Ok, the average reader can tune out right about...NOW! I cannot express my new found love for TSU SHI MA MI RE enough. I have blabbered about them already to two other die hard Japanese music fans and I hope they have a chance to check them out soon as well. This CD is just amazing (technically it came out last year, but now more widely available). It's mind-alteringly "different" in an outsider way yet still pretty much typical "J pop".

If you had to list the reference points it would go like this: Take the weird aspects of THE SHAGGS where it's great in an annoying way (well, except these ladies can play), the wilded-out aspects of ROMANTIC GORILLA (especially on a track like "Tea Time Ska" which actually takes ska, j pop, and grindcore and mixes them together), the arty strangeness of the vocals of YOKO ONO circa "Fly" (the songs where she sings vs the vocal test stuff), and the out and out cutesy J pop of SHONEN KNIFE, throw them in a blender manned by ultra cute Japanese girls and there you go.

Needless to say I like all of the bands, SHONEN KNIFE to a lesser extent, and so I really enjoyed this CD. I am bummed I missed them on their recent tour with THE SUICIDE GIRLS Burlesque thing but then I did get to see a coupla SUICIDE GIRLS at our last show, so close enough.

Your average fan of stuff on here will most likely hate this. It's very poppy in an off-beat, off-kilter kind of way. But I am always up for interesting, avant garde sounds. Whether they come from weirdo punk, fucked up heavy metal, or, in this case, four incredible girls playing some seriously mesmerizing stuff.

- Two Tub Tony

OFFICIAL SITE: myspace.com/tsushimamire

MP3 SOUND SCRAP: Camaboco

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