 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Blotto
Singles Collection 2004-2007 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Tracklist |
|
|
|
|
|
01 - PANTIME
02 - 花のスカダンス (Hana no Ska Dance)
03 - ピノキオ (Pinocchio)
04 - ナイフとフォーク (Knife to Fork)
05 - MONKEY MAN (MONKEY monkey MAN)
06 - ナイフとフォーク (Shounen S)
07 - BONUS TRACK |
|
|
|
|
|
Review |
|
|
|
|
|
I can't say I'm a dedicated ska fan. I listen to it every now and then, and I always enjoy it, but by no means would I ever say that I'm an expert on it or even knowledgable. So I wasn't really surprised when I gave Ore Ska Band's Ore mini-album a listen and, amidst the groans and grumbles of people who actually listen to ska, enjoyed every second of it. Maybe it was the charm of listening to a group of bona fide school girls jamming and having fun (reminiscent of the movie "Swing Girls"), but something made it click.
The first track, "PANTIME" is more of an opening ditty than an actual song, kicking off with standard ska horns and some brief MCing introducing the band. The first actual song is "Hana no Ska Dance," a short-but-sweet number combining ska riffs, hand claps, catchy horns and surprisingly solid vocals. I was initially expecting an annoying and nasal vocalist similar to young girl-fronted bands like Berry Roll and browny circus, but was pleasantly surprised to discover vocalist (and guitarist) Ikasu's voice to be slightly breathy and husky, especially considering how the band is riding pretty heavily on the school girl gimmick. You won't confuse her for UA any time soon, but her voice sounds great and is perfectly suited to this type of music.
Anime theme song "Pinocchio" continues to milk the formula (in a good way) with cheerful melodies, uplifting lyrics and familiar-sounding horns. Ikasu and bassist Tomi trade off vocal duties a few times during "Knife to Fork," which reaches its subtle climax with a traditional ska breakdown. Die-hard ska heads might discard these songs as boring and derivative (aside from a cover of The Specials' "Monkey Man," which might possibly appeal to the more experienced ska crowd), but for a casual listener such as myself, the fact that the songs were so easy to listen to and enjoy was most definitely a good thing. Pop, maybe, but pop done right.
The album ends with a humorous bonus track in which guitarist Ikasu strums a series of folk chords, with every member in the band trading off on vocal duties and/or making noise in the background. Not every member in the band can sing—in fact, some are pretty close to being dreadful—but there's an innocent charm here that cannot be denied. The girls are clearly having fun cranking out these catchy ska tunes, and I for one can't help but take some of that fun in and enjoy what they're doing. Regardless of how many years are left in this band's shelf life, especially considering the come-and-go nature of Japan's music scene when it comes to gimmicky groups like this one, mini-album Ore was a triumph in my eyes (and ears), successfully combining a youthful spirit of freedom with the warmth of ska rock. |
|
|
|
|
|
back to reviews |
|
|
|
|
