Bo Ningen - Line The Wall

Bo Ningen are a Japanese four piece based In London who have been championed by Marc Riley on BBC6 – a public service for which Marc should receive a knighthood, in TT’s humble opinion. They released their self-titled debut album in 2010 and have returned in 2012 to produce what is easily one of the year’s finest albums ‘Line The Wall’.

They open their 2^nd helping with rock n roll so desperate and so uncontrollable it won’t just escape into the ether it will lend you a magic carpet to transport you there. The drums on opener ‘Soko’ are pure punk rock to begin with, before cascading into a rock-cum-disco extravaganza not seen since The Music’s self-titled debut. Accompanying these exhilarating beats are the My Bloody Valentine on coke guitar parts which make this a truly barnstorming opener.

Hypnotic vocals and guitar licks are key to this album’s success. Bo Ningem have an ability to create a feeling of tension so daunting it is as though a decade of celibacy has been installed. Henkan and Daikaisei Part 1 are prime examples of this in subtle yet spectacular ways. Henkan utilises mesmerising vocals to lure you in before unleashing a ferocious frenzy of guitars reminiscent of Primal Scream’s paranoia classic ‘XTRMNTR’ album. Then there is the guitar solo. DAMN! It goes one way, then the other, twisting the listener inside out. It’s the kind of genius which we pray John Squire can produce on the Roses’ comeback album next year. Meanwhile Daikaisei Part 1 hooks you in with a nod to T-Rex’s ‘Get It On’ before evolving into a synth laden Pink Floyd epic to take you into a state of euphoria.

‘Shin Ichi’ is another track which resembles Primal Scream’s ‘XTRMNTR’ era. Couple this with a Yeah Yeah Yeahs ‘Date With Night’ sounding riff and Bo Ningen have conjured yet more magic. Only one word can aptly describe this tune: filth. It reeks of sex dugs and degradation without a hangover or the accompanying regrets in sight.

Rock pyschadelia has made welcome return in 2012 from various factions. Tame Imapla made it great and complex with ‘Lonerism’, Weller made it poptastic on ‘Sonik Kicks’ this year and Richard Hawley made it harrowing on his bereavement based album ‘Standing On The Sky’s Edge’. However, Daikessi Part 2 is rock psyche at its most potent. It sounds death defying and carefree like all good rock music should and puts the great James Dean imagery and symbolism back into rock music. It doesn’t feel like a career with regular 1-2-1 meetings with your supervisor, a feeling we are often left with by Coldplay and The Killers. In a week where Led Zeppelin have dominated the music press for the release of ‘Celebration Day’ people should take heed of this ‘Whole Lotta Love’ inspired tune and recognise the future is still unwritten.

You may have noticed we haven’t commented on the lyrics in this review. This is a deliberately lazy ploy by TT. The feeling Bo Ningen gave us was so pure and primal on first listen and after 10 or 12 plays it was still having the same effect. It took us to levels of hysteria that had us all frantically re-writing our favourite albums of the year and decade alike. Due the powerful way in which the album moved us, we felt it best to leave their lyrics in the realm of the unknown to add to the mystique their music has built up. We do not implore anyone to do the same but we do urge you all to purchase this glorious demonstration of acid rock ‘n’ roll.