If you don’t know Kero Kero Bonito by now, you’ve been doing something wrong. Creators of gem albums like “Bonito Generation” and “Intro Bonito,” Kero Kero Bonito have been farting out classics for the past five years now. They have established a distinct international wonk pop sound that is unique to all other group dynamic sounds I have ever heard. Bad news for all fans who were expecting their same old iconic sound on their latest EP. “TOTEP” is a totally new approach to the Kero lifestyle. If it weren’t for the unmistakable voice of Sarah Perry and the sporadic Casio SA-46 synth licks, “TOTEP” would be unidentifiable.
If you could combine the sound of punk-doo wop and pop-rock with a hint of classic Kero Kero Bonito you would find yourself in the realm of the middle two songs on the EP. These two songs, “You Know How It Is” and “Only Acting,” are reminiscent of early 2000s pop punk tunes like Sum 41’s “In Too Deep” or Simple Plan’s “I’m Just a Kid.” These songs bring out the head bopping, full body immersion that all participants in this genre strive for.
Shredding solos and intense background noise are scattered throughout these tunes. The vocal hooks on these songs are truly some of the finest that I have ever heard. As long time Kero Kero Bonito enthusiast and music critic Etai Stern put it, “the chorus is some of their best stuff.”
On the other two tunes, “The One True Path” and “Cinema,” Kero return ever so slightly to their roots for a slower, more rhythmic and melodic sound that gained them so much international credibility. These tunes give the type of feel that can only be described as taking your sweaty socks off after a long run and allowing the wind to breeze between your toes. These are perfect songs for lying down in the grass and breathing in nature’s scents. Soft synthesizer sounds seduce the ears as Jamie Bulled lays down grooving bass lines and Perry paints a portrait of the hopes, fears and emotions through characters described in her lyrics.
I am not typically one to support bands that decide to stray away from styles that they have perfected in hopes of finding a new sound; however Kero Kero Bonito has my full support. If I were to say I was anticipating this drastic change of musical approach I would be fricking lying to your face. If I were to say that I didn’t derive intensive emotions from this EP equal to those felt in their first two albums, I would also be lying to your face. Kero Kero Bonito’s music may not be for everyone, but anyone with a taste in music that has the capacity to travel beyond the gateways of musicians like Ed Sheeran or Mac Demarco should give them a try.
Thank you for reading my review, now please do yourself a service and listen to the “TOTEP” EP! In the words of Perry, “You should be able to feel the performance with your whole body and soul.”