One of the pitfalls of listening to new music is that often, expectations can inform the experience as much as the sounds themselves. Listener baggage can turn a terrible record into something much more palatable, as well as provoking utter disappointment at something that's merely different than what we expect. I would argue that 'listener baggage' is, in actuality, the dominant force when listening to music (another column for another time), but in the case of Koroshiya Ichi (or Ichi the Killer), it was positively devastating.

Karera Musication is apparently a one-off project by most of the members of Japan's Boredoms. Everyone from that band, except ringleader Eye, contributes to the soundtrack of noted shock-violence director Takashi Miike's film. Guitarist Seiichi Yamamoto is the driving force here, with much help from drummer Yoshimi P-We, and while the music they've put together for the project is nice enough, it's hardly the revelatory explosion I've come to expect from its parent band. All the elements are there: future-thrill electronics, heavy-handed percussion interludes, big, dumb guitar riffing and surprisingly smooth trumpet lines-- yet, something is missing. Could it be that Eye (despite being thanked in the liner notes) is the missing spark needed for this band to be exciting? Could it be that playing 'background music' forces them to hold back their usual primal joy? Probably a bit of both.

All of the tracks have Japanese titles, but that's of little consequence as the general ambience is probably more important than the names. The album begins as a series of sound effects, including backwards percussion, birds, sine waves and tropical drumming. This is very similar to recent Boredoms efforts, and I took it (prematurely) as a good sign. The short exposition leads to a straightforward groove track, with more tropical percussion, adding a repeated Yoshimi vocal sample and lots of shimmering bells. Various sound effects float in and out of focus, and the mix is fleshed out with soft guitar chords. It sounds nice, and I suppose it is pleasant in its way, but dreadfully unaffecting. Good soundtracks evoke strong images or impressions of a film, and the best ones go beyond this, working as great works unto themselves. Pleasant background music is okay, but unfortunately for Yamamoto and the gang, non-essential.

The album's third track introduces a more kinetic frame, with wah-wah guitar, a mellow funk beat and a catchy horn line, but is nonetheless easy-listening for Bore heads. A few tracks up the intensity level ever so slightly with comparatively noisy walls of electric guitar and splashy percussion, while others incorporate traditional Japanese instruments and a calm, almost reverent atmosphere. For any longtime Bore-saga followers, this is where expectations might get the best of you, though a positive spin might be that it's sort of interesting to hear them experiment with unusual textures.

The latest rumor is that Yamamoto and bassist Hira have left Boredoms, and Eye and company have formed a new band called Vooredoms. If this is true, Karera Musication could be the last time we ever hear of this particular group of people together on a CD. That would be a shame, because I always thought Yamamoto brought a much-needed, punky eclecticism to Boredoms' sound, and this soundtrack hardly does justice to his many talents. Collectors will be interested, but the rest of you should stay tuned for the Vooredoms release.

-Dominique Leone, September 16th, 2002