It is not often that an artist / band will leave me speechless but that almost happened when I pushed play on "Barbara" by the seven piece Montreal based Japanese psych punk band TEKE::TEKE. Words, words, words ( I need words). Some the come to mind are jazz flute, surreal fusion, surf rock pushed through a math rock filter, anti-pop and anti-rock, 50's jazz influences, an art punk Mukashibanashi possession. Whew.
I am thankful for the subtitles, yes I am even though, in a way, "Barbara" tempts you even if you don't now what is being said. The roller coaster involves a spirit-like being who pranks but also brings good fortune to those who see it and the lyrics are surreal but oddly charming, even funny. The frenetic, whirlwind of jazz-esque fused flute and surf rock guitar, drums on high, rabid downbeats and a bridge that feels like a crazy march of toys intent on wreaking havoc, an army of sounds with elegant intentions while art rock metal strikes down.
Wonderfully weird, so exquisitely wonderfully weird. Frank Zappa meets Arcade Fire meets Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re.
-Robb Donker Curtius
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THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM - PRESS NOTES:
teketekeband
Montreal-based seven-piece Japanese psych-punk band TEKE::TEKE are back today with a frenzied new single + animated video for "Barbara." Recorded in one-take, it matches the band's near-mythic live energy (SXSW performance here) with that of the song's Zashiki-Warashi character -- a spirit-like being who pranks but also brings good fortune to those who see it.
As with previous videos, "Barbara" was animated by the group’s guitarist Serge Nakauchi-Pelletier and vocalist/visual artist Maya Kuroki...
It's off their debut album Shirushi (out May 7 via Kill Rock Stars), named after the Japanese practice of kintsugi -- the art of mending broken pottery by fusing the pieces back together with seams of gold, silver or platinum lacquer. The album glues together these pieces of classic Japanese balladry, surf rock, psychedelia, and more into sounds that wouldn't be out of place in a Tarantino movie...
TEKE::TEKE, Canada, Japanese, psyche-punk, frenetic, alive, one take recording, LIVE, animated video, "Barbara", improvisational, jazz fused, post rock, progressive, mathrock, alt rock, indie rock, surf rock
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