The Switch Trout-FRONT9 & 3PENALTIES

Golf in Alaska?

Hailing from the industrial port city of Yokkaichi (Southwest of Nagoya), this is the Switch Trout's first album in 20 years. Not only is it a surprise to have the band back, but returning with the world's first golf instrumental album is truly unexpected. Around the turn of the century, their clever name always stood out on Estrus Records' 'zine ads and they seemed to be quite prolific in their home country with several releases on KOGA RECORDS. Still, I first approached the actual music with a bit of wariness as surf/instrumental concept albums such as The Jetaway Sounds album by the Boss Martians are commonly better in theory and song titles (e.g., Boeing, Boeing, Gone!) than the actual music. However, the Switch Trout back up their clever and evocative song titles with musical execution. Even the album's title plays on the overall theme as FRONT9 & 3PENALTIES, tallies up to be 12 songs. 

The strong influences of The Mar-Keys or Booker T. & the M.G.'s slice through “Having a Birdie.” The buoyant song is interspersed with TV golf commentary such as, "You gotta be kidding me" that connects in the musical context. They continue to tee off with prominent surf and eleki elements in their overall low to mid-fi instrumental sound, but they also swing into some R&B on the aptly titled  numbers “Chicago Bounce” and “Texas Wedge Blues.” 

“Cup Off Piss Off” lines up both fuzztone and copious Spaghetti Western melodies shot forward by the stampeding percussion, while  真冬のカート道 (Midwinter Cart Path) recalls the Fuzziyama Surfers from nearby Nagoya with its tunnels of ripping fuzz and “East Goes West” undercurrents. Meanwhile ケンとメリーのスライスライン (Katakana translation: “Ken and Mary's slice line”) falls into the sand trap as it traces “Pipeline” a little too close. Perhaps a cover of "There She Goes" by Paul Collins Beat from the Caddyshack soundtrack would have been more fitting! They complete their time on the links with 3PENALTIES. “Distract, (The Golfer Eye),” “Cardinal Wheel” and “Shake Paddle Wheel Action,” are some of the more difficult holes, but they meet the challenge as they have been playing the instrumental long game for years. Actually, “Shake Paddle Wheel Action” seems more likely inspired by mini-golf than the sport from Scotland. The song title also spurred me to recall the wacky Putt Putt Golf Courses Of America Presents Gee Gee Shinn And His Band album.

This year is finishing on a strong note when it comes to surf & instrumental music. FRONT9 & 3PENALTIES is currently second on my 2026 leaderboard for surf instrumental albums after Die Sommerreise by Les Agamemnonz. We can only imagine how the final rankings will shake out with the release date of the Phantom Surfers' first new album in decades just 'round the corner.  

 

The Clicks-Come to Vivid Girl's Room! & Magic of White

On the surface, the Clicks could be easily slotted between Shonen Knife and Supersnazz. The Yokohama-based trio formed in 1998. They honed their sound by playing local live houses, releasing demos and contributing to various artists collections before catching the attention of K.O.G.A. Records. They successfully combined a huge wall of fierce guitars with girl-group harmonies and those super-catchy seesawing Japanese pop melodies across two albums. 2004 was the year of their debut Come to Vivid Girl's Room!, followed by 2005’s Magic of White.

Hooks & Harmonies

The somewhat spacious production on their debut allows for their high-caliber vocals to shine amid the instrumentation. Come to Vivid Girl's Room! was produced by Tomoko of Supersnazz-so there’s a definite rock ‘n’ roll edge to their sound. Their upbeat and sunny vocalizations race along with the charging guitars-reminding me most of the mid-'90s sounds of the Queers. Overall, they build up a surging and solid sound that is consistent as it’s catchy with remarkable rushing melodies. “Contrary’s Person Diary” jumps out of the speakers with the sound, spirit and rhythmic drive of the Muffs. “With Smiling” starts fully charged like “I Met Her at the Rat” by the Queers and offers one of Yoko’s fitting and appealing mini guitar solos. With its perfectly placed “Oh Oh Oh-Oh,” “Get Back!” brings together the Ronettes and the Queers on a subway car out to the Ramones' Forest Hills. The final song “Summer Has Gone” places them in-between the Beards and the Beach Boys with its addition of keyboards, xylophone and layered harmonizing. This dreamy song would also be perfectly fitting for Mama Guitar or the Pebbles to cover.

Sweet & Straightforward
Magic of White presents a more dense and polished production that was handled by the band. They continue to barrel straight ahead with some heavy riffage (almost at a L7 level) before merging into some pop passages and roller coaster melodies. Yuko’s stellar mini guitar solos continue to flash.  “Block Castle” is one of their strongest songs that is showcased in the above video. “Joy” and “Understanding,” both written by bass player Chiharu (ちはる), are other highlights with their brisk tempos and overall exuberance that characterize the classic K.O.G.A. sound. Makoto Sakarai from NUDGE ‘EM ALL provided them the song “Sweet Bright” that has almost a British Invasion bounce to it (namely “Pretty Flamingo.”) The title track “Magic of White” features churning guitars rhythmically pushing the song forward. Their backing harmonies and vocal arrangements truly come to the forefront on “Cherry Tree on the Hill.” This ultra-melodic song sounds fitting for a J-drama before taking off in the direction of the Muffs. “Try or Give Up” brings them back around to their speedy Supernazz sound. “Photograph” is not the Weezer song, but it does sound influenced by them and Ric Ocasek circa the “Green” album.   

As a live act, they made a striking impression by wearing sophisticated dresses that are more commonly worn by jazz acts or groups like Tokyo Groove Jyoshi. After touring Japan in 2005, they officially broke up on November 5th of that year. Bass player Chiharu (ちはる) went to the band Teenline (named after Shivvers’ song and power-pop compilation/omnibus series). Guitarist Yuko and drummer Yuki started their own group called newbie. I wonder if any of the members are still involved with music? Nevertheless, they left listeners these two unsung albums of exciting Japanese-girl-group-power-pop-punk that are now turning 20 & 21 years old respectively. While only around momentarily, you can hear the trio's influence on their contemporaries like the Squeaks, the Dazes and THE PORTUGAL JAPAN as well with younger acts such as the Selectionz and Jamto Highball ジャムトハイボール.  The music they made was immediate, yet enduring as the years have proven their songs were made to last.