JPU Tom’s Top 5 Albums of 2013

If you’ve been following Japan Underground this month, you’ll have seen we’ve been talking to the staff at JPU Records on their favourite albums of the year, Japanese or otherwise. Today’s the last of these features as we check out the five biggest albums of the year according to JPU and Japan Underground founder and head honcho, Tom Smith. Any words on the selection, Tom? “Circles and triangles were in this year when it came to cover design, weren’t they? Anyway, a number of people ask me what kind of stuff I listen to outside of ‘work’ – this should give you an idea! I had to be careful not to fill this list entirely with JPU releases… so I’ve been good and only included one… and it’s also my favourite album this year.”

Ling tosite sigure – i’mperfect
“This album. It’s not only at the top of my personal five favourite albums of 2013, it’s also in my top ten albums this side of the millennium. It took me well over a year for the LTS sound to click with me, but once it did, I was HOOKED. I’mperfect reminds me a lot of another favourite album of mine; Relationship of Command from At The Drive-In (listen on Spotify) – yet Sigure sound nothing like ATDI, but the energy of that album is present here too. Scratch that, imagine Relationship of Command condensed to 4 minutes and you have Ling tosite sigure’s ‘Sitai miss me’. My only problem with this album is that it’s over far too soon.”
Outsanding tracks: abnormalize, Beautiful Circus.
Buy from Amazon: Regular Edition, Digital Edition
Buy direct from JPU Records (worldwide shipping)

Bring Me The Horizon – Sempiternal
“BMTH first appeared on my radar years back when friends were going crazy over ‘Pray for Plagues’ and ‘[I Used to Make Out With] Medusa’. I didn’t really get the fuss, but that didn’t stop them ramming BMTH down my throat for the next few years… as a result I never really looked into the band much, which, looking back, is a shame. It was thanks to a different force shoving BMTH my way that I did eventually get into them; Youtube, with its barrage of Sempiternal ads earlier this year. I decided to listen on Spotify, and then buying the album after my month’s listening limit was used up just from playing it over and over. It still gets a lot of play today too.”
Outstanding tracks: Can You Feel My Heart, Shadow Moses.
Buy from Amazon: Regular Edition, Vinyl Edition, Digital (Deluxe) Edition.

Enter Shikari – Rat Race EP
“Much like Bring Me The Horizon, Enter Shikari are another band my friends have been going bonkers about for years, especially as they’re local boys. I’d seen more than my fair share of human pyramids at Shikari shows over the years  but never felt the need to buy an album. That was until I heard RADIATE on BBC Radio 1’s Rock Show. In fact, RADIATE is probably my favourite song this year, from anyone. I love it and it always lifts my mood. From there I worked backwards, and a month later I was the proud owner of all of Enter Shikari’s studio albums. Now they’re one of my favourite bands, and if this was a list of top 5 albums listened to during 2013, Enter Shikari’s A Flash Flood of Colour would be number one by a long way.”
Outstanding Tracks: RADIATE, Paddington Frisk.
Buy from Amazon: Digital Version

Crossfaith – Zion EP
“Yep, the EP and not APOCALYZE, their newest album. That’s not to say APOCALYZE isn’t  a lot of fun – it’s just too much for me. It’s like eating chocolate cake, with a side helping of chocolate cake, with extra chocolate cake on top. Sure, I live chocolate cake but in moderation, man… Zion, is just the right length, and full of nothing but killer tune after killer tune. I’m listening to it while I write this and I want to go out and jump around.”
Outstanding tracks: Jagerbomb, Monolith.
Buy from Amazon: Regular Version, Digital Version, +1 Import Version

NOISEMAKER – DOUBLE COLOR SHEEP
“I went to a live show severely hungover while in Tokyo, just to see my mate’s band Silhouette from the Skylit support the amazing JAWEYE. Except, for some reason JAWEYE was on first and I totally missed them from rolling in late… instead NOISEMAKER were headlining, and despite hurting from the night before, their live set brought me back to life and rocking down the front with everyone else. They gave me their album, and I haven’t stopped listening to it since. They remind me a bit of what would happen if SPYAIR went heavier… mixed with the stuff I used to listen to as a teenager. Anyway, awesome band, and now I’m seriously thinking about releasing this album in Europe – so do tell me what you think and have a listen to the tracks I link below. Plus their cover of Rhianna’s Rude Boy is also genius.”
Outstanding tracks: THE NEW ERA, platinum shoes.
Buy from iTunes

JPU Matt’s Top 5 Albums of 2013

Last week we caught up with JPU Records’ sparkly assistant Chriss for her top five albums of 2013, which includes its fair share of visual kei, glam rock and electro-pop cheese. Next up on the firing squad is JPU Matt: salesman extraordinaire. If you’ve ever visited the JPU Records shop at events, he’s probably the reason you’ve over spent and ended up going home with way more CDs than you set out to get. When not at the shop you’ll probably find him shouting at the Japan Underground DJ to play his favourite songs, or front-row of a random gig somewhere in the UK. Here are his top five albums of the year:

A Day To Remember – Common Courtesy
“A relatively late entrance into the running as the album only got a physical release on November 25th but an instant hit in my books. This album is crammed full of heavy hitting riffs and powerful acoustic tracks. Every song has a story to tell and the band tell it well.”
Outstanding tracks – Violence (Enough is Enough), End Of Me.
Buy from Amazon: Regular Edition, Digital Edition.

BOOM BOOM SATELLITES – EMBRACE
“Mixing rock and electro can some times go horribly wrong but BOOM BOOM SATELLITES have been doing it fantastically for years, and this new offering is no exception. What could be better than buying a new album and finding a cover of your favourite Beatles song? (not much in the musical world that’s for sure!) The band’s cover of ‘HELTER SKELTER‘ is one of the best versions I have ever heard. From the first beats of the opening track ‘ANOTHER PERFECT DAY‘ you know that you are in for more of what BBS do best, powerful tracks with smooth deep vocals. For me this is the best album to put on when I’m going on a long drive, pump up the volume and lets go!”
Outstanding Tracks – BROKEN MIRROR (<-official music video), FLUTTER.
Buy from Amazon: European Special Edition, Digital Edition, Japanese Limited Edition.
Buy direct from JPU Records (worldwide shipping).

Bring Me The Horizon – Sempiternal
“Bring Me The Horizon are one of those bands you either love or hate, upon hearing that a new album was coming out I wasn’t bothered at all. But on a suggestion from a friend I took a listen to the opening track ‘Can You Feel My Heart‘ and fell in love. Much like the band’s last album, this outing is more ‘lyrical’ with less flat out screaming and more singing. Catchy, easy to learn choruses mean that you will have each song stuck in your head for days, and will most likely be singing them at the top of your lungs every time they come on!”
Outstanding tracks – Sleepwalking (<-official music video), Hospital for Souls.
Buy from Amazon: Regular Edition, Vinyl Edition, Digital (Deluxe) Edition.

Ling tosite sigure – i’mperfect
“This album is definitely a grower at first I wasn’t too sure but after 2 or 3 listens i started to love it! If you have never had the pleasure of listening to Ling tosite sigure this album is a great place to start, it gives you a perfect example of what the band are all about and shows off there indie/ hardcore style. Straight off the bat you are thrown into the hectic world of TK and his band with opening track ‘Beautiful Circus‘, It’s unlike anything I had heard before! Raw guitar riffs and male/female fairly high pitched vocals make a great mix and invite you into a world of rock wonder!”
Outstanding Tracks – Metamorphose, Sitai miss me.
Buy from Amazon: Regular Edition, Digital Edition.
Buy direct from JPU Records (worldwide shipping).

ONE OK ROCK – Jinsei×Boku=
“This album is a perfect mix of head banging floor fillers and Lighter in the air ballads, every track leads you into the next right to the end. Seeing ONE OK ROCK live in October was one of the musical highlights of my year and has me counting down the days till they return to a UK venue.”
Outstanding Tracks – ONION!, Nothing Helps.
Buy from Amazon: Regular Edition. Buy from iTunes: Digital Edition.

Next time we’ll speak to JPU found Tom Smith on his essential albums of the year. Until then, and seeing as no tracks from A Day to Remember have been officially uploaded on YouTube, we’ll leave you with the rather excellent BROKEN MIRROR from BOOM BOOM SATELLITES instead. Enjoy. (The music starts from 39 seconds in if you’d rather not wait)