Search - Urusei Yatsura :: Slain By Yatsura

Glasgow, Scotland's Urusei Yatsura have pulled off a neat trick--they've remodeled glam rock without the glitter. The result is snotty, anthemic, and cool yet thankfully devoid of stretchy unitards and ghastly haircuts. Slagged off as Pavement copyists in their early days, Urusei Yatsura have finally hit their stride as engaging pop rockers who might give an occasional nostalgic glance back to early-'90s American lo-fi. In acerbic odes to urban ennui ("No No Girl") and straight-to-video starlets ("Hello Tiger"), Urusei Yatsura create crash-cymbal- and guitar-heavy indie rock with smart and sarcastic lyrical phrasing. There must be something in Glasgow's water that causes fantastic bands like Belle & Sebastian, Adventures in Stereo, and the Delgados to emerge at such an alarming rate. No odds on who would win the citywide battle of the bands, but Urusei Yatsura get extra points for their trashy cool and giddy satire. --Lois Maffeo