Supercar will release a new maxi-single, Wonder Word EP, on April 28. Aside from a single mix of the title track, the single will include four new songs. According to the official site, Supercar calls the single “the Answer to Answer“, referring to the group’s recently released seventh album. Tanami Keiichi and Ugawa Naohiro will also do the jacket design for a limited edition first pressing. The band’s web site also announced a vinyl version of Answer will also be released on April 28.
Pop singer Hitoto You releases her second album, Hitoto Omoi, on April 7. The album is expected to contain the singles “Kingyo Sukui” and “Edo Polka”, plus the theme song to the Asano Chuushin movie, “Koohii Tokimitsu”. Inoue Akemi collaborates with Hitoto on the song. A first-run limited edition pressing of the album will also include a DVD of five video clips, including “Morai Naki” and “Hanamizuki”.
Dragon Ash announced the participants of its remix album to be released on March 24. Titled Harvest Remixes, the album is based on tracks from the band’s 2003 release, Harvest.
In addition to remixes by such Japanese artists as Dry & Heavy and Riow Arai, the album includes contributions from drum ‘n’ bass group Ganja Crew and electronica artist Hood.
Some of the band’s members, billed as different side projects, will also contribute remixes. Guitarist Hiroki joins his old band Strobo on one track, while he pairs up with Sakurai Makoto as Techno-X on another. Furuya Kenji and DJ Bots call themselves as Fellows, Inc. on yet another remix.
Art-School announced on its web site details of a live album to be released March 17. The album, titled Boys Don’t Cry, contains 23 tracks recorded at Club Quattro in Nagoya, Big Cat in Osaka and Liquid Room in Shinjuku. Art-School filmed the Liquid Room performance, which was the final date of that tour, for a DVD to accompany the album.
An album collecting Utada Hikaru’s first 15 singles hits stores on March 31, the singer’s web site announced. The collection includes her very first single, “Automatic”, all the way to her most recent release, “Colors”. The tracks are being remastered by Ted Jensen, who has worked with Fiona Apple and Santana.
The site also announced the delay of her next single, the theme to the movie Casshern. The new release date is April 21.
Utada’s official US site for her forthcoming debut album on Def Jam has also launched at Utada.com.
Speedstar Records has posted audio excerpts from Kicell’s third album, Mado ni Chikyuu, on its web site. The duo of brothers plan to promote the album with a series of special events, one of which features actress Sano Shirou. Kicell will then embark on a country-wide tour starting in Haruno. Mado ni Chikyuu arrives in stores on Feb. 18.
The title of Quruli’s fifth original album is Antenna, according to the group’s official site. The album is expected to include the two pre-release singles, “How to Go” and “Rock ‘n’ Roll”. Quruli also revealed the titles of other songs to be included on the 10-track album — “Race”, “Good Morning”, “Hanehane Rock” and “Kuroi Tobira”.
Tommy February6 releases her second album on March 17. The album is expected to contain 13 tracks, including the pre-release singles “je’taime*je’taime”, “I still love you boy” and “MaGic in youR Eye”. A DVD of video clips accompanies the first-run limited edition pressing. A vinyl version of the album hits stores on March 31.
In addition to two other albums being released this spring, UA is set to release her latest work titled Sun on March 24. The album contains a version of her single “Lightning”, which was used in a Subaru commercial. UA also recorded with the band AlayaVijana, whose self-titled debut hits stores on Feb. 4. The artist is also releasing an album of her performances on the NHK children’s show Do Re Mi on Feb. 18.
Spitz’s forthcoming album Iroirogoromo isn’t exactly “new”. The March 17 release includes a new single (“Stargazer”), some old hits (“Yumeoimushi”, “Memories”), some b-sides and an unreleased track (“Boku wa Jet”). All of the songs on the 14-track album focus on work recorded since 1999 and represent what the band calls its “amateur period”. Two of the tracks have been remixed, and the band hints the album may include some demos.