Otoboke Beaver’s “Itekoma Hits” bursts with manic feminist fury

You don’t want to mess with these Japanese punk girls, but you should!

Kyoto’s Otoboke Beaver have been venting their rage for nearly ten years, but this is their first proper album. It is a collection of old, re-recorded and new tracks. It crams so much punch into 27 minutes that you will be reeling and breathless when they’re done.

They might look cute, but make no mistake: the Beaver mean serious business. Most of the record is a typhoon of guitar noise and screamed confrontational angst. They have a lot to be rightfully angry about: deadbeat jobs, women’s place in society, useless lovers… the list is long.

What makes it really worth your time is that it is full of humour, unexpected swerves and the occasional pretty melody. The songs are compact bursts, and frequently change style and tempo without warning. It’s a machine-gun attack that is thrillingly tight and expertly executed. The weird, hilarious video clips make this a full audiovisual package.

You don’t want to stand in the face of this gleeful assault with deadly noize, so get on with it and ride the firestorm!