Album Reviews
By Chilly Billy
Nuriko and DJ Father Houjun, "Sex and Violets"(Black Orchid) ******
We've all heard the rumors about him. He was tapped by the CIA to break code. He is the leader of a cult that resides in the Andes mountains and worships minor keys. He secretly invented the internet. For all that anyone knows about him, the DJ known as Father Houjun may well be an actual priest.
Even more mysterious: He's been an influence on the electronic music scene for at least fifteen years, but he appears to be in his mid-twenties. Some say that there have been more than one DJ using the name, like a Dread Pirate Roberts of techno. Some say that the young Father Houjun often pictured with glam rock superstar Nuriko is some sort of a false Prophet --a media surrogate. This theory is held up by the fact that media attention is said to be as much the bane of Father Houjun's existence as it is supposed to be Nuriko's lifeblood. These rumors cannot be confirmed or denied. But there is no denying that the genius heard on "Sex and Violets" is that of the legendary and mysterious Father Houjun.
"Sex and Violets" is a collaboration between Nuriko and the elusive DJ, in what may be the most unlikely musical pairing ever conceived. Nuriko, as everyone here on planet Earth knows, has been an icon of rock, androgynous fashion, glamour and, of course, sex for the last seven years. Nuriko is as ubiquitous as Houjun is underground. And where Nuriko's very appeal lies in his primal sensuality, appealing to all genders and persuasions, Houjun's music has a complexity which is oddly devoid of passion. The effect of these irreverent beats, innocent in their mathematic intelligence, is to heighten and call attention to Nuriko's blatantly arousing vocals.
This album is the first offering from Black Orchid, the new record label which Nuriko founded himself, with Houjun, and it's destined to be a classic.
Paperwulf, "I Am the Real One" (Emperor) ***
It is perhaps appropriate that we review the latest offering from Nuriko's old label, Emperor Records, right after Black Orchid's debut. On the surface, Paperwulf seems like your typical pretty boy/rock metal hybrid. My girlfriend loves these guys. The red-haired lead singer is, apparently, "wicked hot". She has been playing the promotional copy I gave her all weekend, and I have promised to get her tickets to their first concert whenever it's announced. Sounds like hell, right? But it gets worse...see, much to my chagrin, I really liked this disc. I was originally about to pass this group by as the typical Pop-ternative rock sort of thing that's really in right now....Pretty boys wanting to be Rage against the Machine. I shudder. This trend is almost as bad as the teenybopper boybands thing, to my mind.
But despite all that, I liked this disc. I don't mind when my girlfriend plays it. I even play it when she's not around.
I know. It's embarassing.
If one looks past Tasuki Genrou's pretty face and rock hard abs... the songs are fun and soulful, clever and catchy, and I honestly think there's a lot of talent here. Not that I'm worried that this disc will be overlooked, the buzz on Paperwulf is huge, Emperor Records has them touted as the Next Big Thing. And, hell, if they can ride out all this hype, stick around long enough, they may end up being the kind of band I don't have to be embarassed about liking.
But until then, if anyone asks, I'm telling them I let my girlfriend write this review.