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ALBUM REVIEW
July 2004
Review from: ExoDuster.com
Andi Camp/We're From Japan!
You are the Vehicle
Grafton Records - 2004
Grade: A-/A
When I tell you this I shit you not: this split EP has the coolest package ever! Its breathtaking charm can only be understood by holding it in your hands and unpacking to get to the CD. My meager description wouldn't do it justice, but it's folded up paper with an ink drawing on the cover (silkscreened) with a string on the back holding it together. The original artwork was done by We're From Japan guitarist John Reed Dunn. You unfold it to get to the silver paper info sheet and black paper CD holder. Mine is hand numbered no. 253 - I feel special.  I was infinitesimally worried that the music would not hold up to the packaging - yet I've apparently spent the past decade in the dark as to not to have heard of Andi Camp's Grafton Records HQ in Portland (which may be true given my goth days - just kidding). Andi Camp is a solo singer songwriter who used to head Ribbon Fix but now rocks herself out on piano. We're From Japan! are another phenomenal instrumental band from Portland that can secretly destroy you when you give them a fair shake. Having done a couple of tours together, Camp and the Japan four-piece decided to put their efforts into an EP. Each does two songs and then they have a massive collaboration orgy on the fifth. Camp, helped by Joey Prude on drums, lays out "Lion's Den" and "Hailstorm" for your pleasure. Both songs feature Camp's shockingly splendid voice that sounds straight up Coheed - and if that dude from Coheed died then look no further - with a slight measure of dirty distortion on the recording. "Lion's Den" rumbles and tumbles with rocking piano and an uptempo beat, before bashing into pure indie Armageddon. "Hailstorm" is more swirling pianos and drums fills, but shines just the same. We're From Japan! lay out a six-minute joint on "To Temple Grandin" as a warm up to the dazzling "All at Once." "To Temple Grandin" is good but falls too close to ordinary instrumental bands listlessness. Maybe it is the addition of Camp for a little piano on "All at Once" that makes it better than better. Regardless, the song should be in a movie that wins an Oscar and the band gets famous. "All at Once" is the best instrumental song I've ever heard. Given that lead in, the full-on collaboration on "I'm on Fire" slips from "All at Once," but still gives Springsteen just cause to sing these bands' praises. If you can find this record then buy it immediately. If nothing else you can dazzle people with the packaging and by saying 'yeah, this is fucking no. 253!'
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