How would you describe the pillows to an American who had never heard them before?

Just going off what I've heard them compared to, mix nirvana, the pixies, the beatles, weezer, oasis, plus some jazz rock mixed in from their earlier stuff... ln general they're just fun to listen to... Someone else here can probably go in more depth...

[quote="Bebop56210"]Just going off what I've heard them compared to, mix nirvana, the pixies, the beatles, weezer, oasis, plus some jazz rock mixed in from their earlier stuff... ln general they're just fun to listen to... Someone else here can probably go in more depth... [/quote]

I'm convinced that people who say "the pillows sound like the Japanese Pixies" have only heard Here Comes Your Man...which is a very un-Pixies song for the Pixies. Oasis and Weezer are much closer to what most of us feel like is the pillows' "sound" I think - ie., our ideal version of the pillows. That is, late 90s.

In terms of Japanese bands that sound like the Pixies...it's Number Girl. And really even then, only in spirit.

[quote="wffong09"]How would you describe the pillows to an American who had never heard them before?[/quote]

"DO YOU RAIK FOORY COORY?

OH YAER! RIDE ON SHOOTING STAR~!"

That's when you flip the switch on your boombox and ROSS begins to blare. It's really that easy.

Anywho, I don't feel like the pillows really sound like any other band. They've borrowed (sometimes heavily) from other bands over the years, but these influences are all over the place. The end result has always felt more pillows than Oasis or Pixies or whaever to me. It might seem generic and unconvincing, but I'd simply describe them as a band for people who like "good music". They've explored numerous styles; there's something in their discography for pretty much anyone who's into popular music.

Weezer and Oasis are the two bands that people usually say they sound kind of like when I introduce them

Usually, I would only show my friends anything from '97-'99, so I describe them as everything awesome about '90s alt.

You are right about that period, but I also like to show people newer stuff, particularly Energia because I love that song.

Imagine The Smiths if you replaced Morrissey with this guy:

[img]http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b316/kyleisnotdead/scarysawao.png[/img]

And gradually evolved from jangly British alternative toward high-octane power pop.

The pillows sounding like the pixies? That's a first.

I've heard that they are 'the beatles of japan' or that they are 'the nirvana of japan'

Never the pixies.
I would describe them as a great band. Think nirvana. You have no idea what they are saying, even in their English tracks. Yet they still are awesome.

Rejecting the Pixies comparison and replacing it with a Nirvana comparison is totally

They have their Pixies tracks and their Nirvana tracks. I can totally see both comparisons in regards to different aspects, but honestly, I don't think they are terribly like Nirvana aside from a few tracks. I like to think of Manabe as a guitar hero for sure, and Kurt was really an anti-hero in that aspect. the pillows are a lot more pop influenced to me than Nirvana. And they have a lot more versatility.

I love Nirvana by the way. Just sayin...

I've never thought The Pillows sounded much like the Pixies, Nirvana, or Weezer. They've always sounded more like British alt-rockers (The Smiths, early Radiohead, Blur, maybe Manic Street Preachers) than any American bands.

To be perfectly honest, ever since I first discovered them, I really never drew any connections to any other bands. They have a real pillows-y sound. The only time I even considered them sounding like anyone else was when I read them elsewhere (mostly here I guess, don't know where else it would be). Even then I tended to disagree at least to some degree.

Not like OH EM GEE THEY ARE SO UNEEK ADN AMAAZING
But I jusst don't think any reference I've ever seen drawn does them any justice.

I don't usually describe bands in terms of another band's sound, mostly because most bands don't have one particular sound in the first place. The pillows have had, what, three or four major stylistic shifts throughout their career? Plus, as with most bands, the pillows' "sound" is an amalgamation of various differing influences (the Beatles, Nirvana, the Pixies, and probably a bunch of others that I can't remember off the top of my head).

Anyway.

The pillows are hard to characterize, but when I introduce them to friends who have never heard of them before, I tell them that they are generally kind of like pop-influenced alternative rock. And then, if possible, I just show them a song or two (because that's really the best way to introduce any band). Usually Carnival and Swanky Street are my go-to examples, although I've sometimes thrown Hybrid Rainbow in as well. Occasionally I'll also mention their fusiony jazz pop experimentation phase, but not until said person has heard their more mainstream stuff first.

Orochi, I would always go with dat Hybrid Rainbow.