I Hate Smoke (2011)
One of the many things that I liked about record shopping in Japan was finding albums I didn't know existed. I knew of the band Short Story, specifically from the Tribute To Chopper compilation that came out a few years ago, but I didn't know that they had any other records out. For whatever reason, they just weren't on my radar. Once I was in Tokyo, I was able to buy their full length from a few years ago.
It's funny that I first heard of this band from a tribute to Chopper, because they definitely have some similar attributes. They play fast, loud and catchy punk rock with lots of backing vocals that go "whoa" and "ohhh." Vocally, they remind me more of the higher pitch style of bands like Navel or Skimmer. All in all, a pretty strong combination.
Short Story is at their best when they slow down the breakneck speed of their drummer and get a little closer to mid tempo songs. They do tend to go a little overboard with the thousand mile an hour galloping drum beat on a few songs, so when it breaks down to something a little bouncier, everything stands out more and the hooks have time to really sink in. Minor speed criticisms aside, this is a fun record that showcases another side of the Japanese melodic punk scene that I love so much.
Short Story - "It's Too Late":
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