Japanese four-piece outfit Otoboke Beaver formed during the summer of 2009 in Kyoto University. Named after a love hotel, these punks have been taking intermittent breaks from their full-time desk jobs in order to tour for around a year, usually stopping by various Western nations for a couple of shows before returning to the grind. European and American appetites for Japan’s stranger musical crop are nothing new, as groups like Tokyo’s Melt Banana, Nagasaki’s Guitar Wolf, and fellow Kyoto residents tricot have garnered much critical success in the West over the last decade or so. Musically, Otoboke Beaver have a lot in common with these groups – their songs seem to whizz by with fuzzed-out fury, and any given one can be over within 30 seconds. Tonight is their first ever Scottish gig – the only one on their five-date ‘Golden Week’ UK tour – so needless to say, the venue is likely full of musical pilgrims who’ve travelled the breadth of the nation to see some of the action.
After a slightly late start due to some technical difficulties, Glasgow’s own Breakfast MUFF open with a spirited set of slanted bruisers, and the night’s off to a great start. Next, second support act Say Sue Me from South Korea charm with their dallying indie pop – a third-ever overseas performance sure to win some new fans. A silence hangs over the room and Otoboke Beaver emerge looking like a troupe of modestly dressed superheroes in their individually patterned 60s outfits. Guitarist Yoyoyoshie gleefully riles up the crowd by waving her arms and yelling, “WE ARE OTOBOKE BEAVER!” being the most distinguishable part. Hiro-chan’s bass emits an ominous buzzing, and the group plunge into their first song, propelled forward by drummer Pop’s lightning fast pace. Their lead singer Accorinrin stares maniacally beyond the horizon, before growling like a sped up Henry Rollins. A mosh pit opens immediately, and the first drink is spilled – either in mirth or because some poor fool is caught in the vortex.
Each track is as logic-defying as the last, and clearly meticulously conceived (some songs even seem to have vague choreographed gestures). The group violently thrash through an enthralling barrage of heavily dissonant and busy noise rock, contrasting dramatically with their groovy outfits and overall cheerful demeanour. Baruko Book turns on a dime from restless garage rock rampage to flittingly pretty pop and back again, all in under two and a half minutes. Meanwhile, set highlight What do you mean you have talk to me at this late date has the group expertly coordinate a manic stop-start blend of jazz fusion and grindcore. Newest tracks Introduce me to your family and Love is Short prove to be their most uniform and (relatively) mellow compositions, with fewer headbang-interrupting time signature changes, but no less hardcore for the fact.
The gig is a whirlwind of gnarly riffs and Angus Young-style crowd surfing, and after the rousing closer Anata Ga Falling Love Shita No Ha Watashi Ga Kirai na Onnanoko (alternatively known as “the one that goes ‘I love yo-o-o-u!!’”) along with a brief encore, it’s time for the sweaty denizens of CCA to head home (definitely via the merchandise stand). After three stellar and diverse acts, fragmented English stage banter, and an overjoyed audience, it’s been a truly enchanted evening. Suffice to say, however, Otoboke Beaver really stole the show, and it seems as if their grizzled math rock has a die-hard audience here in Glasgow, primed for any future tours. Let’s just hope they can get more than a week off work next time.