Posts Tagged ‘Asian Man Records’

SMALL CRUSH – ” Running “

Posted: October 25, 2020 in MUSIC
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Lead-singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist Logan Hammon (age 17, pink hair — now eggshell blue) felt that her band wasn’t giving her enough freedom to write her own songs. She took lead-guitarist Jackson Felton (now age 15) and started a new project out of their garage. The duo, what was to become Small Crush, started making music inspired from Hammon’s voice memos (shared over group text) and titled from a self-professed “inability to crush on someone for a long time, so lots of little crushes.” Not long after the band’s genesis, Hammon and Felton recruited bassist Hank Herbert (aged 17) and drummer Will Scherer (aged 16) from a nearby high school and started playing house shows, coffee shops, and restaurants. The group is multitalented, often switching instruments at practice, and the effect of Hammon virtuosic lyrical introversion over playful riffs evokes Frankie Cosmos and Waxahatchee. The music seems to be derived from many small crushes, evoking a sincere and intense conviction too often lost in adulthood.

Planning around after school jobs and football practice, the band rehearse at Hammon’s house in San Leandro. They pulled up sipping cans of yerba mate with skateboards and a giant teddy bear in the the back of Herbert’s CRV.

An unlikely cohesion of seemingly different high school “types,” it became quickly evident that their connection extended beyond the stage. They proceeded to sing along to blaring 80’s synth-pop in the car (when they said it was their favourite music, I wasn’t sure they were kidding) and naturally-athletic Herbert was carrying 15-year-old Felton on his shoulders, The band concluded our phone interview by playing a completely ad-libbed song.

Released October 23rd, 2020

 

SHEENA, ANIKA and AUGUSTA – ” Simple Pleasures “

Posted: December 15, 2019 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Move over, Boygenius, there’s a new super trio in town. Lemuria’s Sheena Ozella, Chumped and Katie Ellen’s Anika Pyle, and Cayetana and Gladie’s Augusta Koch make up the group that’s fittingly called Sheena, Anika, And Augusta. Their first foray into music together is a good deal softer than their emo-punk bonafides might suggest. They opt for a folky minimalism here to allow their three impeccable voices to take center stage, they sing in rounds with a bare-faced emotional honesty. “For Billy,” which closes Simple Pleasures, is reminiscent of Mountain Man, all three of them commiserating over a shared pain: “I cry so many tears I could flow down.”

A cappella folk from members of Cayetana, Chumped & Lemuria doing something totally different than what they did before.

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I’m trying to find the right words for this release and what it means to me. There’s been a lot of music that has come through this garage label that started earnestly in the mid 90’s and though I love every record I’ve put out, there’s always favorites and then there’s this record by Sheena, Anika and Augusta.

First of all, when asked if I would be interested in putting out this record I said yes without any hesitation and without ever hearing a single note of what this would or could be. My thought was it would be some kind of indie punk project with hints of influences from all three participants.

What I received was so much more. I found myself putting on my head phones late at night when my family was asleep, listening over and over again for hours(this is only 8 minutes long) and hearing the power that music has on not just the musicians, but those who listen to it.

I don’t often get teary eyed when hearing songs, but this record really was a gut punch to my emotions. My love for doing this is unconditional, but sometimes seems fruitless. What are my motives, what are the artists motives?

This was 3 friends, healing together, embracing what they do best, and giving it everything they have. I’m in love with these songs and I can’t wait for everyone to hear them. I could care less if I made a penny on this record. I’m just so happy this exists for people to hear and I feel blessed today. Cheers to my friends SHEENA, ANIKA and AUGUSTA.

OGIKUBO STATION – ” Okinawan Love Songs “

Posted: June 17, 2019 in MUSIC
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Celebrating a debut headline tour with new music should be practised more often, and Californian indie punks Ogikubo Station have done just that. They come over to the UK on Monday 17th June for their first run of bill topping dates in this country and, to mark the occasion, have released a three track EP entitled Okinawan Loves Songs, released just prior to the tour via Asian Man Records. For the uninitiated, the band is the brainchild of Maura Weaver, best known for her work with MIXTAPES and Mike Park, who founded Asian Man Records himself back in 1996. Their debut album We Can Pretend Like was released late last year and for this current EP, Dan Adriano of ALKALINE TRIO has helped out on bass; the label helped launched their career of the band at the very start.

Clocking in at just over seven minutes in length, this will be one of the shortest releases of the year, even by EP standards. The opening track is “Would I Break My Heart Enough for You” and features Weaver’s sultry voice over melodious, upbeat pop rock, complimented nicely by Park’s backing vocals. The song has a lovely melancholic vibe to it, made even more noticeable by the poignant narrative contained within the lyrics; the line ‘I’m much too scared to say a thing’ cutting through at regular intervals to strike a chord within those who listen. The follow up is Spend Some Time With Me, the shortest track at exactly 105 seconds long. There’s a fuzzier guitar tone and a couple of hooks contained within the song this time around, but the tone remains constant, the contrast between the light and the dark reflected once more in the music and the lyrics.

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The theme of the song seems to revolve around a particularly difficult situation in a relationship and Weaver conveys this much like Fleetwood Mac did on Rumours: her voice is soft and pleasant but the delivery is laced with an underlying aggression that doesn’t go unnoticed. To finish, the band have paid homage to alt-rock heavyweights They Might Be Giants with a cover of Dr Worm, performed in the style of the band’s Dial A Song’ sessions, where fans could call in and hear a song from the answering machine. More playful than the other tracks, the song is filled with a nostalgic warmth of yesteryear and has been produced expertly, the crackling phone line and distant acoustic guitar mimicking the analogue answering machines to a tee and ensuring an engaging and fun end to the EP.

For those who have loved the work of SPANISH LOVE SONGS, PKEW PKEW PKEW and SWMRS, this short trip into the world of emotion-laden storytelling combined with the lighter side of musicianship will be of considerable interest. The saying ‘Good things come in small packages’ is most definitely in place here; this is a lovely little EP that will endear to many and if Ogikubo Station don’t have a successful trek across these shores throughout June, it will be a crying shame indeed.

KITTY KAT FAN CLUB – ” Songs About Cats “

Posted: March 1, 2018 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Kitty Kat Fan Club feature members of San Jose punk bands Hard Girls and Shinobu alongside the owner of Asian Man Records Mike Park. However punk rock this is not and is instead indiepop at it’s finest. I must admit I don’t care that much for cats but I do care for these fun inducing tracks! Opener Talk About Love is the standout for me simply because I got grabbed by the excellent vocals and the cat-chy music.

Songs About Cats is available on limited edition coloured vinyl through Asian Man Records.

Friends playing music and having fun. members include:
Mike Huguenor-Guitar
Casey Jones-Keys/Lead Vox
Mike Park-Guitar/Vox
Jon McMaster-Bass
Justin Amans-Drums
Originally released August 5th, 2016

 

DOG PARTY – ” Til You’re Mine “

Posted: August 24, 2016 in MUSIC
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Video Premiere: Dog Party – “‘Til You’re Mine”

Dog Party’s new music video for their song ‘Til You’re Mine” . The song is the title track taken from the band’s latest release, available now through Asian Man Records. The video was directed by Andrew Hooper. ‘Til You’re Mine is the band’s fifth full-length album.

The video for “‘Til You’re Mine” is a dizzying spin matching the eclectic punk vibes inherent in the song. Dog Party make sure to take their raw, garage inspired progressions into dizzying chords into an easy to follow beat. It’s simple, moody and hits a home run when put to music. It’s easy to get lost in watching the different colors, patterns or animations take center stage. A feeling of lovesickness, Dog Party make not to give up until they have you right where they want you, in their arms and all theirs for the taking. Feel the daze, haze and beautiful euphoria of Dog Party’s “‘Til You’re Mine.”

DOG PARTY – ” Peanut Butter Dream “

Posted: April 30, 2015 in MUSIC
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Sacramento punk-rock duo, Dog Party, strike again with their fourth album, Vol. 4. The Giles sisters, Lucy (17) and Gwendolyn (19), bring another record full of poppy tunes, with melodies that hearken back to The Ronettes, paired with the catchy punk energy of The Buzzcocks. Recorded at The Dock with recording engineer, Chris Woodhouse. CD/LP available June 2015 on Asian Man Records.