My source for music these days and Japanese punk

I’m long due for a blog post…

So before I begin rambling here are a few links… this is where I’ve been going recently for relief.

http://www.youtube.com/user/nprmusic

Raphael Saadiq, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Tallest Man on Earth, Thao, etc. are some of the cool folks on the Tiny Desk music series (and the other series also).

http://www.blogotheque.net/-Concerts-a-emporter-?lang=en

Some cool music videos done by these French (I think) guys (again, guys? Maybe not)

This week's topic: Japanese punk. Who would've known that Japanese people could go punk? Then again... it's totally foreseeable.

So I'll start off with a band that's kind of starting to make a name for themselves.

The Cromagnons – Kanashimi no Rosie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwuTmyQDFoo&feature=related

And another well established name...

Blankey Jet City – Akai Tambourine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50cL0FwFWWE&feature=related

Here're some folks who are totally underground. Their style of punk really says a lot about the development of the genre and where it intersects with our current concept of genre music (or lack thereof... I'm thinking of mashups and the like)

Midori – Doping Noise Kiss

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVFH98-S7VY&feature=related

And onto a great punk band from the 90's (late 80's maybe? Anyway, they're still around).

Eastern Youth – Natsunohi no gogo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgmCdbY_iAM&feature=related

And we go further back to one of the most popular pop punk bands of Japan, The Blue Hearts.

The Blue Hearts – Linda Linda

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kACmuAREEf8&feature=related

Then a cover by a Korean/Japanese girl band from the movie Linda Linda Linda.

Paranmaum – Linda Linda

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQQUEicr6d8&feature=related

Finally, the guy I really believe to be the most punk out of them all, one of the original anti-establishment kinda guys. You may not be able to tell but it's all in the lyrics.

Ozaki Yutaka - Sotsugyou

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lD0Utk87r7o&feature=related