The Japanese House's newest record, In The End It Always Does, opens slowly, with the lilting piano of the mostly-instrumental track "Spot Dog," and lets us take our times getting acquainted with it. Contrarily, her set at Marathon Music Works in Nashville, TN last Wednesday night opened with electricity with “Sad To Breathe,” which practically begs its listeners to dance the moment the drumbeat comes in around the one minute mark. And dance we did.
The alias of musician Amber Bain, The Japanese House has been on a steady rise to indie royalty for nearly a decade, particularly after the release of the 2017 single “Saw You In A Dream,” but this last record has catapulted them to a place they've never been before, particularly stateside. It had been a little over four years to the day since The Japanese House had last played in Nashville, and the sold-out crowd were more than ready for Amber and band to take the stage. To go from playing The Basement East, which holds roughly 600 people, straight to selling out Marathon Music Works with its 1,500-person capacity is a feat in itself, and it was magic to see that everyone who was there, was there for the music.
Fresh off the East Coast run of the tour, it was quite clear that our eagerness was reflected in the band, as well. The energy in the room was palpable throughout the set, regardless of the tempo of the song. They played a mix of songs from the new record in addition to the band's debut, Good At Falling, and the 2020 EP Chewing Cotton Wool, and the set felt very well-rounded. There was something for everyone.
The band wrapped up the show with "Sunshine Baby," which features vocals from Dirty Hit labelmate Matty Healy, and which went quite viral on TikTok over the summer. This felt like the perfect way to close out the night, and sent us all off in high spirits.
Speaking of TikTok sensations - it was lovely to see quinnie open, as well. I only found out the day before the show that she'd be on the bill, so I made absolutely sure to get there early enough to catch her set. She played a mix of released tracks and fan-favorite unreleased songs she's been sharing on her social platforms the past few months.
The Japanese House still have quite a few shows to go on the North American tour; if you have the chance to go see them (and the show has yet to sell out), you should absolutely make it out.
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