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| Tomoe Shinohara - Super Model |
| If you can make it past the first 60 seconds, you're golden. Making it past that 60 seconds, though... There's a rather goofy stereotype concerning Japanese pop culture, specifically that it's over energetic to the point of psychosis, and weird enough to make Björk look like Jonny Cash. Like pretty much every stereotype in history, that's a gross oversimplification. Usually. Then there's Tomoe Shinohara. The story is, she was discovered/witnessed in the audience of a live show at the tender age of 15, freaking out and being so generally manic (and magnetic) that somebody decided to sign her. To do what is not exactly clear, but she ended up making music, and "Super Model" is her debut. So, back to that first 60 seconds. It starts with a moan, like cuthulu waking from a centuries long slumber. It's quickly sped up to the point of white noise, then explodes into a backwards orchestra, with Shinohara gleefully welcoming us to her album like a carnival barker hopped up on goofballs. A dance beat kicks in, she shouts "Yaaaaaaaayyy!," some guy shouts "Go!" on digital repeat, then Shinohara starts spouting as many syllables as humanly possible as quickly as she can (which is, rest assured, very quickly) in a squeaky little girl voice. All of this is done with a severely exaggerated, holy-crap-somebody-hold-her-down-and-make-sure-she-doesn't-swallow-her-tongue intensity. There you go, welcome to "クルクル ミラクル" ("Round And Round Miracle," video with the intro edited out is is to the left,) and Tomo-chan's debut. If you watched that video, you probably have a valid question: why are we talking about this? This is music made for young girls, by young girls, and it's frankly a little creepy to be hearing about this from a middle aged guy that spends his time reviewing Les Rallizes Dénudés bootlegs. Well, bear with me, because the absurd levels of derangement on "Super Model" rival those of the most out there avant garde: early Boredoms, John Zorn's Naked City, High Rise. Shinohara's just not dark. It should be pointed out that the musical engine behind this particular technicolor riot consists of such artists as CMJK, H.O.I. Voodoo, and Takkyu Ishino of Denki Groove, among others. OK, now there's a pedigree, and an explanation as to how an album made by a ridiculously hyperactive 15 year old manages to have the seemingly impossible range and sonic depth it does. Once the sugar high wears off, "レインボー・ララ・ルー" ("LaLaLu Rainbow") is simultaneously astounding and hilarious. The sheer balls of stitching a song together from trip hop, surf guitar, techno, Surfin' Bird, a lunatic teenager, Ennio Morriconne, dub reggae, and the intro riff from "Rock 'n' Roll Radio" is impressive, all the more so for presenting it all so quickly and seamlessly. It starts off seemingly innocent and (relatively) relaxed, lulling the listener into a false sense of security for the first 90 seconds. Then there's the expected explosion for the next 90, then it ups the intensity AGAIN with a full out assault of Dick Dale style guitars, blast beats, and God knows what else. There isn't a nook or cranny that isn't stuffed to the gills with overkill, and frankly, it takes the irrational energy of someone like Shinohara to keep everything on track. Fortunately, the album is also wisely paced: the majority berserk tracks are balanced out with surprisingly beautiful digressions. "チャタレイ夫人にあこがれて" ("Lady Chatterly's Longing") actually fits that title, a lazy, psychedelic oasis of cooed vocals and blissed out electronics. It's atypical, not for the actual ideas, but because it picks one idea and stays with it for a whole song. Not to mention it's the only track that doesn't sound like the Tasmanian Devil trapped in a Tilt-A-Whirl. After "Super Model," Shinohara would necessarily calm down a bit, although the new wave screwiness of albums like "Dream & Machine" could still give vintage Devo a run for it's money. She grabbed the reins of her career early on, and her wild spasms of energy would eventually manifest themselves as a clothing line and two record labels (Vita Celeste and Jagged Apple.) She also pops up every once in a while doing something like this. She's currently approaching her 30th birthday as a member of Tokyo Flash, a DJ/vocalist combo that still has whispers of the overexcited kid of her debut. That said, she likely won't do this again: "Super Model" is a one shot deal, a prototype too weird for duplication. |