Blog - Christmas music
Christmas music
As December approaches, we become surrounded with Christmas music wherever we go. Some may get annoyed, but I tend to stuff my iPod with yet more Christmas music, and I enjoy dim-lit dinners with more Christmas music whenever possible.
I often hesitate to buy Christmas music since it can only really be enjoyed one month every year, but then again I find it hard to resist. This year I've been weak, and added a bunch of Christmas CDs and even records to my collection. Complemented by what I already owned, I feel ready for one of the most musical Christmases so far.
New stuff (in my collection anyway)
akiko "a white album" (2007)
Produced by Konishi Yasuharu, this is a true vocal jazz album with hints of club beats. akiko, one of Japan's most talented jazz vocalists, treats us to a bunch of Christmas traditional tunes everyone knows, all sung in her beautiful flawless English.
SMAP "Happy Happy SMAP"
This Christmas single of boy group SMAP is produced by Konishi-san and sold only at their limited "SMAP Shop" at Omotesando Hills through December. While I'm far from being a SMAP fan (though I do watch their TV shows once in a while), at a ¥390 price I had my share of waiting outside in the cold to enter the shop.
Various Artists "Holy 8bit Night" (2007)
Also just out in November, this is a first true release from the indies label VORC that's been around for ages. It features 8-bit artists giving redemptions of Christmas pop songs, a selection that goes from Leroy Anderson to Wham! to Mariah Carey, to Japanese artists Yuming and Sakamoto Ryūichi.
Various Artists "The 8bits of Christmas" (Free at archive.org!)
Talk about a concept: 8 Christmas tracks by 8 artists using 8 different vintage 8-bit computers/game consoles! While looking up info about "Holy 8bit Night", I found this other compilation available for free at archive.org! It includes the same track by VORC's Hally that's featured on "Holy...". The rest is great too!
Tokyo Panorama Lounge "Mambo de Christmas" (1999, SRCL-4663)
While being a big fan of Paradise Yamamoto and Tokyo Panorama Mambo Boys, I didn't know this one existed and found it by chance the other day. Paradise Yamamoto, the only Greenland-approved Santa Claus in Japan, presents his Christmas favorites in mambo and latin flavors, with his characteristic mambo shouts throughout. Ahhhh... UGH!!!!
Tokyo Panorama Mambo Boys will be back in January with a brand new release, "Mambo Imperial"!
Various Artists "A Gift For Swingin' Christmas" (12") (2006, NOEL-001)
Out last year as the first release of Noel Records, a Japanese club/breakbeats label only active that only shows up for the holidays, this 12" has great party tracks by Sherlock Notes, V-Neck Afternoon and Monsieur Mieurax. Sherlock's track is especially groovy, with "Santa Claus has been kidnapped" samples that would make any little kid panic.
Various Artists "Christmas Will Be Just Another Lonely Day" (12") (NOEL-00?)
This is just in at Jet Set and I haven't yet got my hands on it, but Noel Records has another omnibus 12" coming up any minute, with tracks by Boot Beat, Three Good Rules and more.
Older stuff
"The 8-bit Xmas" (circa 2002)
Adam Bruneau (aka Oliver Cobol of Super Madrigal Brothers) made this collection of 8-bit Christmas songs, much before the big 8-bit hype. I had bought the CD instantly and it's still regular BGM every year. Great stuff!
Various Artists "Fantasia De Navidad" (2002, Siesta 160)
A great Christmas-themed compilation from the Siesta label (Spain). Gotta love the design of the limited edition I have, a digipak made of real wood, with metal hinges.
Various Artists "Mint Sound's Xmas Album" (12" LP) (1987, MSR-1008)
Late 80's neo-GS compilation including Young Odeon (side-project of Konishi Yasuharu) and Original Love. It's a mix of Christmas classics and original songs. I've seen a pile of brand new CDs (MSR-CD2) of this recently at Coconuts Disk in Kichijōji. I've got this on vinyl though, comes with a bonus purple 7".
Pops All Stars "Yellow Christmas" (7") (1986, 07SH-1861)
Just a great funky mid-80's pop track. Said to feature Konishi-san on chorus..!? It's also on the "Winter Lounge" compilation which included P5's "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang".
Check out this funny video on YouTube!
"Keroyon no Christmas / Keroyon no Jingle Bells" (circa late 60's?, PSB-31)
A picture 7" of Keroyon, "oneesan" Mori Akiko and little kids singing. The B-side uses the melody of "Jingle Bells" with original Keroyon lyrics. My copy is scratched very badly but it plays.
And let's not forget my own Christmas offerings: "Medley de Noël 2004" and "Noël Blanc 2005".
Happy Christmas preparations!!
Posted on December 6, 2007 at 23:59 | Tweet
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Hello,
I've been reading your web log for awhile now and I am always impressed by how you manage to keep up on things like this. What I want to know is : how? Not to infringe on trade secrets, but do you go to a lot of JP sites or are just really aware? Local at a good record shop? Read/receive label promo emails?
Is there any online resource for this kind of music (in Japanese, English would be OK) that has good straightforward reviews of new and interesting stuff a la The Onion AV Club (www.avclub.com) or to a lesser extent, Pitchfork?
I don't plan on starting another web log or anything, I just wish I knew where to start when getting into this kind of thing. English outlets on Japanese media are OK, but I feel like I am missing a lot of new releases. Getting info about Shibuyakei or old albums (http://neojaponisme.com/2007/11/09/100-greatest-japanese-rock-albums/) seems much easier.
Thanks for your time!
Posted by john on December 15, 2007 at 16:52
Hi John! Thanks for your comment! I'm glad you find my blog useful.
I take most of my info from Japanese music news sites, label and artist sites, and also some label email newsletters. Most links that I use can be found on this site's Portal page, which is a site update monitor that alerts me when any watched site is updated.
http://www.chipple.net/portail/
See especially the "Music" section towards the bottom which contains all the music news sites that I find useful. That's how I get a lot of my news early on.
Of course, most of these sources are in Japanese. For music releases I find interesting, I post about them on my Agenda blog.
http://www.chipple.net/mt/agenda/
Posted by Patrick on December 15, 2007 at 18:13