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Old 2007.09.24, 11:24 AM   #24
Tokyo Jihad
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So there are times when one is conflicted. There’s the fan, and there’s the critic; for me at least. The fan in me wants to bury the songs in the recycle bin and just forget there was a “third album” (just as I did with the Spice Girls back when.) Because the critic I me didn’t even find the prospect of a review of this album fun anymore, I was consigned to just remain mum. Howevva, I think there’s some interesting/strange thoughts I wasn’t expecting (apart from the “EVERYTHING IS LOOOVE” kinda stuff from the usual suspects.) So I dunno, maybe I should throw my thoughts out there anyway. Even if “shit-flipping” will ensue as usual.

Lets start with generalities: good choruses: they don’t exist here. A “horrible” album: it’s not – but as I say that, I have to address from the fan in me. This album, is not anything I want to listen to. If this were some other band, I would not have even given two thoughts about it’s existence. But because I thought greatness would ensue one upon a time, I feel obligated. I think this is a pseudo-intellectual wannabe pop album with no melodies per se or even “hooks” necessarily. It’s a shame Jihen seems to pretend they make more than “just fuckin’ music.” Shiina solo used to carry herself off like she was just making songs, and hopefully trying to make some good ones here and there. But now it’s like “oh, lets pretend we can raise IQs by music” or lets make pop classy! Or whatever – but of course, whats worse is when people actually buy into it. It should just be fuckin music, you cant go out actively trying to do anything intra-personal with it. If its good enough, it will have a mind of it’s own.

Now before I get into the music lemme continue to address the other sticking point of the album: Izawa and Uki wrote it. It was a stupid idea. There are some decent-good tracks here. Theres also some shit. Maybe they coulda taken the novel approach and only done the good ones, and maybe wait for some input from their front-woman with the proven track record. Just having more than one song each on the album would validate them as “song-writing members” – thrusting out a full album of their stuff is silly, and not a good idea (if “real” critics, or “real” fans, dislike it and and heat – who is going to feel it but the newbs?)

Anyway, applying the idea that I gave earlier that there are no good choruses here, lets sift through the album right quick. Mirrorball I think “works” – but I actually think sounded better in JCHI. This version sounds “shoe horned” to the new take, whereas it sounded more natural before. Kingyo and Ramp are largely inoffensive, tho not particularly noteworthy in the realm of pop. Shiseikatsu is Superstar watered down, as I said earlier. The bridge solo into the last chorus is a straight copy-paste from Superstar.

I love Fukushuu. Well, if it were on Kyoiku (or ZCS) it would have been love, here it seems like that one “hard rock” sounding song that Puffy puts on every other album (which, I still tend to like.) But it’s hard to take it so seriously. Whats great about Fukushuu: there’s no shoe-horned keyboard! It didn’t belong, and its not there. Big fucking ups to the band. It always bugged me how they always forced all 4 instruments in every song when they may not have always been applicable. Also, it somewhat goes back on my pseudo-intellectual rant earlier. This song sounds like it totally has no aim other than to just be a song, and that rawks. “Fukushuu is just so non-TJish...” – that’s a very welcome change. I also love the change in presence around 3:30, I think its really cool, sounds Radiohead-ish (Just or Electioneering? Cant think of the exact song.) I know it’s the “dumb rock song” and predictable that Jihad comes in to defend it. But what can I do? =P

Of course the “welcome” change doesn’t last because we plunge head first into two of the stupidest songs ever: Boutomin and SSAW (Kuronekodow is included in this league too.)
Howevva, Tsukigime-hime, despite my calling it “the most obvious Uki song” I think its actually kinda good. However I hate the stupid “kazoo backing vocals” here (as in Kingyo too I think it was.) But it’s a pretty decent song…even if Izawa tries to sabotage it with some Addam’s Family sounding keys. And afterwhich, the album isn’t very stand out. Someone should get jail time for Shiina’s singing in Killer Tune. I can’t possibly say it enough. Horrendous. Sake I think is too long and choppy, but it’s not a sin to like. Meh-tro?

Now I think I’m totally stuck. I’m sure I said some things above that are likely to get some hip-hopping perturbed. Its not music I choose to listen to, but a band I do/did. I dunno, imagine 50 cent releasing a country album or a folk album. It would be hard I think to review coming from his background. Now its not like theres not a discrepancy THAT big between DO/Adult and what we get in Variety, but its more “overt” pop and the “ideals” here are different than what they were in Kyoiku/Adult. Now, when I say “I wouldn’t choose to listen to” I almost specifically mean “this album.” Cuz I know pop music, however I don’t think theres any great pop songs here. Definitely some decent, maybe some good. But decent songs does not a good album make. Thems the breaks. I never intended to go to Shiina for pop songs, and this album enforces that – even if she didn’t write blah blah. It’s hard to judge this album without Dynamite Out’s “Superstar” gnawing at me, but I’m being as “well, pretend this is a totally different, unrelated band” as I can. I don’t think many of these songs are particularly strong, or necessarily above “middling.” Remembering you can trace this album back to Honnou and Tsumi to Batsu..only hurts more.

I give it a “Goraku” out of a “Innocence Moratorium”

3 top tracks: Fukushuu, Shiseikatsu, Pinnochio (lolz, ok. Tsukigime-hime)
/a-ccentuate the positive
5: the number of times I listened to Fukushuu while writing this review
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Last edited by Tokyo Jihad : 2007.09.24 at 11:37 AM.
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