Kiiiiiii for any occasion, or just for fun!
July 24, 2007 8:10 PM   Subscribe

Kiiiiiii for any occasion, or just for fun! Kiiiiiii, that's K & 7i's, is a Japanese girl duo whose sound has been described as "Noise Pop" and "Experimental Fun Music." They've made a couple of bizarre music videos, played concerts in Japan and America over the last seven years, and now have an album and a live DVD. Listen to more on their myspace page, grab an .mp3 and read the history, and try to download 5 .mp3s from their site.
posted by CrunchyFrog (22 comments total) 9 users marked this as a favorite
 
I want to go on the record to say that MySpace (and this group's MySpace page) is an abomination. Thanks.
posted by pkingdesign at 8:21 PM on July 24, 2007


David Marx is a big fan of them [and he knows more about the Japanese music scene than all of mefi combined].
posted by Heywood Mogroot at 8:25 PM on July 24, 2007


Thanks, CrunchyFrog. "4 little Joeys" is pretty damn great.
posted by sleepy pete at 8:26 PM on July 24, 2007


i think i'm in love
posted by es_de_bah at 8:34 PM on July 24, 2007


Thanks for the link Heywood! I found an unlikely remix of four little joeys, and a spiffy little article with more .mp3s and live videos.
posted by CrunchyFrog at 8:43 PM on July 24, 2007 [1 favorite]


Before I go to bed, here's the original version of Five Little Joeys. Probably not what you'd expect, unless you're already a fan of The Wiggles.
posted by CrunchyFrog at 8:50 PM on July 24, 2007


Din't expect to like that as much as I did. Fun post.

Related, kinky kawaii? Japan Live blogspot, RightoRound.

kiiiiiii --- We're the BAD

"To be honest, Kiiiiiii's harsh sound and alienating theatrics should be rightfully contained in art galleries, but for some odd reason, they are one of the most loved bands currently in Tokyo's live-house circuit. Most Japanese amateur bands are intolerably clinical - perfect guitar solos and rhythm sections in songs rehearsed a thousand times before any live debut. In this very serious and earnest environment, Utako's childish screaming and Reiko's chaotic drumming eschews all that slick and boring Perfectionism for a pure heart of rock n' roll in a battered and bruised body."
posted by nickyskye at 9:45 PM on July 24, 2007


I find them quite reminiscent Afrirampo

Their site

Saw them a couple of years ago at sine' & CBs in NYC. They had a really great stage presents. Their music has quite matured since then.
posted by Lex Tangible at 10:58 PM on July 24, 2007


And all is right with the world again.
posted by basicchannel at 11:28 PM on July 24, 2007


I want to go on the record to say that MySpace (and this group's MySpace page) is an abomination.

I clicked the MySpace link and thought "what's pkingdesign talking about, it looks like a pretty standard MySpace page, not great, but not what I'd call an abomination."

Then the background loaded.

The mind boggles.
posted by blm at 11:33 PM on July 24, 2007


That's funny, it didn't look like a standard myspace page to me until the awful background loaded.
posted by churl at 1:47 AM on July 25, 2007


Finally some other stuff making it out of Japan. (See also OOIOO and Kana.)
posted by progosk at 2:16 AM on July 25, 2007


oops: Kana.
posted by progosk at 2:17 AM on July 25, 2007


A while back I played a show with Apprike (U.T from Kiiiiiii and backing band). They did mostly Kiiiiiii songs and some Michael Jackson and Nirvana covers. Watching them live was awesome - lot's of off-balance posing and jumping around - but I don't think I'd want one of their records.
posted by mexican at 2:20 AM on July 25, 2007


Heywood,

David Marx liked them so much, he married one of them.

Kiiiiiii is a really interesting band to me, because they are totally different depending on the setting. At a "live house" in Japan, they felt sincere and awesome. At SXSW, my friend (who lives in Japan) thought they were a total novelty act. At an arty venue, they were like performance art.
posted by ejoey at 2:26 AM on July 25, 2007


They're absolutely ace. Somewhere deep in their confusing site there is a song with a chorus that goes 'Hugh Grant! I'm pregnant!'. iTunes tells me I downloaded it three years ago, and yet it still reduces me to tears of laughter every time I hear it and, by extension, every time I see Hugh Grant on the telly.
posted by jack_mo at 3:53 AM on July 25, 2007


I saw them at SXSW. I left after three songs. I was amazed I even lasted that long.
posted by NemesisVex at 6:31 AM on July 25, 2007


This is wonderfully weird. I laughed out loud at the "Begawk!" section in "4 Little Joeys" :)
posted by Foosnark at 9:09 AM on July 25, 2007


Oh, this is really good. Like a lite Afrirampo.
posted by klangklangston at 9:46 AM on July 25, 2007


So... where do I buy this in the US?
posted by klangklangston at 10:01 AM on July 25, 2007


You can use Paypal to buy the DVD direct from Kiiiiiii (3000 yen is about $25). The CD can be gotten from Amazon.co.jp (cost after shipping is about $38.50).
posted by CrunchyFrog at 1:53 PM on July 25, 2007


Great stuff, CrunchyFrog. mrs. carter informs me that 'kiiiiiii' is Japanese onomatopoeia for 'squeaky brake.' Makes sense.
posted by carter at 10:30 AM on July 26, 2007


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