Sunday Sesh: The Godzilla Minute
Terror! Destruction! Sax! This is the Godzilla Minute.
It’s Finally Here
If you are a Japanese Toileteer or just so happen to currently be somewhere in the general proximity of Japan, you can finally go check out Shin Gojira (that’s Godzilla Resurgence to us Westerners) right now! Reviews have started pouring in for the film, and the general consensus at the moment seems to be reservedly positive. While some Japanese critics have hailed the film as a masterpiece that captures the terrifying spirit of the original 1954 Gojira, especially noting co-director Shinji Higuchi’s excellent blend of practical effects with CGI (ostensibly ushering Toho’s Kaiju special effects into the modern era), others have noted a slow pace and overemphasis on the bureaucratic minutiae (a hallmark of co-director Hideaki Anno’s convoluted anime Neon Genesis Evangelion). It’s hard to say how well American fans will embrace the film, especially considering the bleaker tone and lack of opposing Kaiju, compared to 2014’s Godzilla, but at least we now know the film will definitely receive a distribution on our shores later this year, courtesy of Funimation.
I, for one, cannot wait to see this movie. For over two decades now the Godzilla films have captured my attention, and although many have noted distaste for Godzilla’s frankly hideous appearance in this film, I honestly love it. It hearkens back to the fearful, post-nuclear weapons hysteria of the earliest (and in some ways, best) films in the series, and even if the movie is bad, it’s certain to be better than Godzilla’s Revenge, a movie so terrible that it somehow possesses a baffling charm all its own. If you haven’t seen the latest trailer for Godzilla Resurgence, ready yourself for city smashing below.
SKREEEEONK!
On the previous edition of the Godzilla Minute, I introduced you to the wild and wacky world of experimental pop rock quintet Godzilla Black. The psychedelic maestros released a successor to the excellent Little Things back in April, and I lament my sloth in getting around to promoting the album here, because it is rollicking. If you tuned in on the last article, you’re likely expecting over-the-top vocals, hooks curvier than Gigan‘s sickle-hands, and a dead-Kamoebas-washed-up-on-the-shore-sized helping of weird. I’m happy to report that Press the Flesh delivers on all these fronts and more!
Press the Flesh is loaded with all sorts of heavily conflicting elements that on paper should be nowhere near as catchy as they are. The DEP-esque linear drums in “The Wizard of Ooze” are positively edifice crumbling and sound completely ajar from the jangling punk chords and skreeeeeonking sax, yet it’s all wrapped up in an enthralling, multi-layer vocal track that’s nearly impossible to get out of your head once it burrows its way in there like Anguirus. Each subsequent track displays another weapon in the band’s impressive arsenal, from the flashy riff pyrotechnics in “Take Me to the Countryside” to the noodly bass assault wrapped around the shimmering synth lines like one of Biollante’s tentacles in “Knock Knock.” Fans who want something both unconventional and unequivocally delightful are sure to find something to love.
It’s difficult to pick out a stand-out track due to the sheer strength and diversity on display, but the aforementioned “Knock Knock” displays a maturity of song construction and a pop sensibility akin to Trent Reznor in his prime, a fact rendered all the more alarming when you consider the relative youth of this band. Press the Flesh isn’t for everyone, but it is a fun adventure front to back that is sure to get your hips in motion if you like The Mars Volta, Butthole Surfers, and Tweak Bird.
If you’re picking up what GB’s putting down, go tell them hello over on Facebook and pick up Press the Flesh on Bandcamp.
