Osaka Popstar - Osaka Popstar and the American Legends of Punk

Osaka Popstar have made a good, fun record

Osaka Popstar is essentially John Cafiero and a bunch of his friends; but more on that in a bit. First, John Cafiero is the guy who produced the Misfits’ Project 1950 and directed and produced of the Ramones documentary Raw DVD. He also directed the Insane Clown Posse’s Big Money Hustla$ (note the usage of the dollar sign instead of the letter “s”), which serves as further proof that everybody makes bad decisions sometimes. Back to the part about Cafiero’s friends; he’s got some good ones. Cafiero enlisted Dez Cadena (Black Flag), Jerry Only (the Misfits), Marky Ramone (the Ramones, obviously), and Ivan Julian (Richard Hell & the Voidoids).  It’s a very impressive line-up, but unfortunately a (dare I say) super-group of punk rock icons doesn’t generate the same excitement as it would have 10 years ago.

Which is a travesty on a couple of levels. The first, simply because they’re the pioneers of punk rock. The second, because Osaka Popstar have made a good, fun record. Osaka Popstar tears through 13 songs in under half an hour. Their style is more Ramones than anything else, delivering melodic pop punk with little variation between songs.  

Throughout their self-titled release, Osaka Popstar covers the important things in life: Japanese anime characters and not being able to find a sugary bowl of Cap’n Crunch in the morning. While this may seem like a rather limited range of topics, it’s because half of the record is covers. The cover selection is predictable at times, (Richard Hell twice and X-Ray Spex) however, they also throw in some interesting selections (traditional bluegrass number, “Man of Constant Sorrow,” and “Insects” from Kids of Widney High, a group of handicap children who gained cult status since their release, Special Music from Special Kids in 1989.)

Fittingly, the two best songs on the record are covers. The leadoff track, “Wicked World,” a Daniel Johnston cover, is a fantastic three-minute punk-pop song with a great hook that will probably win over a few fans. However, the best song and most interesting cover is “The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t.” The song, from an obscure 1966 movie of the same name, is a short 1:38; but it’s the catchiest song on the record. The verse and chorus both pull you into the “Christmas spirit,” so much that you forget that it’s the middle of summer. 

While this record is very fun pop punk, it doesn’t have the lasting power that will make you want to listen repeatedly. As I said earlier, the songs are all melodic, pop punk with little variation, which means they blend together seamlessly. It’s tough to tell songs apart from each other.  Additionally, Cafiero’s voice is bland. His voice lacks the snarl and attitude of great punk rock singers, causing his voice to fade into the background, under the precision of the rest of the band.

Osaka Popstar’s And the American Legends of Punk is a record by a bunch of friends who enjoy making music; which is its greatest and weakest point. Osaka Popstar may not be the best record you hear this year, but you’d be pressed to find a more fun one.

(Misfits Records / Rykodisc)