Schizophrenic Melodies

post #16

Garlic Boys EP

Garlic Boys EP 1990 (Japan)

Ahhhh. The sweet, sweet sounds of Japanese Hardcore.  Is there any better music in the known universe? None that I am aware of…  I have never seen any mention of this band anywhere before, but as soon as I saw this record in the bargain bin my heart leapt and I knew I had found something good.  Apparently this band is still around, and has been for a quarter of a century, but I have never ever heard anything about them.   It’s very strange, because this record is amazing! I can’t attest to any of their other material, because I have not heard it, but if these four tracks of thrashy, melodic hardcore are any indication of the rest of their work, this band rules!  Priding themselves on being fat and smelly (just like me!), Garlic Boys apparently takes a humorous approach to their music.  They seem to me like something like Japan’s answer to NOFX.

Garlic Boys - The band with Large Members

This is an american repress of what was probably several different records originally, and unfortunately the sound sucks.  The volume fades in and out, all of the tracks have different volumes, and most of the record just sounds like shit.  Despite all of that, the music shines through as some great, rip-roarin’ punk rock and roll.  These are the kind of songs that are so good that I find myself literally craving the sound of them! I will never be able to see sumo wrestling again without chanting “YOKOZUNA – Yokozuna” in my head and hearing the sweet guitar lead that distinguishes that song (all in my head, of course).

Interestingly enough, this record was released by a label out of Madison, Wisconsin.  Also, in the picture on the back cover (shown above) it appears as though all of the guys in the band are wearing Harley Davidson t-shirts, which is of course a Wisconsin company… and an obsession among local dummies.  They look like they could be hanging out in the alley behind my house here in Milwaukee, getting drunk on cans of Miller Light, listening to “Classic Rock” radio and repeatedly revving their motorcycle engines until they collapse. Excepting their Nipponese countenances, that is. 

Rock on.   http://www.mediafire.com/?vzeb6ig7rcxeiac