Wow, it’s been a while — almost 2 months — since I last posted. I can’t say that it wasn’t laziness on my part, but the quality of music — plus the heat — was definitely a factor. Put simply, only great music — that is, music which moves me, empassions me, fills me with emotion — motivates me to write. I thought that there was none to be found in these past few months, but looking back at recent(ish) releases, there were quite a few gems to be found. So as a catch-up of sorts, here’s a quick rundown of notable singles/albums, in no particular order:
If you sift through the archives, you’ll notice that I listen mostly to rock. Yes, I like my rock, but I also like it in a specific way — not too hard but not too soft, with the right blend of energy and poetry. And no genre delivers this better than alternative (rock). It’s that precise fusion of different elements that makes perfect piano lesson’s debut single, terra incognita, so hypnotic. The title track, “springstorm”, opens with bass(?) plucking that somehow, with just a few simple notes, manages to evoke the feelings of freshness and vitality associated with the season in question. It’s almost as if I can imagine raindrops falling before me. But the real hypnoism lies with the whimsical “death at the library” and sombre “stew”, both of which, especially at the chorus, draw you in with their pleasing melodies and flowing lyrics.
Speaking of melody, Asian Kung-Fu Generation are back with the melodic sound I previously raved about in 未だ見ぬ明日に. Title track “未だ見ぬ明日に” sounds like it could have easily been on the recent World, World, World — as could many other tracks — but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It simply goes to show that they’ve taken the brilliance (forgive the hyperbole) achieved in their previous album and carried it onto this mini-album — perhaps even exceeding it. No absolute winner here, but “深呼吸”, “ムスタング”, and “脈打つ生命” are all burning up my playlist.
But if you want real, raw, unrelenting energy, look no further than BEAT CRUSADERS. Already in their 10th year, the band continues to rock with all they’ve got. The commemorative anniversary package includes their newest album, popdod, along with select singles from their filmography, now out-of-print. “FIRESTARTER” and “ATTENTION,PLEASE” are not only blasts from the past, but blasts of dynamite. The former, a struggling musician’s declaration of stubborn pride, and the latter, a catchy little number whose only crime is its 2:05 length, are both bursting with gusto. New songs “CHINESE JET SET”, “SHOOT THE SKY”, and “WORK IT OUT” are similiarly pumped with adrenaline and random Engrish, to the point where it’s simply impossible not to sing along. I guarantee you’ll be shouting nonsensical phrases for days to come.
While we’re on the topic of oldies, let me introduce a few of tsubaki’s. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m fondest of their older work, and these songs will explain why. “今日も明日も” is a mellow piece which, being slow and melancholic, pretty much satisfies all my requirements, but there’s something about the combination of the music and vocals which makes it so devastating and devastatingly beautiful at the same time. Needless to say, it’s a real shame that the single was limited to a venue release. For a change in pace, “夢のあとさき” offers a captivating cycle of melody, crescendoing and decrescendoing throughout like clockwork. The effect? Music that’ll keep your head bopping.
But if trashing your head about is more your thing, you might want to check out NUMBER GIRL. Admittedly, the only song I’m in love with at the moment is “I Don’t Know”, which was featured in one of my all-time favourite films, Harmful Insect (Gaichu), but it was love at first sight. Although, to be honest, I might have preferred the instrumental more. Screaming’s not really my thing.
So what to do after a long day of rocking it out? Why, listen to gloomy, lulling music, of course. And THE NOVEMBERS‘ latest album, picnic, has just the thing(s). About half the album didn’t do it for me because the songs started sounding so similiar that they blended together, but of those that stood out — “picnic”, “chernobyl”, and “アマレット” — the despair is so thick, it’s almost suffocating. But hey, when you want to listen to depressing music, why not go all out? All joking aside, the three tracks mentioned are all solid and are enjoyable alternatives to the commonly hectic rock out there. Lastly, a huge amount of praise goes out for the singer’s on-spot falsetto — there must be dogs hurting in Japan.
