F  L  A  U  N  T

The bubblegum dance-rock trio Kero Kero Bonito have done it again, this time with a SURPRISE studio album: Time ‘n’ Place. The sophomore album was announced – albeit vaguely – in May, via the band’s Twitter. However, details were scarce: there was no release date nor implicit details to speak of.

But now, Time ‘n’ Place is here, and it stands as a testament to Kero Kero Bonito’s future. Comprised of lead vocalist Sarah Midori Perry and producers Gus Lobban and Jamie Bulled, the trio seems to be shifting their sound toward something more crafted, instrumental – something more rock. And all at a time when the band is undergoing some significant changes.

This summer, the bilingual Kero Kero Bonito announced their first world tour, complete with an exclusive song written just for the announcement, aptly titled “World Tour 2018.” In September, the band signed to Polyvinyl Records and released a dual-sided single in celebration. The A-side, “Make Believe,” came complete with a music video just as eccentric and quirky as the troupe themselves.

While Time ‘n’ Place rejoices in the fun-loving sounds of the band’s charismatic, J-pop inspired synthetics, it shifts toward a rawer style previously unseen in Kero Kero Bonito’s work, incorporating much more live instrumentation and rockery than previous projects. But that’s not to say Time ‘n’ Place detracts from the glittery musical identity we’ve come to know and love. The band has often interchangeably fit into electro and bubblegum-pop molds, emphasizing their K- and J-pop, chiptune, and dancehall influences.

However, this new record takes a turn to the mature. Perry reports that Time ‘n’ Place came to fruition almost accidentally, and her lyricism focuses largely on the unconscious. The singer was haunted by a series of recurring dreams, starting in 2017, and used such imagery to shape the foundation of the album. Alas, she was also sent a picture of an empty plot of land where her childhood home in Japan used to stand, causing a stir of emotions. Along with some life-changing losses in the lives of Lobban and Bulled as well, Time ‘n’ Place captures not only raw sound, but raw emotion. It’s an unnerving spectacle into the lives of the band members, all warped by hallucinatory guitar solos and multicolored harmonies.

Even their live performances have seen some recent changes in dynamic. Perry started playing keyboards on stage; Lobban took up backing vocals, keyboards, and drums; and Bulled plays bass. The trio also expanded to a quintuplet for live performances, including drummer and sample Jennifer Walton and guitarist James Rowland, who offered various guitar credits on Time ‘n’ Place as well.

Kero Kero Bonito will embark on their world tour starting October 10, kicking off in their home country with a show in Brighton, UK. They will play the Regent Theatre in Los Angeles on November 2nd and 4th, taking a stop in Long Beach for Tropicalia Fest on November 3rd. With such a remarkable 2018 already under their belts, don’t miss what is sure to be a defining tour for such a charismatic band.

TOUR DATES

10/02 - Brighton, UK @ Patterns

10/03 - Bristol, UK @ Rough Trade [SOLD OUT]

10/04 - Manchester, UK @ YES [SOLD OUT]

10/05 - Glasgow, UK @ Broadcast [SOLD OUT]

10/06 - Dublin, IE @ Whelan’s

10/16 - Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall $ [SOLD OUT]

10/17 - Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere $ [SOLD OUT]

10/18 - Philadelphia, PA @ PhilaMOCA $ [SOLD OUT]

10/19 - Hoboken, NJ @ Stevens Institute of Technology

10/20 - College Park, MD @ MilkBoy ArtHouse $ [SOLD OUT]

10/23 - Atlanta, GA @ 529 Club $ [SOLD OUT]

10/24 - New Orleans, LA @ Hi-Ho Lounge $

10/25 - Houston, TX @ Satellite Bar $

10/26 - Austin, TX @ Barracuda $

10/27 - San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger $

10/28 - Dallas, TX @ Deep Ellum Art Company $

10/30 - Norman, OK @ The Opolis $

10/31 - Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf $

11/01 - Tucson, AZ @ 191 Toole $

11/02 - Los Angeles, CA @ Regent Theater #$ [SOLD OUT]

11/03 - Long Beach, CA @ Tropicalia Fest

11/04 - Los Angeles, CA @ Regent Theater #$

11/05 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore #

11/08 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom #$

11/09 - Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret #$

11/10 - Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre #$

11/13 - Grinnell, IA @ Grinnell College - Gardner Lounge $

11/14 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall $

11/15 - Detroit, MI @ Deluxx Fluxx $

11/16 - Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace $ [SOLD OUT]

11/17 - Montreal, QC @ La Sala Rossa $

11/18 - Brooklyn, NY @ Market Hotel

11/22 - Paris, France @ L'Olympic Café

11/23 - Brussels, Belgium @ Beursschouwburg

11/24 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Sugarfactory

11/26 - Hamburg, Germany @ Uebel & Gefährlich

11/27 - Copenhagen, Denmark @ Ideal Bar

11/28 - Berlin, Germany @ The Monarch

11/29 - Warsaw, Poland @ Smolna

02/07 - Manchester, England @ Gorilla

02/08 - Bristol, England @ Thekla

02/09 - Glasgow, Scotland @ SWG3

$ w/ Tanukichan

# w/ Frankie Cosmos

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