Source: Bounce.com
Straightner will release its next single, “Killer Tune”, on Dec. 1. The band aims for a ’90s British sound on the title track of the new single. A limited edition pressing of the single includes a live DVD of Straightener’s Liquid Room ebisu show on Aug. 26. The DVD is expected to include a digest version of the show with four or five songs.
Source: Bounce.com
Yaida Hitomi will release Yaiko’s selection, a collection of favorites from her own songs, on Dec. 1. The disc was originally released in July with a special edition of her Single collection. After Yaida spends some time in the studio, she plans to release a live album featuring her biggest hits and some rare material. The tentatively titled Ura Best will include liner notes written by the singer-songwriter herself.
Source: Bounce.com
Onitsuka Chihiro will release both a best collection and a video clips DVD on Dec. 1. The Ultimate Collection features 15 of Onitsuka’s songs, including her break-out hits “Shine” and “Gekkoo”, plus other singles such as “infection”, “Ryuuseigun” and “Memai”. Ted Jensen of Sterling Sound in New York City will remaster the songs on the collection.
The Complete Clips contains many of the same tracks as the The Ultimate Collection, with the addition of more recent works, “Beautiful Fighter” and the Yamaguchi Momoe cover “Ii Hi Tabidachi Nishi e”.
Onitsuka releases her first single, “Sodatsu Zasso”, for a new label on Oct. 27.
Source: Bounce.com
Kicell will release a new single, “Kimi to Tabi”, on Dec. 16. Details about the single have yet to be determined, but the band has booked a pair of live performances in Kyoto and Tokyo to promote the new release. Kicell also contributed a track to the CD and instructional picture book Do Re Mi de Utaou, which hits stores on Oct. 16. Kicell recently participated in Bofest ’04, held at the Kyoto University western auditorium.
Source: Bounce.com
Tokyo Jihen will release a video clip DVD, titled tokyo incidents, vol. 1, on Dec. 8. The video clip collection includes “Gunjoo Biyori”, “Soonan”, “Sono Onna Fushidara ni Tsuki”, “Dynamite”, “Service”, and an unreleased cover song, “Kurumaya-san”. The DVD follows a quick succession of monthly releases, starting with “Gunjoo Biyori” in September, “Soonan” in October and the band’s debut album Kyooiku in November. Starting January 2005, Tokyo Jihen embarks on a nationwide tour. Record stores in Japan have started offering the complete “Soonan” single for trial listening, with a preview track from the album included.
Souce: Bounce.com
Boom Boom Satellites releases a new single, “Spine/Dive for you”, on Dec. 1. The single is the electronica duo’s first new work in 2 1/2 years. “Dive for you” served as the theme song for the anime Appleseed, to which Boom Boom Satellites contributed four songs for the soundtrack. The band appeared this past summer at Summer Sonic and the Rising Sun Rock Festival.
Source: Bounce.com
Higurashi Aiha releases a new single, “cherish my life”, on Dec. 1. Asa-Chang produces the new song, which serves as the ending theme for the Tetzuka Motoko’s Synchronicity. The single’s coupling songs are “beautiful” and “Steve, Steve, me”. The single is the first new work from the songwriter since her solo debut, Born Beautiful. Higurashi is aiming to release a second album in spring 2005.
Source: Bounce.com
Former Thee Michelle Gun Elephant singer Chiba Yusuke and former Blankey Jet City bassist Terai Toshiyuki have brought together their solo project, Rosso, for a new single and second album. The reformed band releases a new single, “10,000 no Tambourine/Outsider”, on Nov. 17, with its second album, Dirty Karat, following on Dec. 8. Rosso also include first-time member Imai Kinobu (Friction) and Saito Minoru. Chiba and Yusuke also formed Raven and released an album, Bird.
Source: Bounce.com
L’Arc~en~Ciel will release a live DVD, tenatively titled Live in America, on Dec. 8. In support of the US release of its 2004 album Smile, the band performed in front of 12,000 fans at the 1st Marriner arena in Baltimore. The July 31 concert was filmed for DVD release.
Source: Oops Music
Sony Music will no longer apply copy protection on its CD releases, the company announced in a press release. Starting in October, Sony will gradually phase out copy protected releases, replacing them with normal CD pressings. All new releases from Nov. 17 will have no protection on them. Sony attributed the shift in policy to a swell of user complaints saying the protection cause more problems than they solved.