Shonen Knife

When Let's Knife was released in 1993, Shonen Knife was already serious social currency in the U.S., thanks to famous fans like Sonic Youth. Widely regarded as one of their best albums, Knife has all the makings of a hipster-approved Japanese band: cute lyrics riddled with American pop-isms and sung in accented English over rough three-chord punk. But it's much more than gimmicky naivety: Knife showcases a band of savvy, seasoned postmodernists with over ten years of experience knocking down, chopping up and brilliantly gluing back together American and Japanese pop culture.