A Bag of Audio Candy
vyper | Minneapolis | 11/02/2004
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Omoide Hatoba is/was a band led by guitarist Seiichi Yamamoto,who also played in Boredoms at the same time.
Although I am a fan of Boredoms in all their phases,Omoide Hatoba,while being quite similar to Boredoms,is I think more carefee and fun.
Mantako,like all Omoide Hatoba albums,is just a mess of songs played half seriously,sound effects,simple instrumentals,funny vocals,etc.It's just a bunch of guys being goofy and messing around in the studio and having fun,and not taking anything too seriously.Sometimes that results in a bizarre mutant pop song,and sometimes just plain silliness!
Track 1:A chug-chug drum and guitar remind me of that old Budweiser commercial with the Clydesdale horses.Bleeps,bloops,and other electronic silliness swirl around you"Goodness gracious great balls of fire!"
Track2:Sounds like a surrealist cartoon western theme song,as does track 6.
Track 4:A rollicking spazz fest with guest vocals by Eye from Boredoms.
Track14:Slowly shuffling drums,gurgling electronics,Yamamoto's psychedelic guitar lines...played fairly straight.
It's colorful,wacky,silly,bizarre and like a bag of candy,it's not essential but you may enjoy it's sugary charms for what they are.
And no matter how much you listen to it,your ears won't fall off.Probably."