Yoshiko Ohtsu Ohtsu Yoshiko Zenshu CD

'What the hell are you talking about, Justin,' I can hear you asking your lifeless computer monitor. That's right, the three bandmates have never shared a stage, or a green room, or even a pizza. Brought together through a subforum of the Something Awful website, they have collaborated on two albums with only the internet as their communication medium. They each record a part (like a drum track or guitar riff), send it to the other, where the other member would lay down another track (like a vocal or bass line) and then pass it along to the final member who would do the same. After everything was all said and done, they'd mix and master it together in the same way. It's really amazing when you think about how much extra work would be required for something like this, but they pulled it off brilliantly. [Editor's Note: Their story is quite aptly described on track 15: 'The Old Timey Legend of Stabilizer']The second track on the sophomore called 'Needless' features singer Emily Rose whose voice reminds me of Sarah McLachlan at times (this is definitely a good thing). She sings about her own confusion about her perceived individuality, and whether she should grow up and end the 'needless rebellion' that she's been putting people through. It is almost a 'coming of age' message, where young adult becomes adult, and realizes that trying to do the polar opposite of everything society says you should isn't going to further any cause ...