Capturing the spirit: UlulU’s live album, “Fighting Spirit” – thoughts

The first time I ever heard the music of UlulU was when the took the stage at Shimokitazawa SHELTER. Their energy on that stage was infectious, and explosive. Watching the three-piece of vocalist Kayo Otaki, drummer Nao Yokoyama, and bassist Rie Furusawa perform was so captivating, and I had to pick up some music from them. Then, UlulU were in regular listening rotation, but all I could think of when I listened to them was that night at SHELTER, and the energy in that room.

The energy that hooked me on UlulU is front and center on their live record Fighting Spirit. Instantly, from the moment “Halo, core” starts, it’s like being transported right back into that basement venue. The first half is a great intro to the power of Otaki’s performance, her voice, and this guitar tone that slowly overwhelms the listener. Then it takes a turn for the second half of the track – speeding up and slowing down at will, and somehow we end up back where we started. And that’s the ride UlulU will take listeners on throughout the record.

Then here’s the breakneck performance of “Rock ‘n’ roll & Blues” that is just an impressive performance all around. Yokoyama’s drumming is not just fast, but incredibly proficient, going from fills to rolls, to some wild hi-hat stuff, underscoring another powerful performance from Otaki – which slowly bubbles over from this quick paced rap into her screaming the song’s title over and over.

“Seikatsu” (生活) is where the Fighting Spirit begins to show how legit of a historical document it is. The sound quality dips, there’s barely more fidelity than a common cell phone recording, but the lack of polish makes the band stand out even more. Each cymbal crash hits harder, each lead more piercing, and the bass more booming, especially in its early moments where Furusawa just hooks the audience. The combination of the intended distortion from the pedals and amps on stage, and the natural distortion of a recording format being pushed to its limits makes these tracks among the most captivating on the record, despite everything.

By now, anyone unfamiliar with UlulU now knows exactly what they’re about – a diverse sound that ranges from the intense and heavy to the beautiful. No single track ties it all together as the longest track on this record, “Tabiniikouyo” (旅に行こうよ), clocking in at exactly 7 minutes. Starting with once again, Kayo’s vocals on full display, it’s a track with some parts that beg for a sing-along, and guitar solos that range from some old-school rock ‘n’ rollers to absolute epics, especially that closing solo. Really incredible stuff.

And that energy is kept up through the whole record. It’s a mix of recording from various shows, but it all feels so coherent in this package. The audio quality is inconsistent, but that’s part of the record’s charm. It also was originally released as a cassette, so it makes it all the more fitting, reminiscent of bootlegged tapes traded between fans back in the day before FLACs on the internet archive. If you’re looking for the polish or choreography of The Last Waltz, or Stop Making Sense, you’re probably not in the right place, but if you’re looking for the raw feeling of Live at Leeds or Kick out the Jams, you’re gonna feel right at home. 45 minutes of one of the best live bands in Japan doing their thing organically, what more can you ask for?

Buy/Listen to “Fighting Spirit”

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