My first introduction to Japanese Breakfast came from a random suggestion from Bandcamp that thought I might be interested in "Soft Sounds From Another Planet", and when I checked it out I was VERY interested in it. Led by singer/songwriter Michelle Zauner, Japanese Breakfast instantly connected with me, and I was greatly impressed by the album's solid songwriting and slick pop hooks, along with intelligent lyrics and little flourishes that kept me coming back for repeated listens.
Around the same time I was also lucky enough to catch a live set when Japanese Breakfast opened for Slowdive on their 2017 tour. It was a good pairing, complimentary acts that worked well together to make a great evening out, a show that added to my already favorable thoughts about the band and inspired me to keep listening to the "Soft Sounds..." album on a constant loop.
By the time that a show at the Phoenix was announced for July 2018 I
was firmly committed in my fandom and was really looking forward to the
opportunity to see a headlining set by Japanese Breakfast, and I'm happy
to say that it was everything that I hoped for and more. In addition to being
a great songwriter, Zauner is a solidly engaging
performer, sharing stories and leading the band through hits and album cuts alike, all with a
direct and resonant appeal that ensured that they connected with the audience like they were meant to.
Songs like Road Head, Boyish, and Machinist all sounded amazing that night at the Phoenix and
were well received by the audience. Zauner's choice to cover Dreams by the Cranberries during the encore was a nice dual purpose nod to her own influences and also to the idea of Pop music as a whole,
a nice way to cap the show by celebrating the joy and appeal of a well written song. It should come as no surprise to any of you that I had a wide smile on my face all through the night...
In the last few months Zauner has been receiving a lot of well deserved recognition and praise for her first book, "Crying in H-Mart", a frank and honest retelling of her relationship with her Mother and about caring for her during her battle with cancer. It's a moving read, and I won't deny that I cried a couple of times reading it. Along with the book, Zauner has also released her third album "Jubilee", another collection of well crafted and intelligent Pop songs including Be Sweet which she performed on The Tonight Show a couple of months ago, fulfilling her career goal of becoming Jimmy Fallon Big.
So far 2021 has been a huge year for Japanese Breakfast, and I hope that these successes continue to widen Zauner's audience and introduce new fans to her work. A tour to promote "Jubilee" has been announced for the fall, another chance to introduce people to her music and build on her success, and while there's no show set for Toronto just yet I'm hoping that a date will be added in the near future, 'cause I'm really looking forward to seeing the new songs played live...
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