Shonen Knife – Our Best Place

Shonen Knife defy time, space and logic, after 42 years they are still with us and are about to launch what I think is their 22nd full length, Our Best Place. The album’s title suggests a comfort in growing older and gaining confidence and to be frank not caring what others think, trust me it’s quite liberating, and it’s an album that sees Shonen Knife do what they do best, just be themselves. MUJINTO Rock kicks off with a blast of pure infectious uncut Shonen Knife, something that is often a feature of their albums, and rightly so, for me track one side one should always kick things off in style and that’s exactly what happens on Our Best Place. If you were expecting a full album of Ramones fuelled punk pop then there’s a fair chance you probably only own the Oaska Ramones album, as the second cut is Nice Day. This is an upbeat chunk of jangly garagey guitar pop that celebrates having a Nice Day, and who can fault them for this.

The Story Of Baumkuchen continues the voyage into Shonen Knife’s own unique world, one that is offbeat and undefinable, that is followed by Vamos Taquitos, a unique little earworm that comes at you from Mexico via Osaka. In case you hadn’t noticed food plays large in Shonen Knife’s world, a quick trip to their social media will also bear this out, so the addition of Spicy Veggie Curry shouldn’t come as a surprise, and it’s a welcome addition to their unique menu. Girl’s Rock is already amongst the best loved songs from Shonen Knife’s back catalogue, and here we get a new version with English vocals, which helps no end as my grasp of Japanese is non existent and thankfully Shonen Knife are, and always have been, a bi-lingual force of nature. We’re back to the menu again with Afternoon Tea, a curious affection for something that only exists in a very specific kind of restaurant, and this is reflected in a tune that sounds like a distorted reflection of the Small Faces.

Ocean Sunfish is easily the heaviest track on Our Best Place, an ode to the curious friendly piscine that sounds like an aquatic lifeform obsessed version of Buzzcocks, a contender for my favourite moment on Our Best Place. Or so I though as Better is the perfect antidote to doom scrolling and the constant barrage of negative news stories, and when Shonen Knife tell you everything is getting better you believe them, at least for 3 minutes and fourteen seconds. Just A Smile brings their latest album to a close, for me there’s no such thing, a smile is the most basic form of positive communication, if someone smiles at you it improves your day, and this track captures this positive experience perfectly

Shonen Knife are a celebration off the everyday, those moments and sensations in life that just make everything a bit better, the things that make you smile, and not in a sloppy drunk way. In a comforting favourite food, sugary delights and kittens kinda way, they are probably the happiest band on the planet, although it might be a dead heat with The Dollyrots. It’s hard not to love Shonen Knife, there’s something timeless, life affirming and comforting knowing they will always be there if you need a pick me up. Shonen Knife are an aural anti-depressant, and in these challenging times we live in Our Best Place should be available on prescription, as it is Our Best Place will be released via the usual digital outlets on the 15th February, the album is also available for pre-order on physical formats through P Vine in Japan and Good Charamel Records in North America.