MELT-BANANA - "Bambi's Dilemma" (A-Zap)
The 7th album from this spastic, somewhat surreal rock, pop, hardcore band from Japan. MELT-BANANA are a very unique band. Crazy rock, which is about as vague as you can get describing music is about as much as you can say about them. Like a No Wave band on speed AND a psychedelic. Just 4 people, playing the usual guitar, bass, and drums but there are some effects thrown in and the guitar player gets a stunning array of sounds out of his guitar. He is one of the most unique guitar players I have ever heard, often mixing 4-5 effects and playing with a slide creating sounds that range from video game sounds to keyboard sounds to biting harsh slides and jutting chords. The vocals are barked out and there are still bursts of energy and speed that will blow your mind but this album leans more pop.
1. Starts with a quiet rock-n-roll riff. Slow and more normal than they usually make. The guitar even reminds me of FUGAZI. Multiple female vocalists during the chorus. Quiet noise for the last 30 seconds.
**2. Starts with dogs barking then kicks into a heavy fast sound. Some squealing guitar sounds, dare I say solo. There is a simple rhythm guitar section during the second half of the song that is wonderful.
**3. Catchy FUGAZI sounding guitar and a very poppy song. There are bursts of speed. The lyrics are fun and somewhat surreal, which is the usual for her. "An earth-sized trash can. Where can I find one?"
4. Straight ahead fast rocker.
5. Starts with that awful windows sound. Was that a mac or windows sound. After that intro the song rips into a fast spazzy track with a catchy chorus. Great vocals during the chorus she sings instead of barks.
**6. Very fast. There is a "fucked up" in the lyrics but I'm not sure you can understand it.
7. Starts quiet. Stays ambient with sound effects and keyboard-like sounds from the guitar. There are vocals, sounds like she's making whale noises. Water and bird sounds. Never rocks.
8. Track begins with a simple indie rock guitar strum. The track does speed up but the guitar tone is very different than they've done in the past. The chorus is catchy.
9. Another very different guitar sounds and again poppy. There are a few bursts of speed and noise.
10. Some sound effects, static, to go along with a very mellow track. Pure pop for the first 50 minutes. The track does speed up and get loud. A few cartoon sounds effects.
11. 30 second track that begins with crazy guitar sounds. Then kicks into super fast drums to go with the guitar. Barked vocals at the end.
**12. Short and sounds like the last track. Fast, loud, and a minimal sound since the guitar is making noises instead of the usual playing.
13. Another short track. Rumbling noise for the first 20 seconds and spazzy MELT-BANANA rock the second 20 seconds.
**14. Chirps and other quiet noises from the guitar into spazzy stop-n-go.
15. Noises of different types mostly cymbals and guitar.
**16. About a dog and called "Dog Song". Mostly drums and vocals but when they spazz out she barks.
17. Head nodding fun. Fast vocals and noisy.
18. 5 minutes long? Not sure I remember a MELT-BANANA song that long. A drone builds with a few big drum sounds thrown in. Her vocals are run through effects. Track never rocks.
AMAZING! -mph