None Of My Groupies Want To Dance

Marit Bergman “Adios Amigos” – I can’t help but to think of Marit Bergman as being like an Earth 3 Avril Lavigne who isn’t so much a punker in appearance, but has the sound and the spirit. “Adios Amigos” starts off sounding a bit like The Strokes (which is interesting, because it sounds specifically like them rather than their own reference points), but then kicks into high gear with a chorus of “ohs” and “yeahs;” a dynamic shift which feels like a genuine jolt of energy as opposed to rote post-Nirvana rock formula. Merit’s lyrics are charming and self-deprecating – she tells us that she’s a “lousy guitarist” and that she sings “out of tune,” and that she’s been “too fat for leather pants” – but it doesn’t come off as moping. She sounds confident and self-assured, as though she just doesn’t care about any of that, and neither should you. (Click here to buy it from Ginza.)

UA “Sonna Sora Ni Wa Oduru Uma”– After releasing a string of hit pop and children’s records in her native Japan, UA has made a sudden and dramatic career shift with her new album, Sun – she’s gone free jazz. If you can imagine Bjork collaborating with Albert Ayler, that should give you an idea of what this record sounds like, though there is a sprawling, elemental feeling to it which almost defies description. At its best, the record sounds both primal and soothing, as it manages to find the calm in the center of chaos. (Click here to buy it from Amazon Japan.)