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Blotto
Singles Collection 2004-2007 |
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Tracklist |
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four tomorrow
01. bvlgaria
02. better walk a little faster
derangements
03. tsunagare kairo
04. in the car |
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Review |
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I have a soft spot in my heart for bands like Four Tomorrow and the Derangements. Take the energy of a Midwestern drunk-punk band like Dillinger Four, the optimistic brooding of your average No Idea band, and mix it with a bit of the Get Up Kids from before you were ashamed to say you were an emo fan, and that's what you can expect from these two fun Tokyo acts, each offering up two tunes on this split EP.
Four Tomorrow's first offering, "Bvlgaria," opens with the sound of a high-speed tape on the fritz before the pounding guitars and drums stomp out an introduction. Shafted guitars on the verge of feeding back and doubled vocals keep the energy high. The song is a sort of anthem for the band, with some earnest, if a little broken, lyrics proclaiming, "where we go is on own hands... take action now just for tomorrow." The warping noise of a tape being rewound leads into the split's best tune by far, "Better Walk A Little Faster." The song's lyrics quote Cap'n Jazz, but more impressively, it recalls the the mood and sincerity of the legendary band without seeming derivative. It's the type of inspired song that many bands may never even be able to write once in their lives.
The Derangements' first song on the split is "Tsunagare Kairo," an average melodic punk tune whose high point arrives when some snotty na na na's overlap with a teasing guitar lick during the bridge. The lyrics echo the sentiments of Four Tomorrow's "Bvlgaria," as singer Miura Yuki sings "I want to go somewhere far away." The heavy bass intro on "In The Car" is complimented well by the ridiculously loud mastering on the split. A guitar solo from Nakamura Takahiro, also a member of Ging Nang Boyz, is a catchy addition, but otherwise the tune is pretty nondescript, an enjoyable if not forgettable punk tune.
Therein lies the problem with bands like Four Tomorrow and the Derangements: while they are by no means horrible, they're not exactly the most compelling bands either. Nevertheless, I'd rather to listen to a parade of bands aping Jawbreaker and Dillinger Four than almost anything from another genre of music. Even if you're not partial to the average melodic punk band, however, it's worth a listen just to hear "Better Walk A Little Faster," a glimpse into what good Japanese punk can offer. |
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