Japanther is the music and art project of Matt Reilly and Ian Vanek, who joined forces in 2001 and have taken on multitude of creative endeavors since. Known for their unconventional live performances, the band has appeared alongside synchronized swimmers, atop the Williamsburg Bridge, with giant puppets and marionettes, in the back of a moving truck in Soho, and at shows with giant dinosaurs and BMX bikers flying off the walls. Having released over a dozen albums in the past decade, Japanther is back with a new LP, Eat Like Lisa Act Like Bart, which will be released via Recess Records.
Album track "Stolen Flowers" is a short, melodic cut with fuzzed-out guitars and a driving beat, giving listeners a taste of the band’s signature punk rock-infused sound.
Eat Like Lisa Act Like Bart opens with the upbeat "Do Not Resuscitate," with layers of buzzing guitar, shimmering synth and regimental percussion. "The Drums Deliver" is braced by a steady drum beat and driven by a wandering vocal line that leads to a sing-along chorus. "Green Spray Paint" features a toe-tapping rhythm beneath distorted vocals, while "125th and Riverside" is a slower jam that trades in fuzzy guitars for bouncy piano accompaniment.