CMJ Watch IV: Shugo Tokumaru, Women, Cory Chisel, Ane Brun, Friendly Fires

Wednesday's fixin' to be a big night on the town for us. The beginning part of the evening finds us at the Bowery Ballroom to catch Cory Chisel and Shugo. We're pretty jazzed for Shugo as he has played several times in NYC, but we have yet to catch him. His new record Exit, is fantastic. Canadian band, Women are quickly becoming one of the "buzz bands" to catch at this year's festival, so we'll head up the Ludlow street way to catch them at Cake Shop round 11:15pm.

On the way, we're hitting up the lovely (and Swedish) Ane Brun who is playing the Living Room behind her new record Changing of the Seasons. She's on at 10:00pm. Also don't forget about Dent May and Beach House at Le Poisson Rouge tonight as well.

Gotta give a shout out for all of our British friends and trans-Atlantic readers - Friendly Fires are playing tonight, which is Brit night at the Annex. Their new self-titled record is fantastic -- we're going to catch 'em at tomorrow's Brooklyn Vegan day party at Pianos, which is also shaping up to be an amazing afternoon of tunes.
Whew.

Shugo Tokumaru - New Album EXIT - Tour Dates with The Magnetic Fields

Shugo Tokumaru - "Green Rain" - mp3
Japanese Artist Shugo Tokumaru's new record Exit (Columbia) has been getting a ton of play here as of late. Shugo is a truly remarkable musician playing most of the 50 instruments you hear on Exit. Oh yeah, he's never taken a lesson except on piano, of which there is very little on the record. Tokumaru's songs play out like festive Sufjan Stevens orchestral romps, complete with glockenspiel, banjo and rollicking tempos. These highly melodic tunes seem to lock into your brain and remain for the day. Tokumaru is 28, grew up in Tokyo and bases his lyrics around a dream journal he keeps. Exit just exudes energy at every turn. Tokumaru has shared the stage with Animal Collective, Iron & Wine, Jens Lekman, and M.Ward. Add to that list, Magnetic Fields, with whom he will tour this fall. Shugo Tokumaru will also be at the Mercury Lounge in NY September 23. All dates after the jump...

09/13 Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle (The Wire's Adventures in Modern Music)# (Buy Tickets!)
09/23 New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge! (Buy Tickets!)
09/30 Los Angeles, CA @ Spaceland^ (Buy Tickets!)
10/03 Montréal, QC @ Pop Montréal% (Buy Tickets!)
10/23 Jersey City, NJ @ Loews Jersey Theatre* (Buy Tickets!)
10/24 Columbus, OH @ The Southern Theatre* (Buy Tickets!)
10/25 Philadelphia, PA @ The Merriam Theater* (Buy Tickets!)
10/26 Washington, DC @ Lisner Auditorium at George Washington University* (Buy Tickets!)

# with Flying Lotus (Best New Music on Pitchfork), Lau Nau, Blues Control
! Jon Natchez (Beirut), Bryan Devendorf (The National), Perrin Cloutier (Beirut), Lawson White (So Percussion) w/Twi the Humble Feather
^ Supporting Beach House & Lazarus
% Contrived, Julie Fader, Brian Borcherdt (Holy F*ck), Off the International Radar, DJ Graham (Holy F*ck)
* Supporting Magnetic Fields with Jon Natchez (Beirut)