Go Back   Electric Mole Forums > Shiina Ringo & Tokyo Jihen > Main Forum
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Main Forum The place for general discussion. Old news and speculation, polls, trivia, memorabilia, favorite songs, and so on.
Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 2019.09.15, 03:48 AM   #191
Ringo~Bingo (ver. 2)
Senior Member
 
Ringo~Bingo (ver. 2)'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 171
Ringo~Bingo (ver. 2) is an asset to this community
Default

Originally Posted by gekokujyo View Post
it would be great to hear her explore a different sound.

This post could have been relevant even as far back as 2010. She'll never change now. Rigor mortis has long set in. Did you hear her Paralympic song? Her opportunity to showcase to the world and it's more reheat drudge with Mummy D.
Ringo~Bingo (ver. 2) is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2019.09.18, 04:46 AM   #192
waranghira
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 61
waranghira has had more than 15 seconds of fame
Default

What do you guys like about TOKYO so much?
I find the core of the song forgettable. Can't stick to it. But the accompaniment. That's pretty solid.

And actually pleasantly surprised to find that the Coke song follows it. I consider it a better song.

EDIT: And what comes after it. <3 (obviously first time hearing the album)
__________________

My defunct band.
waranghira is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2019.09.19, 05:44 PM   #193
thespidereggs
Senior Member
 
thespidereggs's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Baltimore
Posts: 218
thespidereggs is an asset to this community
Default

Originally Posted by waranghira View Post
EDIT: And what comes after it. <3 (obviously first time hearing the album)
What do you think of the album as a whole?
thespidereggs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 2019.10.08, 01:30 AM   #194
Osiris12345
Senior Member
 
Osiris12345's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: By the Side of the River
Posts: 793
Osiris12345 deserves a fucking medal
Default

Waaaaaaaaay late on this but I finally gave the entire album a listen all the way through. Thoughts are subject to change, of course, but overall I had a REALLY good experience listening to it. Perhaps reading deadgrandma's posts about how it's the end of Ringo as we know it and Bongo talking about how the old lady needs to hang her hat brought out the alarmist in me and I expected the worst.

Guys, this is probably the most sonically interesting album she's made since KSK. I'm not going to say it IS Kalk Samen Kuri no Hana, but seriously, it's the most interesting thing she's done at least since Adult. Nothing on this album feels safe, phony, or manufactured (at least in my humble opinion). It's weird as all hell and I love it. I think Frank Zappa said it best when he quoted Dot Records saying one of his early bands had "no commercial potential" and wore it as a badge of honor. Well, Ringo has a Coca Cola jingle on this album so I can't say it goes into that territory but damn, if it isn't some interesting music. And yeah, it ain't gonna appeal to everybody.

Now I'm gonna second a_grumble_cake here and call out the elephant in the room right away, or rather, the giant guitar-holding centaur wearing impractical boob armor that is Miss Ringo herself. This may be the kitschiest album cover she has ever done and it is hilarious. I still can't believe this is the album cover. I mean, countless parodies have been made online and everyone has said just about anything you can say about it, including on here. It is truly a masterpiece in awful album covers.

But you know what? I kinda dig it. I'm not gonna lie. It's clearly Ringo just going "Yeah, I'm a fucking horse now. What are you gonna do about it?" in the most ridiculous way possible. It kind of brings to mind if Adult Swim designed a Ringo album cover. Anyway, now that that's out of the way, let's get to review, shall we?

1. Niwatori to Hebi to Buta
Love this one now and I loved it when I first heard it. The Buddhist chanting is great and I love how the drums come in and just build the song, then the strings on top of it. Although hearing it again, I do think it could do without the autotune. The arrangement is VERY Saito Neko but I mean that in a good way, it feels very Heisei Fuuzoku era, back when he kinda tried. Song also feels almost too short. It feels more like an introduction and then we crescendo into...
2. Kemono Yuku Hosomichi
Nice transition! I actually really like how their vocals sound together in this one. The flute is a nice touch as well. Again, I'm hearing all kinds of fun little flourishes here. Jihad was ON POINT when he said the instruments SHINE on this album. It's so clear, crisp, and a joy to listen to. This also feels like a showtune with clear energy and the guy's raspy vocals definitely help add to it. I'm gonna come out and say this is one of the best duets she's done in a while. I never know where this song is going but no melodic choice feels out of place.
3. Ma Chérie
I LOVE THIS. Definite album standout and as some have already said, I think it's already got potential to be a Ringo classic in the future. It's just so sexy and has this feeling of floating on air. And is that Uki on guitar? It works here! This is the track I keep going back to. Piano is great in this too.
4. Kakeochisha
Not a fan. I like how this fits into the overall album but definitely not a track I care much to revisit, although the wind down is pretty fun to listen to when the drums really kick in. I won't call it a misstep and it's probably a grower.
5. Donzoko Made
I was already a fan of this song before hearing it on the album. It feels like an early Ringo cut. It wouldn't feel out of place on Muzai Moratorium at all or on one of her early singles.
6. Kamisama, Hotokesama
This track is pretty solid and I like her hitting the higher notes during the chorus. I think it's a lot of fun. Big fan of the bombastic ending too.
7. Tokyo
Another pretty solid track although funny enough, it sounds the most like what I've come to expect from Shiina. Cool jazz arrangement, nice piano, soft floating vocals, etc. and I feel like it plays with the formula the least on the album. Although it's still competently done, it doesn't have the soul of Shun. (and you can put that on a shirt because it rhymes)
8. Nagaku Mijikai Matsuri
This song grew on me because I seemed to ALWAYS run into it. When I first heard it, I could get through maybe 10 seconds before I had to turn it off. Now, honestly, I kinda like it. Ah, how tastes change. Speaking of taste... how about a refreshing Coke? It's a fun enough tune and let's face it, it's got personality. It feels kind of like Service's more melodic cousin. He doesn't want to annoy you. He just wants you to enjoy yourself.
9. Shijou no Jinsei
Probably the most straightforward alt-rock Ringo has been since Gibs. I like this one, especially since you don't hear this sound too much from her anymore. Maybe not an album standout but I can almost guarantee this will be one that gets stuck in my head for years to come.
10. Isogaba Maware
Eh, not a big fan of this one but I feel like this falls into the "Benkai Debussy"/"Byoushou Public" type of song where it fits in the album but not one I care to listen to outside of it. Maybe it'll grow on me like "Ishiki" did for KSK.
11. Jiyuu-Dom
Ah, I just love it when Ringo does music like this. It's just a party for your ears. That ragtime piano is a really fun touch and like Jihad said, it definitely channels "Poltergeist" in a good way. The breakdown in the middle is fun too. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that flute part. Honestly another album highlight for me.
12. Menukidoori
String intro with vocals sounds very James Bond-esque. Not sure what's going on there but it is kinda cool if not totally in opposition to the rest of the song. This plays a lot like "Konoyo no Kagiri" Part 2 but I'm actually totally cool with that. The arrangement is solid and it has a lot of lively energy some of her other showtunes lack. Especially in the drums.
13. Anoyo no Mon
The chanting definitely is unsettling. It calls to mind the climax of Souretsu. This was also enhanced by the fact that I was sitting in my parents house when I first listened to this and the lights in the house all turned off on a timer after midnight. And I couldn't get them back on. Literally right when the song started. I got chills all over. Very haunting indeed. I love that she brings back the accordion and just brings back that tension throughout. It feels like a horror film and conjures up some of the best parts of KSK. And the album ends on an uneasy note, just the way I like it.

I'm not gonna lie. I really like this album a lot. Count me firmly in the Jihad camp. I think it's a solid entry to her discography even if that centaur on the cover is much more embarrassing to show to your friends than a teacup is. But this shows she's still got it. I don't really care that it took 5 years to make this or there's singles from years ago on it, etc. because I think it's a fine album. It actually feels cohesive to me, which is amazing, because it's basically a patchwork album.
__________________
To not know is a form of knowing.
Osiris12345 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
[Various] 2004.04.23 - Our Last Day -Casshern Official Album- (CD) [Album] frecklegirl Product Reviews & Information 9 2009.05.24 12:25 PM
OMG. Tokyo Jihen world tour announced. Falling off floor right now... monad Main Forum 13 2008.04.18 04:51 AM


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 06:00 AM.