Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on April 2010
Niw! Records
Clocking in at just under 14 minutes, the nine songs on the debut album by Donkey Vegetable Voxxx!!! are proof positive that fluorescent punk works best in short, sharp bursts. Charmingly describing their sound as “’90s punk meets ’00s new wave”—it’s actually more like ’70s punk meets ’80s pop and ’00s nu rave—DVV!!! trade on the squeaky voices of twin vocalists Moe Young and Hirac, who shriek in something approximating English while the four boys get rowdy with guitar, bass, drums, synth and sampler. Lead single “Fight For Your Right” cobbles together lyrics from several Beastie Boys songs, the joy seeping through the speakers and rearranging itself as a smile on your lips; elsewhere, “Bisco!Cisco!Disco!” offers what would be a sing-along chorus if you could only figure out the words, while “Love Song” recalls a bossa nova Bis. A stupid, perfect, essential album.
