{{use mdy dates|date=January 2023}} {{use list-defined references|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox album | name = Our Best Place | type = studio | artist = Shonen Knife | cover = Shonen Knife - Our Best Place.jpg | alt = The group seated and standing in a pose, wearing coordinated outfits | released = {{start date|2023|02|15}} | recorded = Osaka, Japan<ref name="bv" /> | studio = | genre = Pop-punk<ref name="narc" /> | length = {{duration|m=42|s=44}} | language = English, Japanese | label = Good Charamel, P-Vine | producer = | prev_title = Sweet Candy Power | prev_year = 2019 | next_title = | next_year = | misc = }} '''''Our Best Place''''' is a 2023 studio album by Japanese pop-punk band Shonen Knife. The album has been promoted with music videos and a tour and has received positive critical reception.
==Recording, release, and promotion== ''Our Best Place'' continues Shonen Knife's focus on writing food-related songs, expanding from the candy focus of 2019's ''Sweet Candy Power''.<ref name="vpm" /> The band promoted the release with their first tour since the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref name="spill" /> The band released a music video for "Mujinto Rock" on February 6 to promote the release.<ref name="bv" /> The song "Just a Smile" is a cover of the 1975 original by the Scottish band Pilot.<ref name="cover" />
== Critical reception == According to ''The Spill Magazine'', the album returns Shonen Knife to "the playfulness of their early sound with the hard rock influence that they’ve adopted as of late", and that the album "is an eagerly anticipated return to their roots, especially for long-time fans."<ref name="spillrev" /> ThePunkSite.com noted that "it’s an album that sees Shonen Knife do what they do best, just be themselves," while "there’s something timeless, life affirming and comforting knowing they will always be there if you need a pick me up."<ref name="punk" /> Tim Sendra of AllMusic gave the album a favorable review, and concluded that "It's heartening to know that the band are still making records this good after so long, one that should put punk-pop groups half their age or more on notice."<ref name="amg" /> Writing for PopMatters, Christopher J. Lee gave this album a seven out of 10, noting that the music "conforms to their past work, which, depending on your taste, is a good or bad thing" and also "an excellent example of this established approach".<ref name="pop" />
Editors at ''AllMusic'' included this on their list of favorite rock albums of 2023.<ref name="2023amgrock" />
==Track listing== #"Mujinto Rock" – 4:01 #"Nice Day" – 3:30 #"The Story of Baumkuchen" – 2:23 #"Vamos Taquitos" – 3:39 #"Spicy Veggie Curry" – 3:00 #"Girl's Rock" (2023 Version) – 3:07 #"Afternoon Tea" – 3:19 #"Ocean Sunfish" – 3:26 #"Better" – 3:12 #"Just a Smile" – 3:38 '''CD-only bonus tracks''' #<li value="11">"Nice Day" (60's Mix) – 3:32 #"The Story of Baumkuchen" (Japanese Version – “Baumkuchen no Hanashi”) – 2:25 #"Girl's Rock" (2023 Japanese Version) – 3:09
==Personnel== '''Shonen Knife''' *Risa Kawano – drums, lead vocals on "Afternoon Tea," backing vocals *Atsuko Yamano – bass guitar, lead vocals on "Vamos Taquitos," backing vocals *Naoko Yamano – guitar, bass guitar on "Mujinto Rock" and "Nice Day," keyboards, percussion, lead vocals, backing vocals
'''Additional musicians''' *Naru Ishizuka – bass guitar on "Afternoon Tea," backing vocals
==See also== *List of 2023 albums
==References== <references>
<ref name="2023amgrock">{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/year-in-review/2023/favorite-rock |title=Favorite Rock Albums |date=n.d. |accessdate=2023-12-14 |website=AllMusic |publisher=RhythmOne |language=en-US}}</ref> <ref name="amg">{{Citation |title=Shonen Knife - Our Best Place Album Reviews, Songs & More {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/our-best-place-mw0003917551 |language=en |access-date=2023-02-18}}</ref> <ref name="bv">{{Cite web |title=Shonen Knife prep new album 'Our Best Place' (watch the "MUJINTO Rock" video) |url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/shonen-knife-prep-new-album-our-best-place-watch-the-mujinto-rock-video/ |website=BrooklynVegan |date=2023-02-06 |accessdate=2023-02-06 |language=en-US |last=Pearis |first=Bill}}</ref> <ref name="cover">{{Cite web |last=Pryor |first=Terrance |date=2023-01-10 |title=Shonen Knife announce new album 'Our Best Place' |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/shonen-knife-announce-new-album-our-best-place/ar-AA16ckDx |access-date=2023-02-16 |website=MSN.com |language=en-US}}</ref> <ref name="narc">{{Cite magazine |magazine=Narc |title=Interview: Shonen Knife |last=Kennedy |first=Adam |date=2023-04-17 |accessdate=2023-04-18 |lang=en-US |url=https://narcmagazine.com/interview-shonen-knife-2/}}</ref> <ref name="pop">{{Cite web |url=https://www.popmatters.com/shonen-knife-our-best-place |last=Lee |first=Christopher J. |title=Shonen Knife Endure with ''Our Best Place'' |language=en-US |date=2023-02-23 |accessdate=2023-02-23 |publisher=PopMatters}}</ref> <ref name="punk">{{Cite web |last= |date=2023-02-09 |title=Shonen Knife - Our Best Place |url=https://www.thepunksite.com/reviews/shonen-knife-our-best-place/ |access-date=2023-02-18 |website=ThePunkSite.com |language=en-US}}</ref> <ref name="spill">{{Cite magazine |magazine=The Spill Magazine |date=2023-01-11 |accessdate=2023-01-31 |title=Shonen Knife Return to ''Our Best Place'' {{!}} New Album Out February 15 on Good Charamel Records |url=https://spillmagazine.com/spill-new-music-shonen-knife-return-to-our-best-place-new-album-out-february-15-on-good-charamel-records/ |language=en-CA}}</ref> <ref name="spillrev">{{Cite web |date=2023-01-11 |title=Shonen Knife Return to 'Our Best Place' |url=https://spillmagazine.com/spill-new-music-shonen-knife-return-to-our-best-place-new-album-out-february-15-on-good-charamel-records/ |access-date=2023-02-18 |website=The Spill Magazine |language=en-CA}}</ref> <ref name="vpm">{{Cite web |url=https://www.vpm.org/2023-02-25/interview-naoko-shonen-knife |date=2023-02-25 |access-date=2023-02-25 |last=Stewart |first=Ian M. |publisher=Vermont Public Radio |title=Shonen Knife's Naoko on why punk-pop songs about candy still rock |language=en-US}}</ref>
</references>
==External links== *{{Discogs master}} *{{MBrgID}} *[https://www.hollywoodsoapbox.com/interview-shonen-knife-are-back-and-in-their-best-place-ever/ Interview with Hollywood Soapbox] *[https://tinnitist.com/2023/02/17/albums-of-the-week-shonen-knife-our-best-place/ Tinnitist review]
{{Shonen Knife}} {{Authority control}}
Category:2023 albums Category:Shonen Knife albums Category:Good Charamel Records albums Category:P-Vine Records albums Category:2020s Japanese-language albums