the Shiina Ringo thread

not really surprising considering Ukigumo has the writing credit on this one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nZS1G_dQkQ

here's the reunion announcement video

idk if anyone's mentioned this but tokyo jihen are on spotify now, under the name "tokyo incidents"

Tokyo Jihen is available where I am (Vietnam) under Tokyo Incidents

oh lol i'm late

anyway the first two albums are masterpieces for anyone who doesn't know

News EP out today, available on Spotify in the US!
Which is good, but I still wish I wasn't restricted from just buying the mp3s here.

Looking forward to this, been listening to them a lot recently, the mid/later records are much better than I remember them, especially Variety which is ace.

New Jihen video up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t67VbQhh9_A

muzai moratorium: it's a great album

such an absurdly good debut

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75-c5h7obKo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L79JmTcdycc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg8foBeQfcw

even her b-sides from early on are unreal

New TJ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS45uTF_8P0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pG7zs-2vQY

The new single is pretty great and has Hisako Tabuchi from Number Girl on guitar!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl_fGKFFq_Y

omg tabuchi and ringo reunited

New Ohzora Kimishima is extremely good Shiinacore if anyone's interested

oh wow that's great. shiina's an obvious influence but there's a whole lot more going on than just that

It's great on initial listens, I've only just gotten my head around 縫層 and that was years ago

Will try that!

Does anyone know why in 2023 you can get her whole discography on Spotify/Apple Music but you still can't purchase them to own in the US

A friend recommended Tokyo Jihen as "the only modern Japanese band that can stand shoulder to shoulder with YMO." Checked a few songs he'd suggested, felt intrigued but skeptical (they're so J-rock!), but definitely intrigued. Checked here to see if there'd been any discussion... yes, a thousand posts...

After reading through the whole thread today I feel like over the course of a few hours, I've lived through a decade plus of passion, anticipation, confusion, and gradually building disappointment and disinterest. Surreal. And awesome. These forums are something else.

Am I right that the consensus is these are the must-investigate albums?

Muzai Moratorium (1999)
Shōso Strip (2000)
Kalk Samen Kuri no Hana (2003)
Kyōiku (2004)
Adult (2006)
Variety (2007)

yes you should listen to all of those

I would add Watashi to Hōden in there, as all early Shiina is good.

Imho, there are other bands that come close to greatness, but as good as they are, Tokyo Jihen ain't one of them.

Here are some other bands that perhaps you might like to check out, if you haven't already -

CRCK/LCKS
Dalljub Step Club
Gesu No Kiwame Otome
Clammbon
Suiyōbi no Campanella

Oh and maybe Soil & "Pimp" Sessions also!

Thanks ivy & Mare.

Mare, Campanella is the only one I've crossed paths with!

yeah those albums pretty much cover the peak, IMO

i think tokyo jihen are a truly awesome band, at least for the first few records where ringo is doing most of the writing, but i would never compare them to ymo. i’d way sooner suggest like… most of the production/songwriting work of yasutaka nakata

yeah there's not really anything in common beyond the nationality

i wouldn't include variety in the list of essential shiina ringo albums, but i would include ze-chyou syuu and heisei fuuzoku as worth checking out

They did both begin spearheaded by a single songwriter, who then let the other members start writing more -- though with Tokyo Jihen it sounds like that's the point at which things become LESS interesting.

Soooo, this new record.