Morning Musume - "Best! Morning Musume 1" (JPop)

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Morning Musume are one of Japan's biggest pop acts in existence, all in about 13 years. Pretty impressive for a bunch of cute girls who know how to sing their fuckin' hearts out. When I first heard of them, I was not sure what to expect. First off, I don't know any Japanese. Secondly, the artwork looks like something Lennon would've dropped in the 60's. However, I had the urge to try something different. Something that would hurt my brain. I heard some Residents, now I wanted more. I was pleasantly surprised. I am a man that absolutely gets hypnotized by rhythm and flow. If something has that, I'm a fan right away. This being said, I am not ashamed to say that I am a Musume fan. Goddamnit, listen to "Daite! Hold on Me!" and see if you don't dance. I fuckin' dare you. Once you listen to it enough, it will grow on you like a tumor and you will not be able to get it out. It's just a lovely trip into the mind of Japan's latest and greatest selling JPop band in a long time. Bravo, girls. Bravo.



OVERALL: 4 / 5

Jack Off Jill - "Humid Teenage Mediocrity" (Punk/Alternative/Riot grrrl)

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Hmm... an all girl band that bases their lyrics with emotion filled lyrics, a disturbing live show, a raw punk sound and a fascination with the infamous "c-word?" Now I have heard everything. Meet Jack Off Jill, a 90s punk secret that had a very distinct sound. What seperates them from the rest of the boys is vocalist Jessicka Fodera scary, yet spot-on, little girl voice with foul-mouthed and disgusting lyrics and an aggressive 90's punk sound plundering behind. This formula proves to work (at least for me) and it is easy to see how rapid their fanbase developed. With a formula developed as their own, this album is a must have for all who love punk, riot grrrl, or who just like to hear originality. With classic teen angst, it is a must have for those who hate their school or who grew up on haunting, oppressive school memories. Or if you just enjoy the riot grrrl thing in general, as I do.


OVERALL:  4 . 5 / 5

Distorted - "Memorial" (2006) (Doom Metal)

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Okay, so, I remember a while back when I was first getting into metal, I heard of a genre called "oriental metal." It left me with a strange taste in my mouth, so I looked it up, and this is the band that came up the most. Although the long song lengths, I was eager to try it and listen to something different. I looked up "Redemption" right away and was blown away within a minute. The haunting female vocals mixed in with the chaotic death metal growls left my ears creaming. I eventually picked it up and listened to the whole album, and if this is what oriental metal is all about, then write me down for the fuckin' signup list. Now, in my short time examining it, I would call "oriental metal" a mixture of overtones from doom metal and progressive metal. Overall though, I would call it a must-have for progressive metal and doom metal fans alike. Great album, not for the most picky metalhead though. However, there is something for everyone in this one, and that makes it a must have.



OVERALL: 3 . 5  /  5