[Tokyo Jihad]

A debut band would not likely be able to put out an album as mix-and-match as Variety under normal record label situations. But let's run with this. Let's imagine this was self-released or something.

It would be promising based off of songs like OSCA and Killer Tune. As an album it might get largely glossed over in lieu of just the singles. I mean it lacks cohesion, some of the album songs just don't keep up an energy or set a mood. Like, what kind of mood does Ramp really set up? Its like the verse and chorus were two separate songs and pasted together -- and not in a "Happiness is a Warm Gun Way" where its like distinct movements within a song. It does imply the albums potpourri nature, but it doesnt really work otherwise. Theres lumpy songs like Sake to geko and SSAW that are undercooked mixed with songs that are overcooked like Kingyo no haku. Goofy tracks, completely straight tracks, tracks that seem like they wandered in from completely different bands. And I know someone is going to wander in and say they love the "lolrandom!"ness, but theres a differene between an expansive album and a jumbled mess, and the division is a word called cohesion.

I think there's some bad song writing, some good songs marred by poor choices, and some okay stuff thats just so hard to look at without seeing whats around it. I don't know if it is a case of too many chefs in the kitchen or not. It doesn't sound like a band that didn't know what it was doing (though it does at times,) it sounds more like a band that was so sure in what they were doing they never stepped back to gather perspective.

In a world where, especially in pop or radio music, if you have two decent songs you're considered an artist to keep track of then that's enough to be a success. But that isn't how I would define a success.