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A blog where we post whatever we want. A focus on music, obscure film, and more. Many links are our own uploads, but just as many are taken from other blogs. If you have a problem with us having your links on our blog, we are glad to take them down. Female Trouble is maintained by Garrett (ZOOM LENS), Michelle, and Megane-Kun (Drink Cold). If there is something that you think we may have that you wish to ask for, do not hesitate to ask us! Please email gyyguy@yahoo.com. The Female Trouble email is not checked.

Birth- Iro EP

Monday, November 30, 2009 at 9:46 PM Posted by FEMALE TROUBLE 1 Comment



Birth are one of the latest groups to enter the amazing Japanese screamo scene. This is their debut EP and it sounds like a mixture between the jangly guitars of instrumental group, Toe, and the chaotic, underlying pop aesthetic of fellow screamo band, Nitro Mega Prayer. Birth are the band that The Fall of Troy wishes they were right now. Strange time signatures and dissonant guitar playing mixed with pop melody, but the emotion itself never comes off as something fabricated. The dual vocals of guitarist Sakai Kouta and bassist Suda Kenji stretch to their seams. Powerful energy for just a 3 piece. There isn't that much information to be found about this band, but they're certainly one to watch out for. Please visit the site Meat Cube, which sells CDs from many international screamo artists, and buy this record!

-Garrett

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Death in Midsummer and other stories by Yukio Mishima

Saturday, November 14, 2009 at 12:19 PM Posted by FEMALE TROUBLE 1 Comment


Mishima is the most obvious and recognizable name of the post-war novelists of Japan, highly linked with his ritualistic stomach-piercing suicide, seppuku. But, his way with words expanded further than just novels, for he also was a playwright, wrote prose and short novellas as well as essays. The Sea of Fertility tetralogy were his last published writings, which includes the very famous story of Kiyoaki Matsugae's unrequited love and happiness as an aristocratic member of a westernized Japanese family in the 20th century: Spring Snow.

I find it unfortunate that Mishima is always coined as an absurdist; his writings are profound, poetic. He was well-researched, highly knowledgeable of western and eastern philosophy alike.


Death in Midsummer and other stories is a collection of shorts put out in 1966.
Highly-recommended for those who enjoy Japanese-modernism.

"Reiko had not kept a diary and was now denied the pleasure of assiduously rereading her record of the happiness of the past few months and consigning each page to the fire as she did so."-Yukio Mishima, Patriotism

-Michelle

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Hijokaidan- Viva Angel

Monday, November 9, 2009 at 9:54 PM Posted by FEMALE TROUBLE 3 Comments


Hijokaidan's 2nd album. On this record, Hijokaidan completely abandons the somewhat psychedelic and jazzy sounds of Zouroku No Kibyou and transcends into territories that are somewhat surreal and disturbing. For a Hijokaidan record, the music is surprisingly sparse and this only adds to the sense of disconnectedness. What is probably the most noticeable change to the Hijokaidan sound is the stronger emphasis on vocals, electronics, drums and feedback. Highly dissonant and bizarre, this is a perfect record documenting the ever changing sound of one of Japan's first noise groups.

-Garrett

Violent Onsen Geisha- Otis

Monday, November 2, 2009 at 11:03 PM Posted by FEMALE TROUBLE 2 Comments



Perhaps one of the most unique Japanese artists out there, Violent Onsen Geisha's sense of humor is far more cynical and sarcastic than that of say, Yamantaka Eye. Otis, like many of Nakahara Masaya's recordings, consists of pop culture nods and strange mash-ups. This is not an album as much as it is a musical collage. To call Nakahara just another noise artist is almost undermining his finely tuned ear for the absurd. One notable song that fairly represents Nakahara's humor is a loop of the main guitar riff from Lenny Kravitz's, "Are You Gonna Go My Way?" combined with his signature frenzied screams and some bells and whistles to boot. Surprisingly, the booklet in this CD states that no samplers, synthesizers or keyboards were used in the making of this recording. I guess there are two versions of this CD out there. I have the one off of the Endorphine Factory label, which I believe is the first pressing, and it only consists of 3 tracks, the last track clocking in at 59+ minutes and combining some 7 odd songs. While this may be a bit tumultuous, I think it only helps emphasize Nakahara's madness. If you think you've heard everything that Japanese noise had to offer already, check out Otis. You will be pleasantly surprised.

-Garrett

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