Music is timeless, bands on the other hand are a fragile collaboration of human beings sacrificed to the random choices of life. Fate can indeed be cruel; bands that should have never made it have become main-stream, even though they deserved nothing more than a demo CD forgotten in a box on the back of a shelf-of-memories in their closet. So much depends upon breaks, luck, and sometimes not on talent.


Because of those acts of fate, we thankfully haven’t missed as many of the other professions; doctors, mechanics, teachers, etc that just happen to play an instrument. But, what music have we missed in this never ending culling of the artistic herd? A lot actually. Some bands I mourn less than others, and some bands I truly wish they had had a chance to evolve.


In the last year if you were looking for music comparable to the vision of Blankey Jet City - I’d have recommended Nipple6, a once high energy garage punk and party rock trio from Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. If you wanted something in the vein of Dry & Heavy; Magical Chameleon Rockers’ former soulful classic rock, with a reggae heart and pop appeal would of fulfilled that request. With life choices working against me, is it any wonder I recommend bands that seem (though in reality could be together for 10 years) to be so new, they literally haven’t released anything not even demos.


As frustrating as fate can be, I do take comfort in this: Music is Timeless. One of my favorite bands, and a friend’s vision is Darlin’onStage. In the coarse of 4 years (2006-2010) this rock trio took punk rhythms, driven guitar riffs and lyrical hooks, crafting rock melodies with a funky beat. Their last live show was in August 2010, soon after Darlin’onStage were no more. With 2 demos, and one single to their credit Darlin’onStage music lives on and I take heart in the fact that it does. What does make me sad is you may have not heard them yet. Let’s remedy that, and the reason for this blog post; The recommendation of Darlin’onStage.





I invite you to listen to vocalist and guitarist Shuji Yomogida, bass and keyboardist Tomomitsu Soga, and drummer Masahiro Enomoto, known collectively as Darlin’onStage.


homepage - audioleaf - myspace

The best of 2010, comes to you two months early and in the form of one incredible omnibus. Released on 2010.08.17, FIVE RAT RECORDS‘ compilation album Oh, there is good music here (あっ、良い音楽ここにあります。 (FIVER-008)) indeed lives up to that title! With its 20 artists the album does exactly what keikaku’s recommend was created for - introduce you to amazing little-known bands.



Enjoy the discovery — because there is something for everyone.*


1. 空ばかり見ていた / グッドモーニングアメリカ (Good Morning America)
Homepage
Myspace

2. トーリ / ammoflight
Homepage
Myspace

3. シシカバブ / 夕暮レトロニカ (Retronica)
Homepage
Myspace

4. 泣き星 / LISTEN UP
Homepage
Audioleaf

5 She / Liaroid Cinema
Homepage
Myspace

6. ヒドランジア / CHERRY NADE 169
Homepage
Myspace

7. Freedamnit / With A Splash
Homepage
Myspace

8. vision / folca
Homepage
Myspace

9. オーケストラ / eleki
Homepage
Myspace

10. 未来 / ircle
Homepage
Myspace

11. 数センチ　右足を / DAdDY WALK AROUND
Homepage
Myspace

12. 言葉について / NEWLIFE
Homepage
Myspace

13. ハロウハロウ / センチメンタルボーイズ (Sentimental Boys)
Homepage
Myspace

14. AX / Rigby
Homepage
Myspace


15. カラス / 新世界リチウム (Ritiumu)
Homepage
Myspace

16. LAST SONG / SHENKY GUNS
Homepage
Myspace

17. 手のひら / Synchronized door
Homepage
Myspace


18. Give and Take / KIDS
Homepage
Myspace

19. World of mine / JANGA69
Homepage
Myspace

20. あかりが灯る / TOY
Homepage
Myspace

(*disclaimer: Tracks - 14. AX / Rigby and 17. 手のひら / Synchronized door — are lacking videos to post. Where possible the video was matched to the actual artist’s song, unless unavailable or of poor quality.)