Moools' modest inroads abroad, as documented in "Dub Narcotic Sessions," a CD/DVD package of the trio's tour around the Pacific Northwest in 2003, come from their music's own merits alone. The tone of the album is set by "Bubble Ki," the opener on the four song EP, a quirky piece of lo-fi-psychedelia with strangled vocals that sounds like it might easily fall apart. That the band has connections with K Records and shared stages with Calvin Johnson, Modest Mouse and Folk Implosion, comes as no surprise.
Despite a very American sound, there's something in Yasuaki Sakai's melodies that recalls the sort of Japanese folk music you occasionally hear being mewled at Tokyo railway stations, and a quick viewing of the DVD shows a good-humored approach to live performances, in contrast to the bored, too-cool-for-school attitude of many American alt-rockers. In their own way, Moools have wackiness and naivete to spare -- which usually appeals to foreign audiences. And for anyone feeling starved of Japanese femininity, a brief appearance by starlet Nikaido Kazumi should keep you happy. Moools tour Japan from Dec. 7-14.