Half Japanese - Crazy Hearts

by Maarten Schiethart

published: 25 / 1 / 2021

Label: Fire Records
Format: CD

intro

Impressive and enjoyable nineteenth album from America's unlikeliest pop band Half Japanese

I must confess that the ambiguity coming with each new Half Japanese album has become hilarious as the lyrics include just about every synonym for great and happy. The torment has become latent. It's only there if you know the band's first LPs. Oops, on 'As Best You Can' Jad Fair sings about "this old man" and, yes, forty-thee years since their debut single, 'Crazy Hearts' is album #19. Half Japanese continue to mature, and become less confrontational with each album. Still a Half Japanese album is always chock-full of raw gems. Indicative perhaps of this, Half Japanese's new album comes in a sleeve design unlike its predecessors. There is no cutting pattern but artwork instead from Gary Panter. Thirty Years ago giving a Half Japanese LP at Christmas felt like an insult, but 'Crazy Hearts' will gladly surprise even an unsuspecting listener. And yet it doesn't sound like selling out a worn formula. There is truly beautiful music on the title track and 'Let It Show', but 'And It Is', 'A Phantom Menace' and 'Undisputed Champions', however, come with Jad Fair's unique obstinacy. 'Crazy Hearts' is a record-breaking record too, the band's fourth for the same label. Merry Christmas!

Track Listing:-

1 The Beast Master
2 Wondrous Wonder
3 Dark World
4 And It Is
5 My Celebrity
6 Late At Night
7 Undisputed Champions
8 Crazy Hearts
9 As Best You Can
10 A Phantom Menace
11 A Job Well Done
12 Let It Show

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/halfjapaneseband
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half_Japanese

Label Links:-

https://twitter.com/firerecordings
https://www.facebook.com/Firerecords
http://www.firerecords.com/
https://firerecords.bandcamp.com/
https://instagram.com/fire_records/
https://www.youtube.com/user/FirerecordsUK