CD / Music Reviews ~ Genki Shock!

[jjanim8r]

Genki Shock released in 2006 featuring Just the Yamano sisters.

Track One: Big Cat. It's a teaser for the last track.. I'll get there later.

Track Two: SPAM. A great SK in their usual fun tradition. This was the first song of theirs I'd ever heard Live before I had the CD, so it has a special place in my heart. A song about how spam e-mail is annoying. 4.5 out of 5

Track 3: Jeans Blue. A song about how blue jeans are the most popular clothing on the planet. Once again a quirky song in the classic SK mold.. the track reminds me a lot of "fruits and vegetables" 4 out of 5

Track 4: Anime Phenomenon. If I knew more about Anime, this song would make more sense to me so I won't judge it for content. Musicly it's upbeat.. and a kind of standard 1/4/5 type progression without many suprises.

Track 5: Spider House. Fun song about Nayoko finding a spider in her house, and trying to get him to leave without killing him. A sweet sentiment .. she has to be sure he's ok.. Medium Tempo.. Fun Lyrics. 3.9 out of 5

Track 6: My Magic Glasses. She has new glasses that let her see the future. but then.." after I saw my future I lost all my dreams and hopes" Another Quirky medium tempo song with great guitar, very cool bass sound and great backup vocals. 3 out of 5

Track 7: The Queen of Darkness, This song sounds like Spinal Tap spoofing Black Sabbath.... All you need to know is.. Nayoko's voice singing " I am the queen of darkness".. It has some cool "trading bars" guitar and bass solos ( finally get to hear Atsuko rocking out) but still not my fave. 2 out of 5

Track 8: Forest Walk. I love the feel of this song. A song about how you can get over city life by walking in the forest. The mid tempo song has a really calm sound ( yet still obviously SK ), and really relaxed you when you hear it, the back up vocals come in like little woodland bird. An unusual sounf for SK.. but it totally works for me. Remember when you first hear "wind your spring, or fruits and vegetables... totally different, yet totally familiar at the same time??) 5 out of 5

Track 9: A World Atlas. Love it Love it Love it. I actually did this ( hope you all did as well ) a song about how you can look at an atlas and imagine yourself being in all these different places. Up tempo.. classic SK raw sound.. just fun all the way around. 5.5 out of 5

Track 10: Broccoli Man. A "spy thriller from the 50's" type song. Another food song. I'm not sure I'm totally clear enough to tell you what the song is about, so I'll just say if you like SK's spookier music ( mysterious drugstore ) you'll like this one. 2.7 out of 5

Track 11: Rock Society. At the top I swear it sounds like the band Rancid ( in a good way, I love them ) You go girl Atsuko, rockin' the bass. A sort of an anthem to the people.. everyone should be part of Rock Society. Really interesting rhythm guitar sound during the verses.up tempo fun song. 2.5 out of 5

Track 12: Under My Pillow. "Last night I had a scawwy dweam".. so tonight I put a lucky charm under my pillow for a good dream. Mid tempo song.. My Fave on the CD... Really sweet and pretty.. would be a good song to fall asleep to. "Features" Dean Wareham singing backups.. with the typical male vocal back up results. Still I give this my 5.6 out of 5

Track 13: Giant Kitty. The first cut is called "intro" and this is the payoff. Another cat song ( in a long line of cat songs ).. Basically a song about dressing up her cat.. and it wanting to get out of the outfit and get all dirty instead.. but Nayoko still loves her. Very up tempo song a hard rocker.. and Nayoko is often at the upper limit of her vocal range, which might make some people have the "nail on the blackboard" reaction.. but connoisseurs of SK will giggle and enjoy it. 3.8 out of 5

All in all.. I love this CD. I saw them tour on this CD a few times, so it's special to me. It was credited to the Yamano sisters.. although Etsuko Nakanishi plays on SPAM, World Atlas, Rock Society, and Giant Kitty. When they toured, Etsuko was playing drums and Atsuko was bass and vox.

IMHO... I like this CD better than the next one Fun Fun Fun, because it still had the raw underproduced sound that to me, is the charming and attractive thing about the band.

ALSO: Nayoko's daughter Emma did the cover art.

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

Thye only song on this album that I really know is SPAM....and i certainly agree that its a great song...Naoko looks sooooo mysterious and sexy on the video

[jellybean]

What does Genki Shock mean? And how do you pronounce Genki?

S*P*A*M is a great rocker. One of my fave SK songs. The lyrics are some of their most creative and amusing.

Forest Walk is one of the bands most bea-u-ti-ful tunes.

Giant Kitty rocks hard. Naoko really belts it out.

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

Mar 9, 2010 23:26:29 GMT -5 jellybean said:

What does Genki Shock mean? And how do you pronounce Genki?

S*P*A*M is a great rocker. One of my fave SK songs. The lyrics are some of their most creative and amusing.

Forest Walk is one of the bands most bea-u-ti-ful tunes.

Giant Kitty rocks hard. Naoko really belts it out.

Genki means "energetic"...sometimes it's used as "healthy" (As in Genki desu? ...Are you feeling well? Are you ok?) I just bought Genki Shock myself, and SPAM is also my favorite track

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

Track 13: Giant Kitty. The first cut is called "intro" and this is the payoff. Another cat song ( in a long line of cat songs ).. Basically a song about dressing up her cat.. and it wanting to get out of the outfit and get all dirty instead.. but Nayoko still loves her. Very up tempo song a hard rocker.. and Nayoko is often at the upper limit of her vocal range, which might make some people have the "nail on the blackboard" reaction.. but connoisseurs of SK will giggle and enjoy it. 3.8 out of 5

I love GIANT KITTY! ;D

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

Well, I finally gave in and bought the album a few months ago, and, tonight I listened to it for the very first time ...and, I appologize Julie, you were right, this album is fantastic!!!!

You see, when this album first came out, I went to Amazon.ca to check it out, and, after listening to the 30 sec "music samples", I wasn't impressed; I decided to save my money; well, after hearing SPAM and Giant Kitty on You Tube, I decided that maybe listening to music samples wasn't the way to judge entire songs, much less an album; so, I went out and bought it, and, I'M SO GLAD THAT I DID!! Well, Julie has done an excellent review of the CD (I wish I had her musical insight), so, I'll just do a quick general review of my feelings about the album (coming soon), in the meantime, here's the liner and cover art from Genki Shock~

[glow=red,2,300]The cover was drawn by Naoko's daughter Emma who was only about 3 (I believe), at the time[/glow]
Naoko with cover artist Emma (She really looks like her Mom!)


[glow=red,2,300]Naoko & Atsuko Yamano[/glow](Atsuko looks absolutely radiant on the second pic)


[glow=red,2,300]Naoko's Anime-type doodles[/glow] (As a tribute to the song Anime Phenomenon, I would suppose)

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

Seeing as Julie did such a great job of reviewing this album. I'll just give some fast comments of what i think of the songs themselves. (After all, Julie is much more qualified to judge them on musical merits)

S*P*A*M- Great tune, my favorite of the album
JEANS BLUE- Classic Naoko, reminds me of Blue Oyster Cult
ANIME PHENOMENON- A fun tribute to anime (particularly "Magical Girl" genre), highlighted by the Yamano Sister's great imitation of a typical 1990's MG anime's vocal track!
(Love the guitar playing here too!)
SPIDER HOUSE- Again, Classic Naoko....with a bit of an edge (I like this one more than Julie, judging by her 3.9 rating)
MY MAGIC GLASSES- A bit slow for my tastes, but, not bad
QUEEN OF DARKNESS- While I find it a bit hard to take the Queen of kitty and food songs, SERIOUSLY, as a "heavy Metal Diva"; it is an entertaining song (despite the fact that I hate metal, as a rule)... as Julie put it so well: "This song sounds like Spinal Tap spoofing Black Sabbath" (You nailed that one, Julie!)
FOREST WALK- Another of my fave cuts; strangely, I prefer the Japanese version of this song!
A WORLD ATLAS- Pure 1rst generation SK, all it's missing is Michie! Love it!!!
BROCOLLI MAN- Food song, or tribute to cannabalism? not my fave song on the album....in fact it's my least fave. (The only true "clunker" on the CD, IMHO.)
ROCK SOCIETY- Great song that you could swear you've heard before.......somewhere!
UNDER MY PILLOW- While I am no big fan of slow songs, this one does prove that Naoko CAN write "conventional" songs, and, do a very fine job of it!
GIANT KITTY- Another song that almost approaches "Metal" , but is 100% SK where the lyrics are concernned.....after all, every Shonen Knife album needs at least one "Kitty Song", and this one is a great way to finish the CD!

Genki Shock, 2006 from Glue Factory Records, Oglio Ent.
SK- Naoko & Atsuko Yamano (with then unofficial support drummer, Etsuko Nakanishi)
1/2 out of 5

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

ANOTHER PIC OF EMMA.... taken from the video for Gravity Zero Gravity, from Fun Fun Fun

[naoko1960]

This is for Genki Shock In Pink !
Genki Shock Yellow Is the Japanese Version of the Album !

Pete 712

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

May 5, 2011 17:38:09 GMT -5 naoko1960 said:

This is for Genki Shock In Pink !
Genki Shock Yellow Is the Japanese Version of the Album !

Pete 712

Yup, I scanned my own copy, (which is the English version) for the pics

[thegl0r]

I love this album, I've only got the pink English language version (two copies) but have promised myself for years that I'll get a yellow Japanese copy. Perhaps one day soon.

As always it's difficult to pick out a favourite track from all the goodies on offer, but I especially like World Atlas, My Magic Glasses, Forest Walk and Rock Society. And SPAM. Spam with everything. But I could just as easily put the whole track-list here as faves, 'cos as the album plays it's always, "This one is my fave," and then that track finishes and the next one is also my fave.

In the song, Under My Pillow, after a night of bad dreams and nightmares with demons visiting her bed, Naoko puts a lucky charm under her pillow for a sound sleep and a good dream.

In Japan, there is a spirit that eats nightmares (borrowed from Chinese mythology). Its called a Baku, and if you put a Baku charm under your pillow you will be assured of a good nights sleep. Even just the Baku kanji will work.

www.onmarkproductions.com/html/baku.html

Attachments:

[tangerinesun]

Jun 5, 2013 15:35:49 GMT -5 thegl0r said:

I love this album, I've only got the pink English language version (two copies) but have promised myself for years that I'll get a yellow Japanese copy. Perhaps one day soon.

As always it's difficult to pick out a favourite track from all the goodies on offer, but I especially like World Atlas, My Magic Glasses, Forest Walk and Rock Society. And SPAM. Spam with everything. But I could just as easily put the whole track-list here as faves, 'cos as the album plays it's always, "This one is my fave," and then that track finishes and the next one is also my fave.

In the song, Under My Pillow, after a night of bad dreams and nightmares with demons visiting her bed, Naoko puts a lucky charm under her pillow for a sound sleep and a good dream.

In Japan, there is a spirit that eats nightmares (borrowed from Chinese mythology). Its called a Baku, and if you put a Baku charm under your pillow you will be assured of a good nights sleep. Even just the Baku kanji will work.

www.onmarkproductions.com/html/baku.html

"Under My Pillow" is my song of the week. It comes to me just walking down the street. Such a pretty composition that even the Dean Wareham effect can't tarnish it. 

This is one of Naoko's tunes that hasn't got a Japanese version. It's in English on the yellow-jacket P-Vine release as well. "Anime Phenomenon" is another, and "Spider House" is only partly translated -- the chorus is English, I guess because it just doesn't work well in Japanese.

By this time Naoko seems to have been writing in English to begin with, and it's fun to guess which version came first. For example, it feels like "Spam Keikoku" got here by inspiration, and "S*P*A*M" by translation. Either way, the guitar part came direct from the angelic realms. I just love how the Pride of Osaka can wield that growling, yowling axe. 

[tangerinesun]

Quite randomly, I learned that Ritsuko's just-previous band Denki Candy had its second and final release under the title "Denki Shock" the very next year (2007). One of those stunning coincidences that litter human history.

[thegl0r]

I finally got my nice shiny copy of the Japanese release - and I got it in time to get it signed on the Overdrive Tour. Lucky me.

front cover