Given that this is a collection, we’re granted a glimpse of Japan’s Your Pest Band’s evolution across four years, a handful of records, and twenty-six songs. Side A collects much of their early releases which are short, fast, and on the verge of total collapse, featuring slurred vocals that wouldn’t be out of place at a drunken night of karaoke. These early endeavors feel like Tokyo’s answer to Hickey. This begs the question: How does Your Pest Band persevere to the end of a song when they sound so close to ruin? I want to believe that it was as much of a struggle as it sounds. Side B is more my cup of tea as they transition comfortably from thrashy melodic punk towards Teengenerate-style pop mania. The guitars begin to intermingle power chords with swirling rock’n’roll leads while never softening Fumito’s harsh, animalistic vocals. It’s as if Your Pest Band are parodying pop standards yet simultaneously crafting music that is distorted and electrified. Recommended.
–Sean Arenas (Dead Broke, [email protected] / Snuffy Smiles)