Random Video Thursday: Chick Chick by Wang Rong

This? This is terror wrapped in Chinese pop star Wang Rong. "What's going on," you may ask in a horrified whisper.
The world may never know.

Just watch.

You won't regret it.

Or...

You probably will.

(Seriously the face I was making through most of the video.)

Halloween Playlist 2014

Here is a mix of different genres perfect for any Halloween night atmosphere. Give it a listen. Play it loudly. Pass it around. Pick out your favorites from our collaborative playlist and make your own.

As per tradition, the first song is "This is Halloween" - Marilyn Manson cover.

Happy Halloween!!

Album Review: Bonjour Batfrog (2014)

I finally managed to give this new Frenchy and the Punk album a listen - and I wasn't disappointed.

This album was released on August 5th of this year and has received nothing but the highest praise from fans. It's even been a hit around Ninja Fish:

"I've listened to it on repeat all week and I don't regret it." - MJ

"It's good to hear more of the Punk on 'Don't Fear the Rabbit.' The two clearly work well together." - Bunny

Even I've become quickly addicted with three of the album's songs making it to my personal favorites list (*notated below in the track listing) - right up there with some David Bowie, Eivør Pálsdóttir, and Depeche Mode. But did we expect any less of our favorite wandering, steampunk gypsy duo?

The pair recently completed a few shows abroad in the UK and have returned, starting their tour of the US. Dates and information can be found here.


Track Listing
1. Fe Fi Fo Fum
2. Strangers After Midnight
3. Bringin' Out The Dead (Edward Gorey Seance)
4. Don't Fear The Rabbit
5. Forever And Ever MC Escher*
6. Batgirl
7. Carried Away*
8. La Vie De Bohème*
9. Why Should I
10. She Was A Flapper (Ode to Lois Long)
11. Mirror Mirror

For the sake of time and space (and time-space), we will pick a few of the tracks to go into detail about; however, we will say that they are all absolutely fantastic! By popular vote here at Ninja Fish, these are the top tracks listed in order of appearance on the album (click the titles to hear the songs):

Strangers After Midnight... This song evokes strong nostalgia for me; Shadowy streets, masks, devils in red top hats and masks, fog, and the flow of drink. The seductive lyrics draw you into a hazy and dark scene filled with mystery and risque liaisons. A must for anyone throwing a masque this Halloween season. Or any function, really.

Don't Fear The Rabbit... This song made the list due to the prominent feature of the Punk. His voice is well suited for this track, lending depth to the words and meshing beautifully with Frenchy's melody. The repetitive riffs and the simple yet elegant chorus get this song stuck in your head quickly. Well played. Well played.

Forever And Ever MC Escher... My personal favorite on this album - not only because I am obsessed with MC Escher**, but because this airy tune has me listening to it obsessively on repeat. It has the right amount of pep and longing to balance out and attract my undivided attention. "That's when we'll fall through infinity..." Lines like that are just magical. You don't find writing like that in songs anymore, and it's a damn shame. It brings out the dreaming artist in all of us, the feeling of possibility. If you need more convincing, just listen to it yourself - really listen. Close your eyes, breathe deeply, and imagine.

Carried Away... I had trouble finding the words for this one. It's incredibly beautiful and (for some reason) makes me feel something between sadness and happiness that I can't quite place. It's not something I'd expect from Frenchy and the Punk, but perhaps that's why I love it so much. It's unexpected, it's breathtaking, it's ethereal... it's really something. I don't think romantic is a strong enough word.

La Vie De Bohème...This is my second greatest obsession from the album! Cheery, bright, and the embodiment of fun. "The bohemian life... la bohème is a life style of those who live for and by their art." (Thanks, Yahoo! Answers) If anything represents this outstanding duo, it's this. Their personalities really shine through this song.

Why Should I... This track revives some of the elements of "The Circus Parade" from Hey Hey Cabaret - which is a fantastic idea whether it was intended or not; it really ties this album together with earlier works. There is something oddly satisfying in a song that juxtaposes airy and upbeat melodies with the topic of the inevitabilities of life, aging, and death.

I was surprised that they could put out an album that beat their previous works, but they never fail to impress. They cannot be defined, and their success cannot be limited. Just go buy all their albums, would you?

**For your viewing pleasure:

Never Ending Staircase by M.C. Escher

Ninja Fish thinks this is great music to... discover new worlds and possibilities with.
Album Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Band Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Random Video Thursday: Electric Six - Synthesizer (Official Video)

Can I just say how freaking catchy this is? I learned the lyrics after listening to it just once. 

Love this.

And if you don't, you're a damn dirty liar.

(MJ's additional note...)

This Week in Music: Upcoming Tour for It Lies Within, New Album for Billy Idol announced, and More!

As we say goodbye to some really amazing events (such as Dragon*Con and Burning Man), we can count on a few more things to get excited about.

First off, It Lies Within kicks off "The True Vision" tour (with The Illumination, The Party Foul, and A Sight to See) on September 19th in Cleveland, Ohio. Here are some more tour dates!

Haven't heard of the bands performing with It Lies Within? Don't worry. We took a poll here; you're not alone...

Next on our list of holy-shit-no-way! is Billy Idol's new album, "Kings & Queens of The Underground." The album is planned for release on October 21st, but you can pre-order it now. I mean, really... how old is he now? And he's still kicking ass? 

Besides the new album, Billy Idol is going to be rocking our faces off with a new European tour starting on November 5th. Here are some of the dates:

Billy Idol Fall '14 Euro Tour
November 5 (Wed) Birmingham, UK - O2 Academy
November 9 (Sun) London, UK - Eventim Apollo Hammersmith
November 10 (Mon) Manchester, UK - O2 Apollo
November 12 (Wed) Stuttgart, DE - Porsche Arena
November 13 (Thu) Frankfurt, DE - Jahrhunderthalle
November 16 (Sun) Amsterdam, NL - Heineken Music Hall
November 18 (Tue) Dusseldorf, DE - Mitsubishi Electric Halle
November 19 (Wed) Brussels, BE - Royal Circus
November 21 (Fri) Nuremberg, DE - Arena
November 22 (Sat) Lucern, CH - Messe Lucerne
November 23 (Sun) Milan, IT - Fabrique

Ticket links and details at the all-new http://billyidol.net/

Speaking of albums, Scott Bradlee of Postmodern Jukebox (famous for their cover of Macklemore's "Thrift Shop" - among other things) has announced that their new album "Historical Misappropriation" has just been released. 

"15 tracks, 7 of them brand new. The first video comes out today at 2pm EDT." Scott Bradlee

We're not going to sugarcoat it - we're pretty impressed. It seems like every other day they have a new song out (in reality, it's probably just every week - but even that is impressive)! We just hope this momentum keeps going.

Oh, and true to his word, here is their new video:

 In other, more solemn news, CeeLo Green deleted his twitter account following rape comments. According to NME, "CeeLo Green has deleted his Twitter account after posting a series of tweets relating to a recent court case in which he pleaded no contest to supplying ecstasy to a woman." 

This... yeah, we're not touching this story. We'll let you read it for yourself.

And now we get to Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins. He was quoted as saying, "When this new album process is over, I’m either going to bail on this ship for good or I’m going to have a new ship to sail on." (Full story here.) 

Could this be the end of The Smashing Pumpkins?

That's all for now. We will be working toward putting one of these out at the beginning and end of each week. Keep checking back, and don't forget to like Ninja Fish on Facebook for daily (and sometimes hourly) music updates: concert and event photos, free download links, contests, and more!

Omina's Steve Blasts ALS Challenge; Fans Speak Out

Omina's Shaman Steve blasted the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge last Wednesday, calling it the "Ice Fuckit Challenge" and stating that...

"There are so many worthy causes and issues to fight for and all the media whores do is try to distract us from these important issues. 

With mass-campaigns to fund fictional cures for insignificant diseases that kill less people WORLDWIDE per YEAR than Lightning strikes for fuck's sake!" 

[...]

"[A]nd now every fake-assed celebrity and popularity-pole wannabe is doing "the IceBucket challenge"... oooh! ... big fucking deal!
Prostituted bumboys like Bieber and Mass Murderers like Bush are falling over themselves to get their over-publicised ugly faces in the media in a hopeless attempt to seem real and to gain more popularity...
It makes me SICK! BWUUEEERGH!!!!" (Full) Original Post Here

Apparently, this Shaman's kindness and respect for life only extends to animals and diseases that kill more than the 14,000 people who die of ALS each year.

Oppinion Insert: Who the fuck says that a disease as terrible as ALS is insignificant and not worth research? Who the fuck decides that if something doesn't kill enough people, it's not worth researching? The researchers who have to spend money looking for a cure (thus the fundraising). Oh, and Steve. The same guy blasting these companies and their 'fictional cures.' Ironic, isn't it? [END OF OPINION]

Apparently, fans had this same problem (though no one seemed to notice the irony) and called him out on his hate. Some of my favorite comments:

My favorite.

There are other, longer ones - but you get the point. And according to the comments of his fans, this is not the first post of late that has spewed anger. Many fans are now asking "What triggered all this rage and hypocrisy - preaching love and respect for all life, yet calling serious diseases "insignificant" and shaming those who participate in the challenge? Where has the Shaman gone?"

"[M]y advice to anyone who wants to do the "Ice Bucket Challenge" is this:

Just Freeze the water in the bucket SOLID and then drop the whole fucking bucket on your head! Now THAT will make the world a better place!

Peace Love and sparkly camera-clicky smiles!
Shaman SteveSic"

Random Video Thursday: Rihanna - Diamonds (Cover by Steam Powered Giraffe)

This video (and post) is an entire day early because we will be busy. You're welcome.

Um... Yeah. Just watch it.

What's New in Music (This Week) - Weezer steals album art, Nocturnal Wonderland approaches, and more!

Forgive our temporary absence as we have been changing locations for more space. We will be continuing this process through the first week of August.

On that note, let's take a look at some things you may have missed this week (if you aren't fans of our Facebook page where you can receive daily updates).

On Monday, Weezer announced the release of a new single, "Back To The Shack" to iTunes. Magnetic Forces stated in a comment to Weezer that the album art they used was an image from their cover two years prior. You can find their post about it here. They seem to take it as a compliment, but we'll see how things unfold pending a reaction from Weezer.

For those of you who like festivals, camping, and taking an LSD trip without having to actually take LSD, Nocturnal Wonderland approaches! Yesterday, NW announced that they are now selling camping passes for September 4th - 7th; passes are available for both car and RV camping. This year marks the 19th anniversary of this "longest running dance festival." As usual, it is 18+ at the San Manuel Amphitheater & Grounds.

Another great event coming up is the First Annual Steamposium (September 26-28). It is located in Seattle, WA and will feature some rather fantastic guests: steampunk supermodel Kato, Steam Powered Giraffe, and Firefly's Jewel Staite (Kaylee) and Sean Maher (Simon Tam). And those are just to name a few! Numerous dealers have also signed on, plus new game demos in the game room! Tickets are available now (with and without meals).

The next event to be announced is one that I particularly like: Wasteland Weekend (September 25-28). This year will see the return of the Wasteland Film Festival. According to Wasteland Weekend, there is still a bit of time left to submit your entry for this year's competition. Several bands have been announced, including 7 DAYS AWAY (playing on September 27th).

Next, for all of you KPop fans (like me) out there, SM Entertainment has confirmed the rumors that they will be debuting a four member girl group next month. 

"According to an exclusive by Sports Chosun, SM Entertainment plans to launch a 4-member girl group made up of 3 familiar faces from the pre-debut team S.M.ROOKIES - Seulgi, Irene, and Wendy - and 1 more mystery member with resemblance to actress Kim Yoo Jung.

If this is true, then this new group would mark the agency's first girl group following f(x)'s debut back in 2009! According to what Sports Chosun has heard, the new group's concept is said to be an in-between of f(x)'s experimental concept and Girls' Generation's more mainstream style." allkpop.com

Last, but certainly not least, is an announcement from Frenchy and the Punk! They will be releasing a new CD called "BONJOUR BATFROG" on August 5th. They've also announced a US and European tour for August-December of this year. On a side note, the dynamic duo will open for Abney Park at Irving Plaza in NYC on September 25th! No news yet on whether or not they will be returning to Dragon*Con this year.

A friendly reminder: Dragon*Con is a month away! If you haven't gotten tickets, I wish you the best of luck. As always, we will offer live coverage (via Twitter and Facebook). Hope to see you there! I will not be in costume.

Album Review: Cartwheels (2014)

Frenchy and the Punk. We can't get enough of this bohemian-folk-punk-cabaret duo. Their latest EP, Cartwheels, was released February 18th of this year. It features five songs that weave the musical magic we've been so accustomed to with Frenchy and the Punk - including two new songs, "Mulina Mulina" and "Halloween for Christmas." Again, for those who aren't familiar with Frenchy and the Punk, I suggest you check out some of their other works, including their 2012 album, Hey Hey Cabaret (review here).

And now for some news from the duo that everyone should be aware of...

Frenchy and the Punk have been working tirelessly in the studio to bring you a new album which is projected to be released this summer. Also, this summer, they will be touring with The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing (UK) and The Nathaniel Johnstone Band (US) on selected dates. Here are the tour dates announced for May:

May 20 Trundle Manor, Pittsburgh, PA
May 21 Molly Malone's, Covington, KY
May 22 Mahall's, Cleveland, OH
May 23-26 Comicpalooza, Houston, TX

Cartwheels. This album is a colorful fusion of folk, bohemian, and the unique sound that can only be found in the very best circles of (steam)punk cabaret. The album includes three re-recorded, older songs and two new ones that live up to the band's sensational reputation. 

Track Listing

1. Le Train (featuring "Tyrant" Taylor Galassi of This Way to the Egress on accordion)
2. Caravan
3. Mulina Mulina* (featuring Michael Lunapiena "The Wandering Cellist" on cello)
4. Oh Jocelyne
5. Halloween for Christmas*

"Le Train" is a rather bouncy number calling on a simple, yet incredibly catchy melody. It features lyrics in all French - and though the fans that don't speak French can't understand it, that doesn't seem to matter too much, as this track is one of the most played on the album (via targeted polling). On a side note, we were pretty excited to find that the accordion on this re-recorded track was performed by "Tyrant" Taylor Galassi of This Way to the Egress.

"Caravan." This track is gold. You can't find it for sale anywhere else because the original album is sold out and out of print. It's another punchy tune in the unique style we've come to expect of Frenchy and the Punk. It's perfect for a mid-paced foxtrot and the time signature works perfectly for the footwork.

"Mulina Mulina." The third tack on the album features Michael Lunapiena, "The Wandering Cellist," on cello. It's the second most popular track on the album. Personally, it reminds me of a Celtic lullaby I was sung as a child - though the name has long since been lost. According to the fans we polled and interviewed, this song has become loved due to its simple "rise-and-fall" melody, Frenchy's soothing voice, and the imagery within. If you only download the music by tracks rather than getting the full album, this is one of two songs you must acquire.

"Oh Jocelyne," a beautiful, unexpected gypsy-esque song about a fortune teller (or tarot reader) and her female client. We have to say, it has a nice twist. We won't spoil it for you - you have to listen to it for yourself - but it's well worth it. This song was originally titled "Oh Gypsy," and you can still find it floating around on YouTube.

"Halloween for Christmas." They saved the best for last. This song was recorded in December of last year and is by far the most popular on the song, surpassing all of the others. 10 of 10 in our focused polls rated this as the best song on the album and it is the most downloaded. We highly recommended this track and is the second (or rather, first) track you must download if you don't plan on purchasing the whole album (which is really a shame). It has all the elements of a great Frenchy and the Punk hit, and shares our views on Christmas v. Halloween. Spoiler: Halloween is awesome.

All in all, this is a fantastic EP featuring some of their best songs. We highly recommend the purchase! As discussed on our Facebook page, they've been on tour and still have a few shows coming up, so get out there and see them while you still have the chance!

Ninja Fish thinks this is great music to... get inspired with.
Album Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Band Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

For daily news about your favorite bands, tour dates, ticket info, pictures, downloads, events, auctions, and more - "Like" Ninja Fish on Facebook!

Our Hiatus and Missing Reviews: A Formal Explaination and Apology

There has been some talk (and a lot of questions) about two reviews that were to be published a couple of months ago, just before we fell off the map. Well, it's time to tell everyone what's been going on.

First, those reviews were given to someone (name withheld) to write. They did not write them, and after a long period of time, admitted they would not be writing them at all. This ultimately led termination. After this, it was time to find someone who would write them. Those reviews were written by founder Genrin619 and placed in the care of another to be published over her vacation. Upon returning, it was discovered that they had not been published as asked. When this person was confronted, they did not respond. After several weeks, they re-surfaced claiming that they understood the articles were given to them to do with as they liked. This was not the case. During our hiatus, we have been working to get them back from the person who stole them. However, the damage was done. The articles were now never going to see the light of day.

So, we now issue a formal apology to our fans, our writers, and to the bands whose reviews were absconded with: Jaggery and Fable Cry. We will do our best to remedy the situation and post a review for both bands as soon as we can. We only hope that everyone can understand. Thank you for your patience and loyalty.

Ninja Fish

Random Video Thursday: Fruit Ninja in Real Life to Dubstep!

This is a few hours late, but better late than never. Happy Random Video Thursday!