reviews

***A-***
ONE OF THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2006
RIYL: QUICKSAND, HUM, MOGWAI, DINOSAUR JR
“DOWNRIGHT AWESOME, JAPANESE SUNDAY HAVE SOME OF THE BEST DAMN INSTRUMENTAL WORK YOU’LL HEAR”...”WITH THEIR INSTRUMENTS, THEY TAKE YOU ON AN AWESOME TRIP FROM ONE TRACK TO THE NEXT.”
-THE MUSIC EDGE

***9 OUT OF 10***
“THIS INDIE ROCK POWERHOUSE KNOWN AS JAPANESE SUNDAY SHOULD BE A WELCOME ADDITION TO THE SAN DIEGO ROSTER OF QUALITY BANDS. HAVING PUT TOGETHER A TEN SONG DEBUT THAT FLOATS FROM THE ELOQUENCE SIMILAR TO THAT OF EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY TO THE RAUCOUSNESS OF ACTS LIKE FUGAZI, JAPANESE SUNDAY HAVE MANAGED TO DEVELOP A SOUND ALL THEIR OWN.”
-SAN DIEGO PUNK

***EDITOR’S PICK***
"WELCOMING YOU TO THE WORLD OF HUM AND EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY, JAPANESE SUNDAY
EMPLOYS SHOEGAZER GUITAR-CENTRIC ROCK WITH DENSE VOCAL ARRANGEMENTS. EMOTIONALLY WROUGHT INDIE ROCK WITH THICK GUITARS THAT FINGER THEIR WAY THROUGH YOUR BODY’S HAIR, TICKLING EACH AND EVERY SPOT WITH SPINE TINGLING ACCURACY...IMPECCABLE."
-SMOTHER MAGAZINE

"JAPANESE SUNDAY ARE AT BRIMMING VOLUME, GEARING TO BREAK SOMETHING - BE IT THEIR OWN INSTRUMENTS OR YOUR ATTENTION...EXPLORES VARIOUS SPACES NOT READILY FOUND IN "PROGRESSIVE" ROCK TODAY...IF MOST OF THE RECENT DRAB CROP OF 'INDIE FLASHES' HAVE LEFT YOU [LIKE MANY] RETURNING TO YOUR WELL-WORN COPY OF DIARY, FUELED WITH ALL THINGS "GRENDEL" - JAPANESE SUNDAY ARE STEADILY FILLING A VOID. SEEK."
-SCTAS.COM

"THEY PROVIDE BOTH AN EERIE AND DREAMY BACKDROP WITH SMASHING CHORUSES ACCOMPANIED BY SOFT AND LAZY VOCALS. JAPANESE SUNDAY IS A BAND THAT HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN TO TAKE OFF. DONT MISS THE CHANCE TO CHECK THEM OUT!"
-SDMUSICMATTERS

“THEY DO REACH SOME GRAND HEIGHTS WITH THIS BIG, BEEFY INDIE ROCK...THEY SHOW PROMISE ."
-POP MATTERS

***4 STARS***
"A TRUE STANDOUT...BY FAR THE BEST EXAMPLE OF A SUCCESSFUL TRAVERSAL OF GENRES, AT LEAST IN RECENT MEMORY...MUSICAL BEAUTY...BRIDGING THE GAP IS A HARD THING TO DO. MOST ATTEMPTS NEVER COME TO FRUITION AND MANY OUTRIGHT FAIL. THIS EFFORT, HOWEVER, IS ONE OF THE FEW THAT SUCCEEDS. IF POST-ROCK CAN FIND MORE BANDS LIKE JAPANESE SUNDAY TO PULL MORE AND MORE LISTENERS IN, THE POSSIBILITY OF IT CHANGING FROM AN UNDERGROUND SCENE INTO A BURGEONING, SEMI-POPULAR GENRE WILL DEFINITELY BE MORE PLAUSIBLE."
-DECOY MUSIC

GOES WELL WITH: BARDO POND, MOGWAI, DINOSAUR JR
"A SOLID DEBUT FROM A SAN DIEGO BAND THAT BELIEVES TO AN ALMOST RELIGIOUS DEGREE IN THE POWER OF THE ROCK-GUITAR CRESCENDO. THEY DONT NECESSARILY DILLY DALLY WITH DRAWN-OUT INSTRUMENTAL FOREPLAY LIKE GODSPEED YOU BLACK EMPEROR!. THEYLL START WITH A THUNDER, THEN EASE BACK INTO DELICATE PINS-AND-NEEDLE WORK OF POST-ROCK BANDS LIKE THE ALBUM LEAF AND TORTOISE. BURIED IN THE CRAGGY WALLS OF SOUND IS VOCALIST ERIC KUSANAGI, WHO’S HIGH-PITCHED MOAN IS A POWERFUL WEAPON THE BAND WOULD DO WELL TO SHOWCASE IN SUBSEQUENT RECORDINGS...ESSENTIALLY A WELL-EXECUTED WAVE OF GUITAR..."
-SAN DIEGO CITYBEAT

“JAPANESE SUNDAY'S DEBUT ALBUM TAPS TAPS LIGHTS OUT IS KIND OF LIKE A RESTLESS NIGHT OF SLEEP. THE SOFT AND SLEEPY GUITAR MELODIES WEAVING THROUGH THE ALBUM CONVEY A SENSE OF FALLING INTO THE DEEPER STAGES TOWARD REM SLEEP, WHILE OTHER THICK, HEAVY GUITAR SOUNDS AND SMASHING DRUMS REFLECT THE FEELING OF AN INSOMNIAC TOSSING AND TURNING, UNABLE TO STOP THINKING. ITS THIS KIND OF INTERCHANGE BETWEEN ECHOING AND DISTORTED SOUNDS THAT CHARACTERIZES THE ALBUM...A WORTHY EFFORT FOR A FIRST ALBUM"
-WEST COAST PERFORMER MAGAZINE

“GOOD SOLID INDIE SHOEGAZE”
-SD DIALED IN

***NOMINATED BEST LOCAL RECORDING***
-SAN DIEGO MUSIC ACADEMY

***BAND OF THE MONTH***
-SAN DIEGO PUNK

***MP3 OF THE WEEK***
-SAN DIEGO PUNK