Since their inception in the late-1980s, Guitar Wolf have blasted out a raunchy, raucous version of the American rock'n'roll of the 1950s. Following in the footsteps of the Ramones, the band injects punk attitude into its stripped-down rock and notoriously over-the-top live performances. All of that is represented on 26-track, fan-selected, best-of Golden Black.
Even the uninitiated have heard their sound before; distorted guitars playing three-chord punk while vocals are shouted over top. The recordings are strictly lo-fi affairs, and everything is pushed into the red (if you're speakers aren't crackling when Guitar Wolf is on, you're clearly not playing it loud enough). But don't mistake simple and old- fashioned for boring and unremarkable. From the moment singer/guitarist Seije ignites this collection with a characteristic "one two three four!" at the beginning of "Can- nana Fever", from 1999's Jet Generation, it's clear that these three guys are masters of the straightforward punk song.
Tracks such as "Red "Wild Zero", "Missile Me", "Sky Star Jet", and "UFO Romantics" beg for a sing-along, and if your Japanese isn't quite up to the task, the booklet offers lyrics translated into English. There are plenty of hooks buried in the layers of fuzz and grime, and the band creates riffs and tunes that sound familiar even on first listen. Those valuing innovation in their music may find Guitar Wolf a littl derivative, and I must admit that an American band attempting to pull off these songs would probably fall flat. At well over an hour long, causal listeners may get lost by the end, as the 26 songs on this disc tend to blend together after a while. This style of rock music sounds best in small bursts, though, and even if there is fault to be found in the generic quality of the songs, the B-grade sci-fi craziness surrounding it all adds a nice layer of charm.
The most well-known of the mid-90s Japanese garage punk invasion, Guitar Wolf owe a great deal of their notoriety to their refusal to give up. Long after their counterparts-- Teengenerate, 5, 6, 7, 8's, etc.-- stopped putting out records, Guitar Wolf remain a vital force in the underground garage rock scene. The death of bassist Billy (born Hideaki Sekiguchi) in March of 2005 marks the end of an era for the band, and although the two remaining members are continuing their assault with new bassist Ug in tow, Golden Black presents a quality overview of their career up to this point.
