Shinbangumi


Shinbangumi is the fourth studio album by Ginger Root, and the first Ginger Root album released under Ghostly International. The album is a concept album set in the same fictitious reality as his previous EP, Nisemono, with Ginger Root being fired from "Juban TV" and starting his own TV station called "Ginger Root Productions".

Background

On 15 May 2024, Ginger Root released the first official tease of the upcoming album, via a fake anime movie trailer called "Meet You In the Galaxy: The Movie", featuring the voice actors Tomohisa Asô, Shino Kakinuma, and Kimiko Takeguchi. Three days later, Ginger Root released a second teaser showing Cameron Lew pitching the idea of the movie to his fictional manager, plainly called "The Manager". The Manager then presents a "better" idea for Cameron to do, "Loretta 2". Cameron rejects the idea and is promptly fired, teasing the first single at the very end.
On 22 May 2024, Ginger Root released the first single of the album, "No Problems", with an accompanying music video, continuing the story from the second teaser. Ginger Root also announced the name of the upcoming album and its scheduled release date, a concept album following the narrative of his previous 2022 EP, Nisemono. When asked what the upcoming album would sound like, Cameron described it as "aggressive elevator soul", mixing together Japanese city pop, French pop, Philly soul, and his typical lo-fi sound. Other influences Cameron citied as sources for the album was Paul and Linda McCartney's 1971 album Ram, Devo, Vulfpeck, and Miki Matsubara's 1980 song "Mayonaka no Door.
Cameron Lew said Shinbangumi was a snapshot of his life at the time lyrically, with some of the songs were written during Lew's time in Japan. According to Cameron, the album was the first time he felt comfortable about knowing what a song should consist of musically and instrumentation wise. Cameron also intended for the music videos to be like a movie, with a linear story, to be "comparable to a traditional movie".

Release and reception

On 13 September 2024, Shinbangumi was released on music streaming services and his Bandcamp, with physical releases on black and coloured vinyl, cassette, and CD. Accompanying the album was the music videos for each of the singles and a final film containing the album's remaining songs. Ginger Root toured the album travelling across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Music videos

Along with the singles came a music video each along with a full album visualizer and short film with the album's release. For each of the music videos, they were produced with a 4:3 aspect ratio to give the viewer the feeling of watching a CRT television, enhancing the city pop and Shōwa era Japan, including Cup Noodles, a bullet train, a Toyota Camry, and a Panasonic boombox.

TV movie

On 20 April 2025, Ginger Root released a YouTube video announcing a partnership with Toonami to broadcast the movie "Shinbangumi" on 26 April. The movie is an hour long compilation of all the previously released music videos and teasers stitched together for a continuous watch. On 29 April 2025, Ginger Root announced the movie would be released for home media on VHS.

Tour

Ginger Root has been on tour since a couple weeks after the album's release. Across its year of touring, the band has visited countries across North America, Europe, the United Kingdom, East Asia, and Australia. The tour also included performances at the music festivals Bonnaroo and Coachella. The setlist consists mostly of Shinbangumi's tracks, but also features songs from his releases post-Toaster_Music.

Tour dates

DateCityCountryVenueAttendenceRevenue
January 10, 2025FukuokaJapanZepp Fukuokarowspan="40" rowspan="40"
January 12, 2025HiroshimaJapanBlue Live Hiroshima--
January 14, 2025OsakaJapanZepp Osaka Bayside--
January 15, 2025NagoyaJapanZepp Nagoya--
January 16, 2025TokyoJapanZepp DiverCity--
March 7, 2025ShenzhenChinaHOU LIVE X Mixc cube--
March 8, 2025HangzhouChinaLiveShop Uni--
March 10, 2025ShanghaiChinaBandai Namco Shanghai Base--
March 12, 2025TaipeiTaiwanZepp New Taipei--
March 17, 2025Hong KongChinaThe Box, Freespace--
March 21, 2025BrisbaneAustraliaThe Tivoli--
March 23, 2025SydneyAustraliaLiberty Hall--
March 24, 2025MelbourneAustraliaNorthcote Theatre--
April 13, 2025Indio, CaliforniaUnited StatesCoachella--
April 20, 2025Indio, CaliforniaUnited StatesCoachella--
June 10, 2025Durham, North CarolinaUnited StatesMotorco Music Hall--
June 11, 2025Asheville, North CarolinaUnited StatesThe Grey Eagle--
June 13, 2025Manchester, TennesseeUnited StatesBonnaroo Festival--
June 14, 2025Atlanta, GeorgiaUnited StatesTerminal West--
June 15, 2025Birmingham, AlabamaUnited StatesSaturn--
June 17, 2025Pensacola, FloridaUnited StatesThe Handle Bar--
June 18, 2025Tampa, FloridaUnited StatesThe Orpheum--
June 20, 2025Orlando, FloridaUnited StatesThe Abbey--
June 21, 2025Fort Lauderdale, FloridaUnited StatesCulture Room--
June 26, 2025NaebaJapanFuji Rock Festival--
August 20, 2025San Diego, CaliforniaUnited StatesCalCoast Credit Union Open Air Theatre--
August 22, 2025Los Angeles, CaliforniaUnited StatesThe Greek Theatre--
August 23, 2025Santa Barbara, CaliforniaUnited StatesSanta Barbara Bowl--
August 27, 2025San Francisco, CaliforniaUnited StatesThe Masonic--
August 28, 2025San Francisco, CaliforniaUnited StatesThe Masonic--
August 29, 2025Sacramento, CaliforniaUnited StatesChannel 24--
August 30, 2025Bend, OregonUnited StatesHayden Homes Amphitheater--
September 1, 2025VancouverCanadaThe Orpheum--
September 2, 2025Seattle, WashingtonUnited StatesWoodland Park Zoo--
September 3, 2025Seattle, WashingtonUnited StatesWoodland Park Zoo--
September 5, 2025Salt Lake City, UtahUnited StatesGallivan Center--
September 6, 2025Denver, ColoradoUnited StatesMission Ballroom--
September 8, 2025Lawrence, KansasUnited StatesLiberty Hall--
September 9, 2025Saint Paul, MinnesotaUnited StatesPalace Theatre--
September 10, 2025Madison, WisconsinUnited StatesThe Sylvee--

Setlist

Setlist of the Santa Ana concert
  1. "Better Than Monday"
  2. "All Night"
  3. "Out of State"
  4. "Karaoke"
  5. "There Was a Time"
  6. "City Slicker"
  7. "Juban District"
  8. "Over the Hill"
  9. "Loneliness"
  10. "Everything's Alright "
  11. "No Problems"
  12. "Only You"
  13. "Giddy Up"
  14. "Loretta"
  15. "Show 10"
Encore
  2. "Shmoopie" / "Call It Home" / "Mahjong Room"
  3. "Weather"

    Track listing

Personnel

Adapted from AllMusic

Musicians

  • Cameron Lew – primary artist
  • Tomohisa Asô – voice-over
  • Shino Kakinuma – voice-over

    Technical

  • Cameron Lew – mixing, mastering

    Charts