An eclectic addition for the Knife Collector
Christopher Nieman | Los Angeles, CA United States | 06/27/2003
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Since bassist Michie Nakatani retired from the band following HAPPY HOUR, the Yamano sisters have continued Shonen Knife in a slightly different direction. On STRAWBERRY SOUND, Atsuko still handles the drums and occasional lead vocals, while Naoko assumes most of the bass chores along with her usual guitars and vocals. It's brightly produced, and it's a poppier record than in the past, with a few drum machine beats and more synths than ever before.STRAWBERRY SOUND shows that Naoko Yamano has not lost her formidable pop sensibilities, whether it's on the nihilistic fun of "Buggy Bug," the carefree party sounds of "Nya Nya," or the coolly ironic "CM Song" (a swipe at commercial song formulas). My favorite song is the brash "Wild Life," which features several trademark SK tempos and enough oomph to compare it to almost any other punk-flavored song in the band's catalog.Along with "Nya Nya," my favorite pop song on the album is "Sesame," which has a wonderful chorus with one of the loveliest vocal moments Naoko has ever recorded. "Chinese Disco" is a nice, light sendup, although I'm not sure it's quite as great as some fans believe. I also like "Super Big Black Bass," which actually isn't a sound-alike of the original "Black Bass." Toward the end of the album, the lush sounds of "Mayonnaise Addiction" (with a musical nod to the Beatles' "Rain") are sure to put a big grin on your face ... only Shonen Knife could have done a proper tribute to Japan's fascination with this simple dairy product!There are still a few misfires. The self-indulgent title chorus of "Punk Rock Star" harms what is otherwise one of the best songs on the album. The noodling of "Synthesizer" is best described as an interlude, and the Black Sabbath-inspired "Mosquitoes" is easily the weakest song of the record, sounding calculated and awkward.The musical personality of Shonen Knife is still in bright pink letters, even if Michie's catchy songwriting and sweet sense of humor are missing. These women can still write more great tunes on one album than most pop bands dream about in their entire careers. STRAWBERRY SOUND is an eclectic work from a landmark Japanese rock band determined to forge ahead. You may need to go to lengths to get it, and it isn't nearly their best album, but it's still a worthy addition for the Knife Collector."
Memo To Knife Fans: Wait For A U.S.Version.
Harvey J.Satan | Among The Garden Gnome,Friar Park | 02/09/2002
(2 out of 5 stars)
"Yes,I'm one of those Shonen Knife fans that pays big bucks for import singles and albums,simply because I love the band,and their stuff rarely finds a U.S. or U.K. distributor fast enough for my liking.But that doesn't necessarily mean you have to be so obsessed as well.I've been a long time fan of the band,and this release just isn't all that great. It just doesn't work as well as previous releases. As with their previous albums,excluding "all English" versions,this one goes back and forth between songs sung in Japanese and English,and this time,they tend to stumble.If you thought Shonen Knife was mostly Naoko's band,this album proves that Michie was an integral part of the band.Maybe it's just a rough first outting for Atsuko & Naoko,I don't hate the album,but I hope their future efforts improve.I suggest enjoying "Happy Hour" and "Brand New Knife",before paying import prices for this release."
2/3 ain't bad
W. Johnson | The Mile High City | 06/22/2001
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Strawberry Sound is a decent album. Nothing more, nothing less. The tracks are a bilingual mix of Japanese and English depending on what song you get. For the most part they are at worst listenable at best are good. Of thier last 3 albums (Happy Hour, Brand New Knife and Strawberry Sound)it is this one that is the weakest effort of the bunch. That is not to say it was poorly arranged, sung or anything esle. It is the issue of there was something missing.I honestly thing the loss of Mishie Nakatani was really noticable in Strawberry Sound. She seemed to have a pop sensability and influence that was not fully filled after she left the band. Strawberry Sound is well worth picking up if you are a Shonen Knife fan, btu it probably is not a good album to get started on. Hopefully there will be a US distribution deal for the album to make it more reasonably priced and available. Then I would nudge it up to 4 stars from 3."
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1