Kinoco Hotel Has Something For Everyone On "Play Girl Dai Makyo"

Note: this is a compilation album made up of re-recordings of older songs by the band for their 10th anniversary. At the time of writing, the reviewer was unaware of this fact.

In probably the most closed-minded decision I've ever made, I passed up on this album when it came out about a month ago because the cover made me (falsely) assume this was gonna be yet another alt-idol group riding the coattails of the already heavily-saturated alt-idol scene. Oh boy, was I wrong. (Also the cover's pretty cool, whoops)

Kinoco Hotel is a garage/psychedelic outfit who apparently has been around for about a hundred years, since it looks like the discography page on their website extends out over the horizon. The group, centered around the impossibly energetic singer/songwriter Marianne Shinonome, puts out wild retro-influenced rock and punk like there's no tomorrow. This album alone is packed with a wide number of genres and styles. Take your pick from the surfy pop punk of Aijin Kyouhan Sekai reminiscent of Shonen Knife and The Cramps, the space-age rock of Kyuutai Kansetsu, or the peppy ska of Akuma na Fuzz​.

If high-energy rock n roll isn't for you, the album also has its fair share of slow moments. Kaerazaru Umi sounds like a ballad pulled straight out of the 80s, while Kouya e is a stripped down piano-driven jazz piece. The album also dips into feedback-ridden hardcore punk on Ai to Kyouiku and even reaches the point of idol pop with Onedari Strange Love. The closer, Wakusei Mandragora, sounds like something pulled out of the Pink Lady repertoire. Play Girl Dai Makyo quite literally has something for everyone. This is my first introduction to Kinoco Hotel and I can say I'm not disappointed in the slightest. This thing is wild from start to finish. Every single song has something new to offer and it doesn't get stale even for a second.

​-Justin

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