A Little Ska to Brighten Your Holidays with Zankyou Symmetry

How often to we write about Zankyou Symmetry around these parts? Not often enough! Thankfully, the Ska Idol Project have blessed us with not one, but two music videos on this cold December 24. How’s that for a Christmas miracle?

https://youtu.be/tG_v3wuIrYA

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Let’s Remember Some Idols: Hauptharmonie

Man, this is a tough one. For you newer folks, this may be the kind of unique treat that makes you rue the vicissitudes of idol, the way that many of us from 2014-15 felt about the original BiS (only without the same level of makes-the-scene-happen influence, natch). Veterans may recall Hauptharmonie, though; veterans of Ye Olde Website may recall them as one of Maniac’s most heart-stopping idol projects, an almost impossible synergy of jazz and blues and big-band swing and ska and … well, and idol.

This is what the world misses without Hauptharmonie in it:

That was the lead from their second EP and second full album, the delicious Herz ueber Kopf, which felt at the time like a genuine breakthrough recording. Much as I had with Avandoned, I was a little bit reluctant to cover Hauptharmonie — celebrate personally, yes, but cover? — given that they were never really a rock unit per se. But listen to that song. Watch that video. Tell me that the attitude and approach weren’t there, even in limited quantities. That’s the kind of music that made old biddies back in the day declaim jazz as the devil’s music. It’s totally wonderful. Continue reading

Batten Show Jo Tai’s Latest is Ska-riffic

And now you’ll see what I meant in that BiS post; this was actually scheduled last night

Why didn’t somebody (Mister Mister) tell me about this? “Irritating” “Special Day” (see comment), Batten Show Jo Tai’s third single, is out on Feb. 15, and the PV is out now, and it’s exactly the jolt you need on stupid January Hump Day.


ばってん少女隊 – 「すぺしゃるでい」すぺしゃるVer. by jaeho-choi

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