[WORLD GROOVE] Currently listening to KEMURI - BLASTIN!

November 29, 2007 by Dennis Amith

BAND: KEMURI

ALBUM: BLASTIN’!

LABEL: avex io

CATALOG #: IOCD-20228

DURATION: 44:40

RELEASED ON September 26, 2007

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Ato-Ichinen
birthday
the rhythm
白いばら
Rainy Saturday
On the Street
Rules
Workin’ Dayz
ancient wind
葉月の海
Knockin on the Door
in the perfect silence
鉛の花
P.M.A. (Positive Mental Attitude)
five o’clock at night (BLASTIN’ version-)

The ska band from Japan known as KEMURI has been entertaining fans for over a decade and unfortunately, all good things often come to an end and the same with the band.

KEMURI has decided to call it quits and will breakup officially on December 9th.

With their albums going into re-release in Japan, the group released one last studio recorded album on September 26, 2007 titled “BLASTIN!”

I’ve listened to a lot of ska bands for a long time and one thing that made it easier for me to play among friends before a surf session is that the band mostly sings in English. Needless to say, they have a strong fanbase outside of Japan as well.

So, if you are a ska fan, one thing I will say with “BLASTIN’!” is that the majority of the songs are all in English and their songs are positive or P.M.A. (Positive Mental Attitude).

The album features newer tracks and previous released tracks.The first track “Ato-Ichinen” is actually one of the few Japanese only songs on the album that is very distinct. Up-tempo, guitar driven and a song that is just quick and frenetic and fun. The track along with the track “Workin’ Dayz” were originally both offered on the band’s 1997 album “Little Playmante”.

“Workin’ Dayz” is one of those songs that shows a good balance of horns and guitar. The song is one of the few tracks with profanity but is about the typical overworked employee who works 24/7… or in the case of this song, 24/8. About working and not even caring about your wife and child because all you have done is work. One of my favorite all English songs on the album.

A song that sounds very old school Kemuri is “Rainy Saturday” which goes from a simple, normal-tempo and then transitions to a fast paced track and also a reggae-like segment near the end. The song is about a rainy saturday, thinking about someone you love that is distant from you and making it alright.

The ninth track “ancient wind” is originally from their 2000 album “Senka Senrui”.

The 14th track “P.M.A. (Positive Mental Attitude” is somewhat of a song that describes KEMURI’s music. Living with a positive mental attitude and the song along with the 2nd track “birthday” are featured on the band’s “77 Days” album from 1998.

The 15th track “five o’clock at night” features a BLASTIN’ version of the track featured from their album “emotivation” (from Oct. 2001).

All in all, you get a good balance of songs old and new on this album and with fifteen tracks total.

The CD insert comes with lyrics to all songs on the album with a few pictures of the band performing live. Also, interesting is that there are Japanese lyrics for the English songs on this album. The CD packaging is a fold out cardboard piece with the insert booklet going on one end, the CD on the other end.

Many have wondered if ska is dead. Does anyone care for ska anymore? With KEMURI breaking up, is this a signal of times for ska music? Not too sure about if its the end but KEMURI lasting for 12 years in Japan for the kind of music they have done is pretty cool.

The band has managed to accomplish a lot in their career, attracting fans from all over the world and showing that Japan can do ska and do it well.

KEMURI’s “BLASTIN’!” is an album that has a good balance of music from the past-pace guitar driven songs, to songs that feature a good balance between the brass horns and rock that effectively makes awesome ska music that KEMURI is known for.

For fans of KEMURI, again you get a collection of old and new with this album and you can’t go wrong. The album is a fitting end to KEMURI’s succesful twelve years as one of Japan’s awesome ska rock bands.