As a rule, East-West musical crossovers used to be a one-way street, with Japanese bands typically absorbing Western influences and making the music their own. However, bit by bit, the flow of ideas and sounds has started to shift direction, and this month two releases come bearing the fruits of two-way traffic.
The single “Lightning Runaway" (part of Tower Records’ "No Music No Life" compilation), released on Sept. 2, 2009, is the product of cross-pollination between Japanese indie act The Pillows and U.S. singer/songwriter Ben Kweller (touring Japan this month). The other release, "Two Sunsets," an album made by Scottish alternative act The Pastels and cult Japanese act Tenniscoats, came online on Sept. 7, 2009.
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