Born out of the Fair brother’s lo-fi bedroom recordings of the mid-70’s, Half Japenese reinvented rock music with their off-kilter view and popular outsider rock. Leading the lo-fi movement of the early 90s burgeoning indie rock scene, Half Japanese’s lasting influence and prolific output has seen them experiment with alternate tunings, chords and melody and in recent years they’ve produced more cohesive offerings. Wildly eccentric and humorous, the energetic ‘Hear The Lions Roar’ is an art rock record where Jad Fair’s expertly thrown out lyrics remain optimistic and fresh alongside a fierce and compelling rhythm section. Featuring a cohort of past musicians from the 90’s, their dexterous instrumentation brings further depth to Jad’s songs.

2017 album from Jad Fair's long-running outsider rock heroes. Their eccentric vision is an underground art-form, rooted in back-to-basics rock'n'roll, but with a questing spirit. If you're new to their work, valid comparisons would be with Jonathan Richman, Daniel Johnston and Wave Pictures. Recommended....

By Adam