Nanjo might like to think he’s got control of Mainliner but one listen to this muther fukka of a garage album blows his theory right out the window. Kawabata Mokoto and Yoshida Tatsuya kick up such a racket between them that on most of the tracks Nanjo is barely audible. This is the same trio of musicians (magicians?) that make up the Musica Transonic group. Although featuring the same line up, Mainliner they are a completely different beast. Where Musica Transonic record with no set idea of what they are going to play, the album covers describe them as a ‘Contemporary Improvised Heavy Psychedelic Group’, Mainliner have set structures that are improvised around. Don’t let that fool you though. That ‘Contemporary Improvised Heavy…’ tag easily applies to Mainliner. They are the perfect collision between Musica transonic’s wildly improvised noise mayhem and High Rise’s garage rock sound.

Mainliner sonic: The first few seconds of this album give their whole game plan away. Feedback, no one does it quite like Kawabata. Crystal clear, high pitched, you just know its going to turn into an acid crazed garage riff. And what a thunderous full bodied one it is. No sooner has that kicked in than Yoshida’s drums start clattering away in similarly frenzied style. On and on they go, locked into their groove. Just the one riff repeating and repeating, there is a brief respite for a few bars, (a middle eight? I must admit I know nothing what so ever about musical terminology or theory. I just love music), and there’re off, and again its that same insistent heavy riff and drum clatter.

Tsukisasaru the next track is even more psyched up by the inclusion of echoed vocals as supplied by Nanjo. The same style of clattering drums is in evidence again on this track but the riffs are cut back. They are as fast and heavy as before but when the Nanjo starts ‘singing’ Kawabata’s stops the dunderhead riff and lets rip with a fuzzed up guitar line like a man possessed. I challenge anyone to name a record that has such wonderful free guitar playing on it. You want fuzz, you got it, you want wah wah you got that too. If you want that wonderfully clean cut sterile 90’s chugging rock style of guitar look elsewhere. This album has been produced to perfection though. High Rise Live is the only other record I have ever heard that comes anywhere near this in capturing the sound of a band in their full glory. I love bands like Korn, Sepultura, System of a Down, that sort of thing, I have a wedge of albums by them. Most people would consider them to be quite heavy sounding too, and they are in their own way. They might be quite rock but heavy they ain’t not like these Japanese guys anyway, Mainliner rock like heavy fuckers. The feedback washes all over this album, the vocals, the guitar, bass, drums, it’s all in the red.

Last Day: Vocals from Nanjo again and this time the heavy guitar doesn’t hold back just because Nanjo is ‘singing’. It’s a heavenly heavy noise, the most wah wah’d guitar and the most crazed drum breaks you will ever hear. It’s plain to see that the members of Mainliner like 60’s garage psyche but where on earth did they get the idea to take it this far out. They have the heaviness of Blue Cheer’s Vincebus Eruptum but with a crazed amphetamine rush that just takes things way out past the orbit of the furthest planet. There is no ego involved either. They make music like this because A, they obviously love it and B, I don’t know what B is but isn’t A enough? 

Blue Pieces: This one sounds like a riff from one of the other tracks reversed it’s more of the same style. They set out their stall on the first track and just kept it going. No room for deviation, no slack, no loss off focus and no let up in the sonic attack. The sheer bloody-mindedness that’s displayed here is truly remarkable.

Mainliner Sonic II: Oh my God… It’s a different version of the opening track, and it’s faster too! If the first one sounded like three people made it on speed, this one sounds like the people who made it live on nothing else BUT speed. More crazy man soloing, more…Contemporary Heavy Psychedelia!

The three member of Mainliner each bring something of their own to make this recording what it is. Nanjo doesn’t have the tight control he seems to hold over Munehiro Narita and whatever drummer he has at the time in High Rise. I think High Rise live was a bit of a fluke in this respect, what can you do to a live recording to change it much afterwards? The fact that both Kawabata and Yoshida both have long musical pedigrees behind them certainly helps keep this group balanced in terms of personality. Kawabata’s superb guitar is well known especially now that the Acid Mothers have become so popular/acclaimed. Yoshida’s drumming on here though is amazing. A revue I’ve read on this album previously slated it but I disagree. Unlike the Ruins where it’s very staccato here it’s very regular. He’s not just on a 4 to the floor tip though. A drummer of considerable ability he brings to this group everything he’s learnt improvising his way through all those Ruins albums.

I’m not saying that Mainliner are ground braking, they are a (not quite so) standard rock trio. Nothing wrong with that though… Buy and Enjoy.

TightPurpleShirt