Today's featured shit

Clever seemingly juxtaposed song titles highlight 18th Dye’s “Amorine Queen.” When you name your tracks “Soft the Hard Way,” “Chinese Spoon” and “Text Is My Killer,” it’s hard to take the band seriously. Maybe that’s the point.

“Soft the Hard Way” has a distinctly local feel to it, but they are from Denmark, so that’s not it. But if you’re into the San Francisco scene, you’ll definitely find a lot about this track to like. Go ‘n’ Go is not about me after I’ve drunk a gallon, er, four litres, of apple juice. It has a Pixies feel to it, especially when that gal is singing.

“Amorines” starts slower and has strings — not like spaghetti squash but the good kind. Then later it has tambourine and picks up a little. It reminds me of The Amps, only with a dude singing. Sometimes a woman sings too though.

“Is” is fun but has swearing in it. I wonder if it’s funnier to swear in another language when you’re Danish. It sure is when you’re American.

All songs were written by Hiroshi Kono, and my grandma is Japanese, so that was what attracted me to this album. Otherwise it’s a standard indie rock album. When you think of J-pop, you won’t think of Mar Project, but there is a reason for the label. It’s hard for Japanese music to get past the stereotype of simultaneously goofy and serious lyrics and musicianship.

“Fist of Soul” has a fun bridge, giving visuals of driving on the freeway late at night after a fun evening of having dinner at a coworker’s house. “Run” sounds like an early ’90s Electronic kick to it, no doubt inspired by Johnny Marr himself.

The 21st Century Blues is the epitome of stereotypical Japanese music in English. What other song would pair the words “humongous” and “balloon”?

“Astonishing” sounds like Velocity Girl, except with a male singer. The singing is slightly deliberate, which makes the lyrics easier to understand. If things don’t work out with the Mar Project, perhaps the singer has a future in broadcast news.