(Bounce.com and Oops Music haven’t mentioned it, so Musicwhore.org may as well.)
Sasagawa Miwa releases a new single, “Himawari”, on Oct. 5. The song is a re-recording of her first independently released maxi single, which was used as the theme song for an NHK support campaign in April 2005. The song received enough response to warrant a release as a single. The single also includes the coupling track, “Mimi”.
Quruli has an ambitious release schedule planned for fall 2005. In addition to the Aug. 24 release of the single “Superstar”, the band will release “Akai Densha” on Sept. 22. “Akai Densha” serves as the theme song for the Tokyo-Yokohama express train. Another single follows in October, titled “Baby I Love You”. Finally in November, Quruli releases its sixth studio album.
Guitarist Hirama Mikio, a former member of Tokyo Jihen, will release a solo album on Oct. 19. Details of the album, titled Bunmei Kookyoo Virus, have yet to be determined, but the music has been described as solid, simple rock music, with a “slight hint of decadance”. Hirama went by the name Hiruumi Mikine during his tenure with Tokyo Jihen.
Former fra-foa singer Mikami Chisako releases her second solo album, I’m here, on Oct. 19. Details about the album have yet to be determined, but her support musicians include Masuko Tatsuki (ROVO, Dub Squad) and Jaleel Buton (TV on the Radio). A DVD titled ChisakoTV, also released on the same day, contains promo clips from album set in New York City.
Note: The original article names Jaleel Buton as “Jaleel Marcus”.
Remioromen will release a new single in October, followed by another in November. On Oct. 12, the trio releases “Sou no Sekai”, a mid-tempo tune using the autumn deciduous tree as a motif. The three-track single includes the coupling tracks “Ikitsugi” and “Gogo no Teikiatsu”. Another single follows in November with details forthcoming. Remioromen will also perform at Countdown 05/06 at the end of the year.
Hitoto You will release a new single titled “Kasaguruma” on Sept. 21. It’s been five months since the release of her previous single, “Kagefumi”. “Kasaguruma” will serve as the image song for a new Toho studio movie, Mise Shigure. The film, directed by Fujisawa Shuuhei and starring Ichikawa Somegorou and Kimura Yoshino, is set in Edo-period Japan and opens in theaters on Oct. 1.
Bonnie Pink will release a “road movie” DVD on Sept. 21. Titled Bonnie Pink overseas, the DVD follows the singer-songwriter as she performed in North America in March 2005. The DVD also includes a making-of segment on her new album, Golden Tears, which also hits stores on the same day.
Former Pizzicato Five singer Nomiya Maki releases her fourth solo album, Party People, on Oct. 12. The album is expected to include Nomiya’s forthcoming collaborative single with m-flo, “Big Bang Romance”, coming out Sept. 7. A release party is scheduled for Oct. 28 at Shinkiba Ageha. On Aug. 25, Nomiya’s early solo album, Pink no Kokoro, gets the reissue treatment, with digital remastering. Nomiya recorded Pink no Kokoro before working with Pizzicato Five and an earlier band, Portable Rock.
Art-School will release a new album on Oct. 5. It’s been two years since the release of the band’s third album, and since then, Art-School traveled to Glasgow, Scotland, to work with producer Tony Doogan (Quruli, Mogwai, Belle and Sebastian). The still untitled album includes guest appearances by Barry Burns of Mogwai, Emma of the Delgados and Japanese art-pop singer ACO. Art-School performs at the Rock in Japan festival on Aug. 5.
A side project featuring ex-Number Girl and current bloodthisrty butchers guitarist Tabuchi Hisako releases its debut album in September. Tabuchi thought about forming her band, toddle, before she was drafted into bloodthirsty butchers as a full-time member. Three years later, toddle debuts with I dedicate D chord, in stores Sept. 22 . A nationwide tour in support of the album begins in October.