Well, it's my favorite album of the year. Certain songs are immediately catchy as hell and others have become pretty infectious as well. It's released April 28 on vinyl and digital download only, but you can stream the whole album for free at Imeem. http://www.imeem.com/japandroids If you don't have an account already I'd highly recommend it.
Anyway, it's just the simple kind of fuzzy guitar pop-punk that I've been digging lately. Besides this snappy post-punk it seems like the only thing piquing my interest is alt-country. Anyway, they describe themselves thusly: "imagine GUNS N ROSES meets IGGY & THE STOOGES meets THE SONICS meets THE ROLLING STONES!!!! that's the band we wish we were. we're not though. not even close."
I hear more of Les Savy Fav and No Age, though...maybe even Black Flag. Either way they're definitely channeling the spirit of anthemic punk.
This is definitely a good album. Did they mean to take the entire chorus from Thin Lizzy on the first song though? "The Boys Are Leaving Town" might work as a lyric if it didn't follow the same exact melody as "The Boys Are Back In Town." I actually thought it was a cover at first.
Anyhow, good album, except I don't hear any Black Flag in the least. I'd say Husker Du when they went more melodic, because Black Flag evokes hardcore for the most part. No Age is a good comparison, except there's a much greater emphasis on fluidity with Japandroids whereas No Age seems more disorienting. With this album, the drums almost feel like on Ride's "Nowhere" in that they seem to bounce around and lead songs to where they're going [that's the only comparison to Ride though].
I'm surprised this is the first thread on the band because I imagine by the time the album drops and Pitchfork slaps a Best New Music on it people will be raving about how this band makes them wet.
Posts: 551 | Location: California | Registered: 06 March 2008
Well this band does make me wet as it is. To be honest the vocals (along with the drumming - good call on the Ride comparison) are two of the main attractions. I love the vocal shout-and-call style interplay on "Young Hearts Spark Fire," for instance. They definitely aren't hardcore, certain aspects just reminded me of "Rise Above." There's certainly shades of emo abounding in the album too.
I'm into stuff that rocks a little more at the moment. Sort of a necessary balance after listening to the less propulsive bands like Grizzly Bear, Bat for Lashes, and other good new music.
I mostly just wanted to bump this thread up to the top again. I've really been enjoying Post-Nothing lately, and I think there are quite a few people here who'd enjoy this one too. I think the No Age comparison is probably the most apt, even though I'm not all that familiar with No Age since I haven't liked what I've heard of them at all.
Anyways, yeah - check these guys out. I think they're going to be pretty big.
This record is pretty great. Its been slowly growing on me - I really like the chunky sound they are going for. The only thing that gets me is that so many lyrics seem a bit generic and girl-focused...do these guys need girlfriends? Were they wronged?
Whatever, still a great record. I think it stands a decent shot of having an 80+ score here on MC.
Ordered it on vinyl. I love the new trend of digital download + vinyl pairs when you order online. I can't wait to listen to this in the car over summer when I get home...back to my car. Oh, I miss driving.
"Young Hearts Spark Fire" is the best track, but I'm also really liking the epic Black Keys sounding "Crazy/Forever". And my other favorite is "Sovereignty" with the repetitive lyrics
Its raining In Vancouver But I don't give a fuck cause I'm far from home tonight
Posts: 1781 | Location: The Coastal Empire | Registered: 24 December 2004
Someone want at free (presumably) high-qual download? For some reason, I got a download code both when I purchased the vinyl online, and another with the vinyl when it arrived.
I just bought this album recently and it's pretty much how I remembered when I listened to it online a few months ago -- a very good, very messy production. "Crazy/Forever" and "I Quit Girls" are my standouts for now. Top 5 of the year for me unless something knocks it out.
"You're the shit and I'm knee-deep in it."
Posts: 545 | Location: Portland, OR | Registered: 28 August 2008
Love this album, top ten for sure, but the production drives me crazy. It's not just that I don't like lo-fi (although... I don't like lo-fi), it just feels like the lo-fi robs the songs of a lot of muscle. And the whole thing seems kind of quiet... not the songs themselves, just, like, when a song from this album comes up on shuffle, I have to turn the volume way up.
Maybe it's just not as over compressed as a lot of what is out there today (I don't know much about production), but it bugs.
