's some kind of prae beat - early 60s r'n'r pop twist doo wop with nice melodies. Of course all this on Japanese way, really charming and great. I think Goggle-A did it really good and the CD is endless party to have good fun. I think Kenji Sazanami would be proud to hear this. There are also few Japanese versions like "Run Around Sue".
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THE MILKEES S/T CD, Sazanami Label 2005
I think that Japan is definitely the country with most girls who are active in rock bands - all girl bands or bands with girl members. At least in garage scene, there seem to be maybe even more girls than guys. Not that it's really important, but it's fascinating. The Milkees are one more really great all girl Japanese band. They play some strange combination of neo 60s beat, twist and powerpop on Japanese way (Japanese and English lyrics). They do it on really cool way and you can't help it but to love these cute girls. There are few covers on this CD and you can get an idea how Milkees sound: "Locomotion", "Heatwave" and "Da Doo Ron Ron". The other songs are written by Berry - guitar and vocal. Great talent for songwriting! My faves are: "(Lita Is Like A) Baby Face", "Sweet Sweet Times", "Hey Boy", ah all songs here are just great!! I don't know why I even started to pick favorites. Mindblowing album!
The Milkees: http://www.milkees.com
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THE MONSTERS "HIDE AND SEEK" CD, Sazanami Label 2005
If you are big Monsters fan, like me, you will be a bit disappointed in this CD. Not because it's not good, but because it's a compilation with songs from 3 albums: "Birds Eat Martians", "I See Dead People" and "Youth Against Nature". But, for die hard fans there are 3 bonus tracks. Anyway, if you don't know The Monsters yet, get this CD and play it 'till your head explodes and brains get all over the wall. Hopefully, Sazanami Label will make Monsters next big thing in Japan. They deserve it, they are the kings of "noise rockin terror trash garage mayhem 60s punk dance music". Not really that you can dance to their music, but you can go wild. All my faves are on this CD, so it's really a great compilation!
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PORTUGAL JAPAN S/T CD, Sazanami Label 2005
If you think that good punk rock is dead and that all you have left is boring pop punk, you're wrong. Portugal Japan are Japanese reincarnation of late 70s punk heroes in girl bodies. These 3 Japanese girls rock like Ramones on their 1st 3 albums in their own crazy style mixing punk with indie rock and 60s beat, but also Stooges and MC5 style. Songs they wrote are really fantastic. They are not all distorted and fast, there are also some easier and more melodic songs. They do killer cover of "Have Love Will Travel" (Sonics) and this is the best version of this song I ever heard - it's fantastic but also funny. CD ends with furious and charming version of "Kick Out The Jams". All I can say is that Portugal Japan kick ass and these girls know how to rock.
Portugal Japan: http://www.theportugal.jp
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TIKI TIKI BAMBOOOOS "WHERE IS YOUR SECRET SPOT" CD, Sazanami Label 2005
Champions of exotic surf from far Pacific islands are back with their great new album. It's hot and mystic and had primitive sphere - just what I like. Cool twangy reverb guitar. Songs are cool mix of originals and some covers. Really cool Japanese version of one of my favorite songs ever - Bella Ciao. Tiki Tiki Bamboooos sound like great band for vacation on some far island with exotic coctails. Some songs are just to be lazy, others are to go and surf. If you don't have money to go some place like that, just play this CD and enjoy. Tiki Tiki Bamboooos will make you surf the channels in Holland. Don't get too stoned in Amsterdam and really try to do it - hahaha.
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V.A. "WILD SAZANAMI BEAT VOL.2" CD, Sazanami Label 2005
CD starts wild with Rocket Jack Vaders and their strange exotic latin surf beat with instrumental 50s r'n'r influences. Portugal Japan - check the review above, "Have Love Will Travel" is on their CD. Woggles - guests from US with "Mella Mella", inspired by "Balla Balla" but not exactly - let's say there is Japanese connection. The Sellcancers - also already known to No Brains readers, great hara-kiri stomp surf. Chocomates with Beach Boys cover "Surfer Girl", also on their CD - Chocomates rule! Of course their version is much better than Beach Boys original. The Babies - "Girl" great Japanese mix of 60s beat and powerpop and GS sound. Coockie And The Twinkle Arrows - instrumental surf exotica with far east sound and strange melodies - really great. Tony Borlotti And I Suoi Flauers - guests from Italy with song "Superdonna" - great neo 60s Italian beat in Italian. Done with charm of Adriano Chelentano and similar bands and artists from early to mid 60s. I never heard about this band, but I would really like to hear more!!! These guys are really cool. God Surfers - maniac surf from Japan in Dick Dale style with keyboard. Goggle-A with "Aozora No Arukagiri", great fuzzed cover version of Wild Ones - famous Japanese 60s band. Go!Go! Magneg Flower Momonga - one more all girl band from Japan with strange name. This song is so weird - really crazy and strange early 60s beat girl pop. Gaijin A Go Go from US, but with Japanese connections - at least some band members look like Japanese and they sing in Japanese. Mod, funk, soul with jazz influences. Link Quartet from Italy - great 60s organ groove mod instro dancer - Hammond vs fuzz guitar. Tiger Lily - all girl band from Japan. Strange groovy psychedelic garage funk, difficult to explain. Great wah wah guitar, Hammond organ, acid fuzz leads and great groove. "Mascara" is great song and vocal is really great. One of the best tracks on this CD and I hope to hear more from them. Katayama Breakers And The RnR Party one more crazy manic Japanese r'n'r trash punk madness - great. Das Boot German name, but they are also from Japan - strange blues beat with Hammond organ, pretty dark and mystic. The Mojomatics with great trash punk song that I like. I saw them live last year, but it wasn't this good, it was really messy . They probably took too much drugs - hahaha. Greenwich Alley - great surf beat with twangy reverb guitars. The Sanpiners from Japan - maniac trash punk screaming, really crazy and noisy and fuzz that will make your ears bleed. Cooterfinger from US - "Rehab Twist" is not really twist, more trash garage. Tiki Tiki Bamboooos with song from their CD - "Secret Spot". Les Cappuccino - Japanese groovy mod soul freakbeat cover of "These Boots Are Made For Walkin' ", really special, done in swingin' 60s style a bit jazzy with Hammond organ - hope to hear more from this band. Tedesco And The Pitmen - 3 girls + 3 guys from Japan who are inspired by 60s girl groups (Phil Spector stuff). "La La La La Love You" is super cool with fuzzed guitars and cheesy organ - really unusual song. I would like to hear more from these girls and guys. Miyako No Myers end this CD - minimal girl garage, very fuzzed guitar, primitive drums and cool girl guitar. Great band - hope to hear more from them too.
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V.A. "WILD SAZANAMI BEAT VOL.3" CD, Sazanami Label 2005
1st band on this CD is Primitive Water with song "I Wanna Be Your Kaiba". I don't know what's Kaiba, but the band is great. They sound like Japanese version of Cramps - very primitive with drums and guitars and screaming girl vocal vs boy vocal (I think). Cool psycho surf guitar - you must hear this to believe it. Next are Chocomates, one of the million Japanese all girl bands who play fantastic 60s garage beat - well bit more beat and they play one of the greatest and most beautiful versions of "Hippy Hippy Shake" you ever heard. Psychrons - "Nanaironokubikazari" - great Japanese neo 60s GS track very garagey. Portugal Japan, you already red the review, I guess. "Shadow" is more or less in same style. Fantastic band! Goggle-A - "Yozora No Hoshi", a song I know from Los Doltons (Peru) version, but I guess it's cover of some Japanese 60s song. Goggle-A did a great version too and I really love this song. Urban Surf Kings are surf band from Canada, in style of Phantom Surfers. Hanadan garage surf maniacs from Japan, trashy, melodic, catchy, in Japanese and great! The Ton-Up Motors and their song "Man From Moon" is something really weird - strange mix of 60s garage and funky groove on some crazy Japanese way. Groovy and great for parties. Milkees - "Heat Wave" from their CD that I already reviewd - great!!!! Sellcancers great Japanese surf - should be known to all of you who read No Brains Zine. Woggles - "Get Down With It", groovy souly garage - pretty cool and dancy. The Monsters band that you should all know - their fuzz guitar makes my head explode!! Tiki Tiki Bamboooos come good straight after The Monsters with nice and exotic surf with girl vocal - "Holiday". Rat Holic - trash surf with great groove, quite dancey with organ vs psychobilly reverb guitar. Los Galileos - great typical GS fuzz guitar, only 10 times harder and trashier than any 60s band. Their "Let Me Go" is real neo 60s garage killer at its best. The Space Agency from UK, but as I can see on the picture there is a Japanese girl in the band on guitar. "Headless Hipster" is spacey surf exotica - great with old spacey effects + weird guitar sound with totally open reverb, but also fuzz - I don't know what they did, but it sounds great. Lost Acapulco maniac surf from Mexico - fast, furious and masked. Tragic 8 play fastest and most furious version of "Stepping Stone" - really craziest version of this song. Screams, noise and speed (almost hardcore). Don't expect neo 60s version, this one is more late 70s punk very trashy. Inspired by Sex Pistols version and not Monkees - I guess. When you hear The 50 Kaitens and their "Beggars's Blues", you will sell your collection of hard rock records and also your punk records and move to Japan. Vocal is so raw, he screams so hard, you think he'll do hara-kiri - not only upon himself but also you - it's hara-kiri for your ears. I really hope to hear more from The 50 Kaitens, but not right now - my ears still hurt. The Witch have some 50s and rockabilly influences, but on some weird way - great! The Charades from Finland play exotic surf with Hammond and surf guitar with touch of Finish instrumental bands from early 60s. Hope to hear more from them. Nibbles - one more all girl band from Japan - "Devil Girl" is cool neo 60s GS garage r'n'r - wild. John Castro Oil from Kyoto - Japanese power pop with roots in 70s, but also 60s. The Six Bullets, also from Kyoto - Japanese garage punk, trashy, fast, with raspy vocal. This CD ends with crazy Japanese country by Bye Bye Mylove - "Kin-Youbi" with theme that reminds me of John Denver's "Country Road". This is probably big karaoke hit. CD is just fantastic and when you listen to it, it's a big party.
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