Wherein three college women from Osaka, Japan--two of them sisters--converge on the Nestle highway, ride it out on a sun ray, then take that fork in the road only to use it for the consumption of the world's largest chocolate cake topped with peanut butter cups.
Upon seeing a shonen naifu in a fellow college students backpack--oh those innocent 80s!--Naoko Yamano was struck. The germ to assemble a rock band was already there in her mind, injected by the Ramones several years prior. The literal English translation of shonen naifu is "boy knife". One word suggesting cuteness and another denoting a sharp, potentially lethal weapon presented an appealing juxtaposition for the budding guitarist, and she decided to make a multilingual compromise for the name of her yet-unborn racket-gang.
Joined in short order by younger sister Atsuko on drums and friend Michie Nakatani on bass/occasional vocals, Naoko's dream was realized. She still had to work as a receptionist for many years thereafter, but music made a deliriously delicious diversion. Even if mom and dad made the girls hide their instruments so house guests to the Yamano domicile wouldn't discover that their hosts had two daughters who--gulp--aspired to be rock goddesses.
Upon seeing a shonen naifu in a fellow college students backpack--oh those innocent 80s!--Naoko Yamano was struck. The germ to assemble a rock band was already there in her mind, injected by the Ramones several years prior. The literal English translation of shonen naifu is "boy knife". One word suggesting cuteness and another denoting a sharp, potentially lethal weapon presented an appealing juxtaposition for the budding guitarist, and she decided to make a multilingual compromise for the name of her yet-unborn racket-gang.
Joined in short order by younger sister Atsuko on drums and friend Michie Nakatani on bass/occasional vocals, Naoko's dream was realized. She still had to work as a receptionist for many years thereafter, but music made a deliriously delicious diversion. Even if mom and dad made the girls hide their instruments so house guests to the Yamano domicile wouldn't discover that their hosts had two daughters who--gulp--aspired to be rock goddesses.
Translated into English as "Everybody Happy" (a question or exhortation?), this is the most infamous record in the entire Knife oeuvre amongst fans, a cassette stopped after a run of only 70 copies. While a physical copy of the tape has never made its way into my hands, several months ago I came across a Japanese website that hosted the individual tracks, which I promptly downloaded and packed into a .rar file.
- "Banana Leaf"
- "Parrot Polynesia"
- "Cannibal Papaya"
- "Saboten"
- "Burning Farm"
- "Parallel Woman"
- "An Angel Has Come" (recorded live at Bahama in Osaka, Japan)
- "Spider" (recorded live at Mantohihi in Osaka, Japan)
- "I Am A Realist"
- "Voice Of Crane- Tortoise Brand Pot Cleaner's Theme"
- "Planet X"
- "Summertime Boogie"
- "Miracles"
If you are hearing this for the first time and taking it in with ears conditioned by every other SK record, well...what an experience, huh? It's a bit like watching old home videos of your lover as a child. Further, it retroactively validates every half-baked Shaggs comparison these girls ever got thrown at them.
Saving the soon-to-be redone songs for comparisons sake, we're left with a cover ("Saboten", a lyrically-reworked version of the Delta 5's "You", and suffused with a guarded verve. Even then it's the freest, closest-to-propulsive song on the whole tape), a brief paean to "Planet X" that features a male voice intoning the title along with the girls at the beginning of every other line, a live song that would be thrown onto the end of an album without anyone knowing its legendary origins ("Spider") and a jagged, nearly-tribal studio version of a track that only resurfaced in live form ("I Am A Realist").
If you think Burning Farm is ramshackle and amateurish, Minna Tanoshiku makes that album sound like Return To Forever.
BURNING FARM (July 1983, Zero; June 1985, K; November 1995, MCA/Victor; January 2005, Oglio)
For this review, I'll be going by the K Records cassette track listing, which took the eight songs of the original and tacked on three extra compilation tunes (thank you, Calvin Johnson). This 11 song collection was the template for the Oglio reissue as well.
- Miracles
- Parallel Woman
- Twist Barbie
- Elephant Pao Pao
- Tortoise Brand Pot Cleaner
- Animal Song
- A Day At The Factory
- Burning Farm
- Parrott Polynesia
- Watchin' Girl
- Banana Fish
Hey, did you know this is number 26 on Kurt Cobain's Top 50 Favorite Albums of All-Time Ever? For real. I'm not sure why I even need to bother with a review.
"Eventually, after a week of listening to it every day, I started crying. That's how much it affected me. I just couldn't believe that three people from a totally different culture could write songs as good as those, because I'd never heard any other Japanese music or artist who ever came up with anything good.
Everything about them is just so fucking endearing. They're not too cute! That's part of the charm....In many ways, they're the ultimate K band, because they are sincere, they are real. They don't' purposely put their guitars out of tune and they don't purposely sing out of tune."
Which is why the fucking tape goes for 70-80 bucks on Ebay on the rare occasions it pops up...so you know. Fanx Kurdt, like toadlee.
"Miracles"--In the year between Minna and BF, the band had settled into a shaky yet persistent sonic niche: fuzzy guitar, bass lines that plonked along with lovable determination, and rickety-clackety percussion. The end result: a musical house of cards that is all the more beautiful for what it doesn't do as what it does.
There is no better song in SK's history than this. On Minna, a bare-bones idea (drum machine, aqua-guit and heavily-effected vocals). On the full album, they wisely kept the sick ass melody but gave it punk attitude. Sung in three distinct languages (English, Japanese and feline), this Michie track hits every mole in the soul with relish: the bass riff bounces and pops with all the freedom a lack of technical proficiency allows while Naoko's scuzz chording reaches for the stars.
The lyrics start in English, Naoko's vocals shouting back at Michie:
"Miracle work (work!)/Miracle play (play!)/Miracle speaking/Miracle drug (drug!)/Miracle woman/Miracle woman/Oh yeah!"
The Japanese lyrics refer to "the time to use secret power" and assures us that this Miracle Woman is "neither a terrorist or Ultra Woman" and finally, that "miracles is covered with mystery". All of this sung in voices that reach shame-free pitch. It is enough to make you jump up from a seated position to your feet and proclaim the sun irrelevant, 'cause Shonen Knife is here! Then...when you feel the apex has been reached...when the payoff has arrived...that's when they start meowing. Like it is the natural next step for the song. As the bass continues its workmanlike journey under the barre chord, and the drums keep up a steady course, Naoko and Michie bust out into rhythmic cat cries. The rest of the song is a repeat of the first two sections, as clearly there is no topping that.
The lyrics are interesting: they tell us what Miracle Woman is not, but not specifically what she is. It may be surmised that this Miracle Woman is in fact the single-bodied representation of Shonen Knife themselves as they engage in miracle work (day jobs), miracle play (instruments), miracle speaking (singing), miracle drug (the experience of making music).
The best song by an all-girl group ever. Good luck trying to "refute" my opinion.
"Parallel Woman"--Sung entirely in Japanese, this track is notable for a few reasons. It is the first of the album to introduce a musical motif that illustrates both Naoko's lack of skill and her carefree approach to songwriting. The riff (which skips along at a reggae-type pace) is primarily two chords strummed in a "dah-dah * half-second pause* dah-dah" pattern. Three other songs on the album will mimic this, with little changes in chord placement, speed, and tone keeping monotony at bay. How many songwriters would take that progression, futz with it for awhile, then once they had come across a potent brew they deemed "best", used it and threw all the other similar sounding experiments in the trash? Naoko, far from precious about her abilities, kept 'em.
The translated lyrics are as jaw-dropping as the original Japanese is beautiful:
"Miracles"--In the year between Minna and BF, the band had settled into a shaky yet persistent sonic niche: fuzzy guitar, bass lines that plonked along with lovable determination, and rickety-clackety percussion. The end result: a musical house of cards that is all the more beautiful for what it doesn't do as what it does.
There is no better song in SK's history than this. On Minna, a bare-bones idea (drum machine, aqua-guit and heavily-effected vocals). On the full album, they wisely kept the sick ass melody but gave it punk attitude. Sung in three distinct languages (English, Japanese and feline), this Michie track hits every mole in the soul with relish: the bass riff bounces and pops with all the freedom a lack of technical proficiency allows while Naoko's scuzz chording reaches for the stars.
The lyrics start in English, Naoko's vocals shouting back at Michie:
"Miracle work (work!)/Miracle play (play!)/Miracle speaking/Miracle drug (drug!)/Miracle woman/Miracle woman/Oh yeah!"
The Japanese lyrics refer to "the time to use secret power" and assures us that this Miracle Woman is "neither a terrorist or Ultra Woman" and finally, that "miracles is covered with mystery". All of this sung in voices that reach shame-free pitch. It is enough to make you jump up from a seated position to your feet and proclaim the sun irrelevant, 'cause Shonen Knife is here! Then...when you feel the apex has been reached...when the payoff has arrived...that's when they start meowing. Like it is the natural next step for the song. As the bass continues its workmanlike journey under the barre chord, and the drums keep up a steady course, Naoko and Michie bust out into rhythmic cat cries. The rest of the song is a repeat of the first two sections, as clearly there is no topping that.
The lyrics are interesting: they tell us what Miracle Woman is not, but not specifically what she is. It may be surmised that this Miracle Woman is in fact the single-bodied representation of Shonen Knife themselves as they engage in miracle work (day jobs), miracle play (instruments), miracle speaking (singing), miracle drug (the experience of making music).
The best song by an all-girl group ever. Good luck trying to "refute" my opinion.
"Parallel Woman"--Sung entirely in Japanese, this track is notable for a few reasons. It is the first of the album to introduce a musical motif that illustrates both Naoko's lack of skill and her carefree approach to songwriting. The riff (which skips along at a reggae-type pace) is primarily two chords strummed in a "dah-dah * half-second pause* dah-dah" pattern. Three other songs on the album will mimic this, with little changes in chord placement, speed, and tone keeping monotony at bay. How many songwriters would take that progression, futz with it for awhile, then once they had come across a potent brew they deemed "best", used it and threw all the other similar sounding experiments in the trash? Naoko, far from precious about her abilities, kept 'em.
The translated lyrics are as jaw-dropping as the original Japanese is beautiful:
Wearing the clothes, she'll become the Parallel Woman
She came from the blue planet
Entering the building, she'll become the Parallel Woman
The blue planet is named the Earth
Beautiful, beautiful Parallel Woman
Strong, strong Parallel Woman
She's a younger sister of Titanium Man
She is a girl of mental disunion
She faces up to many enemies and beats them
Parallel paradox, parallel paradox
What's happened in the building? It's very silly
People did a group suicide
It's an office automation hell
Blast, blast, Parallel Woman
Destroy, destroy, Parallel Woman
She came from the blue planet
Entering the building, she'll become the Parallel Woman
The blue planet is named the Earth
Beautiful, beautiful Parallel Woman
Strong, strong Parallel Woman
She's a younger sister of Titanium Man
She is a girl of mental disunion
She faces up to many enemies and beats them
Parallel paradox, parallel paradox
What's happened in the building? It's very silly
People did a group suicide
It's an office automation hell
Blast, blast, Parallel Woman
Destroy, destroy, Parallel Woman
The prior knowledge of Naoko Yamano as an "office lady" gives this song immediate, immeasurably valuable context. She reigns in her mind as the titular character, existing in both the world of 9-to-5 drudgery and the burgeoning Kansai scene, with undeniable powers. The hopelessly dull, dehumanizing environment that sucks people into its well-camouflaged quicksand (you gotta make money somehow) will meet its match with Naoko. She has her escape route ready. But don't misunderstand...music is more than mere release from a stuporous means of survival in a soul-sucking society. It is her calling, the gift that transforms her into her true, hyper-humanoid self.
The Minna version is slower, and thus imbued with an even more sinister vibe.
"Twist Barbie"--What is it about? Is it ironic? Sincere? Oh, those Asians!
Then, at the end: "I wanna be twist barbie!"
So what's up? Is Naoko showing a savvy sense of sexist salesmanship or falling feet first into the pitfall of living up to the feminine ideal?
The genius of this song--yes, it's an utter pisstake, and should along with the song preceding it be enough evidence that these women didn't have tofu for brains--is how it exists thrillingly just as a punk rave-up (such an unabashed jack of the "We're a Happy Family" vocal melody, really*) that whatever message is there is rendered meaningless in the rapturous throes of the listener's full-on spaz surrender. Do you think the kids that just mindlessly extend their joints at the simple crack of a snare on Pancake Mountain gave a super flying jelly shit about context? Does anyone seriously consider the oppressive role of the media in gender self-actualization when they hear this song?
(*actually, the verse riff to this song is pretty much just a sped-up "Miracles", but the Ramones rip is just too likely to ignore)
"Elephant Pao Pao"--Another hint of sonic daring found here, as the band play around with stop-start in this ode to a banana-munchin' pachyderm.
"Tortoise Brand Pot Cleaner's Theme"--Written in the style of a TV jingle, this barely-there classic sells you "the best pot cleaner!!" Par for the course, the lackluster production values only help elevate this song to "the greatest musical secret you don't wanna keep".
The Minna original is actually longer, as it repeats the single verse. Maybe they just didn't have enough faith in the product at that time. Or they needed the practice; both Naoko and Michie come across as never having even touched their instruments before committing the song to tape. And is that a mouth harp I hear? "I before E, except after BOING BOING BOING".
"Animal Song"--A fun Michie trifle. It's about the beheading of Sir Walter Raleigh. Nah, the best part by far: after frantic lines of Japanese, one English exclamation stands alone--"What is this?" Pretty well sums up the whole Burning Farm experience, no matter what side of the flames you're on.
"A Day of the Factory"--Standby riff twisted into minimalist pseudo-funk groove. This ode to the working man is catchy as fuck-all and appeared on the famous Sub Pop 100 LP from 1986. Not hard to imagine Kurt Cobain cracking a grin and boogieing to this one. Actually, hard to imagine anyone could be so heartless not to.
"Burning Farm"--When Sonic Youth covered this number in 1989, they did a Christo on the shit, simply adding their own sheets of chanting and sneering guitar snarl atop the original. Apparently, Shonen Knife brings out the inner pony rider in Kim Gordon.
You don't fuck around with a track that nicely borrows the "Land of 1000 Dances" chorus then turns it into the cup of sugar they probably wanted to ask for in the first place.
The longest song on the album is also the most musically experimental, in spite of the reoccurrence of that riff. The percussion is muffled tribal and with the exception of the stabbing hook in between verses, the guitar is unspectacular. More outstanding is Michie's burbling bass ballast, which pretty much just puts the war paint on for you.
The girls seem to lose themselves in what they have patched together here ("stepping the harvest dance") and revel in the flail until the buoyant, exclamatory conclusion.
The Minna version is two minutes longer, prefaced as it is by a sample of ritual chanting. When the song kicks in, it is recognizable but slowed down just enough to import an entirely different impression onto the song. The "na na"'s which sounded so cute and adorably out of tune now sound otherworldly, as if the Knife are possessed by some "other than". It's the difference between being at a party where you are a welcome guest and at one where you are about to be eaten.
"Parrott Polynesia"--It's just like an even faster "Parallel Woman", but with a brilliant, brain-embedding bridge/chorus. This li'l bird is under the tutelage of Dr. Dolittle.
The Minna version is...practically identical. Smart.
"Watchin' Girl"--"Sometimes I'm thinking it is no use that mass media is/My body feels everything/I don't need anything".
I'm sayin', though.
More Michie reflection (something she would prove far more prone to than Naoko) abetted by the sweetest pair of rocked-out riffs on the whole album. It's pretty much step-on-the-pedal-and-strum-the-one-chord-you've-mastered stuff, but as stuff goes it's way better than good.
"Bananafish"--A tender cautionary tale, bells out. There was this fat fish who loved to eat many a banana. Unlike the elephant of earlier, however, the Bananafish is thoughtlessly greedy. He saw an octopus trap overflowing with bananas and just had to eat them all. The result of his unchecked lust for phallic fruit? His body puffed up to such a great size that he could not escape the trap. Michie Nakatani was like the Edgar Allan Poe of the Kansai scene, yeesh.
YAMA NO ATTCHAN (May 1984, Zero; November 1995, MCA/Victor; January 2005, Oglio)
Instantly one can tell the slight upgrade in production values. Still unprofessional-sounding enough to instigate grand mal seizures in Tom Scholz, though.
"An Angel Has Come"--Begins with a synth signalling "charge!" before the bass stumble out of the door in a fervent quest to pound you to the ground even as they call on you to look towards the sky. The ideal energy to start off a sophomore release.
A large part of Shonen Knife's appeal to this listener is that the majority of their early records were sung in their native tongue. The clipped syllables not only sound fantastic over this "kitchen pop-punk" but it's always a blast to read the translated lyrics and find out that Japanese is a language that makes a little sound like a mouthful.
(Michie Nakatani's lyricism FTW: "The angel whispered, 'Don't annoy, believe my words!")
"Cycling is Fun"--I much prefer cynical, cryptic Michie to this fluff. I not only find this completely forgettable hack-pop, but refuse to believe that was the best title they could come up with. Yeah, it's consistent with the band's predilection for extolling life's simplest pleasures, but you know, Barry White was famous for his endless catalog of ditties devoted to fleshly pleasures, and I don't recall ever coming across one called "Sex is a Good Way To Pass the Time" or whatever the hell. He had certain standards, I'm saying.
"Elmer Elevator"--For an "I Want Candy" ripoff, I give this an 8. Naoko, how can you not love her, that guitar sounds positively sci-fi. I kept waiting for Crow's voice.
Speaking of which...
"Banana Leaf"--And we're back! You may by now be realizing that this is a band enamored of bananas. This track has appeal for sure--great story and alluring soundtrack.
What happens when a banana leaf falls on your head? If you're a tiny Asian woman, it apparently knocks you down into a hole. You'll struggle and yell before finally grabbing the leaf and ripping it apart like, "Goddamn you, banana leaf, now I'm gonna miss the first two minutes of 30 Rock".
This is one of many songs spread across the first two albums that features a bass intro. That's the bands way of signalling to your jaded American ass that their songs are deeper than you think.
Of all the redone Minna tracks, this is the most vastly improved. In addition to the jubilant foundation provided by the bass, the flanged guitar now sounds even more like a synth. This is a unique soundscape that sucks you right in; the exit-sealing moment comes when Naoko starts crying out from the hole. The stunning melange is another substantial component to SK's charm, and so it is here, with hi-hats and melancholy stringwork swimming sublimely in not-quite-synchronization.
"Chinese Song"--Once again, Michie, what the health clinic? Don't get me wrong, nifty little number and all, utterly captivating when you briefly consider that the Naoko of one year ago couldn't have pulled that opening sequence of notes off.
"Flying Jelly Attack"--If the Rezillos can have their "Flying Saucer Attack", then the Osaka girls will have theirs as well. A perfect song to fire up when you feel the need to abandon all the sense you were born with, if only temporarily.
The Minna version is slower, and thus imbued with an even more sinister vibe.
"Twist Barbie"--What is it about? Is it ironic? Sincere? Oh, those Asians!
Blue eyes, blond hair
Tight body, long legs
he's very smart, she can dance well
Woo, ahhhhh, aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh
Bang bang bang--twist barbie
Oh sexy girl!
Tight body, long legs
he's very smart, she can dance well
Woo, ahhhhh, aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh
Bang bang bang--twist barbie
Oh sexy girl!
Then, at the end: "I wanna be twist barbie!"
So what's up? Is Naoko showing a savvy sense of sexist salesmanship or falling feet first into the pitfall of living up to the feminine ideal?
The genius of this song--yes, it's an utter pisstake, and should along with the song preceding it be enough evidence that these women didn't have tofu for brains--is how it exists thrillingly just as a punk rave-up (such an unabashed jack of the "We're a Happy Family" vocal melody, really*) that whatever message is there is rendered meaningless in the rapturous throes of the listener's full-on spaz surrender. Do you think the kids that just mindlessly extend their joints at the simple crack of a snare on Pancake Mountain gave a super flying jelly shit about context? Does anyone seriously consider the oppressive role of the media in gender self-actualization when they hear this song?
(*actually, the verse riff to this song is pretty much just a sped-up "Miracles", but the Ramones rip is just too likely to ignore)
"Elephant Pao Pao"--Another hint of sonic daring found here, as the band play around with stop-start in this ode to a banana-munchin' pachyderm.
"Tortoise Brand Pot Cleaner's Theme"--Written in the style of a TV jingle, this barely-there classic sells you "the best pot cleaner!!" Par for the course, the lackluster production values only help elevate this song to "the greatest musical secret you don't wanna keep".
The Minna original is actually longer, as it repeats the single verse. Maybe they just didn't have enough faith in the product at that time. Or they needed the practice; both Naoko and Michie come across as never having even touched their instruments before committing the song to tape. And is that a mouth harp I hear? "I before E, except after BOING BOING BOING".
"Animal Song"--A fun Michie trifle. It's about the beheading of Sir Walter Raleigh. Nah, the best part by far: after frantic lines of Japanese, one English exclamation stands alone--"What is this?" Pretty well sums up the whole Burning Farm experience, no matter what side of the flames you're on.
"A Day of the Factory"--Standby riff twisted into minimalist pseudo-funk groove. This ode to the working man is catchy as fuck-all and appeared on the famous Sub Pop 100 LP from 1986. Not hard to imagine Kurt Cobain cracking a grin and boogieing to this one. Actually, hard to imagine anyone could be so heartless not to.
"Burning Farm"--When Sonic Youth covered this number in 1989, they did a Christo on the shit, simply adding their own sheets of chanting and sneering guitar snarl atop the original. Apparently, Shonen Knife brings out the inner pony rider in Kim Gordon.
You don't fuck around with a track that nicely borrows the "Land of 1000 Dances" chorus then turns it into the cup of sugar they probably wanted to ask for in the first place.
The longest song on the album is also the most musically experimental, in spite of the reoccurrence of that riff. The percussion is muffled tribal and with the exception of the stabbing hook in between verses, the guitar is unspectacular. More outstanding is Michie's burbling bass ballast, which pretty much just puts the war paint on for you.
The girls seem to lose themselves in what they have patched together here ("stepping the harvest dance") and revel in the flail until the buoyant, exclamatory conclusion.
The Minna version is two minutes longer, prefaced as it is by a sample of ritual chanting. When the song kicks in, it is recognizable but slowed down just enough to import an entirely different impression onto the song. The "na na"'s which sounded so cute and adorably out of tune now sound otherworldly, as if the Knife are possessed by some "other than". It's the difference between being at a party where you are a welcome guest and at one where you are about to be eaten.
"Parrott Polynesia"--It's just like an even faster "Parallel Woman", but with a brilliant, brain-embedding bridge/chorus. This li'l bird is under the tutelage of Dr. Dolittle.
The Minna version is...practically identical. Smart.
"Watchin' Girl"--"Sometimes I'm thinking it is no use that mass media is/My body feels everything/I don't need anything".
I'm sayin', though.
More Michie reflection (something she would prove far more prone to than Naoko) abetted by the sweetest pair of rocked-out riffs on the whole album. It's pretty much step-on-the-pedal-and-strum-the-one-chord-you've-mastered stuff, but as stuff goes it's way better than good.
"Bananafish"--A tender cautionary tale, bells out. There was this fat fish who loved to eat many a banana. Unlike the elephant of earlier, however, the Bananafish is thoughtlessly greedy. He saw an octopus trap overflowing with bananas and just had to eat them all. The result of his unchecked lust for phallic fruit? His body puffed up to such a great size that he could not escape the trap. Michie Nakatani was like the Edgar Allan Poe of the Kansai scene, yeesh.
YAMA NO ATTCHAN (May 1984, Zero; November 1995, MCA/Victor; January 2005, Oglio)
Instantly one can tell the slight upgrade in production values. Still unprofessional-sounding enough to instigate grand mal seizures in Tom Scholz, though.
"An Angel Has Come"--Begins with a synth signalling "charge!" before the bass stumble out of the door in a fervent quest to pound you to the ground even as they call on you to look towards the sky. The ideal energy to start off a sophomore release.
A large part of Shonen Knife's appeal to this listener is that the majority of their early records were sung in their native tongue. The clipped syllables not only sound fantastic over this "kitchen pop-punk" but it's always a blast to read the translated lyrics and find out that Japanese is a language that makes a little sound like a mouthful.
(Michie Nakatani's lyricism FTW: "The angel whispered, 'Don't annoy, believe my words!")
"Cycling is Fun"--I much prefer cynical, cryptic Michie to this fluff. I not only find this completely forgettable hack-pop, but refuse to believe that was the best title they could come up with. Yeah, it's consistent with the band's predilection for extolling life's simplest pleasures, but you know, Barry White was famous for his endless catalog of ditties devoted to fleshly pleasures, and I don't recall ever coming across one called "Sex is a Good Way To Pass the Time" or whatever the hell. He had certain standards, I'm saying.
"Elmer Elevator"--For an "I Want Candy" ripoff, I give this an 8. Naoko, how can you not love her, that guitar sounds positively sci-fi. I kept waiting for Crow's voice.
Speaking of which...
"Banana Leaf"--And we're back! You may by now be realizing that this is a band enamored of bananas. This track has appeal for sure--great story and alluring soundtrack.
What happens when a banana leaf falls on your head? If you're a tiny Asian woman, it apparently knocks you down into a hole. You'll struggle and yell before finally grabbing the leaf and ripping it apart like, "Goddamn you, banana leaf, now I'm gonna miss the first two minutes of 30 Rock".
This is one of many songs spread across the first two albums that features a bass intro. That's the bands way of signalling to your jaded American ass that their songs are deeper than you think.
Of all the redone Minna tracks, this is the most vastly improved. In addition to the jubilant foundation provided by the bass, the flanged guitar now sounds even more like a synth. This is a unique soundscape that sucks you right in; the exit-sealing moment comes when Naoko starts crying out from the hole. The stunning melange is another substantial component to SK's charm, and so it is here, with hi-hats and melancholy stringwork swimming sublimely in not-quite-synchronization.
"Chinese Song"--Once again, Michie, what the health clinic? Don't get me wrong, nifty little number and all, utterly captivating when you briefly consider that the Naoko of one year ago couldn't have pulled that opening sequence of notes off.
"Flying Jelly Attack"--If the Rezillos can have their "Flying Saucer Attack", then the Osaka girls will have theirs as well. A perfect song to fire up when you feel the need to abandon all the sense you were born with, if only temporarily.
I'm gonna eat jelly jelly jelly jelly jelly jelly jelly jelly beans
You're gonna eat cherry cherry cherry cherry cherry cherry cherry cherry drops
You're gonna eat cherry cherry cherry cherry cherry cherry cherry cherry drops
Flying jelly beans I'm throwing them to you
Breaking cherry drops, they're crashing
When you feel dangerous and call people
Someone might come to help you very soon
Breaking cherry drops, they're crashing
When you feel dangerous and call people
Someone might come to help you very soon
Yes, it's another concealed-by-the-glare example of Naoko's "dark" side.
A member of the old Shonen Knife usenet group who interviewed the great woman had the guts to inquire about song inspirations (usually verboten with such a notoriously skittish band). Surprisingly, she seemed to have no problem giving answers away from the pressures of "one of the three". The guy never put up the interview and if it ended up elsewhere, never let the group know. The only origin story he shared was that of "Jelly": working a thankless job at a candy store, Naoko retreated into fantasy, reimagining the shop as a field of battle and the confectionaries as weapons of war. Not necessarily out of any real malice as much as ennui.
"Cannibal Papaya"--This is in fact more like it, Michie. "Hitokui papaiya" sounds a lot to these ears like "eat the gooey papaiya" which only ratchets up the enjoyment level.
A bopping tune (once again bass-driven) about fruits given to eat other fruits, despite the best efforts of the populace, who all things considered should be counting their blessings. The song progresses from happy verse to jittering bridge to sweetly threatening-sounding chorus. Again, something they were not doing on the first album. Bookended by some fantastically quivery "ah"-ing that needs to be heard.
That said...the Minna version may be superior. While the album rendition starts right off with vocals, the original builds tension with rolling drums and shearing riffage before the "ah"'s come in.
"Dali's Sunflower"--The one on the Oglio reissue is the same as the MCA reissue, which is to say, neither are the original. I'm not sure why the labels thought no one would be discombobulated by their decision to toss in a version of the song clearly recorded in the 1990s among the other, cruder tracks. The new "Dali" probably has more overdubbing in it than the rest of the albums songs combined.
But forget that. The original take on Michie's tale of a divorced woman put into an asylum by her concerned family is stark, nonjudgmental and unforgettable.
"Insect Collector"--A sweet song about a girl and her hobby. The throwaway acoustic riff at the end is rife for sampling.
"Bye Bye"--It starts off sounding like "Rainbow Connection" and devolves into the oddest lyrics ever compiled from a (safe to say) sober mind: "Marmalade on a glorious day/A lame clown on a tray/A mailbox talking to invisible drops of rain". Sung in English as a bonus, this whole song might be what John Lennon heard drifting in and out of his head as he lived his last minutes.
The 1995 reissue adds "Flying Saucer Attack" (of course!) and "Secret Dance".
A member of the old Shonen Knife usenet group who interviewed the great woman had the guts to inquire about song inspirations (usually verboten with such a notoriously skittish band). Surprisingly, she seemed to have no problem giving answers away from the pressures of "one of the three". The guy never put up the interview and if it ended up elsewhere, never let the group know. The only origin story he shared was that of "Jelly": working a thankless job at a candy store, Naoko retreated into fantasy, reimagining the shop as a field of battle and the confectionaries as weapons of war. Not necessarily out of any real malice as much as ennui.
"Cannibal Papaya"--This is in fact more like it, Michie. "Hitokui papaiya" sounds a lot to these ears like "eat the gooey papaiya" which only ratchets up the enjoyment level.
A bopping tune (once again bass-driven) about fruits given to eat other fruits, despite the best efforts of the populace, who all things considered should be counting their blessings. The song progresses from happy verse to jittering bridge to sweetly threatening-sounding chorus. Again, something they were not doing on the first album. Bookended by some fantastically quivery "ah"-ing that needs to be heard.
That said...the Minna version may be superior. While the album rendition starts right off with vocals, the original builds tension with rolling drums and shearing riffage before the "ah"'s come in.
"Dali's Sunflower"--The one on the Oglio reissue is the same as the MCA reissue, which is to say, neither are the original. I'm not sure why the labels thought no one would be discombobulated by their decision to toss in a version of the song clearly recorded in the 1990s among the other, cruder tracks. The new "Dali" probably has more overdubbing in it than the rest of the albums songs combined.
But forget that. The original take on Michie's tale of a divorced woman put into an asylum by her concerned family is stark, nonjudgmental and unforgettable.
"Insect Collector"--A sweet song about a girl and her hobby. The throwaway acoustic riff at the end is rife for sampling.
"Bye Bye"--It starts off sounding like "Rainbow Connection" and devolves into the oddest lyrics ever compiled from a (safe to say) sober mind: "Marmalade on a glorious day/A lame clown on a tray/A mailbox talking to invisible drops of rain". Sung in English as a bonus, this whole song might be what John Lennon heard drifting in and out of his head as he lived his last minutes.
The 1995 reissue adds "Flying Saucer Attack" (of course!) and "Secret Dance".
PRETTY LITTLE BAKA GUY (October 1986, Zero/Subversive; December 1990, Gastanka/Rockville; November 1995, MCA/Victor; Oglio, 2005)
The day that Naoko lost her crayons was the 9/11 of Shonen Knife Land.
The day that Naoko lost her crayons was the 9/11 of Shonen Knife Land.
This album, in tandem with a VHS of homemade videos and live clips, finally brought Shonen Knife to America. Blame or credit the boys of Redd Kross for stumbling across and instantly recognizing their spiritual sisters from overseas. Smitten, they begged the band to come play their very first American gig in the City of Angels not of Anaheim after building a good old-fashioned tape-trading buzz for them in the L.A. scene that Redd Kross helped to galvanize. The girls consented and the first era of Shonen Knife--the only truly unadulterated period of their history--would come to a close.
This review concerns the original LP release; the most vital version of Baka Guy would be issued in 1990, augmented by the Live in Japan album, and that will kick off the next installment.
This review concerns the original LP release; the most vital version of Baka Guy would be issued in 1990, augmented by the Live in Japan album, and that will kick off the next installment.
1. Making Plans For Bison
2. Summertime Boogie
3. I Wanna Eat Chocobars
4. Public Bath
5. Devil House
6. Antonio Baka Guy
7. Ice Cream City
8. Ah, Singapore
9. Riding on the Rocket
10. Kappa Ex
2. Summertime Boogie
3. I Wanna Eat Chocobars
4. Public Bath
5. Devil House
6. Antonio Baka Guy
7. Ice Cream City
8. Ah, Singapore
9. Riding on the Rocket
10. Kappa Ex
(The MCA version includes "Fish Parade" and an absolutely destroying cover of "Cherry Bomb")
"Making Plans for Bison"--Hey, if XTC can make plans for Nigel....
Straight away it's apparent that the band's third step is its most strident yet. The sound is fuller, the playing a tad more assured, and there's an infectious general fearlessness evident throughout, as if they just realized their own artistic carte blanche and added it to the rest of the toys.
The beneficial effects of constant gigging are in full bloom here: the fuzzy-faced guitar has shed almost all its tentativeness, Atsuko's drumming is forceful and brimming with personality, and finally someone has learned how to properly mix tracks so the bass doesn't poke out of every song like saboten prickers.
"Summertime Boogie"--The last of the redone Minna tracks, featuring only minor tweaks. The rudimentary instrumentation is offset by Michie and Naoko's atonal duet, climaxing with a shriek in mid-song. That either brings a smile to your face or I got nothing for you.
"I Wanna Eat Chocobars"--In a lot of ways, the quintessential slice. It promises, it delivers, and no double take necessary. Mixing English/Japanese (as does much of the record, with a mind to broader appeal?), Naoko sells us on her love of candy bars. Any kind. She'll eat 'em at a two-daily clip, watch her. Woman's metabolism must be insane.
What catapults "Chocobars" into the rarefied air occupied by godheads is that it is not some by-the-numbers Ramonesy pogo-er. It's a downright ballad, gently strummed chords over a sweet synth intro as Naoko croons a matter-of-fact love story. Love it or hate it, "Chocobars" will remain in the brain.
"Public Bath"--People who don't know any other songs by the Knife know of this one. Name labels after it, for cookies sake. For good reason; while there have been many songs in rock history extolling the pleasures of cleansing oneself in communal bath house...oh wait, that's right. See what I mean about fearlessness? Shonen Knife are going to write and sing about what they want in a very straightforward manner all while blasting out ballsy, borderline new wave riffs that they don't on first sight look even capable of, and we can make of it what we wish.
What makes this song, other than the utterly original subject matter, is the swagger with which the band pull it off. 1983 Knife had no idea how to go about such.
"Devil House"--Who cares what buzzing cocks get? This Rocky Horror vignette is all day-glo rain and a giant Snoopy head booming out supernatural warnings to everyone who would dare taste the rice krispy treats.
"Antonio Baka Guy"--Fun fact: a "gai" is a shell, and is the subject of this song. Not, as you may have suspected, a human male. Naoko has a thing for paronyms. She also has a metalhead inside of her, and with her sparse toolbox she whips up a fair headbanger which starts up drawn-out and concrete head-smash then turns into a certified neck-snapper.
"Ice Cream City"--If Michie named "Cycling is Fun" something like, say, "Bicycle Wheel Nation", I would like it a little more. Titles=crucial.
Here's what an ice cream headache sounds like--"yan yan yan yan yan yan yan yan yan yan yan yan yan yan yan!" Just another in a series of childish conceits elevated to genius pieces of pop.
"Ah Singapore"--Blink and you'll miss this wistful, almost precious ode to the land of fantastic noodles.
"Riding on the Rocket"--Since I've already claimed a number one best Shonen song, there has to be a number two, correct? Tah dah!
Wherein our impervious trio finds out that jet packs will not be available for the general public as a viable alternative mode of transportation. They frown for three seconds, then decide to create their own packs out of string, curled metal wire and wood. A million invitations to zoos worldwide are sent out, and in due time the girls forget all about NASA red tape and killjoy secrecy.
Their invention is a mighty blast of power chord jubilee, the riff that will not die until you do from dancing too much to it. Shonen Knife promise great fun and great fun in space, and I'm willing to hop on board.
(Again, the lyrics in Japanese are bewitching. Naoko's intonations matched with the flu-like flurry behind her words make me wish this song were two minutes longer.)
"Kappa Ex"--When the band played its first American show at the Second Coming in L.A., every cool musician in the city knew about it and was there (even many from across the country). For years the gig was total legend for non-attendees until a man who was there put up "Kappa Ex" from that performance for download. As far as brief tastes go, this one whets the appetite fierce. The Knife rip through a repetitive, unyielding four-chord bliss to the audible ecstasy of the thunderstruck crowd. The studio version is almost as incredible, a perfect ending to the best album of their career.
Indeed, I challenge the reader to come up with an all-female band that had three straight albums of this high quality. And I call you already on Sleater-Kinney (Dig Me Out, The Hot Rock, All Hands on the Bad One). So good luck. And stay tuned.
Yama no Attchan Pretty Little Baka Guy Burning Farm Shonen Knife Minna Tanoshiku
"Making Plans for Bison"--Hey, if XTC can make plans for Nigel....
Straight away it's apparent that the band's third step is its most strident yet. The sound is fuller, the playing a tad more assured, and there's an infectious general fearlessness evident throughout, as if they just realized their own artistic carte blanche and added it to the rest of the toys.
The beneficial effects of constant gigging are in full bloom here: the fuzzy-faced guitar has shed almost all its tentativeness, Atsuko's drumming is forceful and brimming with personality, and finally someone has learned how to properly mix tracks so the bass doesn't poke out of every song like saboten prickers.
"Summertime Boogie"--The last of the redone Minna tracks, featuring only minor tweaks. The rudimentary instrumentation is offset by Michie and Naoko's atonal duet, climaxing with a shriek in mid-song. That either brings a smile to your face or I got nothing for you.
"I Wanna Eat Chocobars"--In a lot of ways, the quintessential slice. It promises, it delivers, and no double take necessary. Mixing English/Japanese (as does much of the record, with a mind to broader appeal?), Naoko sells us on her love of candy bars. Any kind. She'll eat 'em at a two-daily clip, watch her. Woman's metabolism must be insane.
What catapults "Chocobars" into the rarefied air occupied by godheads is that it is not some by-the-numbers Ramonesy pogo-er. It's a downright ballad, gently strummed chords over a sweet synth intro as Naoko croons a matter-of-fact love story. Love it or hate it, "Chocobars" will remain in the brain.
"Public Bath"--People who don't know any other songs by the Knife know of this one. Name labels after it, for cookies sake. For good reason; while there have been many songs in rock history extolling the pleasures of cleansing oneself in communal bath house...oh wait, that's right. See what I mean about fearlessness? Shonen Knife are going to write and sing about what they want in a very straightforward manner all while blasting out ballsy, borderline new wave riffs that they don't on first sight look even capable of, and we can make of it what we wish.
What makes this song, other than the utterly original subject matter, is the swagger with which the band pull it off. 1983 Knife had no idea how to go about such.
"Devil House"--Who cares what buzzing cocks get? This Rocky Horror vignette is all day-glo rain and a giant Snoopy head booming out supernatural warnings to everyone who would dare taste the rice krispy treats.
"Antonio Baka Guy"--Fun fact: a "gai" is a shell, and is the subject of this song. Not, as you may have suspected, a human male. Naoko has a thing for paronyms. She also has a metalhead inside of her, and with her sparse toolbox she whips up a fair headbanger which starts up drawn-out and concrete head-smash then turns into a certified neck-snapper.
"Ice Cream City"--If Michie named "Cycling is Fun" something like, say, "Bicycle Wheel Nation", I would like it a little more. Titles=crucial.
Here's what an ice cream headache sounds like--"yan yan yan yan yan yan yan yan yan yan yan yan yan yan yan!" Just another in a series of childish conceits elevated to genius pieces of pop.
"Ah Singapore"--Blink and you'll miss this wistful, almost precious ode to the land of fantastic noodles.
"Riding on the Rocket"--Since I've already claimed a number one best Shonen song, there has to be a number two, correct? Tah dah!
Wherein our impervious trio finds out that jet packs will not be available for the general public as a viable alternative mode of transportation. They frown for three seconds, then decide to create their own packs out of string, curled metal wire and wood. A million invitations to zoos worldwide are sent out, and in due time the girls forget all about NASA red tape and killjoy secrecy.
Their invention is a mighty blast of power chord jubilee, the riff that will not die until you do from dancing too much to it. Shonen Knife promise great fun and great fun in space, and I'm willing to hop on board.
(Again, the lyrics in Japanese are bewitching. Naoko's intonations matched with the flu-like flurry behind her words make me wish this song were two minutes longer.)
"Kappa Ex"--When the band played its first American show at the Second Coming in L.A., every cool musician in the city knew about it and was there (even many from across the country). For years the gig was total legend for non-attendees until a man who was there put up "Kappa Ex" from that performance for download. As far as brief tastes go, this one whets the appetite fierce. The Knife rip through a repetitive, unyielding four-chord bliss to the audible ecstasy of the thunderstruck crowd. The studio version is almost as incredible, a perfect ending to the best album of their career.
Indeed, I challenge the reader to come up with an all-female band that had three straight albums of this high quality. And I call you already on Sleater-Kinney (Dig Me Out, The Hot Rock, All Hands on the Bad One). So good luck. And stay tuned.
Yama no Attchan Pretty Little Baka Guy Burning Farm Shonen Knife Minna Tanoshiku
