Raspberry rock? Pineapple pop? Just plain old vanilla? Osaka-based all-girl band Shonen Knife -- age 21 this year -- haven't been flavor of the month for many a moon.
I mean, a band is supposed to burn out or fade away into mediocrity after a few years, as the rock 'n' roll media wants to eat up what's new and "with it" and spit out what's old and "been done." And with the members of Shonen Knife now into their 30s, it's easy for the critics to condemn their obsession with singing about milkshakes and cheesecakes and all things sweet and teenage.
Aren't they ever gonna grow up? I hope not. Their new album, "Heavy Songs," is hardly stale -- in fact the band sounds as fresh as when they were at their peak, touring with Nirvana more than a decade ago.