Please Note: I won't be keeping up with every single last bit of news here, just the most notable things (and even then, I have a tendency to slack off). If you want the absolute most up-to-date news, go to Shoko's official page and run the news items through Google translate (it'll work well enough).

July 9, 2010 - Syoko's All New Official Website

Just days after Syoko's site moved to a new address, it moves again and gets a facelift. The old site located at http://syoko-s.sakura.ne.jp remains as an archive, but from now on Syoko's official site can be located at http://www.bearforestrecords.com. Be sure to update your bookmarks!

June 21, 2010 - "Syoko Suzuki Song Book 1" cover and track listing

The cover image and track listing of the upcoming compilation SYOKO SUZUKI Song Book I / Suzuki Syoko Sakuhinshuu Vol. 1 1989-2009 has been released, along with the track listing:

And here is the track listing:

Disc 1
1. Mune ga Ippai / Marina Watanabe
2. We Are Love (English Solo Version) / Seiko Matsuda
3. Mokushiroku / Shoko Aida
4. Pajama de Drive / Qlair
5. Yasashii Ame / Kyoko Koizumi
6. Mukudori / Mari Kaneko
7. Sumire Iro ni Hitori / Misato Hayase
8. Green Fingers / Mutsumi Inoue
9. Blue / Hikaru Nishida
10. Dakishimete Ageru / Emi Wakui
11. Koi datte ii no ni / Seiko Ishii
12. Watashi no Nozomi / Yumi Yoshimura
13. Kon'na Watashi wo Waratte / heaco
14. Kirei na Namida ga Tarinai yo / PUFFY
15. Shizuka na Seikatsu / Nana Kondou
16. Kuuchuu Teien / Miu Sakamoto
17. Kazemachi Jet~kazeyomi edition / Maaya Sakamoto
18. Life / Kaori Kawamura

Disc 2 (Syoko's Demo Tracks)
1. Pajama de Drive
2. Mukudori
3. Dakishimete Akeru
4. Watashi no Nozomi
5. Koi datte ii no ni
6. Kirei na Namida ga Tarinai yo
7. Kuchuu Teien
8. Life
9. Juugatsu no Drive (Previously unreleased song)

Sony's page for the album has the tracks in a slightly different order for disc 1, but the songs are all the same.

May 10, 2010 - New DVD, CD Releases

It has been announced via Shoko's official site and Uplink Records' Shoko site that there are several Shoko releases coming over the summer.

The first is a DVD+CD package of Shoko's live concert with Shinobu Kawai and Jack-tati at Kichijoji GB on May 9, 2010; that package is due to be released on August 4. The set list of that concert (taken from Shoko's Staff Blog) is as follows:

1. September Gurls (Alex Chilton) Big Star cover
2. Soshite nao Eien ni
3. Kuroi Yoru
4. Izon to Shihahi
5. #7 Shuffle
6. Namae wo Yonde~When you call my name
7. No Quarter (John Paul Jones/Jimmy Page/Robert Plant) Led Zeppelin cover
8. Omoi no Mama ni (Kazumasa Oda) Off Course cover
9. Sentimental Loveletter (New song)
10. Sickness
11. My Sweet Surrender
12. Kindan no Chocolate Angel (Jack-tati song)
13. Is my love wrong? (New song)
14. Shelter
15. Kanzen na Ai
Encore #1 Happiness?
Encore #2 I'll Get What I Want -Chou Tsuyoki na Onna-
Encore #3 Amai Yoru
Encore #4 Koi no Shotgun (Korinai futari)
Encore #5 My Sweet Surrender

Second, Shoko will be featured in an essay mook published by CD Journal, entitled 33 1/3 no Eien, which is due to be published on July 28th. Lastly, Sony Music Direct is putting out a compilation entitled SYOKO SUZUKI Song Book I / Suzuki Syoko Sakuhinshuu Vol. 1 1989-2009, which will focus on the songs Shoko has written for others over the years. The album will also come with a bonus CD featuring demo recordings from Shoko.

Additionally, Uplink Records has established a MySpace page for Shoko, though it is fairly bare bones right now; it does, however, have a bio in English for those interested. All in all, it looks to be a busy summer release-wise and promotion-wise for Shoko!

April 1, 2010 - "Namae wo Yonde~When you call my name" PV, new interviews

Thankfully, this is not an April Fools joke -- Shoko has released her first PV in ten years or so, for the coupling track of her upcoming single "My sweet surrender" (due out in exactly one week), "Namae wo yonde~When you call my name." The track is a bouncy pop number with great backing vocals from Shoko, and gets stuck in your head easily.

Check out the PV (and making of footage) here.

Secondly, there are two new interviews with Shoko available online. The first, at CDJournal, is with Maaya Sakamoto (who just celebrated her 15th anniversary; indeed, Shoko was a special guest at Maaya's recent anniversary/birthday live), and can be found here. The second is a fairly long interview at the Natalie music site, and can be found here. It's good to see Shoko is out promoting in full force for both "My sweet surrender" and the DVD release of Mugonka~Romances sans paroles; I'm certainly excited to receive my copies when they're released!

Lastly, Uplink (the company responsible for releasing both "My sweet surrender" and Mugonka~Romances sans paroles have set up a web site for Shoko, located here.

March 21, 2010 - "My sweet surrender" cover, "Mugonka ~Romances sans paroles~" DVD cover

Recently, the cover images for both Shoko's upcoming single ("My sweet surrender") and DVD (Mugonka~Romances sans paroles~) releases were released. The Mugonka images are interesting, because it was revealed that the 2 DVD set is coming in a special box, with separate covers for each disc, plus a bonus photobook:

Additionally, fans who order both the CD and DVD from Uplink's web store have the option of receiving one of two bonus posters:

Lastly, Shoko will be having an in-store event at Tower Records on April 17th, where she will perform a mini-live concert, sign autographs and chat. Fans who attend the in-store event and buy both the DVD and CD will get a bonus poster, as well.

February 6, 2010 - Mugonka ~Romances sans paroles~ DVD preorder, new single, official Twitter

Lots of new info! First off, the DVD of Shoko's documentary Mugonka ~Romances sans paroles~ -- with a revised release date of April 8th -- is now available for pre-order on CDJapan:

Mugonka - Romances sans paroles - / Japanese Movie

In addition to the DVD release, April 8th will see Shoko's latest single release, "My Sweet Surrender" c/w "When you call my name." The tracks were recorded with the band she used for her recent live performances -- Jacktachi + Shinobu Kawai. No word on availability (or format, even; Shoko's last single was released on vinyl and cassette only).

Lastly, tied in with all of these new releases is Shoko's own official Twitter account, which will be used to announce new releases, concert ticket pricing, and so on.