Invincible does not mean memorable

Longtime art punk/alternative rock group Half Japanese tries to get us through the winter with Invincible, a body of work intended for a limited fan base. It’s that one art exhibit that most walk past but some hail as a god-send (again, a small number will say that). Surprised most will be if this appears on a “Best of 2019” list, and, oh oh oh, of course it’s ONE OF THOSE ALBUMS with the all-capped titles (except for one track, which an odd choice, but okay).

To clarify, this group would find much more success if they ditched the singer. Not only is he just so off-kilter and hard to enjoy, but the instrumentals for at least half of these songs are actually pretty good, even including some hummable/catchy guitar licks. However, in both good and so-so instrumental songs, cackling guitar or haphazard, rage-filled drumming force themselves at home, occasionally obstructing joy. At the times where instrumental goodness strikes, rarely do specific images come to mind. Instead, it just seems like music, which feels weird to write or even say but is true in this case.

Even if this was a humorous or satirical ensemble, the lyrics and the singing would hardly achieve their desired purpose. This singer, Jad Fair–*tries to calm self down*–well, he’s a lot to unpack. He sounds like he is doing a voice when he talks over the instrumentals. And, if we want to be technical about it, he’s not really a singer–he just talks over the music. Some of his lyrics could be better received if he were to sing them in a way that, well, in a way that is actually singing. But alas he sounds like a poorly-thought-out Looney Tunes character. His words and vocal style make this music unable to be enjoyed in most circumstances; it is difficult to imagine people listening to songs from this album in the shower, on the road, mid-walk or just for the heck of it. Innovation is borne from things that are “different,” but my goodness, sometimes different is just too much.

The lyrics tend to be colorless, uninteresting descriptions, neither sparking new avenues of thought nor turning heads. So often the words are just comparisons placed next to each other, resulting in the title of the song or a borderline grammatical error. From one song to the next, the lyrics go from being too elementary to earn praise, to then being scribbles of thoughts that only raise questions.

The highlight track on this isle of misfit toys is the final tune, “INDESTRUCTIBLE,” for it is entirely instrumental (thank you Mr. Fair for taking a break). It feels like looking at the desert through the safety of a window and admittedly ties the album together somewhat nicely. Amidst the hard-to-listen-to songs, the overall structure is relatively without complaint. Be careful when giving this one a listen, and don’t be too surprised if no fancy is tickled.