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Their music is in a class of its own and even if it may not sound special at first, from personal experience, it does not take long before The Back Horn fights its way into your music collection. Granted sometimes a bit hard on virgin ears and requiring a few listening before getting used to it, they rage against the machine with fierce vocals, powerful lyrics and adrenalin-induced music.
Socio-political metaphors of the deepest kind and personal feelings of guilt are on the menu along with so many other meaningful themes that are poetically rendered without a glitch. I have also yet to read lyrics from a song in which he advocated violence or revenge, which is a plus in my book.
The Back Horn musicians are
thankfully much more than background accompaniment. While always staying
on the extreme side, they use many different styles and tricks making
each tune growingly distinct every time you listen to them. The guest
bassist, who played in their two latest albums was recently promoted to
full-fledge member and is, in my opinion, just as good as
Hirabayashi Naoki, the
original member of the group. His offbeat lines are a
vital ingredient in what makes The Back Horn’s music so exceptional.
Guitar and drums are very inspired, as well; a fresh new sound can be
expected of each and every song.
Going "major" is a big step and this gave cold feet to their then bassist, Hirabayashi Naoki. They release Ningen Program without him before looking for a replacement. Okamine Kohshu won the honors by his style and insistence and have been an important part of the band ever since. The Back Horn has come a long way in a few years and seem to be continuing on the same trend. They have contributed to the soundtrack of many Japanese movies like Akarui Mirai and Casshern and have seen their popularity raise consistently with each release, as they promote themselves the good old-fashioned way, by giving gripping live shows across Japan almost every night. They are showing no signs of slowing down, or of letting fame get to their heads. A big "Ganbatte" to them from this humble fan.
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Headphone Children
Given the constant quality of their work through all of their albums, this was a photo finish. I'll be honest, I'm always slightly disappointed with new Back Horn releases at first. Then they grow on me and my whole outlook changes. This was the case with Headphone Children; On first spin it sounded too different, perhaps? But it did not take long before the tons of little niceties all come together in each song. Ukiyo no Nami, for example, adds to the chorus every time it comes up to builds up into a heart-squeezing ending.
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You can't even afford to skip the B-Sides with these guys. From the Cobalt Blue single, this little gem is loads of fun. It takes unexpected turns and has a melody that you surely won't mind having in your head all day. Their heavy and soft sides both make appearances, so you might get an idea of the gamut that The Back Horn offers with this song.
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Official Site: http://www.speedstarmusic.co.jp/backhorn/ (Tip: use AltaVista's Babel Fish translator) |
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The
Back Horn was
formed in 1998 a