Review Summary: Skate punk, Japanese style
Punk rock in Japan isn't a very common genre (with the exception of the underground noise movement), but it had a bit of a peak in the 80's when bands like Laughin' Nose, The Blue Hearts, The Stalin and New Rote'ka came out. But what set New Rote'ka apart from the other bands at the time was the sheer energy in their music. Naturally, the energy bled out outstandingly onstage. By the time they released their second full length album, "Yossha, Yossha, Yossha", they were already considered legendary amongst the punk audience. But nonetheless, the band did everything but slack off with this album, and in fact, got stronger in their sound.
When you put the CD in, you are greeted with a phone argument between the vocalist and some other band member, most likely done in good humor, and then kicking off with the opening track "Kanishi ki Lager", with their winning concoction of an atypical punk sound and highly addictive vocals performed by frontman Atsushi (then known as Luuff). The album continues in that direction, and eventually produce one of their most renowned songs, "Nagality", which is a combination of aggressive drums, playful guitars, and all-around great listen. The album then goes on in that sound once more, before coming across one of their most impressive songs, "Mamushino Boogie", which is an interesting spin on psychobilly, and then goes off into "Osamu Buta Otoko Uta", which is a part of a song saga about the guitarist's misfortunes when it comes to romance.
The skate punk sound once again continues on, before starting off one of their most addictive songs to date, "Panic Life", which is an eccentric kickass song, with hyperactive punk rhythms and hyped up vocals to match. The album then closes with the song, "Natsu Nagisa 17-sai", which is a bit slower than the rest of the songs, but still manages to keep the upbeat punkish sound of the album in tact. A fitting end to an overly-energetic classic.
All-in-all, this album is a classic in the Japanese punk scene, and it's not hard to see why, with it's highly addictive punk sound, entertaining vocals, and a pinch of experimentation for good measure. The only thing keeping this album from being an absolute classic is the brief slag in the middle of the album. But nonetheless, the album is a highly entertaining piece in the spectrum of Japanese music. Recommended to punk fans all over the globe.
