I've been searching for nearly a year for any good music involving the shamisen, an instrument from China that migrated to Japan, where it took on its own personality thanks to some rather unique talent. It's basically like a three-stringed banjo, and in kung fu films you might hear it as that twangy "tong tang ting" sound in the background.

I first heard the musical style when playing Pocky & Rocky, and as a kid I thought, "Hey, that's pretty cool. I wonder if there's any more of that. Too bad the Internet doesn't exist yet."

And now that it does, I've finally found the amazing talent that comprises the Yoshida Brothers. Oh my god, I bought their first two albums off of iTunes within like six hours, because it is FULL of awesome traditional and modern goodness. If you like Tsugaru Shamisen, or you just like to hear something so Japanese you're like "DAMN I can taste the samurai sushi bars," I would recommend the living shit out of these guys, because I've been blissing out on it.

However! If those of you who know more about this than me are reading, then hook a brother up, you bastards! Where can I find more of this style of awesomeness? Give me names, and references are better.

This is so baffling to me. I'm a metalhead, I haven't ever been this excited about acoustic instruments.