Born to Be a Motorcycle

Bunky | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 1, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Asthmatic Kitty
• ASIN: B0007LXP0E
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #408,025 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Comprised of noted musicians and sound engineers Emily Joyce and Rafter Roberts, Bunky has emerged as one of San Diego’s premier live bands, nominated for Best New Artist in Sign On San Diego’s Best of 2003 and Best Pop at the 2003 San Diego Music Awards. 'Born to Be a Motorcycle,' the result of three years of work by these perfectionists, promises to surprise even those who think they’ve heard it all. This ear-tickling collection of weird pop bliss touches all the bases with a blend of punk, art-pop and even ballads. Combine that with a bagful of quirks, expert engineering and absurd humor, and you have an album as lively as an armful of eels. Bunky rocks and croons with equal skill, sometimes in the same song. Joined by a cast of San Diego all-stars (members of Rocket From The Crypt, Castanets, Pinback and more), Bunky emerges full-grown and poised to fly.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Born for this, December 25, 2006

By 

E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Born to Be a Motorcycle (Audio CD)

One thing you can say for Bunky -- they have more than enough energy!

This oddball San Diego band blasts out in "Born To Be a Motorcycle," with their rollicking hybrid of arty indiepop, sultry jazz and colourful punk. It takes a little while to get into their sound fully, but it's worth the ride once you've tottered through it. Just don't be surprised if you get dizzy.

"All the kids/alone in the kitchen... I just gotta know/I don't wanna die!" howls Emily Joyce over a frenetic rock beat and a cataclysm of horns. The sound softens up a little with "Yes/No," a peppy pop tune with handclaps, periodic brass blasts, and silky vocals, "If you're cookin' in the kitchen... all the spices that you're missing/are in my heart my heart my heart..."

And then Bunky kicks the style of the first two songs over, for a jazzy folky ballad that erupts halfway through into a rollicking guitar tune ("I was born to be a motorcycle!"). After that, anything goes: slightly demented pop tunes, surreal experimental stuff, dreamlike folkpop, and the shimmering finale "Lipstick Life."

Bunky is a bit more crazed and rollicking than many of Asthmatic Kitty's veteran bands, and has more in common with the recent Shapes and Sizes album. This band is willing to try anything once -- punk, screeching experimental, shoegazer, and generally sounding like Yo La Tengo getting drunk.

It's also a minor superband, with members of Black Heart Procession, Pinback and the Castanets, as well as the two leading people: Rafter Roberts and Emily Joyce, who have worked nonmusically (recording and engineering) with the Liz Janes, the Rapture, Gogol Bordello, the Starlight Mints, and many others.

In this band, however, they lend their talents in a more artistic way: strong vibrant guitar, blasts of energetic brass, smashing percussion, and a colourful dash of synth to make the peppy tunes and surrealistic lyrics pop out. Joyce's high warbly voice is a good counterpart for Roberts' smoother, if somewhat less prominent voice.

Bunky may be born to be a motorcycle, but they were also apparently born to make some solid, fun indiepop. This debut album is one of Asthmatic Kitty's weirdest and most amusing.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars dang this music rocks!!!!, July 13, 2005

By 

Brae L. Howard "Lowen Howard" (USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Born to Be a Motorcycle (Audio CD)

Yo La Tengo meets a spoonful of sugar. This is one of those records that could get you into trouble. Every song is great. Take it slow.