Osaka Popstar is one of the few all-star bands that exist in punk rock. The band has a number of legends (members of Misfits, Black Flag, The Voidoids, and The Ramones). In this sense, the band does a number of covers, ranging from anime theme songs (Astro Boy, Sailor Moon), to classical tracks (“Man of Constant Sorrow) and punk classics (“Blank Generation”, “I Live Off of You”). This means that the styl of music that Osaka Popstar plays is something that pretty much converges on the all-out blasts of music put forth by acts like The Misfits and The Ramones.
The production of the CD far outstrips anything that the previous bands the “American Legends of Punk” were in), but the songs do not have the catchiness like “Skulls” or “I Wanna Be Sedated” had. However, this is not saying that Osaka Popstar does not have a few magical moments during their self-titled disc. For example, “The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t” is a bouncy track that has a catchy chorus that will get individuals focused in on the band; even though it is a cover (The song was released in 1966), Osaka Popstar make the track their own. While there is a constant style present throughout the entirety of the disc, Osaka Popstar are not adverse to adding little nuanced sounds to their overall style. For example, during their cover of the Voidoids’ “Blank Generation”, Osaka Popstar throw in a little added piece to their puzzle; a rockabilly style.
The band may largely be a cover act on this self-titled album, but the few tracks created specifically for this album show that Osaka Popstar is not only a cover act. The disc goes by quickly, but can anyone honestly expect that a band that is composed of the masters of three-chord rock would not do just that? While the disc is not going to be an instant classic, Osaka Popstar should be the next purchase for anyone that is into pop-punk music, with this self-titled disc going alongside the Screeching Weasel, Darlington, and The Lillingtons CDs. Always bouncy and without any regrets at the end of the disc, Osaka Popstar set themselves up for cutting a few more discs in the same vein. Essentially, the band has written their own ticket by the end of the disc, and keep the memory of the acts sacrosanct. Pick the disc up now!
Top Tracks: Monster, Where’s The Cap’n
Rating: 6.8/10
Osaka Popstar – S/T / 2006 Misfits / 13 Tracks / http://www.osakapopstar.com / http://www.misfitsrecords.com / Reviewed 24 May 2006
[JMcQ]