the cabs | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Saitama, Japan |
| Genres | Math Rock, Emo, Indie |
| Instrument(s) | Screams, Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums |
| Years active | 2006-2013 |
| Labels | Zankyo Record |
| Past members | Kunimitsu Takahashi (高橋國光), Yoshikatsu Shuto (首藤義勝), Itta Nakamura (中村一太) |
the cabs, sometimes spelled with capitalization like "The Cabs", were a Japanese math rock/emo band formed in 2006 that was active up until their official disbandment in 2013, announced via their now-defunct website http://www.thecabs.jp/.
The band's name was derived from the band Death Cab for Cutie. [1] The drummer of the band, Itta Nakamura, liked the names of bands such as The Strokes, The White Stripes, The Subways, and The Departure. He ultimately settled on the name "the cabs" taking the "cab" part of Death Cab for Cutie. When the band was first formed only the first letter was capitalized, but upon official release Zankyo Record, their then label, wanted a fully capitalized version. [2]
Members edit
Kunimitsu Takahashi (高橋国光) - screamed vocals, guitar (is now österreich)
Yoshikatsu Shuto (首藤義勝) - clean vocals, bass (is now a member of KEYTALK)
Itta Nakamura (中村一太) - drums (was a member of the Japanese rock band plenty, and started the bands Novatron and Street Fight after moving to Germany in 2018) [3]
History edit
the cabs were formed in high school by the three musicians. [4] They would release an allure of demos before their studio releases, the biggest of which being their 2009 release, kdyla EP, which would go on to receive praise overseas to their surprise.[5] Their works were released before 2010, but no recorded footage of it has surfaced. The first recorded instance of them playing live was their opening set recorded by the band TTNG during their Japan tour in 2010. [6] The song they played was an earlier version of their song 僕たちに明日はない (There Is No Tomorrow For Us). [7] 2010 was also when they would record their first studio album 一番はじめの出来事 (First Incident) [8]
一番はじめの出来事 (first incident) edit
一番はじめの出来事 (first incident) was the cabs' first studio-recorded EP being recorded in 2010 and released in April 2011 by Zankyo Record. According to Itta Nakamura, the recording took place at the old Zankyo Studio in Ikebukuro and all of the songs were recorded in one take and without a click track. They were touring with a band that also had just released an album, caroline rocks. The final show they would play during this tour would be at Shimokitazawa SHELTER.[9] The original track list would consist of 5 songs, one more would be added once the album was released on streaming platforms on the 28th of October, 2017.[10] The song had been released on the 残響 Record Compilation Vol. 3: Brightest Hope in 2012, 5 years before.
| EP | Track | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 一番はじめの出来事 (first incident) | チャールズ・ブロンソンのために (for Charles Bronson) | the cabs |
| 一番はじめの出来事 (first incident) | 二月の兵隊 (soldiers of february) | the cabs |
| 一番はじめの出来事 (first incident) | 僕たちに明日はない (there is no tomorrow for us) | the cabs |
| 一番はじめの出来事 (first incident) | haiku about kdyla | the cabs |
| 一番はじめの出来事 (first incident) | nicol kills nicolas for nicola | the cabs |
| 一番はじめの出来事 (first incident) | 九月は讃美歌による (september is based on hymns) | the cabs |
回帰する呼吸 (recur breath) edit
recur breath was the second studio-recorded release of the cabs, also released in 2011 under Zankyo Records. Like the first, the EP was 6 songs, recorded with each song only having one take and no clicks. It was also recorded at the same location in Ikebukuro. The coinciding tour would take place in 13 locations nationwide. The bands they played with during it varied from place to place, bands like dry as dust, Kinoko Teikoku, Cathy lost one's apricot yesterday, THE★Komesoudou, and others were some of the ones they played with. [11] The song カッコーの巣の上で (one flew over the cuckoo's nest) had a different version of it released being featured on the EP, it was released on the 残響 Record Compilation Vol.2 in 2010.
| EP | Track | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 回帰する呼吸 (recur breath) | キェルツェの螺旋 (spiral of kielce) | the cabs |
| 回帰する呼吸 (recur breath) | camn aven | the cabs |
| 回帰する呼吸 (recur breath) | 解毒される樹海 (detoxified sea of trees) | the cabs |
| 回帰する呼吸 (recur breath) | カッコーの巣の上で (one flew over the cuckoo's nest) | the cabs |
| 回帰する呼吸 (recur breath) | skór | the cabs |
| 回帰する呼吸 (recur breath) | 第八病棟 (8th ward) | the cabs |
再生の風景 (scenery of rebirth) edit
再生の風景 (scenery of rebirth) was their final official release, it was released in 2013 under Zankyo Record. It topped of at 43 on Oricon’s chart database in 2013. [12] Unlike the first two EPs, there has been no comment on the recording process. It is a full-length album spanning 10 tracks, some of which are revised versions of songs they had released prior. The songs Your eyes have all the answer and すべて叫んだ (everybody shouted) had earlier recordings dating back to 2009 but were rerecorded and revised for this record. [13] [14] This would be the last thing they released before their disbandment in the same year.
| Album | Track | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 再生の風景 (scenery of rebirth) | Leland | the cabs |
| 再生の風景 (scenery of rebirth) | 花のように (like a flower) | the cabs |
| 再生の風景 (scenery of rebirth) | anschluss | the cabs |
| 再生の風景 (scenery of rebirth) | わたしたちの失敗 (our failure) | the cabs |
| 再生の風景 (scenery of rebirth) | 地図 (map) | the cabs |
| 再生の風景 (scenery of rebirth) | sarasa | the cabs |
| 再生の風景 (scenery of rebirth) | ラズロ、笑って (smile, laszlo) | the cabs |
| 再生の風景 (scenery of rebirth) | purusha | the cabs |
| 再生の風景 (scenery of rebirth) | Your eyes have all the answer | the cabs |
| 再生の風景 (scenery of rebirth) | すべて叫んだ (everybody shouted) | the cabs |
Unofficial Releases edit
The unofficial releases of the cabs span far and wide. [15] They have an array of demos that were never officially released. Luckily most of this music has been archived and most of their songs have been distributed amongst their fanbase, albeit unofficially. Most of these songs were packaged together in older demos of theirs that have physical copies but no official release. Some of their officially released songs also have earlier versions that were never released as well. チャールズ・ブロンソンのために (for Charles Bronson), nicol kills nicolas for nicola, and すべて叫んだ (everybody shouted) are older tracks from their demo recorded in 2009 titled "3rd demo". [16] The same can be said about kdyla EP, which had earlier recordings of haiku about kdyla and チャールズ・ブロンソンのために (for Charles Bronson). [17] タッチ (touch) was also released on kdyla EP as a newly recorded version after its first release in one of their earlier self titled demos. [18] [19]
| Track | Artist |
|---|---|
| キェルツェの螺旋（アコースティックバージョン）(kielcenorasen acoustic) | the cabs |
| 第八病棟（アコースティックバージョン）(daihachibyoto acoustic) | the cabs |
| タッチ (touch) | the cabs |
| いたいのいたいのとんでけ (i want to go home) | the cabs |
| story | the cabs |
| Pop fading | the cabs |
| march #30 | the cabs |
| Woodward | the cabs |
| Hello | the cabs |
Musical style edit
The musical style of the cabs is a mix of chaotic dissonance and erratic, energetic melodies. Pinpointing a concrete style of the cabs is a tall order, they take inspiration from many genres like math rock, indie, progressive rock, and emo to just to name a few. the cabs sing and scream about their pain, how they're drifting apart, and their view of love. [20] Yoshikatsu sings over the dissonance and Kunitmitsu screams over it. A good characterization of their writing style is the chemistry between Kunitmisu's guitar and Itta's drumming. In most bands the guitar is doing the experimenting while the drums are holding down a certain beat, but the cabs plays different. Kunimitsu's role in the band is an extremely unique one. Instead of shredding or experimenting during the song, Kunimitsu will hold down a certain arpeggio or chord progression while Itta is experimental on the drums. [21] This leads to an extremely unique and addictive musical style that can be replayed endlessly, and it's all capped off with Kunimitsu's lyrics that display a wide range of deep, relatable, and emotional topics. Yoshikatsu holds down the band with catchy, impressive, and energetic bass lines all while singing softly over Kunimitsu's lyrics. Their music has a lot of time signature changes, which is why it's classified as math rock. The time signature changes are controlled by Kunimitsu's guitar, whose aforementioned role and style is as if he is a conductor controlling the sound through the time signatures. Kunimitsu screams over these melodies, but is drowned out the band's sound, this an artistic choice and a metaphor for Kunimitsu. [22] To sum it up, the chemistry of the cabs is an extremely unique and beautiful one, one that would on go to inspire thousands of musicians long after it.
Disbandment edit
the cabs had officially disbanded in 2013. Why exactly is unknown, but sources say it was due to the mental health of guitarist Kunimitsu Takahashi. [23] At the time of their disbandment, the cabs were nowhere near their projected endpoint, even having an American tour lined up. [24] The last show they ever played was recorded, [25] it's hazy and there's no official reason why, but after this set Kunimitsu Takahashi had left without a trace. The band was forced to disband, canceling all future tours.
Legacy edit
the cabs and their legacy are still alive to this day despite disbanding more than a decade ago. An array of cover bands play their music often in Japan. [26] And countless musicians every day cover their guitar riffs, drum tracks, and bass lines. the cabs left a mark many other bands can't even come close to, they lit up the underground Japanese rock scene, and their influence rings throughout it everyday. the cabs have a strong fanbase presently all this time later, groups of dedicated fans who adore the music they made and who have been inspired and wish to create a sound similar to theirs. [27]
References edit
- ^ https://twitter.com/itta1120/status/1766775949385724151
- ^ https://twitter.com/itta1120/status/1766775949385724151
- ^ https://ittanakamura.wixsite.com/itta-nakamura-drums
- ^ https://twitter.com/itta1120/status/1766775944700649796
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXLjjUNHe5o
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqIgNCEwD7M
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDWQMRACxC0
- ^ https://www.threads.net/@itta_nakamura/post/C09JohiCYqn
- ^ https://www.threads.net/@itta_nakamura/post/C09JohiCYqn
- ^ https://www.last.fm/music/The+Cabs/the+first+action
- ^ https://twitter.com/itta1120/status/1770405590306639880
- ^ https://72erys.medium.com/japans-musical-metaphoric-writing-5c8063bbc005
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4z1qy5rmr8
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZoS-jTWNMM
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/@dandelion1989
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRY1D5O8JhEv=r4z1qy5rmr8
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cfWadyg11A
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osPDBlGxj4s
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHnnVgEIc9I
- ^ https://72erys.medium.com/japans-musical-metaphoric-writing-5c8063bbc005
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9Z0UEEpSnc&t=75s
- ^ https://72erys.medium.com/japans-musical-metaphoric-writing-5c8063bbc005
- ^ https://www.last.fm/music/%C3%B6sterreich/+wiki
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXLjjUNHe5o
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UR8RJwjTG1s&t=263s
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amzQhR_6qso&t=5s
- ^ https://twitter.com/itta1120/status/1768964218290586004