Japanese Breakfast is the solo musical project of Michelle Zauner of Little Big League. Under the alias, Zauner has released two studio albums: Psychopomp (2016) and Soft Sounds from Another Planet (2017).
Contents
1 Background
2 Artistry
3 Discography
3.1 Studio albums
3.2 Projects
4 References
5 External links
Background
Prior to her solo project, Michelle Zauner fronted Post Post, an indie pop band with students from Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges,[1] then started the Philadelphian emo band Little Big League.[2] Zauner fronted the band between 2011 and 2014, before returning to her hometown of Eugene, Oregon in 2013 as her mother was diagnosed with cancer.[2]
While in Oregon with her family, Zauner began recording solo music. Zauner described the project as having much more to say following Tropical Jinx, the 2014 studio album by Little Big League. Originally, Zauner had begun to record early samples of music as a self-meditative and "instant-gratification" feeling.[3]
Zauner performing live with her band in 2017
On April 1, 2016, Japanese Breakfast released their first studio album, Psychopomp, under Yellow K Records. Zauner described the debut album as quite "dark and heavy-handed", although she had a desire to make the music, urgent[4] and "sonically upbeat."[3]
On June 23, 2016, Japanese Breakfast was signed to the Dead Oceans label.[5] Their second album, Soft Sounds from Another Planet, was released through the label on July 14, 2017 and to "universal acclaim" with a Metacritic score of 83.[6] In Brian Shultz's review for The A.V. Club he gave it an A- grade and said, "there’s a confidence and crispness to Soft Sounds that shows just how fully realized Zauner’s formerly homemade experiments have become."[7]
The name of the band, according to Zauner, is a juxtaposition of Asian exoticism and American culture. Despite the name, Zauner is not of Japanese descent, but Korean and Jewish descent.[8] Zauner chose the name because she "grew up relating to Japanese culture quite a bit because it felt like the closest thing [she] had" to Korean popular culture in America.[9]
Artistry
Michelle Geslani of Consequence of Sound has described the Japanese Breakfast project's sound as experimental pop.[10] Anna Gaca of Spin has described the Japanese Breakfast project's sound as lo-fi.[5]
Zauner has stated that she hopes her work can influence more Asian-Americans to be involved in music.[4]
Discography
Studio albums
Psychopomp (2016)
Soft Sounds from Another Planet (2017)
Projects
June (2013)
References
"DIY Music". Atavist. 2016-05-13. Retrieved 2017-07-17.
Teo-Blockey, Celine (September 15, 2016). "Interview: Japanese Breakfast's Michelle Zauner on death and 'Psychopomp'". AXS TV. 2929 Entertainment. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
Hannah, Andy (October 18, 2016). "In the Rugged Country: Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast tells Andy Hannah about the loss which brought her back to the Pacific Northwest". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
Gardin, Russell. "Pop Music Has A Sense of Urgency: An Interview With Japanese Breakfast". FreePressHouston.com. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
Gaca, Anna (June 23, 2016). "Japanese Breakfast Shares 'Jane Cum' Video, Signs to Dead Oceans". Spin. Eldridge Industries. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
Soft Sounds From Another Planet by Japanese Breakfast, retrieved 2018-04-07
Shultz, Brian. "Japanese Breakfast, The Dears, Sheer Mag, and more in this week's music reviews". Music. Retrieved 2018-04-07.
Champ, Christine (July 1, 2016). "An Interview with Michelle Zauner, The One Big Boss Lady Who Is Japanese Breakfast". Front Row Boston. WGBH. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
Song, Sandra. "Japanese Breakfast on Grief, Imposter Syndrome, and Korean Representation". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 2018-04-07.
Geslani, Michelle (May 4, 2017). "Japanese Breakfast announces new album, shares "Machinist" video — watch". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved May 31, 2017.