Folio

For those who don't like to read: Indie/emo from Japan. This guy's voice is awesome.

Folio is:

Soutaro Kimura: Gu & Vo
Takayuki Ishimoto: Gu & Cho
Kazuteru Niinomi: Bass
Masataka Enomoto: Drums

So here I sit, finals approaching quicker than tears as Bryzgalov lets in another goal, and I'm refusing to study and instead am writing about some band. It happens all the time, and the thought of not studying is the true motivator for me to continue all projects in my life. I remember telling myself that I'd make a conscious effort to better my study habits once I've gotten into college, but that hasn't happened yet, and smart money says it won't. (I'll try next year though!)

Served up hot and fresh for you is Folio, one of many bands coming out in todays Indie/Emo scene from Japan. Japan is really fucked up in a way, during the early to mid 2000s, you couldn't beat the melodic nature of Japanese pop-punk. In the same way the Indie/Emo scene rings true now, you just can't beat the stuff that is coming out in Japan (Climb the Mind, Balloons, Sora, As Meias, etc.). In the subconscious of my mind, I continually fight out the battle of which of these bands I like more, but fuck it, they're all great and will all probably end up on this blog in due time.

Folio- "Proof" live

The one thing that stands out the most for Folio is their vocalist. I'm not even sure if I can truly explain why I find these vocals so much more enjoyable than other bands in Japan doing the same thing, but it definitely has to do with the delivery of them. I don't know, there is more "umph" behind the vocal delivery? Something about it really pushes this band up to the next level, especially on their full-length "The Curve Causes a Shiver." Their music definitely falls into some of the more lighter stuff coming out of this scene in Japan right now (think like Climb the Mind's new album, "ほぞ"), very mathy, slow to a degree, but very tight and intricate. Pretty much just think of a revamped version of American Football, Japan seems to love American Football. Folio's full-length album is definitely an album that I highly recommend to all fans of music of the lighter persuasion. It's been a couple years since that album, which was the last thing they put out; but considering they're still touring, I imagine they (hopefully) have some new stuff in the works.

You can contact Folio at their website. I'm not entirely sure if they speak English, but that is something I'll find out next week, and I'll be sure to update if/when I get a response. Buy a shirt or something!

Standout Tracks (I'm gonna try this out and recommend a few of their better songs):

Fragmentary Trace, I Have

Count the Night

One of the Tenderness

Demo 2005

The Curve Causes a Shiver