3 of the best JRock songs we loved in September
The weather is finally starting to turn cold here in the UK and the nights are getting longer, but that doesn’t mean we can’t keep that summer feeling going just a little bit longer with some solid JRock bangers — and maybe a little bit of swing mixed in for good measure. We all need something to keep us going when things are looking so cold and grey.
As always, if you’re looking for even more JRock goodness to get you through the cold days coming up, we’ve got our Spotify playlist for the month ready and waiting for you to dive into.
Soul Cobra Twist – Kuwata Keisuke
Kuwata Keisuke has been on the music scene in Japan since the 1970s, when his band Southern All Stars hit the scene. As lead songwriter, singer, and guitarist of one of Japan’s best-selling bands of all time, Keisuke is certainly a known quality in the JRock scene. The band’s success has led to a number of achievements, including being the only group to have forty-four songs on the Oricon Top 100 singles chart at the same time.
Soul Cobra Twist is a new release from Keisuke, who often takes breaks from the main band to pursue solo projects, and it comes with all the energy and joy that Southern All Stars are known for with a little swing influence mixed in. Definitely the kind of song that will help get you dancing in your kitchen while you cook.
Waves – Back-On
Back-On are one of the most high energy JRock bands out there right now, so its no surprise they’ve featured on this list before! Fans of Fairy Tail will probably recognise them for their song Strike Back, which was an opening for the long running shounen show, but Back-On’s ability to blend the energy and raw sound of punk with so many other genres has made them one to watch for years now. Fortunately, our friends a JPU Records have been repping them here in the west for a little while now, so their singles and albums are getting much easier to grab than they used to be.
Waves is one of Back-On’s newest singles and really brings that summer sound that I’ve been digging the past month. It reminds me of the skate-punk songs I listened to while at the beach in my teen years, so it should help remind you of warmer days as the nights get cold.
Ao – 10-Feet
10-Feet do the remarkable thing that so few bands are able to do. For more than twenty years they have not only stayed relevant and successful within the JRock scene, but they have done so with the same three core members. Their willingness to experiment with punk, pop, rock, and hip-hop sounds has likely been a big reason why they’ve been so successful for so long. The Kyoto trio don’t show any sign of slowing down, which is great since their latest single is one of their most catchy and fun in years.
Ao is a solid mix of what makes 10-Feet such a fun band to follow. At moments it feels like a ballad, but the fast and energetic drums stop it from slowing down too much. The keyboard in the background gives it a modern feel even as the classic guitar riff kicks in. Again, this is one that gives just that little boost of energy before Autumn really kicks into gear.
Need a bit more JRock in your life? Be sure to check out our JRock Spotify playlist for a solid mix of new and old music from Japan to keep you moving and energised.
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