I just got an email from Masahiro Nomura from the fine Japanese Indie label "abcdefg*record" who told me about a new magazine/cd he and his label has made, “Merci Magazine”. The label has some really cool Japanese bands in their roster, such as Roly Poly Rag Bear and Naivepop or Petitfool, so I instantly got interested in this. The magazine is written in Japanese, so unless you know the language, you can only enjoy the design and the photos in the printed part of the package. The cd is definitely interesting, and the readers/listeners of Eardrums will be familiar with several of these bands. Merci magazine will focus on DIY POP culture in the world, and if I understand the idea correctly, they want to have indie pop from every country of the world on the cds that will follow the magazines. The mag/cd is limited to 500 ex. and can be ordered from the label’s myspace. I miss a price for international orders, though…

Here is the tracklist:

01 Ingeborg Selnes – Open your heart (NO)
02 Bedroom Eyes – Hand in Hand Grenade (demo) (SW)
03 Punch and Judy – You better know it..s coming backn (SW)
04 Girl is Töugh – Polynomie (MX)
05 Run Toto Run – Your Face (UK)
06 clover – Tania in a Car (ID)
07 The Pity Party – Wanting Wan (US)
08 The Kazoo Funk Orchestra – Robots in Your Eyes (UK)
09 The Winter Club – Stylo (UK)
10 Hari and Aino – Gold (or something just as nice) (SW)
11 Ladies!Disaster! – Sushi Sabotage (DE)
12 Sweet Sweet Concorde – Time To Die (SW)
13 Oliver North Boy Choir – Over/Out (DK)
14 naivepop or petitfool – Sunday Morning (JP)
15 Audrey shoes – colorful (JP)

Here is a taster, from Naivepop or Petitfool:
Naivepop or Petitfool – Sunday Morning

…and a preview of the magazine….