Lip Cream - Kill Ugly Pop [Royal Blue LP]

LIP CREAM's first full-length album, ‘KILL UGLY POP,’ is a work that can be called epoch-making in Japan's hardcore/punk scene.

The Japanese hardcore movement that emerged between 1980 and 1981 was characterized by fashion such as Trojan and spiky hair with studded jackets, and the sound was also heavily influenced by UK hardcore. However, LIP CREAM The band incorporated American hardcore into their sound, and created a uniquely Japanese-hardcore niche that was still unfamiliar to most Japanese listeners at the time. ‘KILL UGLY POP’ marks the era of LIP CREAM that presented a new genre style that has since evolved uniquely in Japan. For this RELAPSE release, ‘KILL UGLY POP’ features digitally remastered audio, preserving the band’s raw intensity.

The lyrics, which were written by vocalist JhaJha, blend Japanese and English in a remixed rhythm and word choice, and are masterfully crafted. Tracks like ‘GIVE US THE TRUTH’, ‘FOR MY LIFE’, and the album title ‘KILL UGLY POP’ showcase JhaJha's exceptional talent as a lyricist. For this RELAPSE release, the lyric sheet has been fully reprinted with English translations.

The artwork features lavish and playful elements. The design, a collaboration between photographer Jin Sato and painter Yasuo Yagi remains innovative, redefining the traditional image of hardcore/punk at the time.