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The best kept secret in music
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Mimirock is magnificent. Mimirock is awesome. Mimirock will take your breath away. The band’s aptly titled debut disc “Whah!” (self-released) is all about big, theatrical rock ‘n roll. A bit of metal, a lot of punk and a shot of Blondie-type pop come together to create a sound that is infectious.
The opening track, “Super Japanese,” could very well be a description of the band’s lead vocalist, the astounding Mimi Rock. She is the quintessence of a super hero, with powers beyond those of mortal performers. Her voice is tough, sweet, sexy, dark, bright and mesmerizing. She delivers each line with conviction, drawing the listener into her swirling, colorful world.
Guitarist Jeff Kolber recalls the bigger-than-life playing of the Spiders from Mars. He stands atop a distant peak, strumming his instrument and letting the vibration of his heart, soul and gut shake the sky and the sea. Bassist Arlan Feiles makes a noise like the stomp of a giant radioactive monster heading for Tokyo. Brad Gunyon’s drums beat out the approach of an invading horde, ready to swoop down and lay waste to the planet.
The songs themselves are amazing. The aforementioned “Super Japanese” kicks off with a chaotic arena intro, then explodes with pure metal force. The driving beat, wailing guitar and nasty-ass vocals demand a hand thrust up in the devil sign. No doubt about it, this tune is a headbanger.
“Take You There” has a simple, to-the-point drum intro, then shoots off into the stratosphere. Mimi races the rhythm, tight in and tearing it up, her style a perfect compliment to the frenetic heartbeat of the band. When she says she will “take you there, take you there, take you there with me,” you can feel her reaching out and grabbing you by the throat.
“New York City” brings the tempo down a bit, but the intensity remains. Her delivery is almost gentle on this one, yet still captivating. She dances along with the melody, swaying on a chorus that crashes like a tidal wave, building again to a tsunami before heading into the next verse.
From there, she takes a trip into a shadowy alley for the very atmospheric “Fall Into the Sky.” A little Bauhaus and lot of pure Mimi make this one a real spine tingler. The synchronized pounding of bass and drum on the chorus is a beautiful offset to a wonderful, noisy, industrial-style guitar.
When the track “Tell Me America” comes in, it’s time to tear the skin off the listener’s face again. She takes this one head on, with the psychospeed snarl of mean, foreboding punk. What a woman!
You can bask in the mind-blowing glory of Mimirock live on Friday June 6th at the Nail, 2580 Haverford Road, Ardmore, PA. For price and time, contact the Nail at 610-649-NAIL, or send an email at thenaill@netzero.net or visit their website at http://www.thenail1.com. To get your very own copy of Mimirock’s “Whah!”, send an email to mimirock@cyberrodent.com
- Philadelphia weekly .com
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
This is a band that defies explanation by today's standards. Do not assume that this is another cute Japanese pop band like Cibo Matto or Pizzicato 5. Frontwoman Mimirock may be Japanese, but she is not cute. She is an angry punk rock superhero who rules the stage like an Asian Blondie. Born and raised in Tokyo, Mimirock left home at the age of 21 after her father ripped the David Bowie posters off her bedroom walls. Her self-imposed rock-and-roll exile led her to America and, eventually, to New York’s East Village. Since starting the band in 1997, She has found her voice in a distinctively East Coast post-punk idiom. Her songs ring with the pop hooks of U2 and the persona narratives of The Velvet Underground, but are delivered in the dissonant candor of The Ramones. Written in broken English and delivered with a heavy accent, Mimi’s lyrics convey emotions as sincere as bullets but never wander into sentimentality.
The music, however, is only half of the Mimirock experience. This band is a New York City anachronism, hearkening back to the days when audiences expected a performance from their performers. Mimi’s theatricality borrows its energy from the best of glam and arena rock, then combines it with the spectacle of Kabuki and the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Whether she is ripping her clothes onstage or covering herself in glue and glitter (respectively), Mimirock always earns the price of admission. If today’s idea of a live performance is a DJ spinning records casually in a dark corner, then this band was either born too late or too soon. A misfit on the contemporary music scene, Mimirock would have fit right in a few short decades ago, when rock took risks. Perhaps she is the harbinger of a new era, when it will take them once again.
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