Labels: Snuffy Smile
Review by: Andy Malcolm
The Japanese sure now how to make some good music. First Blew, then Navel, now Screaming Fat Rat. Three totally awe-inspiring bands, and all from way, way east. Even more east than Great Yarmouth. Fat Rat make music that is just as cool as their band name. Think a band playing guitars like the Get Up Kids or at times Texas Is The Reason, on melodic punk rock songs that are cool like Blew are.
“Self Satisfactioner” opens up this EP and just fits that above description totally. And then they continue to excite and entertain over the next 4. Slightly strained vocals (very much like Blew) and more of those pop-punk-emo-rock type guitars create a song that absolutely rules in “Change Myself”. “Ordinary Thing” is more straight forward, slightly pacy yet poppy melodic hardcore, but I can’t get over the fact that they have that slightly Get Up Kids sound to go with it. It just works so well. There’s even a classy guitar solo right in the middle there. Rock! “Standing Alone” sounds very much like Blew, whilst “Choice” rounds out the five tracks with a more mid-paced tune, but it’s still got all the ingredients that made the others any good.
If the fact that a band plays popped up melodic hardcore with added Get Up Kids is not enough to sell them to you, then perhaps the fact that this release comes on a tiny lickle CD, about 2 1/2 inches wide, will. It’s so damn cute! You just gotst to see it.