Reviewed by Sara Crane
The first US release from "garage rock" artists detroit7 is a self titled Daruma Label release. "Garage rock" may well indeed be the best thing to call this band, for those who feel a need to categorize, as they defy all mainstream classification. Not punk, not jazz, and not strictly rock, this band incorporates strains of all three, plus may more.
Probably the most striking thing about detroit7's music is the style of vocalist Nabana's voice. Her vocals are typically in the lower ranges, and throaty, and she seems to have a never ending supply of "vocal tricks" up her sleeve. One thing is for sure, you can NEVER say the vocals on a detroit7 song are boring.
Once you drag yourself away from concentrating solely on the vocals, you'll notice the guitar work. Every bit as interesting as her vocal work, Nabana's guitar fiffs can only be called "kick ass".
And let's not forget the rest of the band. Drummer Miyoko Yamaguchi knows her stuff, serving up solid, hard core drum lines in every tune. Bassist Nobuaki Kotajima is every bit as talented as his female band mates, supporting each piece with solid and varied bass lines. Many bands fall flat in the bass department, but not detroit7. Listeners will find themselves concentrating on the heavy hitting bass work just as often as the guitars.
It's difficult to pick this album apart to review, without taking up pages and pages. Literally every tune on this CD has some noteworthy aspect, be it the chorus of "In the Sunshine", the funky vocals in "Mr. Kato on the road", the sexy bass line of "Zelda", or the ever present drums that somehow manage to be simultaneously pounding and melodic, "detroit7" is a must for any rock fan, regardless of one's penchant for Japanese bands. This is a CD anyone can enjoy.
Long Story short; This disc is catchier than than the Plague. Go get it!
