This is Tojo Yamamoto’s cover of a truly legendary classic, and it is also one of the most pleasant surprises that I have had in recent times. Pure joy.
Tojo Yamamoto are based in Lexington, Kentucky, and no, they are not a Japanese jazz act fronted by a guy called Tojo Yamamoto… at least I thought so. Instead, Tojo Yamamoto is nothing short of an alternative rock supergroup. The 4-piece outfit is composed of the current bassist for ZZ Top Elwood Francis, playing guitars. Darren Howard and Will Pierrat were both members of punk group The Mighty Skullhead, the former playing the drums, and the latter handling the bass and the buffet, before he went and became an accomplished chef. Larry Joe Treadway’s aggressive vocals complete the orchestra with a Black Francis-inspired presence.
The fantastic chemistry this band has allowed them to create a cover for Bowie’s ‘Heroes’ that’s not only solid and fun, but also standing on its own two feet as a separate song that’s wholly distinct from its original. The cover takes Bowie’s song’s reasonable crunch, alien-land guitars, and flamboyant vocals, replacing them with a sludgy and immense wall of distorted rhythms, guttural yells, and -to our delight- alien-land guitars.
A simple and loving cover that pays respect while showcasing an awesome level of musicality by Tojo Yamamoto.
