Japanese Punk Pop legends Shonen Knife are returning to Greater Cincinnati in a few months. The long-running group’s world tour behind its latest album, the recently-released Sweet Candy Power, will swing through Newport’s Southgate House Revival on Sept. 11.
Tickets are available in advance for $17 at Ticketweb.
Shonen Knife began pumping out its gleeful brand of hyper-melodic/hyper-energetic Pop Rock in 1981. Influenced by the same artists as their American Punk Pop peers (The Ramones, Beach Boys, etc.), the group was one of the first Indie/Alternative Rock bands to break big outside of Japan. In the ’80s, Hip American labels like K Records and Sub Pop began releasing Shonen Knife music and influential DJ John Peel gave them more international cred with regular spins on BBC radio. In 1989, bands like Sonic Youth, L7 and Red Kross covered Shonen Knife songs for the tribute album Every Band Has a Shonen Knife Who Loves Them.
The group went on to tour with Nirvana, play on an early Lollapalooza tour and release music through Virgin and Capitol Records. Shonen Knife has maintained a loyal cult following in the years since, earning numerous TV, film and commercial song placements along the way to help pay the bills. (Fun Cincinnati connection: Shonen Knife has recorded for U.K.’s Damnably Records, which has put out music overseas by Queen City greats Wussy and Leggy.)
Shonen Knife currently features founders (and sisters) Naoko Yamano (vocals/guitar) and Atsuko Yamano (bass/vocals), plus drummer Risa Kawano. Released on Buffalo, New York’s Good Charamel Records (the label founded by Robby Takac of Goo Goo Dolls), Sweet Candy Power is Shonen Knife’s 19th album release.
“This album is homage to my favorite 1960s and 1970s rock music,” Naoko says in a press release for Sweet Candy. “Also I put all of enjoyment, entertainment, joyful and delightful from me into songs. Inspired by my experience during tours and my daily life, I wrote lyrics with fun and a little bit of ironical viewpoint. I hope people get happy through this album.”
Yesterday, Shonen Knife debuted the music video for Sweet Candy Power‘s title track.
This article appears in Jun 19-26, 2019.