Post by sylvia!! on May 21, 2021 10:25:52 GMT
Shutoku Mukai/向井秀徳 (born December 9th, 1973)
Associated Acts: Number Girl (1995-2002, 2019-2022), Shutoku Mukai Acoustic and Electric (2003-present), ZAZEN BOYS (2004-present), Kimonos (2010-present)
Vocal Range: D2 - F5
Vocal Type: Damaged
{Vocal Summary}Shutoku Mukai is a lesson in why straining, raking and smoking your voice to the endth degree so that it achieves the effect of a dying, feral cat screeching at the local homeless person is - unsurprisingly - not a good idea. In his prime, Mukai used to have a pretty solid, waily tenor voice with some nice strong belts up to B4, having his vocals peak at around 2004 - when he was actually using his voice properly. Most vocals after this year were hopelessly strained into oblivion as the man decided that smoking, drinking and also using the worst screaming technique on every note that didn't need to be screamed was a good idea in every single live performance. In around 2008 he was pushing gremlin-like D5s into every song like nobodies business until his voice gave up not long after.
By about 2014 it had gotten to the point where even a G♯4 required more effort than usual, most of his notes above E4 sounding ridiculously gritty and his screaming was almost non existent due to the amount of strain he was putting onto his voice. Of course there were nicer performances here and there where he didn't try abusing his larynx to get the choker-smoker effect of his earlier screaming but for the most part his performances were starting to drag. In recent years, the energy of performances have been dwindling - though recently he has decided to cut cigarettes and alcohol out of his diet in order to look after his voice. In mid 2021, the Matsuri session live performances proved that he was still capable of solid singing, even if it did sound a little awkward at times it proved he still had the chops to potentially save his voice. My current main hope is that he tries looking after it rather than straining it to death and killing it off early like he seemed to be doing.
By about 2014 it had gotten to the point where even a G♯4 required more effort than usual, most of his notes above E4 sounding ridiculously gritty and his screaming was almost non existent due to the amount of strain he was putting onto his voice. Of course there were nicer performances here and there where he didn't try abusing his larynx to get the choker-smoker effect of his earlier screaming but for the most part his performances were starting to drag. In recent years, the energy of performances have been dwindling - though recently he has decided to cut cigarettes and alcohol out of his diet in order to look after his voice. In mid 2021, the Matsuri session live performances proved that he was still capable of solid singing, even if it did sound a little awkward at times it proved he still had the chops to potentially save his voice. My current main hope is that he tries looking after it rather than straining it to death and killing it off early like he seemed to be doing.
Significant High Notes:
F5 ("Kuromegachi na Shoujo")
E5 ("Hentai Terminated", "I Don't Know", "Ikasama Love" live at Galactika 2004, "Tattoo Ari", "Tengu")
E♭5 ("Brain Construction", "Friday Night", "Frustration in My Blood", "Ikasama Love", "Kaisen Zenya", "Kuroi Shitagi", "My Crazy Feeling")
D5 ("4 Track Professional", "Anminbo", "Chie-Chan's Landscape", "Cold Beat" live at Society of the Citizens 2008, "Gira Gira Hikaru", "Hard Liquor", "Himitsu Girl's Top Secret", "I Don't Know", "Ikasama Love" live at Nagoya 2008, "Kaisen Zenya", "Kimochi" live at Nagoya 2008, "Kurutte Sorou" live in Toyko 2004, "My Crazy Feeling", "No Time", "Omoide In My Head", "Riff Man" live at Nagoya 2008, "Sakura no Dance" live at Rock of Ages 2001, "Sappukei" live at Sapporo 2002, "Waga Kiritsu Tada Waga Ichi Nin", "You Make Me Feel So Bad", "Zegen Vs Undercover")
C♯5 ("Abstract Truth" live, "Brain Construction", "Brutal Number Girl" live 2000, "Cold Summer" live at Tokyo 2004, "Daruma" live at Nagoya 2008, "Drunk Afternoon" live at Shibuya AX 2001, "Eight Beater", "Emotional Rescue", "Fender Telecaster", "Fu・Si・Gi", "Hantoumei Shoujo Kankei" live versions, "Hentai Terminated", "Himitsu Girl's Top Secret", "Honnoji", "I Don't Know"/"I Don't Know" live at Hiroshima Club Quattro 2002, "Idiot Funk", "Iggy Pop Fan Club" live 2000, "Instant Radical", "Kimochi"/"Kimochi" live versions, "Kuroi Shitagi", "Kuromegachi na Shoujo", "Memories", "Mukai Night", "My Crazy Feeling", "New Girl", "Num-Ami-Dabutz" live 2002, "Samurai" live versions, "Sasu-You", "Seiteki Shoujo" live at Sapporo 2002, "Sekarasika", "Sugar Man", "Taratine", "U-Rei", "Yaruse Nakio no Beat")
C5 ("Destruction Baby" live at Fireside Bowl 2001, "Friday Night", "I Don't Know" live at Sapporo 2002, "I Don't Wanna Be With You" single version, "I Wanna Be Your Fuck", "Kimochi", "Monsoon", "Riff Man", "Soundtrack to Murder", "Substitute", "Sugar Man", "Tengu", "Tenkousei", "Yomi no Kuni", "You Make Me Feel So Bad")
B4 ("A Morning of Bursting Sound", "Abstract Truth", "Almost Human", "Anminbo", "Brain Construction", "Cherry", "Chie-Chan's Landscape", "The City Dreaming", "Cold Summer", "Daigakuse", "Daruma", "The Days of Nekomachi" live at Tokyo 2004, "Delayed Brain" live at Hibiya Open Air 2022, "Drunk Afternoon", "Eight Beater", "Fender Telecaster", "Frustration in My Blood", "Fureai", "Gira Gira Hikaru", "Hantoumei Shoujo Kankei", "Harehatta", "Hentai Terminated", "Himitsu Girl's Top Secret", "Honnoji", "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" live at SXSW 1999, "I Don't Know" live at Hibiya Open Air 2021, "I Wanna Be Your Fuck", "Idiot Funk", "Iggy Pop Fanclub", "Ikasama Love", "Instant Radical", "Inuzini", "Kaisen Zenya", "Kanchigai Lonely Night", "Kimochi", "Kuromegachi na Shoujo", "Kuroi Shitagi", "Kurutte Sorou" live in Tokyo 2004, "Kuuki", "Maboroshi In My Blood", "Makkurokekke no Umi Seiteki Shoujo", "Mappiruma Girl" live at Shower Phantom 2000, "Megitsune On the Run" live at Shibuya Cyclone 2022, "Memories", "Muneyake Udon no Tsukurikata", "My Crazy Feeling", "No Time", "Saizensen", "Samurai", "Sentimental Kajou", "So Sad About Us" live at Shinkuku Jam 1999, "Sotsugyou", "Sugar Man", "Teenage Casualties", "Teppu Surudoku Natte" live at Toshiba EMI 2001, "This Is Noraneko", "This Must Be The Place", "Touch", "Tuesday Girl", "U-Rei", "Waga Kiritsu Tada Waga Ichi Nin", "Water Front" live at Rock in Japan 2007, "Weekend", "Whiskey and Unubore" live at Yaon 2005, "Wondervogel" live 2002, "You Make Me Feel So Bad", "Young Girl Seventeen Sexually Knowing" live at Zepp Tokyo 2020)
B♭4 ("Asobi", "Brutal Number Girl" live 2002, "Emotional Rescue", "Fight Fight", "Mappiruma Girl" All Night Nippon Radio 2022, "Mukai Does Vocal Warmup With the Crowd" live at Ringo Music Festival 2014, "Rando", "Teenage Casualties", "Toumei Shoujo")
A4 ("4 Track Professional", "A Morning of Bursting Sound", "Blue Thunder", "Brutal Number Girl" live 2002, "Cherry", "Chie-Chan's Landscape", "Cibicco San", "Daigakuse", "DANBIRA", "Daruma", "Denkyu", "Destruction Baby", "Don't Beat", "Eight Beater", "The Elephant Kashimashi", "Friday Night", "Fureai", "Hadashi no Kisetsu" live Club Que 1999, "Hantoumei Shoujo Kankei", "Hard Liquor", "Harehatta", "I Don't Know", "I Don't Wanna Be With You" single version, "I Wanna Be Your Fuck", "Kaisen Zenya", "Kigatsukeba Middonaito", "Kimochi", "Kouen ni wa Dare mo Inai", "Mamotteagetai", "Memories", "Mukai Night", "My Crazy Feeling", "Nabe & Sada", "New Girl", "Num Ami Dabutz" live at Hibiya Open Air 2022, "Omoide In My Head", "Riff Man", "Sakana", "Saizensen", "Sakura no Dance", "Sappukei"/"Sappukei" live at Sapporo 2002,, "Sasu-You", "September Girlfriend", "Tattoo Ari", "Tenkousei", "This Is Noraneko", "This Must Be The Place", "Tombo Game", "Tombo the Electric Bloodred", "Touch", "Tuesday Girl", "Urban Guitar Sayonara", "Waga Kiritsu Tada Waga Ichi Nin", "Water Front", "Weekend", "Whiskey & Unubore", "Yaruse Nakio no Beat", "Yomi no Kuni", "Yureta Yureta Yureta", "Zegen Vs. Undercover")
G♯4 ("Abstract Truth", "Asobi", "Barracuda", "Brain Construction", "Brutal Man", "Brutal Number Girl", "Cibicco San", "Cold Summer", "Cramp Discharger", "Cyborg no Obake", "Daigakuse", "Delayed Brain" live at Hibiya Open Air 2022, "Don't Beat", "Drunk Afternoon", "Eight Beater", "Fender Telecaster", "Frustration in My Blood", "Fu・Si・Gi", "Himitsu Girl's Top Secret", "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" live at SXSW 1999, "Ikasama Love", "Instant Radical", "Inuzini", "Kanchigai Lonely Night", "Kazaraijanai no Yonamidaha", "Kouen ni wa Dare mo Inai", "Kuroi Shitagi", "Kuromegachi na Shoujo", "Kuuki", "Maboroshi in My Blood", "Makkurokekke no Umi Seiteki Shoujo", "Mappiruma Girl", "Megitsune On the Run" live at Shibuya Cyclone 2022, "Metal Fiction", "Muneyake Udon no Tsukurikata", "Nichijou ni Ikiru Shoujo"/"Nichijou ni Ikiru Shoujo" live, "Num Ami Dabutz", "Sandpaper Zarazara", "Seiteki Shoujo", "Sentimental Girls Violent Joke" live at Sapporo 2002, "Sentimental Kajou", "Sotsugyou", "Teenage Casualties", "Tengu", "Teppu Surudoku Natte", "Toumei Shoujo", "Trampoline Girl", "U-Rei" Mujo no Hi live 2023, "Usodarake", "Wain Reddo no Kokoro", "Water Front" live 2018, "Wave of Mutilation", "Wondervogel" live 2002, "Yakusoku no Hashi", "Young Girl Seventeen Sexually Knowing", "Zegen Vs Undercover")
G4 ("Action", "Blackbird" live 2022, "Blue Thunder", "Cherry", "Chie-Chan's Landscape", "The City Dreaming", "Cold Beat" live Hibiya Open Air 2021, "Cyborg no Obake", "DANBIRA", "The Days of Nekomachi" live at Tokyo 2004, "Dining Kitchen", "The Drifting", "Friday Night", "Gaeri no Highschool Boy", "Gira Gira Hikaru", "Haisuikan", "Happoubijin", "Heartbreak" Shutoku Mukai Acoustic and Electric Version, "Honda Koumuten no Theme" live at Synchronicity Festival 2021, "House of Piano", "I Don't Wanna Be With You", "Idiot Funk", "Iggy Pop Fanclub", "Inazawa Chainsaw", "Kaisen Zenya", "Kamisama, Hotokesama" live at Rock in Japan 2015, "Kazaraijanai no Yonamidaha", "Kurutte Sourou", "Mamotteagetai", "Mizuiro Kakumei", "Mogura", "Mukuchina Girl", "Natsu wa Konai", "Nichijou ni Ikiru Shoujo", "Omoide In My Head", "Otome Shoujo", "Pink no Onna", "Rando", "Sakana", "Sappukei", "Sasakayana Negai", "September Girlfriend", "Sotsugyou", "Soundtrack To Murder", "Space Girl ～Kasoku Souchi～", "Suginami no Shounen", "Tengoku", "Tengu", "Tenkousei", "This Must Be The Place", "Tuesday Girl", "Urban Guitar Sayonara", "Wain Reddo no Kokoro", "Weekend", "Yomi no Kuni", "Yureru")
Significant Low Notes:
F3 ("Circus Night", "Destruction Baby", "Heartbreak" Shutoku Mukai Acoustic and Electric Version, "Nichijou ni Ikiru Shoujo", "Pink no Onna", "Sentimental Girls Violent Joke", "Wain Reddo no Kokoro")
E3 ("6-Pon no Kurutta Hagane no Shindou", "Cherry", "The Days of Nekomachi", "Delayed Brain", "The Elephant Kashimashi", "Girl in my Blood", "Girlfriend Girlfriend Girlfriend", "Haisuikan", "Haiya", "Happoubijin", "Hantoumei Shoujo Kankei", "Heartbreak", "Iggy Pop Fanclub", "Kaisen Zenya", "Karasu", "Koi", "Kusomamire de Odoru", "Mini Grammer", "Mizuiro Kakumei", "Nabe & Sada", "Natsu wo Konai", "Sabaku", "Sakura no Dance", "Sekarasika", "Seiteki Shoujo" acoustic live, "Sentimental Kajou", "Summer of California ‘73", "Tattoo Ari" live 2018, "Tengoku", "Teppu Surudoku Natte", "Tombo Game", "Tuesday Girl", "U-Rei", "Usodarake", "Yomi no Kuni", "Young", "Young Girl Seventeen Sexually Knowing" acoustic live)
E♭3 ("Barracuda", "Circus Night", "Drunken Hearted", "Fight Fight", "Kamisama, Hotokesama", "Nichijou ni Ikiru Shoujo", "Seiteki Shoujo", "Space Girl ～Kasoku Souchi～", "Wain Reddo no Kokoro", "Young Girl Seventeen Sexually Knowing" acoustic live)
D3 ("The Days Of Nekomachi" live at Fukushima Festival 2013, "Destruction Baby", "Haisuikan", "Happoubijin", "Intro/Zegen Vs. Undercover" live at Rock in Japan Festival 2002, "Is This Love?", "Num-Heavymetallic" acoustic ver. 2002, "Sabaku", "Sports Men", "Suginami no Shounen", "Summer of California ‘73", "Waga Kiritsu Tada Waga Ichi Nin", "You Make Me Feel So Bad")
C♯3 ("Asobi" live at Ringo Music Festival 2014, "Circus Night" live with Ichiko Aoba 2019, "Delayed Brain", "Haiya", "Kazaraijanai no Yonamidaha", "Makkurokekke no Umi Seiteki Shoujo", "Mukai Does Vocal Warmup With the Crowd" live at Ringo Music Festival 2014, "Seiteki Shoujo" acoustic live, "Sentimental Girls Violent Joke", "U-Rei", "Yaruse Nakio no Beat")
C3 ("Otome Shoujo")
B2 ("Dai Atari no Kisetsu", "DANBIRA", "Delayed Brain" live at Hibiya Open Hall 2022, "Haiya", "Iggy Pop Fan Club", "Kanchigai Lonely Night", "Ouatari no Kisetsu", "Sports Men", "Tengu", "Tokyo Freeze", "Usodarake", "Whiskey and Unubore" live 2022)
B♭2 ("Emotional Rescue")
A2 ("Kazaraijanai no Yonamidaha", "Kimochi" live at Ringo Music Festival 2014, "YAKIIMO")
G♯2 ("Barracuda", "Muneyake Udon no Tsukurikata", "The Shape of Dope to Come")
G2 ("Honnoji" rehearsal without instruments 2008, "Tokyo Freeze")
F♯2 ("Si・Ge・Ki")
D2 ("Honnoji" rehearsal without instruments 2008, "Muneyake Udon no Tsukurikata")
{Questionable Notes}A5 ("Cold Beat" live at Rock In Japan 2007 [5])
G♯5 ("Iggy Pop Fanclub" live at SXSW 1999 [4])
F♯5 ("Brutal Number Girl" [1])
E5 ("Iggy Pop Fanclub" live 2000 [4], "Kimochi" [1],"Taratine" [1])
E♭5 ("Fight Fight" [4])
D5 ("Hantoumei Shoujo Kankei" live at Rock in Japan 2007 [5])
C♯5 ("Delayed Brain" [2])
B4 ("Frustration in My Blood" [2])
A4 ("Num-Heavymetallic" [2])
G4 ("Action" [1])
E3 ("Action" [1])
F♯2 ("Sports Men" [5])
D2 ("Whiskey & Unubore" [2])
..................................................
[1] marks yelps and short trills in high range or anacrusis and short dips in low range.
[2] marks notes of questionable identity that cannot be confirmed to be the singer in question.
[3] marks non-melodic notes that don't have a significant enough pitch to warrant inclusion.
[4] marks notes that possess uncertain pitch or have been pitch-shifted.
[5] marks notes that do not fit the previous criteria but are not of a substantial enough quality to warrant counting towards the singer's range.
G♯5 ("Iggy Pop Fanclub" live at SXSW 1999 [4])
F♯5 ("Brutal Number Girl" [1])
E5 ("Iggy Pop Fanclub" live 2000 [4], "Kimochi" [1],"Taratine" [1])
E♭5 ("Fight Fight" [4])
D5 ("Hantoumei Shoujo Kankei" live at Rock in Japan 2007 [5])
C♯5 ("Delayed Brain" [2])
B4 ("Frustration in My Blood" [2])
A4 ("Num-Heavymetallic" [2])
G4 ("Action" [1])
E3 ("Action" [1])
F♯2 ("Sports Men" [5])
D2 ("Whiskey & Unubore" [2])
..................................................
[1] marks yelps and short trills in high range or anacrusis and short dips in low range.
[2] marks notes of questionable identity that cannot be confirmed to be the singer in question.
[3] marks non-melodic notes that don't have a significant enough pitch to warrant inclusion.
[4] marks notes that possess uncertain pitch or have been pitch-shifted.
[5] marks notes that do not fit the previous criteria but are not of a substantial enough quality to warrant counting towards the singer's range.
{Discography}Number Girl
School Girl Bye Bye (1997): B2 - B4 - D5
School Girl Distortional Addict (1999): E♭3 - B4 - C♯5
Sappukei (2000): C♯3 - A4 - E5
Num-Heavymetallic (2001): C♯3 - F5
Zazen Boys
Zazen Boys (2004): F♯2 - E♭5
Zazen Boys II (2004): D3 - E♭5
Himitsu Girl's Top Secret (2005): F♯3 - E5
Zazen Boys III (2006): E3 - E♭5
Zazen Boys 4 (2008): D3 - C♯5
Stories (2012): B2 - E5
Rando (2024): D2 - B4 - C5
Kimonos
Kimonos (2010): B2 - G4 - C5
Italics mark EPs
School Girl Bye Bye (1997): B2 - B4 - D5
School Girl Distortional Addict (1999): E♭3 - B4 - C♯5
Sappukei (2000): C♯3 - A4 - E5
Num-Heavymetallic (2001): C♯3 - F5
Zazen Boys
Zazen Boys (2004): F♯2 - E♭5
Zazen Boys II (2004): D3 - E♭5
Himitsu Girl's Top Secret (2005): F♯3 - E5
Zazen Boys III (2006): E3 - E♭5
Zazen Boys 4 (2008): D3 - C♯5
Stories (2012): B2 - E5
Rando (2024): D2 - B4 - C5
Kimonos
Kimonos (2010): B2 - G4 - C5
Italics mark EPs
..................................................
• Blue denotes falsetto and whistle passages.
• Green denotes harshly distorted passages.
• Boldface denotes outstanding passages.
• Italics denote non-melodic and spoken passages.
• Underlines denote obscured and background passages.
