Anyone have any recommendations for artists/bands that sound similar to the Living Field/Kool Spice era of The Pillows? Been trying to find some other influences that cater to that sound.

Thanks in advance!

You'll probably like UNCHAIN then. I just discovered them, and so far, their sound is the closest I've found to the pillows' jazz/alternative fusion sound:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWMh9-zbMqs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdhND3k5G-k

I also came across this recently, and there are a lot of good bands of a similar vein in this compilation (UNCHAIN being among them):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ztLcdzcp9c

And if you're curious about delving more into the arcane jazz fusion side of things, give Naniwa Express a try (their guitarist was featured on that TIME MACHINE compilation that Manabe was also featured on):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAPSR791Y9U

And if you like that, then I have a whole slew of jazz fusion waiting for you.

[quote="Orochi"]You'll probably like UNCHAIN then. I just discovered them, and so far, their sound is the closest I've found to the pillows' jazz/alternative fusion sound:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWMh9-zbMqs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdhND3k5G-k

I also came across this recently, and there are a lot of good bands of a similar vein in this compilation (UNCHAIN being among them):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ztLcdzcp9c

And if you're curious about delving more into the arcane jazz fusion side of things, give Naniwa Express a try (their guitarist was featured on that TIME MACHINE compilation that Manabe was also featured on):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAPSR791Y9U

And if you like that, then I have a whole slew of jazz fusion waiting for you. [/quote]

Dude, awesome stuff! Thanks for posting this!

The first song by Unchain reminds me a lot of the police. Their second album at least.

What sort of bands influenced the pillows during the Kool Spice/Living Field era? Like-- was anyone else playing that kind of music in the early-to-mid 90's?

The stuff Orochi posted upthread is good, but I wonder if there aren't any older songs in this sort of style.

[quote="Lesser_Hamster"]What sort of bands influenced the pillows during the Kool Spice/Living Field era? Like-- was anyone else playing that kind of music in the early-to-mid 90's?

The stuff Orochi posted upthread is good, but I wonder if there aren't any older songs in this sort of style.[/quote]

Yeah that's what I've been trying to figure out... It seems as if Living Field/Kool Spice is from a lost era in 90's but I can't find literally anything similar...



P.S. Unchain's pretty sick

I'm still on the lookout as well. So far, the closest I've found from that era is the late 80's jazz fusion similar to the Naniwa Express stuff I posted earlier. Someday, perhaps…

As a side note, there's one Unchain song in particular that sounds exactly like it'd be something off of Living Field. I couldn't find the actual song on YouTube, but I found a guitar cover (which is also pretty amazing in its own right) that's close enough:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNOh1Rk9Lk8

[quote="Orochi"]I'm still on the lookout as well. So far, the closest I've found from that era is the late 80's jazz fusion similar to the Naniwa Express stuff I posted earlier. Someday, perhaps…

As a side note, there's one Unchain song in particular that sounds exactly like it'd be something off of Living Field. I couldn't find the actual song on YouTube, but I found a guitar cover (which is also pretty amazing in its own right) that's close enough:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNOh1Rk9Lk8[/quote]Oooh, nice one. nice find, Orochi.

I've got a song from Steely Dan, that has some resemblances. Really laid-back song. But more like 'Girlfriend' than 'Native World'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ-f9E1wYOo

Kinda late here. But downloaded [i]Music is the key[/i], and it's damn awesome. I friggin love Turn Off The Light.

Unchain seems kinda like Super Funky jazz-fusion pillows.

Some of their offerings do indeed seem pretty similar to circa Living Field-ish pillows. Though, fuck, the pillows did that stuff well. Probably because of Manabe and Kashima.

[quote="Crescent"]Kinda late here. But downloaded [i]Music is the key[/i], and it's damn awesome. I friggin love Turn Off The Light.[/quote]
+1. I love that song.

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZNGWB4WUj4]Place in the Heart[/url] reminds me of the pillows big time.

[quote="Lesser_Hamster"][url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZNGWB4WUj4]Place in the Heart[/url] reminds me of the pillows big time.[/quote]
Yeah, that was definitely the song that sounded the most similar.

Some of the guitar work in Felt's [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GDJWuCSPEo&feature=related]Stained-Glass Windows in the Sky[/url] reminds me of the pillows a little bit. Maybe it's just me, though.

That's definitely got a somewhat similar feel in that verse riff.

[quote="Lesser_Hamster"]Some of the guitar work in Felt's [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GDJWuCSPEo&feature=related]Stained-Glass Windows in the Sky[/url] reminds me of the pillows a little bit. Maybe it's just me, though.[/quote]Well, to be honest, to me it quite accurately represents the style on LF. (Sunday and Daydream Wonder come to mind) I'd say, even more so than Unchain.
The keyboards also add to the similarity.
Nice find

Look at this picture: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJUZf0SF ... creen&NR=1
Doesn't that remind you of the younger Sawao in the 'Daydream Wonder' PV? Dat HAT!

Okay, maybe I am a bit off-track on this one, but this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCuHHHNi-l8
kinda resembles the style on WI. (Paper Moon comes in mind). I think there is a fair chance that 'Felt', besides the Smiths, also influenced the pillows during their first years.

btw since I checked out 'Stained-Glass Windows in the Sky' , I got interested. I Have been listening to their stuff here and there. 'Felt' sounds like a promising band. I really dig their sound so far (understatement). How much are you into the band LH?

[quote="Lesser_Hamster"]Some of the guitar work in Felt's [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GDJWuCSPEo&feature=related]Stained-Glass Windows in the Sky[/url] reminds me of the pillows a little bit. Maybe it's just me, though.[/quote]

Yeah, nice find, I seem to be getting an "ano hito onaji sora no shita de" feeling from listening to it.