Various Artists - Fresh Cuts from Japan - Volume 2

JapanFiles.com's second sampler CD covers everything from punk to pop, rock to hip hop, and even features a track with an almost rockabilly feel to it (Auroranote’s Chinjaoro-su). There’s definitely something here for every musical taste. The CD features songs from 15 bands from the Japanese indies scene and is available exclusively at JapanFiles.com

One of the highlights of the disc is the psychedelic Age by Guitar Vader. Age Starts out with a strong bass line and bare bones vocals, which are quickly joined by funky sound effects and guitar that is reminiscent of great Manchester bands like the Happy Mondays. This is one you’ll be humming an hour later. Meanwhile, tracks like the uber-catchy Animal Funk by Silk Road, with its rap vocals and old school horns, and Tea Time Ska, a track with some rather unexpected vocals and a great ska chorus, by TsuShiMaMiRe will have listeners dancing in no time.

Fans of US bands like The Offspring should enjoy Dogg Bone’s rockin' track Make Money, and it, along with Unslow’s hardcore, fast paced Unstoppable, will leave punk fans yearning for the mosh pit. Another great track is LiN CLOVER's rinkaiten. The echoing, surrealistic vocals contrast nicely with the heavy guitar and bass work, creating a song that is at once both dreamy and hardcore.

Also worth a mention is the cover of The Buggles’ hit Video Killed the Radio Star by Rocket K. The band does a great job of walking the fine line between paying homage to the original and making it their own. This version is a little faster paced than the original and features some great guitar riffs, making the track extremely danceable.

The production value on the CD is good. Many compilation CDs leave you riding the volume from track to track, but this one is nice and consistent, and allows you to sit back and enjoy. All in all, this disc is a great way for fans of Japanese music who want to take the dive in to the indies scene to do so. The variety is good, and so is the price tag. Listeners won’t be disappointed.