Formed in Japan's northernmost province of Hokkaido at a time when most of their Tokyo contemporaries were in thrall to the sounds of Seattle, Japanese three-piece the Pillows sidestepped the loud-soft dynamic to provide a more wholesome take on the alternative rock scene, inspired by the lyrical folk-rock of Simon & Garfunkel and classic British pop, from the Beatles to the Jam. Outside of their homeland, the band is best known for its soundtrack to the anime series FLCL (pronounced "furi-kuri"). Over the course of their career, the Pillows have left a considerable stamp on t...