Albums of The Year # 15 Bo Ningen - Sudden Fictions

 

I'm late off the mark with this particular band. But then again, I've never really considered myself to be a really top ranking musical hipster, despite the amount of stuff that I post on here. Anyhow, better late than never. Because London based Japanese quartet, Bo Ningen, are certainly worthy of consideration. Not least with their latest album Sudden Fictions, their fourth conventional album in all by my reckoning, since their eponymous debut came out in 2010.

Bo Ningen have many of the qualities that attract fellow artists who see themselves as seekers and explorers. They've done so continuously over their career and have gathered the approval of the likes of The Fall, Damo Suzuki, Faust, Savages, Bobby Gillespie and Franz Ferdinand over the years.

If you're not a fan of the first generation Kraut and Japrock bedrock that the band so evidently build their work upon, then you're unlikely to go for this. If you do relate to this stuff on the other hand , there should be plenty on Sudden Fictions to pique your interest.

Bo Ningen understand innately that the original source material of bands like Can, Faust, Flower Travellin' Band and Les Rallizes Denudes are not museum pieces,and never should be allowed to be. Instead they use them as they should be used, as genuinely inspirational launchpads for their own journeys of exploration.

I won't resort to the flights of fancy that some music critics tend to indulge in when reviewing this band's records. Just make a basic Google search to see what I mean. I wouldn't begin to speculate on what the songs on Sudden Fictions are actually about. Most of the lyrics are in Japanese after all.  But the record fascinates me, and I can fully understand why Bo Ningen so readily adored by groovers and shakers naturally inclined to the margins.

From here I think I'll work my way back, to listen to and I imagine enjoy their earlier records. For now this is more than enough. Respect to the band for carving out such a brave yet at the same time accessible statement. This isn't really a 'difficult' record on any level and is all the more commendable for managing not to be. Back to the Future with Bo Ningen.