羊文学 - トンネルを抜けたら

According to Kawabata Yasunari, after passing through a tunnel, you would find a snow country, but Hitsujibungaku says you see the light. Call me a believer. Hitsujibungaku, which in English might be “Sheep literature,” are a three-piece female rock band based out of Shimokitazawa here in Tokyo, and somehow they are creating incredible music just barely out of high school. Using the shoegaze playbook they create a rich sound from just guitar, bass and drums. But they avoid being overly dramatic or introspective by grounding  it with clear vocals that have a real emotional core and message instead of being just another layer of sound. For example, 春 starts off like a love song, then it shifts and changes to a waltz in the middle as girls’ emotions are as changeable as the weather in spring, they’re struggling to tell you what they feel but its all kind of confusing to both the singer and the listener at the same time (just wait for the drop). While these are familiar topics among young people, it’s done in a unique and clever way with interesting chord progressions and depth. There are stories being told here, so listen carefully and enjoy the experience.

Track listing

1. 雨

2. 春

3. うねり

4. 踊らない

5. Blue.2

6. Step