the Shiina Ringo thread

I'm still a little taken aback that I like this record, I never would have given it a chance if it were from anyone else. I don't like impeccably slicked out cabaret pop jazz, and that's the only real way to describe this, but they nailed what they were going for so beautifully that I just kind of have to hand it to them, this is a great album.

I was planning on buying the regular edition but Amoeba had the deluxe, and I'm glad I got it, the art design on the packaging is perfect, the fake ads for cologne -- is this irony? No, it's accurate, this music hides on its own beautiful surface.

the shiina videos are all on youtube now. most of them low-resolution, but 'meisai', 'identity' & 'tsumiki asobi', 'gibbs' are worth seeing, and her best videos 'ringo no uta' versions 1 & 2 are both hi-resolution.

a friend of mine who's obsessed with hollywood musicals, bob fosse productions etc. got this record the first time -- the idea of someone making a modern record in this style that isn't a museum piece completely blew her away.

KZK remains the most overwhelming, but a major reason why she hasn't caught on here yet is that she's moving too fast for critics to get a bead on.

in the pantheon of uncompromising, eccentric songwriters that really oversee their own production, 70's = joni mitchell, 80's = kate bush, 90's = bjork perhaps, 00's = shiina ringo, she's that huge

http://freckle.tenkeimedia.com/nl/ringo/souretsu.html

The Feb.19th, 2006 [DOMESTIC! Virgin Line] concert was recorded and will be broadcast on SkyPerfectTV channel 721 (FujiTV 721) on March 25, from 11:00PM - 12:40AM. Don't forget to set your DVRs!

Interestingly, she comes across as more of a female Cornelius than Takako Minekawa did.

it's reassuring to hear anyone else say this, I think she's peerless.

if you've got the albums and want to start in on the DVDs, I'd recommend Baishou Ecstasy -- a 60 minute concert film where her performance in one auditorium is broadcast live by satelite to five other completely full theatres. the songs from KZK are redone as acoustic jazz cabaret songs by a 30 piece big band orchestra, and the songs just work -- she opens with an Edith Piaf cover, and like most of her concert films there's an extremely unsettling narrative twist at the end

I'm not as into the Electric Mole, which is Tokyo Jihen live at Budokan playing slicked out TJ versions of the KZK songs, though the Lynchian short film interludes are _really_ bizarre this time and there's a version of "Stem" that starts like Black Sabbath, plateaus like the Carpenters and ends exactly the same way as Sachiko M's sinewave solo on Ground-zero's Last-Concert album.

The videos are compiled on the Seiteki Healing series, volume three has the KZK clips.

http://www.everlasting-dream.net/ringo/ is my favorite fan site.

Of course, I'm not sure how much comfort it should be coming from a not very popcentric* person like me, but it might even be true (or plausible, or whatever truth-like value you prefer).

I don't own anything yet, myself, but once I've moved into my new apartment, and maybe after I wait a month or two to deal with some other necessary purchases, then I will at least pick up Adult and Karuki Zamen Kuri no Hana.

*though hopefully not anti-pop.

OK, now I am even more intrigued, although I also trust Milton's rave reviews. I was looking this stuff up on eBay the other day, seems that these CDs are reasonably available. I'll have to investigate.

so is it better to start with shiina ringo solo or with tokyo incident? or does it really matter?

I think Shiina made her name (in Japan) during the "Shouso Strip" period culminating w/ very popular nurse cosplay-parody video for 'Honnou'. I think there's the most tension there between charting rock star and widening weirdness palette.

It's also the period when most of her Cindy Shermanesque personas cropped up, sort of the dominant theme of her solo career. Before switching to T. Jihen there was 1) japanese ghost persona of 3rd & final album - death, 2) final song built entirely out of samples from her back catalog (link still above), & 3) a final video which chronologically travels through all her previous video roles.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=DQBWmLfxwxs&search=shiina%20ringo%20uta

imagine going to a stadium show and having that be the opening song.

what alex said. I like the Cindy Sherman reference, the song's lyrics are about an apple tree that longs to be human but settles for giving away her fruit at the end of each season -- sung by a person who keeps shifting through violently different personas, it's almost painful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyf9M7mt_RY&search=tokyo%20jihen

http://www.everlasting-dream.net/ringo/video.htm

ryan, do you have "Hatsuiku Status" (green cover, cartoon drawing) and "Gekokujo Xtacy"? I know I want the latter, the former I'm on the fence about. The youtube excerpts from "Dynamite Out" (like the one RS linked to) make me wish I hadn't passed on it.

I <3 Shoso Strip.

Anyway, I could still go.

http://shiinaringo.se/pics/Tokyo%20Jihen/jihen1.jpg

ok im ordering Adult right now....

http://www.everlasting-dream.net/ringo/specials/patipati99.htm

Yes.

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.

it's just fine, not bad but largely by-the-numbers for her, but i didn't really expect anything more, though her last album was a bit better

Got to go to a Tower Records in Tokyo and they had a huge display set up for her new album, including a little set that you could pose in and take pictures. It was beautiful.

i’m staying in shinjuku rn and listening to muzai moratorium and wow her music just hits different here

also the recent tokyo jihen stuff is actually really good??? much prefer it to the new ringo solo record

i do love the list of collaborators on the new ringo tho, just about everyone i like in modern j-pop/rock