1001 Other Albums<p><strong>Wagakki Band (和楽器バンド) – Yasouemaki (八奏絵巻) (2015, Japan)</strong></p><p>Our next spotlight is on number 1011 on <a href="https://1001otheralbums.com/the-list/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The List</a>, submitted by ChrisJagged.</p><p>Founded by singer, composer, lyricist, Shigin master, Kenshibu dancer, and classical pianist <a href="https://yuko-suzuhana.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Suzuhana Yuko</a>, Wagakki Band (和楽器バンド) is named after the traditional Japanese instruments that are prominent in their music, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_Japanese_musical_instruments" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">wagakki</a>. Originating out of Suzuhana’s acoustic folk trio <a href="https://hanafugetsu.com/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hanafugetsu</a> (which is still active), the band essentially merged with folk punk/visual kei band <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@crowclass" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Crow×Class</a> to result in a 8-member group with a sound that lands somewhere in-between the folk rock and folk metal spheres. Wagakki Band first gained popularity via their adaptations of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocaloid" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vocaloid</a> songs, with their first LP, <em><a href="https://album.link/ca/i/860461525" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vocalo Zanmai</a></em> (ボカロ三昧) (2014), consisting solely of Vocaloid covers. The album we look at here is their second studio album and first to contain original material. It incorporates methods of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shigin" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Shigin</a>, a traditional poetry form performed/recited in a particular manner, as would their following albums.</p><p>Following the release of <em>Yasouemaki</em>, Wagakki Band’s popularity would continue to grow both at home and internationally, and the band would go on to release five more LPs, with <em><a href="https://album.link/ca/i/1530927570" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tokyo Singing</a></em> (2020) featuring a <a href="https://song.link/ca/i/1530927879" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">collaboration with Amy Lee</a> of Evanescence. As of the end of 2024, the band has gone on indefinite hiatus.</p><p>Even if you, like me, don’t know much about J-rock/J-pop, if you have an interest in folk rock/metal (and love/miss[1] key changes!), this is a really fun band to check out.</p><p>Happy listening!</p><ul><li><a href="https://album.link/ca/i/1031872724" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Songlink: Wagakki Band – <em>Yasouemaki</em></a></li><li><a href="https://www.discogs.com/master/1143669-%E5%92%8C%E6%A5%BD%E5%99%A8%E3%83%90%E3%83%B3%E3%83%89-%E5%85%AB%E5%A5%8F%E7%B5%B5%E5%B7%BB" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Discogs: Wagakki Band – <em>Yasouemaki</em></a></li></ul><ol><li>Here’s a fun <em>Tedium</em> article that was referenced in a toot I saw recently, exploring the demise of the key change in pop music over the last 60 years: “<a href="https://tedium.co/2022/11/09/the-death-of-the-key-change/" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Death of the Key Change</a>” by Chris Dalla Riva (Nov 9, 2022). The article looks specifically at pop music that hit the Billboard Hot 100 charts so I can’t help but wonder now if the key change is still alive and well in J-pop. Anyone know? ↩︎</li></ol><p><a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://1001otheralbums.com/tag/crowxclass/" target="_blank">#CrowxClass</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://1001otheralbums.com/tag/folk-metal/" target="_blank">#folkMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://1001otheralbums.com/tag/folk-rock/" target="_blank">#folkRock</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://1001otheralbums.com/tag/hanafugetsu/" target="_blank">#Hanafugetsu</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://1001otheralbums.com/tag/j-pop-2/" target="_blank">#JPop</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://1001otheralbums.com/tag/j-rock/" target="_blank">#JRock</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://1001otheralbums.com/tag/music/" target="_blank">#music</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://1001otheralbums.com/tag/music-discovery/" target="_blank">#musicDiscovery</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://1001otheralbums.com/tag/shigin/" target="_blank">#Shigin</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://1001otheralbums.com/tag/suzuhana-yuko/" target="_blank">#SuzuhanaYuko</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://1001otheralbums.com/tag/wagakki-band/" target="_blank">#WagakkiBand</a></p>