July 9–16, 1998

disc quicks|rock/pop

Shonen Knife

Happy Hour

(Big Deal)

Shonen Knife is an aural amusement park: their plastic pop is endless fun, a truly happy experience. And the 16-year-old band's latest release, Happy Hour, is full of new rides. Tracks like the cutesy "Banana Chips" (which is being used as the closing song for a popular Saturday morning Japanese cartoon) and the ska-inspired "Cookie Day" are stressless and emotion-free songs about, well, banana chips and cookies. "Gyoza," a song about spiced minced pork wraps, can even get a vegetarian's toe tapping.

And rest assured, the lyrics, as on other Shonen Knife releases, are still the same nonsensical mishmash.

But that doesn't matter. It's pop—we're not supposed to listen to the words, just the melodies. Shonen Knife offers plenty of catchy ones on Happy Hour. The album's real thrillers are the Kraftwerky "Shonen Knife Planet," complete with computer bleeps and '80s-style scratching; the heavy metal-inspired "Konnichiwa" (with feedback!); the Ramonesy "Sushi Bar" (with backing vocals by the Presidents of the United States of America); and the ultimate pop paean—a cover of the Monkees' "Daydream Believer." (Speaking of covers, check out Shonen Knife's rendition of "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" on Big Deal Recordings' recent tribute album to Burt Bacharach, What the World Needs Now.)

But like amusement park rides, too much excitement can get a little tiring.

Rotate this disc with a Cowboy Junkies and things should even out just fine.

-Jennifer Darr