Bonzo's are the irresponsible, hard drinking, dashing-yet-evil twin of singer/guitarist Tetsurou Suzuki's other band The Students (whose guiding visionary Akiko Yoshida provides the beautiful sleeve artwork for this CD). While both bands share the same self-effacing charm onstage, Bonzo's' musical approach is far more direct. They cut straight to the most effective blues-folk chords, lulling you in like a door-to-door salesman with a suitcase full of genetically modified hybrids of Bob Dylan and Dr. Feelgood, then escape out the bedroom window with your daughter in tow. And what girl could resist the wooing words of surgeon-of-love Dr. Suzuki MD? On opening track "Girlfriend" he yelps: "You are more beautiful than Aya Matsuura" and then proceeds to rattle off a list of favourable comparisons to numerous doll-like teen idols and porn stars, seemingly unaware of how his points of reference might be reflecting on his own taste. Elsewhere, as on closing track "Kimi Ga Hoshii", the lyrics, music and guitar solos are similarly direct and Tetsurou's tendency towards lyrical digressions of dubious rhythmicality is kept admirably in check by a firm, unfaltering rhythm section. A ragged success.

The Bonzo's EP is available from the band directly at the thoroughly reasonable price of 300yen. Bonzo's have a homepage, accessible via your PC or mobile phone at http://ip.tosp.co.jp/i.asp?i=bonzos -Ian Martin, Apr.03.04

Bonzo's EP (Demo)