2021 Tokyo Jihen Full Album coming

[deadgrandma]

東京事変 - MUSIC

So here's a teaser, comprised of the opening track on the album, and the closer.

It's... well. Just let it speak for itself haha.

Yeah... she did drop a "MIC CHECK ONE TWO".

[fluffiethesock]

Ahh, that explains why the song seemed all over the place. I'm glad to hear it's actually two combined. Have they released the track lengths yet? I'm curious whether these are the full songs (hoping not). I like what I hear so far, although as always I could do without the autotune.

[thespidereggs]

Interesting that those are the first and last album tracks, I wonder how that bodes for the rest of the album. I personally dig it but I also totally understand the folks who aren't into the sound and autotune. I'm just grateful this album seems like a new step for the band whereas News had one foot set firmly in the past Jihen sound.
The songs remind me of Suchmos and Kirinji actually, and I'm interested to see what the other tracks sound like based on this. As someone with city pop fatigue I hope they don't veer too far into that direction (these songs are already a little borderline city pop here) but manage to do something that sounds fresh this time.

[waranghira]

I'm actually stoked for this album, more so than their 2020 (supposed Tokyo Olympic) comeback. It's just have more hooks to it. And this from only listening the 2nd track and the last song on the preview (Coke song pt.2, yeah yeah everybody here hates that even if it's a fun catchy song that used robotune stylistically).

Can't wait to listen to it in full tomorrow.

[fluffiethesock]

I may have always been a Phase 2 fanboy, but my initial impressions of this album are very positive. It's quickly becoming my favorite since Sports (and surpassing it), and it's possibly their strongest since Adult. From a performance standpoint, the band plays better together as a group than they ever have.

My only complaints are that several of the songs end too early (tracks 1, 2, 4, 12, and 13), and that the album closes awkwardly with the word "music."

[deadgrandma]

Best album in 10 years featuring Shiina Ringo



Review:



https://deadgrandmablog.wordpress.co...-ongaku-music/

[fluffiethesock]

Nice review grandma.. I agree with all but the final score

(but I listen to much less new music than you do, so I'm probably rating this one unnaturally high)

[waranghira]

The May 13 video/single is part of the album? Weird that they'd choose that, among the album. Felt like an extension of 2020: forgettable but satisfyingly technical composition.

[matan-san]

my fave of the new songs is 黄金比, it reminds me a bit of Omatsuri Sawagi in the chorus only with more synths

[thespidereggs]

Ongaku is surprisingly great. Their most consistent album since Adult and best overall since Sports. It has its misfires sure - Whiteout borders on inoffensive and feels like a retread of some previous Jihen tracks. But there's also an emotional resonance in songs like Inochi no Tobari and Kemono no Ri that feels missing from Ringo's recent solo releases, which can feel overly intellectual and detached. Besides, a song like Ryokushu is up there with Jihen's all-time great songs, and Kemono no Ri is Kameda's best Jihen track since Superstar.

I'm mainly impressed with Izawa here for carrying the bulk of the record. It's a treat having the band back in full force.

Stray thoughts:

• Ougonhi is a solid track for being Ukigumo's sole contribution to the album. To echo matan-san, its chorus sounds like Omatsuri Sawagi in the best way, specifically this arrangement from Ringo's 2015 tour.
• Ao no ID is a lot of fun - like Jiyuu-dom's bolder, badder cousin.
• As much as I love Ryokushu, I can't help but wish Ukigumo showed some more force during the guitar solo, or at least that his guitar wasn't mixed so low in the track.
• If the opener and closer aren't the most memorable, they do a good job of bookending the album in a cohesively satisfying way.