Politely Give Your Attention To Boris

I came to Boris through my sister's iPod - another one of the bands that Im inexorably grateful to her douche ex-boyfriend for... Anyway, the album was Pink, and it killed. Still does. Since then Ive been able to appreciated the pendulum-like swings of each of their releases. The Japanese avant-noise trio are the epitome of eschewing expectations, for over the twenty or so albums the band has released since the turning of the new millennium (and if you don't believe me, check it out here), they have mined so many genres, albeit with a heady sense of intensity, that classification is a futile cause. They mix up dirge, drone, punk, no wave and pop with wanton abandon. You never know which Boris is going to come rushing out of the speakers at you, only that it will invade the senses. Most of the time this is a good thing - in the case of this year's Heavy Rocks (the same name of an earlier release of theirs - I dont understand that either...)

Attention Please, one of two Boris albums released simultaneously (the other being Heavy Rocks), is another bold directional tack, zagging where a zig would suffice. Wailing guitarist Wata, usually at the fringes of the back in a singing capacity, is the sole vocalist here, the first time she has taken the vocal reins for the entirety of a recording – and it’s amazing this hasn’t happened before. Her alluring voice soars, creeps, arouses and distances in equal measure. The breathy delivery of 'You', the punky sing-song of 'Les Paul Custom ’86', and the sultry swoon of standout tracks 'Tokyo Wonder Land' and 'Spoon', adds a new dimension to an already multi-faceted group. It is the minimalist slant that is most surprising - and most effective. By dialling down the noise to just the most opportune of moments, its impact is stronger in its suddenness, and equally as effective when it leaves hushed tones in its wake.

Attention Please is an incredibly effective album, one where the three musicians known for losing their shit are more about control here, therein offering a depth of focus that’s astonishing.
Attention Please is out now through Sargent House and Other Tongues.
Boris -Hope