Yoko Utsumi - S/T / 2005 Asian Man Records / 11 Tracks / http://www.udon.sdri.co.jp/yokoloco / http://www.asianmanrecords.com / Reviewed 05 September 2005

While Yoko’s music has much more in common with the Boredoms and Shonen Knife than Ayumi Hamasaki and Glay, this self-titled release starts off with “Fun”, a track that has the same break-neck change in tempo and sound present in much of J-pop music. “Neji” continues the general grunge-infused sound of Yoko, but this time incorporates something out of the big band era - a line of horns. “Revolt” continues the horn-y presence, but really brings a heavy punk influence to the track. Yoko’s vocals seem to be spit out with an intensity and fury that is only matched in bands like The Casualties. However, unlike The Casualties there seems to be an electronic sound that surrounds Yoko on this track, something that brings eir closer to The Network than anything.

The bouncy rhythms of “Bye Bye” is eerily close to KevinGoes2College, replete with horns taking the place of guitars as a synthesizer recalls the sixties in the far rear of the track. Rather than try to inform readers about the sheer number of different genres that Yoko uses on this disc, one should be satisfied in the fact that each track is like a grab bag - when one listeners in, there is no telling what Yoko will bring to that particular track. The only constant that I can find is that each of the tracks are catchy and radio-friendly, even if the arrangements seem foreign or the tracks seem to be a little more cluttered than most domestic tracks.

There seems to be a little snag in “My Art”, where Yoko moves into more of a Billie Holiday-esque type of blues crooning (that is backed up by instrumentation in the same vein). The track in itself is not weak, but it really sputters and stalls out any momentum that the disc may have had before it. Other experiments with older forms of music, such as the seventies/funk influence on “Boy & Girl” really lend themselves well to Yoko’s style, but “My Art” just is one bad apple amongst ten other delicious morsels. Finishing off this CD with “Asshole”, Yoko Utsumi gracefully spins this disc down with a track thst simultaneously is influenced by The Doors, Neil Young, Rancid, and The Ramones. There might only be eleven tracks on this album, but the diverse array of sounds and styles will allow listeners to keep this disc on repeat for days without being able to find every little thing that Utsumi has strewn across this soundscape.

Top Tracks: Fun, Asshole

Rating: 6.8/10