Kero Kero Bonito, Time 'n' Place, Album Review
Kero Kero Bonito
Time 'n' Place
Album Review
"Time 'n' Place" is the second full length album by the British indie group following 2016's "Bonito Generation".
I heard quite a bit of hype surrounding the group, particularly thanks to what is arguably their most well known single "Flamingo" which a lot of people know as "the shrimp song" which has been memed quite a bit in recent memory. However, I found myself discovering the artist properly with a couple of music videos for some other earlier tracks. It was after really getting to like them as a guilty pleasure band and being continuously intrigued by them that I stumbled upon their newest album which was released on the first day of this month.
Judging from their earlier material, I was expecting Kero Kero Bonito to continue their traditional J-Pop inspired style. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find a far more refined and ambient indie rock sound reminiscent of Alvvays. In other words, it has this really warm and almost beach-like atmosphere surrounding it, which makes for a pretty ideal listen considering the area I live in.
I also picked up on the fact that this album takes a departure from the lead vocalist Sarah Midori Perry switching between Japanese and English lyrics and instead focusing far more on the English side of things. And while it does detract a little from what made them such a guilty pleasure in the first place, does admittedly make it a lot easier for me to understand the lyrics and immerse myself with the scenarios behind each track.
Speaking of which, the first track "Outside" is a very quick burst of indie rock energy that lets the listener know very clearly what's in store. The track then fizzles down towards the end with a much more soothing and sparkly tone that settles things down very nicely for the next track.
"Time Today" is a very casual sounding but very engaging and catchy track. It has a really nice rhythm thats upbeat while also being quite relaxing when paired with the various electronic elements. I actually think all of the elements (rhythm, melody and vocals) meld together incredibly well to create this cute but also grand track. I love it!
"Only Acting" is an incredibly interesting track, starting off sounding like your typical raw indie number with quiet bass riffed verses followed by a much fuller sounding chorus. The interesting parts are the little "glitches" in the track that I would admit unnerved me a little at points. These "glitches" included what sounding like distorted screams that seemingly came out of nowhere, a looped section of the song that made me feel like my Spotify was acting up on me and a super slowed down sound clip towards the end. It certainly provoked some thoughts as to whether or not the theme of the song had a darker undertone.
"Flyaway" is a very good track. Its very fast-paced but also very warm and joyful. Not much else really needs to be said about it other than the fact that it just really makes me feel good. Its one of those hearty and merry tracks that instantly appeal to me. This song in particular is also very similar to Alvvays in terms of style.
What follows the joyful warmth of "Flyaway" is a track that feels like quite the opposite. "Dump" is instead very mellow and very cold sounding. However, I find this track very enchanting in terms of its sound and I find the whole thing very wondrous. In fact, I like this track just as much as the last one but for completely different reasons. But this comparison reminded me of the sheer diversity of atmospheres on this album that the listener is treated to and naturally, this album gets extra points for that.
Following these two stellar tracks is actually my current favourite of the album! "Make Believe" mixes so many atmospheres so brilliantly. Its cute, joyful, bright, funky and wondrous all at the same time. Not to mention its catchy as hell! But if I was going to pick any track off of the album to exemplify just how unique and deserving of recognition the band is, it would undoubtedly be this one. I absolutely adore this track!
Further supporting my statement on just how diverse the album is, the next track "Dear Future Self" has a much more orchestral sounding instrumentation that spans throughout it, giving it this atmosphere of some kind of whimsical journey through the sky. Its choc full of grandeur and is yet another adorable song.
After the sheer wonder I felt from the last few tracks, I unfortunately found the following track "Visiting Hours" a little lacklustre in comparison. For me I just felt that it was a bit too simplistic in both its vocal and electronic melody. As well as this, the rhythm was also a little dreary sounding. I just feel like they could've pushed the boat out a bit more with this track to give it a bit more of a whacky edge and a bit more uniqueness amongst several amazing tracks.
One of those amazing tracks being the next one, "If I'd Known", which has a bit more of a funky vibe to it in comparison to a lot of other songs on the album. Some very nice bass riff dominated verses pair very well with the more wondrous and spacial sounding chorus melodies. I also really like the little rap verse towards the end which adds a very nice finishing touch.
My initial thoughts towards "Sometimes" was "here we go, another shoehorned acoustic track". However, mu skepticism was quite quickly shut down when the electronic elements faded in to add a much more unique atmosphere to the song, to the point where I could appreciate it as a genuinely encouraging and lovely track that just warms the soul.
The penultimate track "Swimming" is possibly a second favourite track of mine following "Make Believe" and I felt that this would've made a much better final track, despite there being one track after this. it has that very conclusive atmosphere to it and easily reminded me of a sunset lit shore. Its just absolutely gorgeous to listen to and has a really nice lyrical narrative to go along with it. The best word I can use to describe this song is "serene" because thats exactly what this track is.
The album then reaches its conclusion on a bit of a weird note with "Rest Stop". It kind of has some similar quirks to it as "Only Acting", but the whole thing does feel a little over-extended (especially towards the very end). Having said that however, there are segments in the song that are a genuine pleasure to listen to, but id still argue that "Swimming would've been a much stronger way to finish this magnificent album off.
All in all, i think this album is a marvellous true introduction to the artist and I cannot wait to see what they have in store for the future. This album has certainly proven to me that the group holds a tonne of promise and potential and I have faith that they could be a real game changer. While I'd argue that the album is at its best during the middle (which is refreshingly rare), there are certainly enough amazing tracks to make the whole listening experience an absolute delight!
Thank you for reading
BBP
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