The Band Apart is a mighty staple of the Japanese indie rock scene, having the knack to both score on the charts and wow critics and colleagues with their elaborate blend of pop-punk, light jazz, chamber pop, surf, '80s pop, and even the occasional bout of bossa nova. The group is no stranger to catchiness, but the hooks are combined with a meticulous rhythmic interplay between all instruments, executed with math rock precision. Beyond that, the band sticks to English lyrics exclusively, being able to handle them without mangling the language (the vocalist Takeshi Arai is said to be better with writing and singing in English than in Japanese). The group's beginnings, however, were pretty far from what the band would become, as its founders, former middle school mates Arai (who played bass back then), Nobukazu Kawasaki (guitar), and Eiichi Kogure (drums) were inspired by Megadeth and Metallica and wanted to have a thrash metal cover band. The act's name was borrowed from Quentin Tarantino's production company A Band Apart. Kogure soon left and the Band Apart split, but was reborn in 1998, this time taking its cues from Hi-Standard and other likeminded J-pop-punk groups, although they gave their music a very loose interpretation in their own material, which soon began to replace the punk covers in their repertoire. The group was complemented by guitarist Masakazu Hara, who soon switched instruments with Arai. The next two years saw the Band Apart release three demos and follow them with the debut single, "Fool Proof," in 2001. This release, as well as its follow-up, Eric W, (2002), were handled by Limited Records, but soon the Band Apart left to form their own label, Asian Gothic, which released their first album K. & His Bike (2003). The group took quite a beating for their early tame live shows, but they improved by the time of their tour in support of their debut, and they were accompanied by Mock Orange, an American act they signed to Asian Gothic. Their second full-length, the jazzier affair Quake and Brook (2005), came out after the tour, followed by the extensive DVD Eric the Fool Recognized His Bike Quakes (2005), and then their third studio album Alfred and Cavity (2006). After keeping a low recording profile for a year, they returned in 2008 with the album Adze of Penguin, which charted at the Oricon. ~ Alexey Eremenko