The Music Within
AKA 5 Things You May Not Know About Me, Part 2
I thought I’d continue along the same vein as my first blog post, which was a botched attempt to express that I believe we are what we consume. People often use this for food — especially if their aim is to shame — but I think it’s the other things that we take in that affects us more. What we read, what we watch and, most importantly (for me), what we listen to.
Personally I tend to lean towards music that’s on the heavy side, but I’ll listen to most anything (within reason). My years doing work for Fujirockers at Fuji Rock Festival threw me headfirst into covering every conceivable genre from indie folk and ukulele pop to Mongolian throat singing. Good times.
Most of my day-to-day playlists are filled with Japanese bands. Here’s a short list (not in any particular order) of some all-time favorites if you want to check them out. If they’re not your thing, I get it. They can be a bit much. You may find something more to your taste further down, where I’ve listed other bands and artists I’m currently listening to.
The “Some of My Favorites But Definitely Nowhere Near All of Them” Playlist
My Chemical Romance
Some call them emo, I call their work pure poetry. The storytelling, the literary references, the guitar riffs. Ugh. So. Good. Currently listening a lot to “To The End”, which draws inspiration from William Faulkner’s short story, “A Rose for Emily”. “Burn Bright” is also making the rounds a lot lately.
Enter Shikari
Politically charged, poetic lyrics in a post-hardcore format with no limits. I’m blown away every time I hear their music. It’s smart, vulnerable and always a bangin’ choon. They cover topics from anxiety to climate change and compassion for the challenges people in the LGBTQ+ community face. { The Dreamer’s Hotel } from their latest album is often on my mind.
The Oral Cigarettes
Yeah, yeah, it’s a funny name. Comes with the territory in Japan. While I wouldn’t call them the bad boys of Japanese rock, they are definitely unafraid to experiment with style and lyrics. They have some of the catchiest choruses I’ve encountered here. “Don’t You Think ft. Lozareena” is pretty a-typical for them, but it’s one of my favorite chill-out songs:
Coldrain
Coldrain’s music always feels so well-paced and balanced, which you think would work against them at live shows but it turns out it’s the exact opposite. It allows them to mold the crowd to their will and the effect is spectacular. One of my recent faves, “The Side Effects”, is probably one of their strongest ones lyric-wise.
Crossfaith
Pure, raw energy. Once upon a time I was brave (stupid?) enough to throw myself into their mosh pits but these days I value my life. Their power is off the charts. I listen to their albums in waves, but right now I’m on a nostalgia trip and listening to the first song I heard by them: their cover of The Prodigy’s “Omen”:
What’s On My Playlist Right Now
As I mentioned earlier, my all-time favorites (and those don’t even include the great influences in my life like Queen, Green Day, David Bowie, etc) should not be considered a true summary of my tastes. Right now, those songs are supplemented with the artists and songs below.
What I’m listening to now:
Rina Sawayama’s “Cyber Stockholm Syndrome”
Sawayama is such a versatile artist; I’m really enjoying discovering her work.
Miriam Bryant’s cover of Sven-Bertil Taube’s “Ett Sista Glas”
This song is a Swedish translation of a Scottish traditional song called “A Parting Glass” and always seems to creep back onto my playlist when autumn draws near…
Laleh’s “Det Kommer Bli Bra”
Laleh is one of my absolute favorite Swedish artists. Her melodies are powerful and her lyrics hopeful. She sings in both English and Swedish, so if you’d rather hear her sing in English, you can check out more of her songs here. She doesn’t run away from difficult topics — one of her most famous songs, “Some Die Young”, is often played at funerals.
Kent’s “Vy Från Ett Luftslott (Punks Jump Up Remix)”
In case it wasn’t obvious yet, I tend to gravitate towards older nostalgic songs — especially those with a melancholic vibe — in the fall.