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Molice
Doctor Ray, 2008
Label: Velour Voice
Website: themolice.com
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The Doctor is in
Doctor Ray is the debut album from the female fronted Japanese band Molice. They take their name in part from the Police and are heavily influenced by them. The impact is obvious on virtually every track, but most noticeable on Pop, Bili-Bili and Pretty Sound.
Not being a tribute band, Molice draws upon various other indie, punk and new wave inspirations, for instance the Pat Benatar like vocals towards the end of White Vertigo or the Smiths type opening riff on Pale Wind or the overall Pixies-ish styled pop soundscapes.
The band has synthesized their pop / punk predecessors’ sounds and made them new, fresh and ultimately their own. Molice are armed with dreamy vocals that have a touch of sadness and pop-friendly numbers with rockin riffs. Although sung in Japanese with just a sprinkle of English, their music is very accessible even for non J-pop fans.
They are not doctors, but they play in a band:
Rinko … Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Songs / Lyrics
She also designed the pop / op art inspired CD packaging.
Yuzuru Takeda … Lead Guitar
Ikuhiro … Bass
Takashi Koyama … Drums
The therapy sessions:
1. White Vertigo, time 3:42
2. Headphone, time 3:06
3. Ms. Panic, time 3:35
4. Dear Change, time 5:49
5. Love Song, time 4:44
6. Pop, time 2:12
7. Superb Space, time 3:25
8. Bili-Bili, time 3:38
9. Hole!!, time 3:26
10. Pale Wind, time 4:06
11. Pretty Sound, time 4:32
12. In The Light, time 3:13
Some of the tunes go on a bit too long, but the attention-getters are:
Ms. Panic … hypnotic.
Headphone … fun and funky. The lyric: 8 beat barrier, try NOT to repeat that over and over again.
Bili-Bili … well crafted pop with echoes of the Police‘s Voices Inside My Head.
The Takeaway:
RiceburnerFM recommends Doctor Ray by Molice in large dosages.
It is an exciting first effort from a band with a bright future.
Available on Amazon!
photos courtesy flickr / Scratchin Dog