Kero Kero Bonito- Bonito Generation

2016 was a great year for me when it comes to music releases. King Gizzard released their best album, Car Seat Headrest dropped the amazing Kids of Denial and Kero Kero Bonito's Bonito Generation came out, one of the most smile inducing records of the decade.

There aren't many albums that can instantly better my mood no matter the situation but Bonito Generation is one of them. It's sugary and adorable to such a degree, I understand it being a turn-off for some but for me it's just perfect. It's all cute but it doesn't feel like a cheap gimmick. Most bands probably wouldn't be able to write a song about their fish or jumping on a trampoline and make it that interesting and fun. The subject matters might be silly but it doesn't mean they aren't worth singing about. Sometimes you just need a sweet pop tune to remind you how important taking a break is. The combination of synths, Sarah's sweet vocals and an occasional goofy sound effect works perfectly track after track thanks to captivating melodies and funny observational lyrics. No deep issues are tackled in here, the closest we get to that is the song Graduation, where Sarah displays some worries about what future might hold after such an important moment. It gets a little buried under lyrics like "I even have a hat I can throw (but I'm not going to)" or "I'd like to thank my cats" followed by a meowing sound effect. And that's this record in a nutshell.

Since Bonito Generation KKB has changed up their sound on the following releases and I doubt they will ever write another project like this. Despite this one still being my favourite moment in their discography I'm glad they are exploring new ideas and continue to evolce. I just need one album I know I can rely whenever I need some music to battle feeling anxious and scared. I know it might be silly but this record has helped me get through some tough times and I'm sure it helped many others as well.

RATING: 9/10