Usotsuki Barbie

The Kyushu city of Sasebo is better known for its burgers than its cultural exports, though it's produced a few notable names in the past, including novelist Ryu Murakami, crooner Kiyoshi Maekawa and one of the guys out of Exile. Actually, forget that last one. Three-piece Usotsuki Barbie (literally, 'Barbie the Liar') emerged from the city's little-documented live music scene, and relocated to Tokyo a few years back. The group's goofy post-hardcore, all histrionic vocals, spidery guitar lines and stop-start rhythms, made them an unlikely signing for Sony subsidiary Epic Records, but it's nice to see a major label throwing its weight behind something so odd. Their second album (and major label debut) Nininini was released in April.