Ki&Ki

by PhroMetal Posted on April 17, 2013

Ki&Ki (usually just pronounced KiKi) are my favorite shamisen players right now. They do an AMAZING job with both traditional songs and their own compositions. I was lucky enough to get to see them a few weeks ago at a national tsugarujamisen competition (they took 4th and 7th place, but I really thought they should have had first and second). I also recently got their album, which I hope to review sometime this week. It’s gorgeous music is what it is. But, I haven’t posted anything for a while (no excuses), so I thought I’d throw this video up until I can get this week’s story finished. Hopefully tomorrow.

Anyway, here’s Ki&Ki performing on a moving bus. Why? BECAUSE THEY’RE BETTER THAN YOU. AT LIFE, THE UNIVERSE, AND FUCKING EVERYTHING.

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Man’s Best Friend

by PhroMetal Posted on April 11, 2013

Late this week. Sorry about that! I…nope, no excuse. Just late.

Thanks for taking the time to read, as always, but a little warning. You probably want to avoid reading this at work, if they monitor your Internet use closely. I mean…yeah, we’ll just leave it at that. Read at your own risk, is what I’m saying. (Not that it’s like super edgy, just maybe not entirely within the realm of good family fun.)

Man’s Best Friend

“Oh, you were right!” Lily said, gazing out the autopod window, “you really can see stars outside of the city.” Fingers splayed out against the window, she craned her neck, desperate to see more.

“Yeah, and that’s nothing yet. A few more miles and then we’ll be out of the light pollution radius.” I grinned at her. “The sky out there in the mountains looks like sweat on a steel nipple under a strobe light.” Continue reading →

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Shibata Siblings

by PhroMetal Posted on April 5, 2013

So, as you know, I love me some shamisen. I wouldn’t say it’s the greatest instrument in the world, but that’s only because I’m a bit nervous about making grand, sweeping statements. Instead, I’ll just say that I like it more than anything else I can think of. (At the moment. I change my mind a lot.)

Anyway, I discovered some new music by the Shibata Siblings this week that you are obligated to listen to, enjoy, and, as quickly as you can, buy.

Right now, they have two albums on Amazon MP3, and both of them are mostly shamisen with a little bit of traditional style vocals thrown in. If you like the Yoshida Brothers, but want something a bit more raw (or if you really liked the Brother’s Hishou album), you’ll want to check these people out.

I can recommend both of the albums, Sannbonn no Ito and Saa Genki ni Ikimashou as I bought them both and listened to them on repeat for two days straight. I honestly can’t tell you how many hours I spent with these albums playing. (I was at work, so that kind of helped, too.) Continue reading →

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King of the Hill

by PhroMetal Posted on April 3, 2013

Hey, thanks for being patient with me! Here’s this week’s story! It’s…well, it is what it is. (If you say it is a shitty metaphor for sectarian violence, you might be right.) I hope you enjoy it!!!)


King of the Hill

Grunting and struggling to hold his elephant-testicle-shaped belly up, the naked, pale man waddled as quickly as he could across the marble floor. Despite his immense gut, his arms and legs were rather scrawny—not starving-Arkansas-orphan skinny by any means, but the lazy limbs of a man who spent too much time masturbating to Network videos of twins bathing in pureed monkey shit. Cheeks red and puffed out, he hollered, “Antoinio! It’s starting to turtle head! Come quickly!” Continue reading →

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