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The latest single from Japanther on Wantage Records teams them up on a one sided picture disc with ninjasonik who are also from my fair borough Brooklyn. Japanther has been doing splits like this with all kinds of fellow Brooklyn bands...I'm thinking of their juiceboxxx single from a while back. You'd think that this kind of pop punk would be weird paired with a gungy underground hip hop, but I think it's about sharing the same attitude about music. They play the same trashy spaces, even opening for each other. They don't have some kind of chip on their shoulder about a genre. I think they want to bring it all together and nightly expose their fans to artists doing the same thing. And it goes both ways...I looked up juiceboxxx and now Ninjasonik because of these guys. I'm assuming Ninjasonik's track on this one is 'Internet bitch', like Japanther they aren't taking themselves too seriously either...I got a myspace/I got a gmail/I got the facebook /You're on the internet bitch. It's dancy, all beats, a little old school weirdo electronic, dark, but their making their own scene. 'Negative thinking tight pants' could easily be a Japanther song, fast minimal drum machine and organ backing, all about the chorus hook...stop hating on tight pants. It's all coming from the same place and having crossover fans that can appreciate the DIY underground from any genre.Wantage also has some Japanther full length color LP's I don't think I've seen anywhere else. It's crazy that logo on the 7" is made up of both of their names...and then in the description they talk about making it in the basement? That's what I want to know about....can you get picture discs printed with the two sides and you melt them together with an image in the middle? This is a new world. japantherninasonik s/t 7” (wantage) - Friend-bands Japanther (Screamers/Misfits/Beach Boys worship) and Ninjasonik (self-described punk/club/crunk) decided at some point early in 2009 to record a couple songs together. The results are presented here. And how. We're extra proud of this thing because A) it's a hand-screened gem we did right here in the ol' Wantage cellar with some Plastijet ink, too little ventilation, and B) it features an absolutely cool piece of text-graphic from Japanther bro Kevin Bouton-Scott. It's a translucent, label-less 7" with a hand-screened, limited and numbered print on each copy. This was a hard-fought 7", and After a friggin' heapin' helping of bullshit with the pressing plant, we've got these things, finally. Japanther need no introduction around these parts, and Ninjasonik have been busily making a name for themselves in the u.g. hip-hop/punk rock realm like few others. This record deals topically with the ease with which the internet is used primarily as a tool for shit-talking, and Pop Rocks candy.
Limited to 550 numbered, hand-printed copies and 550 clear blue copies in covers (released once the hand-printed copies sell out.
Caught Japanther this past Friday at their record release party for Rock and Roll Ice Cream, it was insanity as usual, although I think they benefit from a nonconventional space. They won me over one day a long time back opening for Death from Above at Club Exit, since then I've caught them in backyards and basements and they're always amazing. I'm into the recordings but they really can't capture what a manic fun fest they are, just those two guys kicking all kinds of ass. The super fans make the show even more entertaining, getting on stage singing along diving into the inevitable pit, kicking the house lights. It's nice to feel a tiny bit in danger watching rock and roll. I also insanely appreciated them playing an entire Unwound album before they went on while Ian stood off to the side air drumming along.The Pharmacy on the B-Side are groovily rocking the slightly distorted vocals, jangly garage in the vein of the Jacuzzi Boys, it's not frantically convincing, it's just going to slowly win you over. Like the patient garage pop of the Mantles... with hammond organ, huge room drums, classic sounding almost psych...they focus on the smooth reverb sound, heavy on pop hippie vocals and soul? Yeah, I'd agree with that.They'll be in town at the Cedar house April 2nd and then DBA in May...who knows, maybe they'll have copies of this split there....This red hot slab of wax was recorded in the desert whilst on a shared U.S. tour. JAPANTHER (Brooklyn, NY) let loose a trashy version of their anti love/anti war number "Not At War." A song that captures the duos true Ramonesy/Germish brat-pop style to a T. THE PHARMACY (Seattle, WA) fire back with "What Are You Doing With Your Life" an upbeat epic complete with piano hooks and breakdowns. Some where between Nirvana and Otis Redding these three smiling friends kick out good poppy punk anthems with a tinge of soul.
On Bachelor Records, which unfortunately is based out of Austria accepting the Euro, but they have a bunch of other great stuff, so it just might be worth splurging for some sweet imports I haven't seen anywhere.Checking out their blogspot they just posted this old out of print single for free, so you can go check that out if you're so inclined.
Hornet leg really won me over with the tracks on their myspace, it's really dirty garage rock, I think everything there is live, so I'm really curious to hear how this has been translated. At first I was wondering how this ended up on K recs, but then with members that include Chris Sutton (Dub Narcotic, C.O.C.O) on geetar and Claudia Meza (Japanther, Thunder Thunder Thunder) then it all makes sense. I support anything Japanther does after seeing them open for Death from above once, I was converted instantly. I don't get to see them nearly enough and here's another seven inch to add to my japanther section.Now I'm hoping there's more like these live tracks to come, it's a lot like Japanther, no frills, raw energy catchy punk rock. The idea that it's a conceptual seven inch having something to do with '...is consciousness tethered to the physicality of blood?', is perfect. This is the perfetc example of putting the 7" format to use. The concept can be worked out in the length of a seven inch, it's their first release, as far as I can tell from this side project, so that fits...it's textbook.I call it a side project because Chris joined the gossip recently and Claudia is in Japanther, so I don't know what the future of this trio will be. That makes it even more important to pick this up.
Hornet Leg - Blood Trilogy 7" (K)
Blood Trilogy condenses the full-length concept album into three potent tracks of pure, unsentimental, raw energy. Expertly engineered by Calvin Johnson at the Dub Narcotic Studios, these recordings are an immediate grab to the throat but leave a haunting grip to the ear.
On K recs.
I love Japanther.
Any band that can give death from above a run for their money has my full support. That must have been a tough crowd, to open for one of the most innovative two member bands...easily the most successful... with their new album, other than of course, the white stripes. But, they are pretty derrivative, really just following classic zepplin/ozzy/ blues to a new unforeseen inevitable endplace. But DFA1979 don't sound like anything came before them, they are pioneering an entirely new sound. I think I know what I'm going to hear and then Japanther opened, I can see exactly where DFA started, the influence, the raw DFA....It's even more low-fi, they flip the cassette tape over with the backup tracks in the middle of the set. Just a boombox plugged into a marshall stack. I can't even see the equipment they are using, it's all covered in flourescent gaffers tape, and spraypaint. But they outplayed everyone.
I'm so glad they have some live tracks on their myspace, because no recording I have heard really does them justice. It's such a contrast, the studio tracks with clear drum machines and synth, and this quiet singing voice. It's amazing they do both.
It's almost a goddam waste because juiceboxxx sucks ass. This isn't funny, it's sad. Is this a joke? It doesn't seem like it's that funny.
But half of a 7" is better than nothing.
Juiceboxxx/Japanther - Thunder Jam Number Four b/w The Gravy 7" (Decorated Records)
This split 7" is a banger for the DJs. Y'all know the Juiceboxx legend is growing exponentially -- meanwhile Williamsburg noise-rockers Japanther supply "The Gravy." Letter-press covers by The Arm!
Buy it for 5.50 from deleted records, that's a deal on yellow vinyl.
