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 TOKYO
SEX DESTRUCTION-Le Red
Soul Communitte (Dim Mak)
Judging by the first sound on their album, a whining guitar, Tokyo Sex
Destruction are defined by their middle name. Followed by raucous
percussion, handclaps, and a chorus of “hey hey hey’s,” you can
easily picture the “lock up your daughters” pelvis jerking that rock
and rollers like Elvis and Mick Jagger perfected.
The band is sex by all means, both in
sound and appearance. They have the charisma of The Hives, and dress like
them too—the black suits contrasted by white belts and ties, topped of
course, by shaggy mod haircuts. But listen closely and you might pick up
on the band’s politics, delivered in a Spanish accent (genuinely
Spanish, the band hails from Spain).
The album is conceptual in that it outlines a 10-point program, via
“Le Red Soul Comunnitte.” Ten tracks, all leading toward a goal of
supposed political awareness...track six is named: “Capitalism Plus Dope
Equal Genocide.” I turned to their liner notes for some explanation and
found it in a small manifesto, 5 paragraphs long, and translated in
Spanish. It attacks conventional thought, capitalism, the educational
system, and exploited youth. Underneath are pictures of the Black
Panthers, and images of the Civil Right’s movement in America. I’m
assuming the nod to black political groups of the 60’s is in observance
of their R&B and 60’s garage rock roots.
Highlights
on the album include the first track “Break-out Town” because of its
immediate invitation to nod your head and tap your feet, and track 9,
“Don’t Make Try Your Love,” because its catchy chorus has me singing
along involuntarily. This is an album makes excellent party music, and
higher meaning for those who are into that sort of thing. –Lauryn
Hamilton
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