Recommendation of Western Rock: Recommended Foreign Rock Bands, Popular Bands

Never MeantAmerican Football

American Football – Never Meant [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

By the time their album American Football was released, this fantastic band had already broken up and no longer existed in its original form.

They still have many fans, and without them, not only the modern US indie scene but also the Japanese band scene would likely look very different today.

That’s how globally influential—and how great—this band’s album is.

Thanks to their enduring popularity and to meet fan expectations, they recently reunited.

If you haven’t listened yet, you absolutely should.

American Football is an incredible band.

Twist of FateBad Lieutenant

Bad Lieutenant – “Twist of Fate”

It’s the new band formed by Bernard Sumner, the vocalist of New Order.

They’re not very famous, but if you like UK rock, you should know this band too.

Their songwriting is excellent, and the fusion of rock and dance music is superb.

ParanoidBlack Sabbath

BLACK SABBATH – “Paranoid” (Official Video)

Black Sabbath is a British rock band that continues to be respected as the original heavy metal band.

The period with vocalist Ronnie James Dio is also highly regarded, but many still champion the original members as the golden era: charismatic heavy metal vocalist Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, who cemented the power-chord riff in the public consciousness, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward.

The band generally reserves the name “Black Sabbath” for this lineup.

They have produced many albums, but 1970’s Paranoid, packed with famous songs, is a work that could be called a sacred text.

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Hirata Hiroyasu

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CharlemagneBlossoms

Blossoms – Charlemagne

This song was my first introduction to the band Blossoms.

When I heard the intro, I thought it sounded like the backing track of a Japanese kayōkyoku karaoke.

But as the song went on, I was drawn in by Blossoms’ uniquely pop sensibility.

There’s a catchiness in their deliberate use of “cheesy” sounds—what you might call a subtractive approach—and yet they maintain a perfect balance that never feels lacking.

I think they’re an outstanding pop band.

WaterslideCHON

CHON – Waterslide (Official Music Video)

What kind of image do you have of the genre called progressive music? Difficult? Hard to grasp? Fast? Lots of notes? They’re probably all correct.

But this band CHON, while undeniably progressive—difficult, complex, fast, and note-dense—has a fantastic sense of balance that makes their music very easy to listen to.

Perhaps it also helps that the members love listening to video game music; every single phrase is genuinely cool.

Leave A TraceChvrches

CHVRCHES – Leave A Trace

Songs built from airy, translucent vocals, catchy melodies, and hard-hitting electronic beats are truly wonderful! When talking about this band, it’s impossible to avoid saying, “Mayberry’s vocals are beautiful.” The band themselves seem to dislike that kind of idol-like marketing, so maybe phrasing it this way isn’t ideal—but it’s undeniably true that her beauty is real and a major part of the band’s appeal.

On top of that, their songs and live performances are fantastic, so I absolutely think this is a band you should check out!

LongshotCatfish&the Bottlemen

Catfish and the Bottlemen – Longshot

Catfish and the Bottlemen are an indie rock band from Wales, UK, formed in 2007.

The band’s name comes from when member Van once saw a street performer in Australia called Catfish The Bottleman; Van later reunited with that performer via a radio show.

Their album Balcony was released in the United States on January 6, 2015, and the very next day they achieved the feat of performing on The Late Show with David Letterman.

Despite hardships such as the departure of their lead guitarist, they’re a band we hope will keep pushing forward!

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Yoimachi Jēn

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