Post your favorites! While I think bands like YMO are probably more influential and important and charming bands like Shonen Knife and The Plastics will always have a place in my heart, my favorite is Jagatara, by a long shot. One of my all time favorite bands from anywhere and hardly even known here in their native Japan. Recommended if you like the idea of sticking Fela Kuti, King Crimson's "Discipline" era, Talking Heads, Zappa and P-Funk in a musical blender, and injecting plenty of punk rawness and cynical humor in the rendered pulp:
Boris gets my vote, diverse musically from super heavy drone to pop themes. A superb live band as well Also dig Flower Travelin Band and Church of Misery
Hmmm, lots of great bands from there. It's hard to pick one favorite. That said, I'll go with Tipographica today. Tomorrow I might say Happy Family.
The Boredoms. Everything from their “noise” beginnings - Soul Discharge, Wow2 - to their kraut rock-esque later albums - Super ae, Vision Creation Newsun - and the weird series they released like the Super Roots and the Rebore volumes. And now I’m wondering what the hell eYe is doing now. Mushrooms, probably. Sigh.
Outcast. IMO the best of the 60's pre-psych Japanese group sounds bands. In particular their Boku No Sobakara is a great 45 that has that moody New England sound. Unfortunately original copies of their lp and most of their singles are super rare www.discogs.com/artist/2342369
My favorite (besides YMO) And best described is if Lene Lovich joined the B-52’s and they were all Japanese you would have The Plastics!
