Akemashite Omedetou

New Years came and went and I'm back in Tokyo after a 10 hour drive home across Japan. I spent the last 5 days running around Kyoto, Osaka, and Wakayama with Fulbrighters and family. Kyoto and Osaka were typical Fulbrighter outings - heavy on the karaoke and yakiniku with in a bit of temple visiting. I got to spend quality time with Jen and Dave, and got to hang out with John, the Fulbrighter from Hokkaido who hasn't been around much so far this year and just got back from Thailand where he fortunately didn't die. It was pretty cold in Kansai and it snowed a lot, with it snowing the hardest the night Dave and I decided to walk home from the train station at 5 AM. On New Years Eve, as expected when midnight struck we hadn't picked a place to go yet, so we ended up standing in the snow singing Aud Lang Syne in the snow (or humming it, since people really only know the first line to that song). All in all, quality time spent.

I caught the last train down to Gobo (the part of Wakayama my relatives live in) from Osaka on the night of the first. I was in a huge rush to make the last trains from stations I'd never even seen before, and I was pretty scared I was going to hop on the wrong train and end up having to spend the night sitting in some station in the middle of nowhere. And even when I was positive I got on the wrong train, the station I was going to was so far out in the middle of nowhere, it didn't show up on the map. And the train kept scrolling this warning that the first 4 cars would go all the way to one station, and the last 4 cars would go all the way to another station. And you couldn't transfer between the cars without getting off the train first. I was so confused. How could one train have one half only go part way? But in the end, part of the train just went dead half way.

Wakayama was typical inaka (country-side) action with the relatives - boring and filled with old people. I was also sick the whole time with a head cold, which made matters worse. And I couldn't sleep at night because my uncle on one side of me was snoring and my cousin's baby on the otherside of me was crying it's head off. In a tangential conversation, I've decided that I do not want children. Unless my kids promise to not cry.

Here is most of my 2004 music wrap-up:

Favorite Albums of 2004 that I also own:

I bought a ridiculous number of CDs in 2004. Here are my favorites (some of these were actually released in 2003)
(5) Interpol - Antics - A little disappointing because it didn't have a killer song like Obstacle 2 from 'Turn On The Bright Lights', but it is even more stabbingly confident than their first album.
(4) Blonde Redhead - Misery is a Butterfly - this was a 2003 album I'm pretty sure, but I know I bought it in May of this year at a record shop on State Street in Santa Barbara. It is sexy, melancholy, and reminds me of 1970s spy movies. Incidentally, I haven't seen any 1970s spy movies.
(3) A.C. Newman - The Slow Wonder - I held off buying this album because I was afraid it would give me cavities like A.C. Newman's fulltime band, The New Porngraphers. But somehow, he managed to dial down the sugar in the instruments and still make a better powerpop album.
(2) The Unicorns - Who Will Cut Our Hair When We've Gone - Okay this was definitely a big find of 2003, but I didn't get the album til 2004 (when you still had to order it from Alien 9 to find it) and I saw the band twice live in Philly, which were pretty much the most hipster experiences of my life. Particularly the Easter Show with Sean when BOTH of the opening acts physically attacked hecklers in the crowd, and then 1/3 of the audience (including myself) joined the band on stage for an Easter Egg hunt during the last 2 songs of the show. It was so hipster I walked in with short hair, a windbreaker and khakis and walked out with long greasy hair, a blazer with pins in it, and ripped jeans. Okay, that's a lie. But still.
(1) Brian Wilson - Smile - Just a ridiculous achievement. Proves Brian Wilson has a few marbles left in his head and that it was worth the hype and (40-year) wait.

My Favorite Songs of 2004:

Wilco – Theologians: vintage Wilco on a new Wilco album.
Spitz – 正夢 (Masayume): one of the two best singles released in Japan since I got here.
Orange Range - 花 (Hana): The other best Japanese single released since I got here.
Ted Leo + RX – Counting Down the Hours: Pitchfork called this song, like, music from standing in line for Splash Mountain or something, but I call it the best song on Shake the Sheets.
Klass Brothers – Air in C Minor: First heard in the movie Collateral, this is now THE version of Air for me. Thanks emi.
Brian Wilson – Wonderful: A beautiful little gem on Smile, this rivals "I Will" and "Little Wing" for world's prettiest little tiny song by a guy that was a genius in the 60s.
Polyphonic Spree – Section 12 (Hold Me Now): While moving closer to becoming the world's largest Flaming Lips tribute band, the Spree got 3 things right on their new album: the 70s Broadway-Musical logo, better control of their orchestra, and this song.
Eminem – Like Toy Soldiers: If Em would make more songs like this and less like that crappy first single off of Encore (you know, the really annoying one), maybe I'd pay attention to him more than half the time. Though his plodding, minor-key piano tinkling production could use some variety, this song gets the best of it.
Sufjan Stevens – All The Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands - The most moving and delicate song on the year's most moving and delicate album.
Interpol – Next Exit / Slow Hands (Brit Daniel Remix) - They should bring back the bass and drum to the forefront of the production of this band, which Brit clearly knew and is why his remix kicks so much ass. Next Exit is what would happen if Interpol was playing instead of Marty when George McFly kisses Lorraine at the Enchantment Under The Sea Dance.
Franz Ferdinand – Take Me Out / Come On Home - Songs that seem to bookend a night out, Take Me Out stomps around ridiculously under a disco ball and Come On Home marches pompously around disco lasers.
Blonde Redhead – Elephant Woman - This song makes you feel like you're on your knees begging for one more chance even when you're alone in your room at 5 AM.
Iron & Wine – Each Coming Night / On Your Wings: The two best songs on Sam's new album. On Your Wings sounds like snakes in the grass on a steamy morning (yeah I don't know what that means either, but you have to hear the song), and Each Coming Night will help you go to sleep on nights when its hard to say goodbye. Again, you have to hear the song.
Asobi Seksu – I’m Happy But You Don’t Like Me - adorable jPop by a New York band. Don't worry if you don't understand the lyrics, because the title tells the whole story.
Air – Venus - This song has taken on a whole new meaning and now eats me up inside. It's great.
Jay-Z – Dirt of Your Shoulder/99 Problems - Okay, the album came out in 2003, but these songs didn't reach prominence til this year, right? I don't know which is better - Timbaland's laser blast beat or Rick's cowbell stompfest. But they both make me want to dance. Which makes listening to these songs on the subway embarrassing.
Usher ft. Lil Jon - Yeah - What!
Kanye West – Jesus Walks - The rapping is a little cringe-inducing here and there on this song ("the way Kathie Lee needed Regis is the way I need Jesus"), but the beat is hot and the message is nice.
A.C. Newman – Miracle Drug - The best powerpop rock song of the year, hands down.
The Walkmen – The Rat - The Walkmen are better when they play blue collar rock songs as opposed to drunken, reeling moaners. And this song happens to be everyone's favorite song by them
河口恭吾 (Kawaguchi Kyougo) - 桜 (Sakura) - This song is one of my favorite Japanese songs of all time. I'm not sure if it's still as moving if you don't understand the words, but try it out. When I sing it at karaoke, I get all caught up in the moment. Also embarrassing.
Top 5:
Modest Mouse – Float On - One of the songs that saved my summer and Modest Mouse either brilliantly or accidentally toeing the line between their usual weird self and pop.
The Shins - Gone for Good: From 2003 and I don't care. I listened to this song enough when putting on my defiant and strong face to make it a 2004 song to me.
The Unicorns - Tuff Ghost: Like Gone for Good, I don't care that this came out in 2003. It changed the first half of 2004 and is one of those songs you feel cool listening to.
Let’s Go Sailing – All I Want from You Is Love: A song which helped define the last half of 2004. I discovered this band "surfing the net" one night. This is the only song by them I have heard, and I believe they are unsigned. If they make songs like this, one of the most heartbreaking songs I've ever heard, please someone sign them.
Say Hi To Your Mom – Let’s Talk About Spaceships: This song is actually from 2003 also. I discovered it the same night as Let's Go Sailing and promptly bought the album since the band is actually signed. Despite the band's terrible name, their album of nervous pop rock a la Weezer was amazing, and this song was one of the songs that saved my sanity during the second half of 2004.