There’s something slightly annoying yet so irresistible about Shorthand Phonetics. The lyrics ramble about nothing. The sound quality brings a new lo in lo-fi. I’m not even sure if this is emo or a parody of emo. So why do I like it? Because the vocalist sings with a cleverness that shows he is in on the joke, the guys can really play their instruments, and it is…in one word…fun!The two albums tip their satirical hands in the titles, Fanfiction: From the Seriously Absurd to the Absurdly Serious and Apparently…I’m In Medicine / Love, or the Illusion of the Beginning Symptoms of It. They are meant to be a conceptual part one and two of the life of Hanabishi Hideaki, a high school senior in the first album and a first year Med student in the second album. He is self absorbed, befuddled with every day problems that won’t go away, and obsessed with girls. In other words, he sounds like me forty years ago or, for that matter, the average teenage boy today.

Of the two albums, Apparently is my favorite. The first track is a homage to insecurity and doubt. The album then shifts into high gear with an upbeat high indie rock. The band has a lot of ideas that either go by fast or are played to infinity. This weakness of structure is actually played as a strength as the listener is left waiting to see where all this energy finally ends up.

The earlier FanFiction is almost as good. The lo-fi presence is a bit more pronounced but the basic structure is all there. The members state that their music should be seen as a related collection of short stories rather than a continuing narration. I don’t know if they can really be called Emo. There’s too much self-parody here for Emo. But if they are, they have the potential to be The Weezers of Emo. Overall, this is a fascinating look as a slightly eccentric talent that shows a lot of promise. Get them a real sound studio and we may all be amazed at the result.

Both albums are available as separate tracks or full album zips in MP3 or Ogg Vorbis formats.

Download
Apparently…I’m In Medicine / Love, or the Illusion of the Beginning Symptoms of It
Fanfiction: From the Seriously Absurd to the Absurdly Serious