I don’t know what you imagine when you hear “Cambodia-based original blues rock, alt-soul, and hip-hop group”. When I first read those words in sequence, my eyes glazed over. How those disparate parts would come together was beyond me. But Japan Guitar Shop, a scrappy little outfit from Phnom Penh, Cambodia do it well on their ambitious debut album Done You Right.
Colin Hodgkins (Bassist, rapper, co-writer):
Our band started with three guys who played basketball together in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It was me, Cove Aaronoff (lead singer, acoustic guitar, co-writer), and our first drummer, Eugenio. We were drawn to a neighborhood thrift store that had an upstairs music rehearsal room and $1 beers, and started playing and writing there for fun. That store was called Japan Guitar Shop, and so when we finally had enough material to play concerts, we named our band after the place where it all began.
Whatever idea of sound that the name “Japan Guitar Shop” evokes in your mind, think again. “Left of Eden” is, in my opinion, the strongest track on the band’s debut record. The song opens with soulful horns, which are later joined by a soft organ piano as the track unfolds into a lush, layered climax. These elements are found across the entirety of Done You Right – organ, blues rock guitars, strings and horns – which are often well composed and thoughtfully mixed. It should really come as no surprise that blues is one of the band’s preferred genres. Cove Aaronoff’s gravelly voice is well suited to that style.
The band draws inspiration from a rather eclectic group of artists (Deer Tick, The Roots, Fiona Apple, The Band, and Tom Waits). There is a clear love for some classic American born genres – which is most apparent in the blues inspired songs that make you want to sway with your eyes closed and a drink in your hand. But living in Cambodia contributes to their sound in its own way.
Our different influences come from the fact that we all grew up in different countries, lived abroad in various places, and came to be part of Cambodia’s diverse music scene. We can point to Cambodian music (i.e., the guitars in some Pen Ran recordings) that have influenced our sound, but the main way that Cambodia has shaped our music has been exposing us to incredibly talented musicians from all over the world who also live here. For example, our songs “The River” and “Promised Land” wouldn’t be the same without the intensely powerful vocals of our Filipina friend, Jae Ann, who lives in Siem Reap and recorded with us. We hope listeners will hear our music as uniquely melding the different genres we love, from Motown to 90s hip-hop, but above all just think it rocks.
Right now our favorite artists include Khruangbin, Black Pumas, JID, and Geography of the Moon–or at least that’s what we were listening to most while on tour in Thailand. Geography of the Moon are friends of ours and I especially love their song called “The Unraveling,” which is definitely worth a listen.
These hip-hop influences are clear on songs like “Boatcaps and Obituaries”, which is probably the best example of how far reaching the band’s different interests and inspirations are. Hodgkin’s rapped verse leads into a bossa nova breakdown before transitioning to a darker, soulful conclusion. And credit is certainly due to the rest of the band – as the instrumentals truly shine on this album. So I applaud Francesco Scarfone (electric guitar), Arone Silverman (guitar), Matteo Dembech (keys) and Ricky Haldermann (drums).
While they are in the process of putting together a European tour, Japan Guitar Shop is headed to Vietnam next.
Their music is available on Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp.
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