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To the Superfortress

E. A Solinas | MD USA | 05/10/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Whatever Nao was listening to in Tokyo and the Lower East Side, it must have been good. Because the Superfortress frontman has some pretty unique musical tastes, producing this entertaining self-titled debut: taking sharp rock'n'roll and fusing it with rippling electronics.



Electroblips and a slow buildup of electric guitar open the album, followed by Nao singing dramatically, "Listen, people/remove your hands from the wheel!/Darling, touch me/and tell me how it feels." It kicks off into a slow-burning rock song, flavored with generous amounts of new wave slickness. Though it has echoes of 80s pop like David Bowie, I can't remember hearing a song like it before.



Things only speed up as the album goes on, getting stronger and stronger. By song two, Superfortress creates a sort of James-Bondian pop song, gritty rock'n'roll anthems that range from ominous to wild, infectiously catchy electrorock, and sparkling electronica in songs like "Candy Apple." In other words, no boredom.



While most other bands are rehashing whatever musical trend is hot right now -- at the moment, it seems to be Joy Division, postpunk and New Order ripoffs -- Superfortress is sticking to its own path. This is a different brand of 80s-flavoured music, with more originality, spunk, creativity and slick danceability.



Superfortress does have a specific sound -- rock heavily flavoured with electronica -- but it varies from song to song, veering in different musical directions. There's some wonderfully subtle fuzz bass, sax and drums from Sam Kawa, who works with DJ Krush, and angular guitar from Nao himself. The result feels urgent, a little dark, a bit playful, and very fast-moving.



And, of course, the electronic parts. Beeps, blips, washes, horns, sweeps of sound and odd effects are spread all over the rock rhythms, like a thick layer of peanut butter. That strong new-wave sound is also what sets this apart; it has some of that glorious Japanese pop sensibility of taking a sound to the edge, and then propelling it over. And in the middle of it all is Nao, being as flexible as the music itself. He croons, murmurs, sings, shouts, and occasionally sounds like he's been filtered through a radio.



Catchy and gritty, new-wave and rock'n'roll. Superfortress has the retro originality that it takes to stand out of the crowd of new rock bands. Lovely."

A future perfect redux of the best parts of 80's music in a

D'Asante | New York, New York | 01/31/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There is a definite trend going on in the world to separate the thinking from the homogeny where there used to be an environment for both or so it seemed to me. In regards to music, I guess the distributers and publishers aren't taking any more chances since they can't push a $20 CD on us with one hit song so once again, considerate music exists in the shadows heard on frequencys that only dogs can hear. Do you even listen to the radio anymore?



With that said; if you share in my thinking, frustration, and desire for good music; let me introduce you to Japan and New York's own Superfortress from east and far east coast; a glimmering light in the darkness. To me, its a future perfect redux of the best parts of 80's music in a puree served with a tasty cold sake. Its one of those CDs where you just push play, that it. Every song is a new level and a new collage of influences. No hunting and pecking or extracting two or three songs that you like. Thats how music is supposed to be.



I'm lucky enough to catch the live shows which are fantastic and even more musically superior than what he lays down on tracks believe it or not. His drummer breaks in and out of drum and bass solos which Nao happily provides the melody for in catchy guitar rifs. Bassline never disappoints and there is no Ashlee Simpson going on either, its him.



I'm writing all of this about his live shows hoping that he will put together a live show EP or some type of DVD of his live set because it really is that amazing.



Check out the CD until then and keep your fingers crossed.."