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No Buses: An Indie, Angsty Dream written by Lilith Tanori
- General Manager
- Mar 30
- 4 min read
Some say that what you listen to in middle school influences what you’ll listen to
for the rest of your life. Not only do I think that’s true, most of the music I listened to then
is what I listen to now! Maybe not a proud thing to double down on, who’s to say? When
emotions were high and attention was low, I had a reliable humming in my ears thanks
to Japanese indie band No Buses.
Formed in 2016, No Buses was quite experimental in its initial sound. Most of this
was because they were learning how to make music, but I feel like that’s the best kind
of experimentation. This endearing sound is best heard in their big hit, “Pretty Old Man”,
a song about to a salaryman yearning for his eternal youth and rest. The bass is thumpy, the lead guitar is a little squealy, and the drums are like a heartbeat. It’s
honestly quite groovy! The mumbled lyrics blend in with the instruments, creating a really angsty feeling you’d only understand if it wasn’t just a phase. Out of their music pre-fifth member, I’d say “Sleepswimming” is the best. Not my favorite, but you can feel the upgrade that and “Imagine Siblings” have from the rest of their discography at the time. Their energy is honed, gaze clearer; they’re no longer a concept but a feeling you can hold.
Japanese indie bands like No Buses have a habit of taking inspiration from]American 2000s experimental/alternative music. More specifically, most of No Buses early inspiration were bands like The Strokes and The Arctic Monkeys. In some ways, you can tell that from some early art from the band. Oversaturated Tumblr edits anyone? They even have a
VHS or file corruption filter sometimes, you can tell they were learning how to edit their own album art. Touches like that are super cute to me, and were especially chokehold inducing when I was a wee lad. If you’re already familiar with Japanese Indie culture, I’d say to think of
the Kichijouji scene at the time, playing in bars and tiny venues.
After a brief hiatus, No Buses came out on their social media announcing a new
member. While there were some switch-arounds in the beginning, leaving only two
original members, the band did maintain a count of four up until this point. Even, like the
corners of a square, but something needed to change. I can’t find a more exact
timeframe for this, but I would say late 2020, the fifth member came around as a second
guitarist. At this point, the roster is solid, as the four other members had been around for
at least a few years. Their sound had definitely been established by this point, and
though it was rough, it was like a gem to be shaped.
Finally, No Buses finally created their self-titled album, No Buses. Full of their
same dreamy vibe, it truly stands apart from the rest even more so than the Imagine
Siblings singles had. While their past songs might’ve put you in a daze, their self-titled
was truly the fog. It surrounds you, flows slowly and cruelly through each bone in your
body until you become a zombie. “Preparing”, a dreary and whiny song opens the
album, a familiar noise marked with their signature angsty lyrics. On the other hand, this
marked the beginning of lighter, yet still sappy songs. “Playground”, “Yellow Card”, and
“Biomega” are more casual, even a little more crisp than the others. I would say that
although some songs aren’t as soulful as others, there’s clear skill displayed. It’s almost
as if their teenage excitement had ended, rocking more muted colors and leaving
behind their homemade beginnings. Goodbye dirty Converse and turtlenecks, it’s time
for long-sleeve polo sweaters and trainers.
Now, after almost breaking up for good, No Buses is on their reunion tour and set to release a new album after it’s over. Before announcing their tour, they released the song “Our Broken Promises”, a dusty, sad song, shot like an anime opening for a cancelled OVA. The colors are natural, vocals long, like a drawn-out sigh. When they run in the field with bouquets of flowers, slowed and heavy, the drums are synced to their footsteps. And in the brief guitar solo, the emotions conveyed are harsh, choked back like tears waiting to fall. Ending with their flowers and banner left behind in the cut down forest, it leaves you in silence. The Naruto/Sasuke AMVs are begging to be made with this!!
No Buses holds a very special place in my heart, from helping me make my own music and art, to influencing the way I will continue to negotiate my way in the world. I even used to dress like some of the members in high school too (lol)! They’re my way of proving it will never be a phase. They’re angsty, groovy, zombie-state inducing, and all around a great experience. When they’re turned up in my ear, it’s like I’m right in front of the stage with them. May their soft, sappy aesthetics never go out of style!
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