2024 July Challenge Thread - Welcome to Japan! (日本へようこそ!)
- Thread starter Rip_City
- Start date
jamieanderson1968
ninniest jackaninny
July 18 - Play a record that has never been at risk of being out of print
David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust (30th Anniversary Japanese CD)
According to Discogs there are 442 version of this album. Seems like there is still a new pressing at least once a year. This version includes a 2nd disc of demos, housed in a hardback book, with extensive liner notes commissioned from Bowie biographer David Buckley
David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust (30th Anniversary Japanese CD)
According to Discogs there are 442 version of this album. Seems like there is still a new pressing at least once a year. This version includes a 2nd disc of demos, housed in a hardback book, with extensive liner notes commissioned from Bowie biographer David Buckley
Turbo
Well-Known Member
Day 17 / 2024.S7.E17 - Legends Only (伝説のみ)
Only once did I wait in line for >30min at a restaurant in Japan; at Usagi Ramen (うさぎラーメン) [lit. “rabbit ramen”]. Despite the name, they don’t use rabbit meat anywhere in their meals. They have a very brief schedule of business hours: 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM on weekdays. But the main reason I made it a destination is because the restaurant is owned by Nao Seba, the younger brother of legendary producer/beatsmith Nujabes. The restaurant specializes in tantanmen (担々麵; Chinese spicy noodles with minced meat), but they have several other ramen varieties available.The line outside the door ran about 15 people deep before opening, and with only 12 seats inside the establishment, getting there early is practically mandatory given the three-hour window. They don’t allow photos inside the restaurant, so this photo of the outside sign is all I have. Inside, the staff play Nujabes music all throughout the day, making for a very relaxed atmosphere. It isn’t some tourist trap place either; the ramen I ate was of surprisingly high quality. I’m dragging my brother here next year. Play a hip hop/rap record.
I
tantan ramen.
A Tribe Called Quest "We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service" (2016 Epic)
Includes a tracked titled "Tokyo Conrad" so my self-imposed thematic challenge is still alive. Oh, and there's a lyric about eating "ramen noodles" in "We The People".
Only once did I wait in line for >30min at a restaurant in Japan; at Usagi Ramen (うさぎラーメン) [lit. “rabbit ramen”]. Despite the name, they don’t use rabbit meat anywhere in their meals. They have a very brief schedule of business hours: 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM on weekdays. But the main reason I made it a destination is because the restaurant is owned by Nao Seba, the younger brother of legendary producer/beatsmith Nujabes. The restaurant specializes in tantanmen (担々麵; Chinese spicy noodles with minced meat), but they have several other ramen varieties available.The line outside the door ran about 15 people deep before opening, and with only 12 seats inside the establishment, getting there early is practically mandatory given the three-hour window. They don’t allow photos inside the restaurant, so this photo of the outside sign is all I have. Inside, the staff play Nujabes music all throughout the day, making for a very relaxed atmosphere. It isn’t some tourist trap place either; the ramen I ate was of surprisingly high quality. I’m dragging my brother here next year. Play a hip hop/rap record.
I
tantan ramen.A Tribe Called Quest "We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service" (2016 Epic)
Includes a tracked titled "Tokyo Conrad" so my self-imposed thematic challenge is still alive. Oh, and there's a lyric about eating "ramen noodles" in "We The People".
Turbo
Well-Known Member
Day 18 / 2024.S7.E18 - Convenient…or is it? (便利だね？ それともあんまりない？)
Vending machines. Vending machines everywhere. You can’t escape them; over 5.5M exist across the entire country, or more than one for every 25 citizens. In the common tourist areas, most carry the same items (water, Coke products, tea, coffee, etc.) but there are vending machines that sell non-practical items (holiday ornaments, plastic toys, fake eyelashes, frozen beef, etc.) in a few trendy areas. The point being, they are ubiquitous and so…Play a record that has never been at risk of being out of print or where used copies are common in retail/record stores.
Led Zeppelin "Untitled" (1971 Atlantic; 1976 japanese reissue)
Vending machines. Vending machines everywhere. You can’t escape them; over 5.5M exist across the entire country, or more than one for every 25 citizens. In the common tourist areas, most carry the same items (water, Coke products, tea, coffee, etc.) but there are vending machines that sell non-practical items (holiday ornaments, plastic toys, fake eyelashes, frozen beef, etc.) in a few trendy areas. The point being, they are ubiquitous and so…Play a record that has never been at risk of being out of print or where used copies are common in retail/record stores.
Led Zeppelin "Untitled" (1971 Atlantic; 1976 japanese reissue)
Yer Ol' Uncle D
Well-Known Member
Day 19 / 2024.S7.E19 - The Art of Flower Arrangement (生け花)
Play a record that features flora (flowers, trees, shrubs, plants) on the album cover.
As if the cover bathed in flora wasn't enough, this record came with a pack of money plant seeds to grow your own.
A nice VU freakout on the last half...
Music Band - Wake Up Laughing
Play a record that features flora (flowers, trees, shrubs, plants) on the album cover.
As if the cover bathed in flora wasn't enough, this record came with a pack of money plant seeds to grow your own.
A nice VU freakout on the last half...
Music Band - Wake Up Laughing
LeeVing
Well-Known Member
Day 19 / 2024.S7.E19 - The Art of Flower Arrangement (生け花)
Play a record that features flora (flowers, trees, shrubs, plants) on the album cover.
Just a pleasant walk through some shrubbery...
One of the better collections of Italian library music I've come across. While the release only mentions the 2 aliases, Armando Amleto Roelens, Stefano Torossi, Sandro Brugnolini and Giancarlo Gazzani all worked together and all received equal pay.
Jay Richford & Gary Stevan – Feelings
Be With Records – BEWITH094LP, 1974/2021
Cut by Pete Norman
Pressed at Record Industry
Play a record that features flora (flowers, trees, shrubs, plants) on the album cover.
Just a pleasant walk through some shrubbery...
One of the better collections of Italian library music I've come across. While the release only mentions the 2 aliases, Armando Amleto Roelens, Stefano Torossi, Sandro Brugnolini and Giancarlo Gazzani all worked together and all received equal pay.
Jay Richford & Gary Stevan – Feelings
Be With Records – BEWITH094LP, 1974/2021
Cut by Pete Norman
Pressed at Record Industry
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TenderLovingKiller®
Well-Known Member
Day 19: The Art of Flower Arrangement (生け花)
Play a record that features flora (flowers, trees, shrubs, plants) on the album cover.
The Beach Boys - Endless Summer = ベスト20 / 終わりなき夏
One of my all time favorite album covers, Peak bearded hippie Beach Boys peaking through heavy tropical vegetation with a big wave cresting behind them. An interesting thing about the Japanese cut of this album is that it’s the only version that’s a single disc, most copies were spread over two LPs. Surprisingly, even with all that music smooshed into a single LP, it still sounds spectacular.
Play a record that features flora (flowers, trees, shrubs, plants) on the album cover.
The Beach Boys - Endless Summer = ベスト20 / 終わりなき夏
One of my all time favorite album covers, Peak bearded hippie Beach Boys peaking through heavy tropical vegetation with a big wave cresting behind them. An interesting thing about the Japanese cut of this album is that it’s the only version that’s a single disc, most copies were spread over two LPs. Surprisingly, even with all that music smooshed into a single LP, it still sounds spectacular.
zomgbear
Well-Known Member
Day 16 / 2024.S7.E16 - Even Monkeys Fall From Trees (猿も木から落ちる)
Play a record that you might have regretted purchasing for whatever reason (outright didn’t enjoy, ignored Discogs warnings, realized it was already owned, artist/band turned out to be problematic, etc.). Alternatively, play an album that you regretted selling and ultimately purchased again later!
This is the latter in this case. I'm sure i have a lot of other examples but this is the most recent I can think of. I originally bought this expensively imported from LITA. I ended up selling it for about the same but regretted selling it and missed having it. Later i saw that it must have been domestically released or something? It was available from US retailers for much cheaper in a white variant so I took my chance and grabbed that.
Mai Yamane - Tasogare
I learned my lesson - not letting go of this copy.
Play a record that you might have regretted purchasing for whatever reason (outright didn’t enjoy, ignored Discogs warnings, realized it was already owned, artist/band turned out to be problematic, etc.). Alternatively, play an album that you regretted selling and ultimately purchased again later!
This is the latter in this case. I'm sure i have a lot of other examples but this is the most recent I can think of. I originally bought this expensively imported from LITA. I ended up selling it for about the same but regretted selling it and missed having it. Later i saw that it must have been domestically released or something? It was available from US retailers for much cheaper in a white variant so I took my chance and grabbed that.
Mai Yamane - Tasogare
I learned my lesson - not letting go of this copy.
Rip_City
Well-Known Member
Day 19 / 2024.S7.E19 - The Art of Flower Arrangement (生け花)
The art form in Japan known as “Ikebana” (生け花) has existed for multiple centuries. The purpose of this art is for flowers to be ornately arranged to appear as if they are communicating with the observer; a life of their own. Branches and leaves which the artist sees as extraneous are delicately trimmed and those that remain are manicured with precision. As large or dense as a beautiful plant may be, sometimes the size and colors may be overwhelming to concentrate on specific attributes. Even a pair of branches with a single color background can communicate a unique, cohesive vision of unity, order, or maybe even a familial relationship. Play a record that features flora (flowers, trees, shrubs, plants) on the album cover.
Narumi Yasuda (安田成美) - All That's Narumi Yasuda
Yasuda-san is carrying a bouquet of flowers on the front cover.
Purchasing this record very well may have spurred my enjoyment in individual city pop LPs. I did not have any kayokyoku/techno-kayo/city pop prior to this title outside of the Pacific Breeze compilation series. Looking at the liner notes and credits, I see that Haruomi Hosono (細野晴臣) and Yukihiro Takahashi (高橋幸宏) were responsible for the production, so this explains a lot of why I still like this despite not playing it more than twice since I bought it. Bought this at Musique Plastique when they reopened back in 2022 at a strange location at the mall (short lived; now they don't have a location at all
). As for the music, it is a compilation of her performing techno-kayo/kayokyoku/city pop tunes up to that point. The opening track is the theme to Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (風の谷のナウシカ); she is the original performer for the film.
The art form in Japan known as “Ikebana” (生け花) has existed for multiple centuries. The purpose of this art is for flowers to be ornately arranged to appear as if they are communicating with the observer; a life of their own. Branches and leaves which the artist sees as extraneous are delicately trimmed and those that remain are manicured with precision. As large or dense as a beautiful plant may be, sometimes the size and colors may be overwhelming to concentrate on specific attributes. Even a pair of branches with a single color background can communicate a unique, cohesive vision of unity, order, or maybe even a familial relationship. Play a record that features flora (flowers, trees, shrubs, plants) on the album cover.
Narumi Yasuda (安田成美) - All That's Narumi Yasuda
Yasuda-san is carrying a bouquet of flowers on the front cover.
Purchasing this record very well may have spurred my enjoyment in individual city pop LPs. I did not have any kayokyoku/techno-kayo/city pop prior to this title outside of the Pacific Breeze compilation series. Looking at the liner notes and credits, I see that Haruomi Hosono (細野晴臣) and Yukihiro Takahashi (高橋幸宏) were responsible for the production, so this explains a lot of why I still like this despite not playing it more than twice since I bought it. Bought this at Musique Plastique when they reopened back in 2022 at a strange location at the mall (short lived; now they don't have a location at all
). As for the music, it is a compilation of her performing techno-kayo/kayokyoku/city pop tunes up to that point. The opening track is the theme to Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (風の谷のナウシカ); she is the original performer for the film.
zomgbear
Well-Known Member
Day 18 / 2024.S7.E18 - Convenient…or is it? (便利だね？ それともあんまりない？)
Play a record that has never been at risk of being out of print or where used copies are common in retail/record stores.
I was thinking more in the line of what records that everyone seems to pick up when they start a record collection? Someone already took Dark side of the moon so I chose this which seems to have a pressing or a release almost every year since 1969 on vinyl or CD or tape. Deserving as well because this is a great album.
King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King
Play a record that has never been at risk of being out of print or where used copies are common in retail/record stores.
I was thinking more in the line of what records that everyone seems to pick up when they start a record collection? Someone already took Dark side of the moon so I chose this which seems to have a pressing or a release almost every year since 1969 on vinyl or CD or tape. Deserving as well because this is a great album.
King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King
jamieanderson1968
ninniest jackaninny
July 19 - Play a record that features flora on the album cover
Yo La Tengo - Fade (hard to see with the reflective cover)
Nothing says “flora” like a big ass tree
Yo La Tengo - Fade (hard to see with the reflective cover)
Nothing says “flora” like a big ass tree
Wicked Dreamer
Well-Known Member
Day 19: The Art of Flower Arrangement
Ivy Sole - Overgrown
Ivy Sole - Overgrown
jfitzy
Well-Known Member
Scooped!
zomgbear
Well-Known Member
Sorry! It's a great album you should probably play it anyways lol
Turbo
Well-Known Member
Day 19 / 2024.S7.E19 - The Art of Flower Arrangement (生け花)
The art form in Japan known as “Ikebana” (生け花) has existed for multiple centuries. The purpose of this art is for flowers to be ornately arranged to appear as if they are communicating with the observer; a life of their own. Branches and leaves which the artist sees as extraneous are delicately trimmed and those that remain are manicured with precision. As large or dense as a beautiful plant may be, sometimes the size and colors may be overwhelming to concentrate on specific attributes. Even a pair of branches with a single color background can communicate a unique, cohesive vision of unity, order, or maybe even a familial relationship. Play a record that features flora (flowers, trees, shrubs, plants) on the album cover.
John Lennon "Plastic Ono Band" (1970 Apple Records; 1977 Japanese reissue)
The art form in Japan known as “Ikebana” (生け花) has existed for multiple centuries. The purpose of this art is for flowers to be ornately arranged to appear as if they are communicating with the observer; a life of their own. Branches and leaves which the artist sees as extraneous are delicately trimmed and those that remain are manicured with precision. As large or dense as a beautiful plant may be, sometimes the size and colors may be overwhelming to concentrate on specific attributes. Even a pair of branches with a single color background can communicate a unique, cohesive vision of unity, order, or maybe even a familial relationship. Play a record that features flora (flowers, trees, shrubs, plants) on the album cover.
John Lennon "Plastic Ono Band" (1970 Apple Records; 1977 Japanese reissue)
jfitzy
Well-Known Member
I for sure will! I actually had just given it a wash in the spin clean and was waiting for it to dry when you posted. So it’s in the rotation for this evening.