Tokyo Jihen’s new album Adult arrived in the post today. So of course I’ve been listening to it, and overall I have to say this album is much stronger than the first, Kyoiku. I per-ordered the limited edition ‘first pressing’, so the CD came in small box, with a bonus concert DVD (with only one track though) and a little scratch-n-sniff panel at the back of the CD insert with a special fragrance :)

The standout tracks so far have to be Tomei Ningen, Super Star and Yukiguni, which has a very dark feel, and is mostly Ringo-chan on her own with a piano. Certainly a lot different from the first, and has a lot of different musical styles interwoven throughout the album - almost as many as in Shiina Ringo’s outstanding, awe-inspiring Karuki Zamen Kuri no Hana.

If you’ve never heard Tokyo Jihen or Shiina Ringo before, here’s some selected YouTube links for you:
Tokyo Jihen

• Toumei Ningen
• Shuraba
• Super Star
• YouTube search for Tokyo Jihen

Shiina Ringo

• Ringo no Uta
• Ringo no Uta (second version of the video)
• Identity - Good, old fashined rock’nroll.
• Meisai - I love this track, and I love the video too. From KSK.
• Yami ni Furu Ame - My favourite Shiina Ringo song. From Shouso Strip.
• Yattsuke Shigoto - One of my favourites from KSK. The closing bars, where a piano is played off against a harpsichord is my current ringtone.
• YouTube Shiina Ringo search.

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