Help! Where should I start listening?

[fitear1590 2414]

Help! Where should I start listening?

I don't know if anyone else has this problem, but I get very nervous about bands with big discographies. If I'm just discovering a band and they already have 5 albums out and tons of singles and mini's, it's extremely overwhelming. I don't want to pick a random release and it turns out to be their worst one, or not very indicative of their overall style, and then I judge the band based on that particular release. Since there's not too many in-depth review sites for japanese music to turn to (that I'm familiar with), it's not always easy to know which releases are the best.

SO, that's the point of this thread. If you've had trouble finding the right "starting point" for a particular artist/band, post them here and hopefully someone can provide a good recommendation of which release to listen to first. Let's help each other out!

For instance, here are a few bands that I've definitely wanted to listen to more, but didn't know where to really start:

-cali≠gari

-lacryma christi

-Inugami Circus-dan

-JUDY AND MARY

-9mm Parabellum Bullet

[D.L.S 11]

-lacryma christi

Warm Snow and Dwellers of Sand Castle definitely.

[Miasma 162]

ooooo~ this is a really good idea fitear!

-cali≠gari

senedjem recommended me two great albums in accordance to two of their many vocalists. same name, really different styles.

shuuji - 第5実験室 (Dai 5 jikkenshitsu)

shuuji ishii - 第7実験室 (Dai 7 jikkenshitsu)

i completely fell in love with Dai 7 and i grew fond of shuuji ishii's style, so i gave ブルーフィルム (Blue Film) a try as that was caligari's first release with shuuji ishii as their vocalist.

anyway, just give Dai 5 & 7 a try!!

[Pretsy 1343]

-lacryma christi

Warm Snow (hey namesake, what's the point in recommending two *SAME* releases?) Sculpture of Time and Dwellers of Sand Castle definitely.

AND

-JUDY AND MARY

The Power Source & Pop Life

then move on to their older releases...

[D.L.S 11]

-lacryma christi

Warm Snow (hey namesake, what's the point in recommending two *SAME* releases?) Sculpture of Time and Dwellers of Sand Castle definitely.

AND

-JUDY AND MARY

The Power Source & Pop Life

then move on to their older releases...

lol I meant to put Sculpture of Time. I don't know why I put that??

[saishuu 3220]

La'cryma Christi - Lhasa. Can't go wrong with that one.

cali≠gari - 7 (or maybe the Saikyouiki albums, I don't know, I'm not too familiar with most of their stuff to be honest.)

Inugami Circus-dan - It's been like a decade since I've truly listened to them, but I remember loving Hebigame Hime.

9mm Parabellum Bullet - Termination.

[Jigsaw9 6783]

-cali≠gari

senedjem recommended me two great albums in accordance to two of their many vocalists. same name, really different styles.

shuuji - 第5実験室 (Dai 5 jikkenshitsu)

shuuji ishii - 第7実験室 (Dai 7 jikkenshitsu)

This, basically.

Can't help with the other ones, sorry. ^^"

[TheBistroButcher666 228]

I always try and start at the beginning, that way you can see how their sound evolves and changes. Recently I started listening to a band that had an album come out in 2011, loved the 2011 and decided to buy their 2008 release but having a hard time getting into since the 2011 album made me expect something different.

[Tokage 5930]

Thirding the cali gari thing

for Inugami Circus Dan: Kami no Inu is pretty neat, it's a concept album too.

9mm Parabellum Bullet - either Termination or Gjallarhorn

[Karma’s Hat 3107]

For Caligari I'd go with 6 or 7. Those albums are definitely the most creative ones songwriting wise. Though the best-of with the EP songs sung by Ishii is essential too, but then again there isn't pre-revival Caligari stuff that I don't consider essential.

[fitear1590 2414]

Damn, I didn't expect so many replies already! Thanks for the recommendations everyone!

But please, if you have any bands that you're looking to get into, please post them as well! I don't want people just replying to me, haha.

[toshii9245 0]

For 9mm Parabellum Bullet, try both Termination and Vampire. I wasn't really content with their recent releases; those two were essentially their best, IMO.

As for me, would anyone kindly give me some recommendations on which:

-Blankey Jet City

-Sherbets

-emmurée

releases I should be checking out? The first two seem to have a long discography I'm not quite sure where to start. Thanks in advance. ^^

[Jigsaw9 6783]

-Blankey Jet City

-Sherbets

For Blankey Jet City I recommend Bang! and/or C.B. Jim. These are early albums that showcase their wild/raw side perfectly! However, if you'd like something more psychedelic or different I suggest checking out Love Flash Fever and/or Romeo no shinzou (also known as Romeo's Heart - they have a tendency to translate album/song titles into English occasionally xD).

As for Sherbets I started out with Vietnam 1964 but I'm not sure how representative that is of their whole sound. Great album nonetheless, so I recommend that one, and the Miracle album (which has just about every mood from their repertoire with great catchy songs). When it comes to Sherbets you can start anywhere IMO, almost all their stuff is equally good.

[DeIdeal 0]

Hey, this's actually a brilliant idea for a thread!

I'd appreciate recommendations for these bands:

Luminous Orange

Merzbow (I've tried an album or two, but didn't care for them that much. Thought I'd give another try)

Arkona (no idea whether they're good or not, last.fm is just trying to recommend them to me)

Amon Amarth

Also, seconding dai 5 and dai 7 for a cali gari recommendation.

[saishuu 3220]

- emmurée

I personally think the mini-album 灰色 (Haiiro) is a great place to start.

[Pretsy 1343]

Merzbow

.

For "first-timer" noise: Merzbeat (it's hip hop-inspired noise but still, works as a great introduction to his style) or Merzzow

For "harsh" noise: Venereology

That's all I can suggest.

[SUBLIMINAL 52]

I'd like to know where to start with Onmyouza. I have so many of their albums on an external hard drive and never got around to unzipping / organising / listening to them because I just don't know which to... y'know unzip first that's going to give me a good impression of their music.

[Zeus 7997]

I'd start with Maou-Taiten or Houyoku-Rindou.

[Karma’s Hat 3107]

Merzbow

I got into Merzbow through Dharma, and it's the most approachable Merzbow album I'm familiar thus far.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIsh1J4FbKU Check out this track and see If you are feeling it at all.

[toshii9245 0]

For Blankey Jet City I recommend Bang! and/or C.B. Jim. These are early albums that showcase their wild/raw side perfectly! However, if you'd like something more psychedelic or different I suggest checking out Love Flash Fever and/or Romeo no shinzou (also known as Romeo's Heart - they have a tendency to translate album/song titles into English occasionally xD).

As for Sherbets I started out with Vietnam 1964 but I'm not sure how representative that is of their whole sound. Great album nonetheless, so I recommend that one, and the Miracle album (which has just about every mood from their repertoire with great catchy songs). When it comes to Sherbets you can start anywhere IMO, almost all their stuff is equally good.

I personally think the mini-album 灰色 (Haiiro) is a great place to start.

Thank you!

Luminous Orange

Vivid Short Trip 7 Stops Farther and Drop You Vivid Colors would be the best to start with.

[Tokage 5930]

For Blankey Jet City I recommend Bang! and/or C.B. Jim. These are early albums that showcase their wild/raw side perfectly! However, if you'd like something more psychedelic or different I suggest checking out Love Flash Fever and/or Romeo no shinzou (also known as Romeo's Heart - they have a tendency to translate album/song titles into English occasionally xD).

As for Sherbets I started out with Vietnam 1964 but I'm not sure how representative that is of their whole sound. Great album nonetheless, so I recommend that one, and the Miracle album (which has just about every mood from their repertoire with great catchy songs). When it comes to Sherbets you can start anywhere IMO, almost all their stuff is equally good.

are there even links available for those anywhere anymore?

[Jigsaw9 6783]

^ If you guys would like, I can upload those albums tomorrow. (downloaded them a long while ago but dunno where from)

[Tokage 5930]

would be neat, been wanting to check BJC out

[Champ213 1858]

Amon Amarth

I would recommend to start with "With Oden on Our Side". Or "Twilight of the Thunder God". Their most recent album is good too, but maybe a bit more harder to get into, just like their older stuff before "With Oden on our Side".

Arkona

Ot Serdtsa k Nebu (От Сердца к Небу) probably. I'm surprised Arith hasn't popped in, she's she greatest Arkona fan around here.

[Zeus 7997]

I agree with Champ on the Amon Amarth suggestion. I initially tried with Surtur Rising but it didn't do anything for me. She then recommended me With Oden on Our Side and I ended up enjoying that album a lot, but I enjoyed this song the most:

z1u9lDzyJ5c

I sure hope you like them!