Yes, another collaboration “Youth on the Road” to be released 10/21. This time with “The Collectors”. Here’s a translation from Google (I’d clean it up but my Japanese isn’t great and you can get the gist).

“Rock plan titled” BEAT CRUSADERS, New Rote’ka, the first anniversary activities Mellon has collaborated with artists Midori 4 has decided to collaborate Collector’s series.
Single “Youth on the Road” to 10/21 (Wed) will be released nationwide at Tower Records. Lyrics / Music: Hisashi Kato, produced: Hitoshi Yoshida, music: THE COLLECTORS by Pre-one songs.
Melon Kinenbi’s official blog, click here.
Melon Day Event hosted by the conjunction “MELON LONGE” also appeared in the decision. 10/17 (Sat) will be held at Harajuku Astro Hall. See “SCHEDULE” Please see the page.

The last few collabs have been with Punk bands and I’ve loved them, The Collectors (not the 60’s Canadian psychedelic group) are more of a Mod-Rock group that has been playing in Japan since the late 80’s. I’ve never heard the The Collectors so it will be interesting to see if it appeals to me as much as the recent Punk bands.

I’m just really shocked how Mellon Kinenbi has gone from being a part of one of the most over produced organization in Japanese music to jumping with both feet into more independent rock scene. It’s hard to think of an American example that would be as drastic of a change. Maybe if Justin Timberlake started touring with Iron and Wine or something like that.

Check out the Previous Collaborations here and here.

And unfortunately with it this release date this far out there is no previews online yet but this collaboration is with ミドリ (midori) which probably means more punk style.

Like I said before, this is nothing but good news if you ask me. The more releases they have the better; they’ve been overlooked for so long by UFA. Plus I’d love if some of this style rubs off on their independent releases. And again I’m not really that surprised either, even though Melon Kinenbi was tied to the idol heavy Up Front Agency they always seems like they wanted to split off on a more aggressive tangent like this.

Or at least they seemed like this a year or so in when they started to develop their own personalities and not the bizarre image Hello Project was developing for them early on.

Hello Project’s (former?) girl group Melon Kinenbi (メロン記念日) is going to see if it’s actually possible just having done a collab with <Beat Crusaders (Good, Lightweight, not quite “Pop Punk”, Punk) and now one with New Rote’ka (ニューロティカ) (more underground, energetic punk).

Beat Crusaders Collaboration
New Rote’ka Collab

Of all the Hello Pro girls, Kinenbi seems most likely to fit in at a punk show but that’s still not saying much. I know Japanese punk shows are usually a bit more tame than some here in the US (no brass knuckle fights for one) but I still wonder what happens when you drop a few idols in the middle of a screaming Punk show.

Still I hope it works good because I think seeing the wild side of some idols would be great. Besides the fact that it’s been over a year since Kinenbi had a release. What’s really shocking is that Kinenbi formed shortly after Maki Goto joined Morning Musume and are still the same group! Ok, maybe that was too much of my personal H!P nerd knowledge coming out, but seriously when you understand how they work it’s amazing. Up Front Agency always kept them on the back burner and now that they’re free they’re taking their act in a direction I really like. Hopefully this is just the first of a new image for them.

The only trouble now is getting hands on these singles over here in the US. Like a tragically overlooked idol group isn’t hard enough to come by they’re teamed up with punk bands that are unknown in the US.
Come on Japan! You did a good job of starting up a Ska movement. Show us the wild punk scene that’s hidden behind Japan’s conservative image!

Melon x Crusaders on youtube (which means nothing when you have a CD collecting personality like me).

Good but doesn’t stand out other than sounding like Melon Kinenbi with that “Beat Crusaders sound”. Chorus still sounds like an idol group song.

Melon x New Rote’ka

Bad recording. Melon is straining in a format they’re not used to but I think they could defiantly go in this direction and do great.

If UFA had taken Hello Pro in a direction more like this I don’t think I would have given up on them. But The New Rote’ka collaboration “Pinch wa chance,baka ni narouze!” is an excellent start (we hope!)