Japanese Jukebox Review: Miila and the Geeks — New Age Album

Miila and the Geeks truly get geeky on their guitar, drum kit and saxophone in their 2011 album New Age. The band (consisting of lead singer Moe, Kaoru Ajima and Ryota Komori) wants you to want them seemingly on your own terms, but there might be something more to their “indie” charms. The saxophone is non-seductive and scary, the drum beats are remedial and flat and the vocals and guitars reek of Sonic Youth apathy. How’s that for charm?

The band dicks around with repetitive vocals, elementary lyrics, and monotonous musical hooks throughout the entire album, and it’s evident in the single “Want.” That should infuriate you, and yet before you know it, you’re singing along. It’s hard not to like these guys. They look like your typical thrift store rockers, and their videos are playful, even sometimes hilarious. Instead of punching these hipsters in the face, you want to give Miila and the Geeks a big old hug.

Is this part of Miila and the Geeks plan for world domination? “Superhero” plants the notion that you, the audience needs saving, but there is trickery afoot in how fast Miila and the Geeks arrive and how quickly the track ends. The group has received some fairly positive press over the past year and even made an appearance over in Texas at SXSW, enough time to nuture this indie seed and grow their international fanbase.

“Cigarette and Water” is probably one of the strongest tracks on the album due to the fuzzy guitars and Komori’s spastic saxophone. There is no album without the saxophone, and it’s nice to hear the horn shine on shorties like “Song for K” and “New Age.”

Surprisingly, the album gets stronger throughout its play time. Later tracks like “In/Out,” and “31” show more depth and “World End” slams the gullible audience back to Earth with bass guitar and goose honks. While this collection of simplistic songs could soundtrack an episode of “Sesame Street,” this group would more likely end up playing on Yo Gabba Gabba!

The idea of playing for a bunch of masochists, that’s probably what Miila and the Geeks plan was all along.

The album New Age is just like the first video for “Want.” It is addictive, and it is challenging. You’ll cram it in your mouth, enjoy the tastes and find it continually hard to swallow. Painful as that experience may be, you’ll find yourself coming back for more. The idea of playing for a bunch of masochists, that’s probably what Miila and the Geeks plan was all along.

Solid 8 out of 10

As an added bonus hear the group perform “You Don’t Liar” live: