Since launching in 1992, Tokyo's Melt-Banana has become Japan's quintessential No Wave spazz-punk outfit. While effects-whiz guitarist Agata and bassist Rika surgically intersplice short, incendiary song blasts, vocalist Yako shrieks twisted English lyrics like a bonkers banshee. It's always a riveting experience live. The band has recently been performing in a new incarnation called Melt-Banana Lite, which appears to be a looser, free-noise version of the original act — with headlamps.
