The Questionmarks is a two piece band consisting of drummer
Naoki Otsu and
Keita Kondo, who performs everything else. Though they haven’t been around for very long, they have already released ten albums. Their latest,
Boo! I’m A Ghost!, only contains eight tracks, but the amount of noise compacted into the eight songs is stunning.
Studying for an Examination eases you into the album. Though it’s not very fast, there are so many layers of noise that it takes a lot of concentration to separate them all out – not unlike studying for an exam. However, you don’t have to do this to enjoy the song; just sit back and let the distorted vocals and psychedelic guitars take you for a ride. The next song,
Boo! I’m a Ghost! is a drum driven piece that has a wild, 60s style rhythm. The majority of the song is instrumental, with the drums and guitar dueling it out, and it will easily sweep you away and leave you in rocked out bliss.
The other two songs on the album with a retro feel are
UFO CLUB and
The Ghost Left Town.
UFO CLUB is slower and has a spaced out vibe with its squealing guitars, making you think of vibrant colors and swirling patterns. There is an alternate version of
UFO CLUB that is faster and makes use of digitalized sci-fi sound effects. Both versions are good, but in different ways: the original is for those who want to relax, the latter for those who want an insane dance party.
The Ghost Left Town plays heavily on the backbeat. Towards the end, it slows down for an appropriately haunting break.
Keita Kondo croons in high falsetto and is backed up by a female vocalist, creating a soft, dreamy mood, but a crazy guitar solo returns the song to out-and-out rock and roll before its abrupt end.
The Metamorphosis is a bit of a strange track, with much of the lyrics spoken in a deep voice that overlays the rest of the sound. The effect is interesting, though it takes a bit of getting used to. Then there is
The Fool, a deceptively heavy track at first that soon gives way to the usual upbeat storm of noise. The strangest track of all, however, has to be
Feedback No.1. The entire track, just over a minute long, consists of microphone and guitar feedback, with
Keita Kondo speaking rapidly at parts. It sounds like someone’s version of an alien message being broadcast to earth and is an eccentric addition to the album.
Without a doubt,
The Questionmarks has a unique sound. An acquired taste, you might not like the band upon first listen, but give them a chance. Mixing old school rock with futuristic sound effects, the band provides entertaining, playful music that would be a treat to experience live.
Find out more about the band at their
official MySpace or visit
Tokyo No Records to buy this album.
The Questionmarks will go on tour in the U.S. in 2010, so don’t hesitate to check them out if they come to a city near you!
