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November 24, 2024
 

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Shawn Despres

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Shawn Despres
Shawn Despres has been contributing to the Japan Times’ music page since 2005, and he has a passion for writing about the independent music scene in East Asia. He spent several years living in Yokohama and currently resides in Seoul.
CULTURE / Music
Nov 19, 2010
Envy take 'Recitation' out on the road again
Tokyo-based Envy issued their fifth full-length album, "Recitation," in September. To celebrate its release, the quintet embarked on their first North American tour in four years. On this, their longest international trek, the postrock and hardcore hybrid act played 25 shows in the span of a month. ...
CULTURE / Music
Nov 12, 2010
Indie breakout, 'kimchibilly' rockers bring Seoul to Japan
While K-pop continues to gain greater recognition worldwide, South Korea's prolific, small underground-music scene is still struggling to find audiences outside of Seoul.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Oct 29, 2010
Ryo the Skywalker's new hope
Search the music section on social networking website Twitter and you'll see a long list of known global megastars, including Britney Spears and Kanye West. Directly under Justin Timberlake is Japan's only representative on the list — Ryo the Skywalker, the stage name of Ryo Yamaguchi.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Oct 15, 2010
Ling tosite sigure seek virgin fans on the road
Preparing to hit the road to showcase their fourth long-player, "still a Sigure virgin?," Ling tosite sigure have only one thing on their minds: arousing new fans.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Oct 15, 2010
Lite
The music industry is like high school in a way: You become cooler and life becomes more advantageous after you make some well-connected, older pals.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Sep 24, 2010
Band A to headline Fukuoka club crawl
Fukuoka recently ranked 14th in U.K. magazine Monocle's annual "Most Livable Cities Index." Alt-rock duo Band A are unsurprised their city fared so well.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Sep 24, 2010
Ling tosite sigure "still a Sigure virgin?"
Building themselves into one of the country's more successful indie acts, Saitama trio Ling tosite sigure graduated to the majors for 2009's "just A moment." Since then, they've sold over 60,000 units of the record, toured in Britain (their first international gigs) and drew 7,000 fans to the Saitama...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Sep 3, 2010
Pia-no-jaC
Combining letters from the names of the instruments they play — piano and cajon (a South American box drum) — to create their handle, Pia-no-jaC's stripped-down keys and percussion setup has netted the Tokyo duo a fair amount of attention.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Aug 27, 2010
Neon Gravity ready to jack the party at Fukuoka's Sunset Live
Summer's end may be near, but music festival season is far from finished. Featuring 70 acts, the 18th edition of Fukuoka's Sunset Live will take place Sept. 3-5. Situated along the shore of Keya Beach, the event's picturesque surroundings boast plenty of greenery, sand and surf for the anticipated crowd...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Aug 20, 2010
BXI "BXI"
BXI is a collaborative effort between Tokyo's Boris and British vocalist Ian Astbury. The former are a prolific trio whose constantly evolving hybrid of heavy, avant-garde metal and psychedelic sounds has made them much revered abroad. The latter is best known as the frontman for The Cult and the former...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jul 30, 2010
Harp on Mouth Sextet "Kasane no Neiro"
Hailing from Kyoto, Harp on Mouth Sextet create their own contemporary groove-oriented version of gagaku, a centuries-old form of Japanese court music. Among the stronger performers on the up-and-comer stage at last year's Fuji Rock Festival, their matching attire, which includes traditional bamboo hats...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jul 23, 2010
Buffalo Daughter: "The Weapons of Math Destruction"
Benefiting from their Shibuya-kei affiliation in the early 1990s, Buffalo Daughter attracted international attention and established an overseas cult following through associations with the likes of the Beastie Boys' former Grand Royal imprint. "The Weapons of Math Destruction" retains the innovative,...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jul 9, 2010
Bo-Peep
Originally from Fukuoka, Tokyo-based trio Bo-Peep have impressed locals at the likes of Fuji Rock and garnered high praise overseas at renowned events such as South by Southwest in the United States and England's The Great Escape Festival. "Vibe" is the ladies' third album proper.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / A SCORCHING SUMMER SCHEDULE
Jul 2, 2010
YUI: Rock In Japan
Fukuoka's Yui has been turning out chart-toppers since releasing her 2006 major-label debut, "From Me to You," while still in her teens. The Avril Lavigne-esque songwriter's new disc, "Holidays in the Sun," will drop July 14 and she'll showcase it at Rock in Japan. Making her third appearance in as many...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jun 25, 2010
Te' "Aete, Rikai wo Nozomi Motsure Tsuku Onsei ya Moji no Wakugai de no 'Yakusoku' wo"
As one of the country's more popular instrumental rock acts, Tokyo's Te' have sold out large clubs in Japan and toured overseas in the United States and Taiwan. Signed to local indie imprint Zankyo Record since the act's 2004 inception, Te's fourth full-length is their first stab at working with a major....
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jun 18, 2010
Whatever you do, don't call it 'chillwave'
An online buzz began circulating last summer about a new style of music being created by underground acts in the United States. Labels used to describe the hazy tunes included "hypnagogic pop," "glo-fi" and "chillwave."
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jun 4, 2010
Singer-songwriter Nozuka's 'train' picks up speed
In the fall of 2007 and 2008, the Canadian Independent Record Production Association (CIRPA) hosted Asian Trade Missions in Tokyo to cement stronger footholds in Japan for Canuck music companies and acts.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
May 7, 2010
The Bawdies: "There's No Turning Back"
In the middle of The Bawdies' "There's No Turning Back," is "Sad Song," a lament of lost love that comes dangerously close to being a Matchbox 20-styled ballad better suited for a breakup scene in some cheesy romance flick than a rock 'n' roll record. And while by no means their best material, the credit...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Apr 23, 2010
Inspector Cluzo mix rock, blues, funk — no bass
Last year, French rock group The Inspector Cluzo played 185 concerts in 23 countries. Despite linguistic and cultural differences between the guitar-and-drums duo and their audiences, they had little difficulty spreading their basic message: "F-ck the bass player."
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Apr 9, 2010
Kaikoo Popwave Festival '10
Eagerly anticipating the upcoming outdoor music festival season? Spread over the course of two days and boasting nearly 70 acts on four open-air stages, the Kaikoo Popwave Festival should easily tide you over until the summer months arrive.
U.S. aircraft carrier returns to Japan carrying navy’s ‘most capable fighter’
U.S. 7th Fleet Commander Vice Adm. Fred Kacher speaks to reporters shortly after the arrival of aircraft carrier USS George Washington at Yokosuka naval base in Kanagawa Prefecture on Friday.
After Shohei Ohtani bump, Iwate ironware maker sees brighter future
Kaito Kikuchi's decision to send superstar Shohei Ohtani one of his company's traditional ironware tea kettles has paid off with a surge of interest from general consumers.
Japan approves ¥21.9 trillion stimulus plan
The policy chiefs of the Democratic Party for the People, Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito — Makoto Hamaguchi (left), Itsunori Onodera (center) and Mitsunari Okamoto — shake hands after reaching an agreement on an economic stimulus package on Wednesday.
Woman dies after train collides with car in Tochigi
A Moka Railway train car
Japan will spend ¥325 million in government funds on Princess Yuriko's funeral
Princess Yuriko waves during the New Year's public greeting at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo in January 2019.
133-year-old Kyushu railway station remains to be partially preserved
The remains of the original Moji Station in Kitakyushu
After Shohei Ohtani bump, Iwate ironware maker sees brighter future
Kaito Kikuchi's decision to send superstar Shohei Ohtani one of his company's traditional ironware tea kettles has paid off with a surge of interest from general consumers.
Shohei Ohtani wins National League MVP award
Shohei Ohtani celebrates after hitting a three-run home run against the Padres during the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles last month.
The slow-burn success of ‘A Samurai in Time’
A 19th-century warrior gets struck by lightning and wakes to find himself in 21st-century Kyoto in Junichi Yasuda’s surprise hit “A Samurai in Time.”
Around a quarter of Japan married couples in their 20s met through dating apps
A survey released by an organization promoting “Good Couples Day” shows that 24% of couples in their 20s met their marriage partner through a dating app.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?
By Kathryn Wortley

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

mission sustainability vol.12 : Kose Corp.Kose takes pride in creating beauty in the world
mission sustainability vol.12 : Kose Corp.Kose takes pride in creating beauty in the world

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