In the mid 1990s, a Scottish quartet with a name stolen from Japanese anime burned up the college charts reigniting kids love for indie pop/punk from the UK. Their unique sound, counter melodies, and fun loving spirit was just the kick in the pants that the CMJ scene really needed. (Back then, the CMJ festival was still worthwhile and not completely overrun by record labels hogging up all the venues spewing out whatever shit they were trying to push on us at the time.) In 1996, UK label Che Records released
We Are Urusei Yatsua! Unfortu
nately, due to US Trademark laws, the band had to change the name of both the band and release for US consumption. So, in the states, it was called
We Are Yatsura by the band Yatsura. But, who cares, it was the music that matters. Tracks like "Si Amese" featured amazing intricate vocal rhythms with 2 singers dueling out their individual melodies at the same time. It's great fun trying to concentrate on just one or the other hoping to figure out what the heck they are saying. Songs like "Kewpies Like Watermelon" and "Plastic Ashtray" are really fantastic rocking numbers that still manage to maintain a melodic grace rarely found during the time period. If you get a chance, do some investigating on your own! Urusei Yatsura is totally worth it!
In the mid 1990s, a Scottish quartet with a name stolen from Japanese anime burned up the college charts reigniting kids love for indie pop/punk from the UK. Their unique sound, counter melodies, and fun loving spirit was just the kick in the pants that the CMJ scene really needed. (Back then, the CMJ festival was still worthwhile and not completely overrun by record labels hogging up all the venues spewing out whatever shit they were trying to push on us at the time.) In 1996, UK label Che Records released We Are Urusei Yatsua! Unfortu
nately, due to US Trademark laws, the band had to change the name of both the band and release for US consumption. So, in the states, it was called We Are Yatsura by the band Yatsura. But, who cares, it was the music that matters. Tracks like "Si Amese" featured amazing intricate vocal rhythms with 2 singers dueling out their individual melodies at the same time. It's great fun trying to concentrate on just one or the other hoping to figure out what the heck they are saying. Songs like "Kewpies Like Watermelon" and "Plastic Ashtray" are really fantastic rocking numbers that still manage to maintain a melodic grace rarely found during the time period. If you get a chance, do some investigating on your own! Urusei Yatsura is totally worth it!
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