Sugar-sweet, barely competent pop tunes sure to send even the casual listener into hypoglycemic shock is Shonen Knife’s territory, one they have never strayed from in nearly twenty years. In the annals of punk history, only Shonen Knife has managed to get away with not only writing some of the most innocent sounding, syrupy pop songs ever put to tape, but also straight-up ripping off their heroes (“Devil House,” for example, is a total bite of the Buzzcocks’ “What Do I Get”) and have you think it was the greatest, most original stuff you’ve ever heard. I wore out my cassette copy of the Gasatanka version of this album years ago, so it’s a treat getting this on disc. Seem to remember the tape having more live tracks than this does, though. No matter. Shonen Knife is an acquired taste, no doubt, but those with just such a sweet tooth would find this more than satisfies.
–jimmy (Oglio)