Tuesday, September 26, 2006

5 1/2

Customer Review: Driving funk album by a veteran Japanese pop/comedy band.
KOME KOME CLUB is a hard driving Japanese pop/art/funk/soul band that hit big time, then suddenly decided to go splittesville after 15 years in the industry, branching off into a variety of splinter groups and solo acts. 5 1/2 was one of their hardest hitting albums. Many of the songs would later be recut in English on a Japan only release by KID CREOLE AND THE COCONAUTS, although this group is more of a cross between Earth Wind & Fire, P-Funk and Mother's Finest w/ a touch of the Miami Sound Machine. A lot of the jokes require a knowlege of Japanese and Japanese culture to understand, but the rhythm is universal. The band was famous for their highly satirical elaborate stage show featuring fasions, sculptures art and set designs by lead vocalist Ishii Tatsuya. This album showcases the hard edged vocals of his assistant, James Onada, however, a satirical spoof on a Japanese God w/ a heavy doese of James Brown in him. KOME KOME CLUB (meaning RICE RICE CLUB... and the album 5 1/2 which can also be pronounced GO HAN... gohan also meaning rice... get the joke ? ar ! ar ! ar !) - - were funky and surreal... and represent pop funk at its best. This album will even get the squarest Gaijin dancing !

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