Tojo Yamamoto

Reviews

Tojo Yamamoto 山本東条 10″

Named after a legendary wrestler, Kentucky’s TOJO YAMAMOTO welcomes you to a world of body slams, headlocks, and, uh…karate chops? Okay, you got me. I don’t know shit about wrestling. But if it’s as fun and engaging as this record is, I’m more than willing to give it a try. Because this whole thing sounds like a demolition derby of speaker-blowing guitars, earth-shattering bass, and slamming drums. And on top of all that wreckage, a super-energetic singer—who sounds like he might explode at any moment— is doing his victory pose for the bloodthirsty masses. If you’re a fan of gnarly riffs, synthy Velcro fuzz, and controlled chaos, the self-titled 10″ from TOJO YAMAMOTO is the perfect way to spend fifteen minutes.

Tojo Yamamoto Turning Face! 12″

Kentucky noise-rock-influenced punk focused on pro wrestler Tojo Yamamoto (I know next to nothing about wrestling, but this guy was apparently a hated “heel” from the ’60s through the ’80s). For fans of CHERUBS or USA/MEXICO, the band plays heavy, feedback-drenched riffs with raspy, hollered vocals. On a few tracks, like “Loser Leave Town (A Cautionary Tale)” and “Work,” the bass leads the way with a swaggering, blues-punk feel à la CLUTCH (minus the everyman mechanic shtick) by way of KILLDOZER. The best part of the record is that the whole thing is filled with classic wrestling interview samples. Everyone joins the ring, from refs to someone’s mom (her tough-guy son is just misunderstood) to incredible promos of ridiculous threats, insults, and arguments. It makes for a very fun, heavy rock record with crisp production and infectious energy.