Umineco Sounds
Umineco Sounds (ウミネコサウンズ, Umineko Saunzu, literally "Seagull Sounds"; currently stylized as uminecosounds) is a Japanese indie rock band headed by Osamu Furusato (古里 おさむ, Furusato Osamu). His debut EP Yuuyake (夕焼け, Yūyake) was released on May 13, 2009.[1]
Umineco Sounds ウミネコサウンズ | |
---|---|
Origin | Aomori Prefecture, Japan |
Genres | Rock, indie rock |
Years active | 2004-present |
Labels | Cinra Records |
Associated acts | Quruli, Going Under Ground, Kazuyoshi Saito |
Members | Osamu Furusato |
History
Originally a solo artist on Quruli's music label Noise McCartney Records, Osamu Furusato had performed under his own name and released an album titled Roadshow (ロードショー, Rōdoshō) in 2004.[2][3] In 2006, Furusato then formed a group under the name Umineco Sunrize (ウミネコサンライズ, Umineko Sanraizu)[4][5] and began recording various demos, including the songs "Yuuyake" (夕焼け, Yūyake), "Tori no Uta" (鳥のうた), and "Kaigansen Groovy" (海岸線グルーヴィー, Kaigansen Gurūvī).[6][7] Furusato would later change the name of his group to Umineco Sounds[8] and move to the Cinra Records label.
On April 22, 2009, his debut single on Cinra Records "Yuuyake" was featured as the Japanese iTunes Store's Free Single of the Week.[9][10] The group was also featured on the music download site Recommuni (now Ototoy) in one of its close-ups, where Furusato says he got the idea for "Yuuyake" (which literally translates as "sunset"), by watching the sunset while in Shibuya, even though he was born in Aomori Prefecture.[4] In an interview posted on Cinra Records' website, Furusato claims The Blue Hearts and Unicorn as some of his inspirations for entering the music field.[11] For the recording of Yuuyake, Furusato worked with HiGE's drummer Koichi "Koteisui" Sato,[12] GOMES THE HITMAN's bassist Toshiaki Sudoh, and WATER WATER CAMEL's guitarist and sound producer Gen Tanabe.[13] His second album Utyu Ryoko was released on the CINRA RECORDS label on January 20, 2010.[14] To record the album, he worked with Sato, Sudoh, and Tanabe once more. Furusato claims he got the inspiration for the title track from Kenji Miyazawa's Night on the Galactic Railroad; it is about following ones dreams even if they are almost impossible to reach. "Tegami" is about his parents, particularly his father who died shortly before the release of the album.[15]
On February 1, 2012, Umineco Sounds, now calling themselves uminecosounds, released a "one-coin single" titled "Saru to Banana". Furusato's backing band consisted of Toshiaki Sudoh and Koichi "Kotetisui" Sato once more, but included guitarist Kazuhide Yamaji as well.[16][17] This line-up continued to work together for the recording of uminecosounds' debut studio self-titled album, released June 6, 2012.[18]
Discography
Singles
- "Yuuyake" (夕焼け, Yūyake) - April 22, 2009 (iTunes Store)
- "Saru to Banana" (サルとバナナ) - February 1, 2012
Albums
![](../I/m/Yuyake.jpg)
- Roadshow (ロードショー, Rōdoshō) - September 26, 2007
- Yuuyake (夕焼け, Yūyake) - May 13, 2009
- Utyu Ryoko (宇宙旅行, Uchū Ryokō) - January 20, 2010
- uminecosounds - June 6, 2012
References
- "購入特典のお知らせ - ニュース | ウミネコサウンズ official site". 2009-05-13. Retrieved 2009-05-29.
- "Bad News Records ARTIST 古里おさむ". Retrieved 2009-05-29.
- "Bad News Records ARTIST Osamu Furusato". Retrieved 2009-05-29.
- "[recommuni] 特集: ウミネコサウンズ". 2009-05-07. Retrieved 2009-05-29.
- "古里おさむのウミネコサンライズが解散、新バンド"ウミネコサウンズ"として再始動! - OOPS!". 2009-03-09. Retrieved 2009-06-04.
- "ウミネコショップ". Retrieved 2009-05-29.
- "HearJapan - Umineco Sounds". Retrieved 2009-05-29.
- "ウミネコサンライズ". Retrieved 2009-05-29.
- "iTunes Storeにて「夕焼け」フリーダウンロード開始!". 2009-04-21. Retrieved 2009-05-29.
- "iTunes Storeにて『夕焼け』の先行配信販売始まりました! - ニュース | ウミネコサウンズ official site". 2009-04-29. Retrieved 2009-05-29.
- "古里おさむの軌跡 ウミネコサウンズインタビュー -インタビュー:CINRA.NET". 2009-05-21. Retrieved 2009-05-29.
- "くるり絶賛のウミネコサウンズ、アルバム全曲試聴スタート - goo 音楽". 2009-05-05. Retrieved 2009-05-30.
- "ナタリー - ウミネコサンライズ解散!古里おさむソロユニット始動". 2009-03-05. Retrieved 2009-06-04.
- "2ndミニアルバム『宇宙旅行』2010/1/20リリース 決定! - ニュース | ウミネコサウンズ official site". 2009-11-20. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
- "[ototoy] 特集: ウミネコサウンズ『宇宙旅行』インタビュー". 2010-01-28. Retrieved 2010-01-29.
- "ヤマジ、コテイスイ加入のウミネコがタワレコ新宿限定シングル". Natalie. February 1, 2012. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
- "『exPoP!!!!!』とタワレコ「新宿ROCK」によるコラボイベント第2弾に5組が参戦". Cinra Records. January 1, 2012. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
- "uminecosounds再始動後初アルバムはセルフタイトル". Natalie. May 29, 2012. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
External links
- Official website (in Japanese)
- Official MySpace (in Japanese)