This album–Spitz’s second–is their third album that I have listened to and so far I’m not disappointed. No, scratch that. I’m actually very impressed. So much so that I have to rank Namae wo Tsukute Yaru higher than my first two Spitz albums.
Namae wo Tsukute Yaru > Spitz > Hachimitsu
No.22 on Snoozer’s 150 Greatest Albums of Japanese Rock ‘n’ Roll.
It’s interesting to note that Spitz’s first two albums (Spitz and this album) came out at the opposite ends of the same year–in 1991.
About the cryptic album name: “Namae wo Tsukete Yaru” means “I’ll give you a name.” Who (or what) are they talking about? Presumably, it’s the cat on the cover–or maybe not.
The song of the same name–the third song in the album–vaguely suggests it is about losing one’s virginity, depending on which interpretation you read. Which isn’t anywhere near naming cats.
If it’s really about naming cats, however, you might like to know that the name of the yellow tabby on the cover is “Konomichan.”
These RENTAL stickers don’t come off cleanly so I didn’t even attempt to remove it–a reminder why I got it so cheap.
I find myself listening to the fourth song “Suzumushi wo Kau” (Keep Suzumushi as Pet) more often than the rest. Also called bell cricket, suzumushi is a kind of insect that makes a distinctive chirping sound and are sometimes kept as pets in Japan–they say.
I say a band that writes a song about a bug that is worth listening to is worth paying attention to.
