Japanese ska-punk band Hey Smith releases first full-length in US
Music News | Feb 9th, 2012
Japanese ska-punkers Hey Smith aren’t a brand-new band by any means, but the group’s first full-length, 14-Fourteen, is finally seeing the light of day in the United States. Now being distributed by Paper + Plastick Records stateside, the album is sure to help Hey Smith build momentum outside of its home nation.
Originally formed in 2006, the Osaka natives released 14-Fourteen to great success in Japan, as the album debuted No. 6 on the Oricon Indie Chart. The band’s second release came out in 2011 and debuted at the top spot on the indie chart.
You can now stream “She Is A Man” on PropertyOfZack.com. The song is an aggressive punk song that features a healthy dose of Hey Smith’s omnipresent horns. It is comparable to American ska-punk stalwarts Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish and Streetlight Manifesto.
Hey Smith is no stranger to Paper + Plastick, as the group toured with Less Than Jake in Japan. Paper + Plastick owner and Less Than Jake drummer Vinnie Fiorello calls Hey Smith’s live show “insane,” with “tight horns and energy dripping from the stage.” He encourages fans of Less Than Jake or artists on Paper + Plastick to take a chance and listen to something different.
