Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on January 2011

Equal parts tearstained and beer-stained, The Mootekkis represent a kind of eternal present in rock ‘n’ roll—a timeless zone of ripped t-shirts, Converse sneakers, black jeans and daydreams. More specifically, their debut EP shows the Tokyo five-piece—fronted by singer Mike Hannah—straddling territory somewhere between classic punk, hard rock and Libertines-style UK retro garage rock. They do it in style, with a boozy, loose feel that makes almost palpable the crush of bodies in a dark live house and reek of stale tobacco. Hannah sings numbers about babes with crazy eyes and only likin’ chicks cuz he kisses them, in a leering, greasy voice that is ably accompanied by rangy twin guitars and a suitably unschooled rhythm section. Crank it up.