The Not

Reviews

The Not This Record Contains Not One Hit Single… + I Do Not Care!!! CD

Off-kilter Japanese punkers NOT existed in the early 2000s, sticking around for just long enough to record the thirteen rough-hewn tracks showcased on this CD. Injecting straightforward ’77 punk in the vein of the KNOCKS with a bit of modern meddle like the BLACK AND WHITE, the band’s sound is ultimately a quirky take on ’90s garage punk style. The opening groove to “I Can’t Get Back to Me” is a straight-up REGISTRATORS swipe, and the winding instrumental “Mituwadai 101” sounds like it could be a GASOLINE jam session captured in uncharacteristically clean fidelity. Tracks one through eight are from the band’s most realized recording, titled This Record Contains Not One Hit Single, and the remaining songs are taken from their 2004 demo (I Do Not Care), bringing you the full NOT experience on one disc. A brief interview with the group’s founder Hidde included in this package alludes to a reunion gig slated for 2026, so keep an eye out if you happen to find yourself in Chiba prefecture this coming year.

The Not Live for the Fans and Bands cassette

The NOT have captured their exciting upbeat melodic energy well in a live setting, recorded late last year. Seven originals plus two covers add up to nine fun foot-tapping tunes. Shame they broke up.

The Not Kids Survive 12″

Mid-tempo pop combined with a rockin’ garage sound gives this record a very unique melodic style. The band’s curiosity to experiment with different musical influences can be heard throughout all six songs. A lot of diversity and talent result in a very catchy record. Great job.

The Not What’s the Reason 12″

The NOT produce six more examples of their JAM-oriented material on their debut vinyl. In some cases, that approach doesn’t work too well (as in the overly rockish “In Trouble” and the slow “World War”), but elsewhere their clean guitars, bouncy rhythms, and Wellerish vocals combine in an engaging way. If they’d only absorb some influences from the JOLT—a ’78 “mod” group with more explosive energy and guitar power than the JAM—they’d really turn some heads.

The Not Break Free tape

Hard-edged power-pop with definite Mod influences. The vocals are a bit reminiscent of early Jonathan Richman, and the music also has traces of those MODERN LOVERS, along with the early Jolt and Jam. Unfortunately, they try to cover the TROGGS’ “Lost Girl,” which proves to be a disastrous failure, but then nobody is quite like the TROGGS.