beni

study tune time

study tune time

Sing in the shower/bath, run, and dance.

We know that Hiro (My first story) and Taka (Ok go rock) are related and Subaru (Royz) and Kento (whatever he's doing besides being a little dumpling) are related but what about those rockers you wonder might be related. Sometimes the makeup/plastic surgery makes them look related, sometimes it's the lighting, sometimes its a coincidence.
 
Examples of who I think is related:
 
Haru (Dog in the PWO) and Mahiro (Kiryu)
Kouichi (Mejibray) and Issei (Buglug)
Mei (Dog in the pwo) and Someone from their record label (I can't figure if its Issei or someone from blu billion)
Hayato (Codomo dragon) and Takeru (SuG)
Shindy (Anli Pollicino) and a newborn bunny (joke...maybe )
 
so who do you think look like they're related

Tracklist:
1. 「howling」
2. Lily
3. Royal Order
4. Declaration of war
5. Cordyceps sinesis
6. A Box In Beautiful
7. Miss.EVIL INSIDE
8.「flowing」
9. Chains of collar
10. Who's bad psycho party
11. pAIN kILLER
12. 緋雨
13. 結晶華
14. **88**
15. REDRUM（album edit）



| The royal order loses its luster
  Like them or hate them, Lycaon cemented their place as one of the most influential post-2000's visual kei bands. Another thing they've managed to do successfully is to get their fans to debate which album is their best. Depending on who you ask, the most likely answer would be their first album Royal Order or their last album camera obscura. Royal Order was one of my favorite visual kei albums for many years. If you asked me five years ago for a list of my favorite visual kei albums of all time, Royal Order surely would have made the list. Now? Not so much. I've now come to officially throw my ring into the hat and make this endless debate even more complicated.

It's always bothered me that so much of this album was released as singles, but it pisses me off to no end that they decided to include all of them on this album. "Cordyceps sinensis", "Declaration of War", and "A Box in Beautiful" get a pass, but each single leading right into the next unbalances the album. "Declaration" is probably the weakest song with "A Box in Beautiful" as the strongest of the three, but that could be my preferences talking. Then there's "chains of collar"; one of their more iconic singles but was a bit aged by this point in time. "結晶華", "RED RUM", and "緋雨" are previously released tracks  to pad the run time. Stick two SE's in there and you will realize that I just I covered half of the album in one breath. That's not a good look.
 
What else sucks is that "Plug > into the > Socket" was a great, energetic rock number that would have fit anywhere, but they decided to release that on a cassette tape instead. If they absolutely must have included older tracks to fill out the album, both "「琥珀彩」～コハクイロ～" and "The[1st] degree genocide holic" are much better options (they had already pimped the latter out for the さわやか3組 2009 omnibus).  I would have been happy with a remaster of "The Death Game" at least! Note that I stress they do something with their older songs. They changed up "RED RUM" a bit but didn't even bother to touch "緋雨" so Yuuki's unpolished, brusque vocals and rougher production stick out like a sore thumb against the crisper production of the newer tracks. However, there is no reason why a band must include anything from their oldest singles at all.

So what about the rest of the album @Zeus? The tone of my paragraph above suggests I would have preferred more new tracks, but the records show it took the band six months to come up with the rest of the album and the new additions weren't as solid as the singles. "Miss DEVIL INSIDE" is our first introduction into the genre-hopping that Lycaon hadn't fully embraced by this point. I can appreciate the unexpected double bass rolls into the screaming chorus but at it's best it's budget System of a Down worship. "**88**"" is a clone of "Miss DEVIL INSIDE" with even less polish and a scream so harsh at the end it can blow out eardrums. Finally, the title track "Royal Order" is weak sauce; it bounces between those burpy harsh vocals and that cavity-inducing saccharine chorus but the rest of the song is forgettable. I can't believe they actually named the album after this...
 
Now that I got all my complaints out of the way, what little is left is why anyone should give Royal Order the time of day. The album should have jumped straight into "Lily". Excellent music writing and experimentation with some new sounds and a catchy, almost Gazette-ish chorus makes for one of the better new tracks. "who's bad psycho party" is actually a lot better than it's title lets on. With a four to the floor disco beat nesting lovely with some electronic effects, this and "pAIN kILLER" are the best out of the newer tracks - it's just a shame that the former isn't included on the limited edition. It took me a while to warm up to both tracks but now I see the value they bring towards the end of the record as well as why they follow one another. "結晶華", shamelessly lifted from Ambrozia, is also a wonderful breath of fresh air. A ballad needed to be present and this was their best one to date. They did everyone a favor too by removing the obnoxious minute and a half of silence at the end. It's a good song, but it doesn't leave me breathless. The re-recording of "RED RUM" is a nice touch to finish off the album, although I think it would have been even more effective if "**88**" wasn't included at all and "結晶華" and "RED RUM" swapped positions. I also miss the scream at the beginning but the harsh vocals at the end make up for it.

So Royal Order is a mixed bag. I still enjoy listening to it to this day, but five years with an album gives you a new perspective on it. I enjoy this album a lot more because I enjoy Lycaon's discography and all the songs I like are mostly songs I've heard before. It has a few surprises here and there, but it's got a few duds as well (well actually, more than a few if you count the instrumentals as music). I recommend it as an overall good album to listen to, but it's not the be-all end-all post-2000's visual kei release I once thought it was.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
...but @Zeus, you didn't answer the question! Which Lycaon album is the best album?
 
*sigh*
 
You can infer that Royal Order wins because my >score for camera obscura was only a hair lower and as far as I'm concerned 嘘と女と『　　　　』 never happened, but that would be missing the point. A star doesn't mean much in the long run. Lycaon has great songs and poop songs from every era. Some of their best songs are on their worst releases and some of their worst songs are omnipresent. Even the "erotic" era I'm notorious for disliking has "Mary" and "MAD NEUROSIS CHILD"! As a band, Lycaon were all over the place because they were always changing their concept. This is one of the few times that a best-of album would have been very welcome, but that raises the sticky question of how to blend all their eras together with a nice flow. Settling on a style is an issue they never quite worked out before disbanding, and I personally believe the departure of eve and 美央 only made this problem worse because it left the other members to experiment freely. "Experimenting freely" is how you end up with releases like Masochist Red Circus.
 
If you want an answer to the most consistent Lycaon release, Ambrozia is a safe bet. That's all you get for free. 

I am battling alone here
61

59

@@yakihiko

63

It was my nan's birthday yesterday and I must admit, I was the one who ate the majority of the cake for once...
 

 
Such worthy brunch.

79
GET TO THE HOME STRETCH LASSES I GOTTA RUN!

68
WE'RE ALL POSTING AT THE SAME TIME X'D

68
WE'RE ALL POSTING AT THE SAME TIME X'D

oh shit

65

You might want to look through the forum to find similar threads already in existence.
 
https://www.monochrome-heaven.com/index.php/topic/325-currently-airing-watching-anime-discussion-topic/

0, motherlickers!

Tracklist:
1. ◯生物 (◯Seibutsu)
2. フラスコ (Frasco)
3. マイム (Mime)
4. ハシエンダ (Haçienda)
5. 告白 (Kokuhaku)
6. インソムニアブルース (Insomnia Blues)
7. float
8. 落花 (Rakka)
9. スラッシングパンプキン•デスマーチ (Thrashing pumpkin death march)
10. スロウ (slow)
11. 剥製 (Kakusei)
12. ●静物 (●Seibutsu)


| Plastic Tree execute an album with more highlights than a thick, full head of hair can take.

 It's impossible for 'disappointment' and 'new Plastic Tree album' to be together in the same sentence, as they prove once again. 剥製 (Hakusei) is the bands thirteenth full length album and it's been a painful wait even with a handful of singles and another mini-album occupying us up until December of last year. But it can be safely said that it was well worth the wait.

Much like how Ink worked with a complimentary opener and closer, 剥製 is organised in the same manner. Being a dramatic and emotional instrumental as the final track, but with a bit of Ryutaro goodness in the first one, both match wonderfully. This encourages a repeat thanks to the same soft piano melody used in both to tie them together. "●静物" (●Seibutsu) ends the album on a gorgeous yet sad note, quite literally, while "◯生物" (◯Seibutsu) sets a tone that captures the shoegaze genre that plays off of Ryutaro's vocalization like a charm.

"フラスコ" (Frasco), track two, starts the album off beautifully after the wonderful opener, and while simple, it still stands out on its own. Its sound makes you picture a journey across a beautiful landscape. I get that feeling of travelling with this one, and moving onto my pair of favourites on the album, it only gets more adventurous in the mid section of the release. "インソムニアブルース" (Insomnia blues) has an unbelievable flow with an incredibly gorgeous chorus. Ryutaro's mumbled vocals are almost overpowered by the pounding music, fitting to their shoegaze tendencies. With a melody that reminds me of their classic song "水槽。"(suisou), it's another underwater like tune I always adore the sound of. The track that follows after this is more than fitting. "float" continues this setting, adopting a more peaceful sound. "float" is one of their more soft rock tunes, and while not much happens, that's how the magic works. It's another track that flows effortlessly, with slant rhyme schemes and repeated lyrics, coming off as rather romantic; it's a must include when going on vacation, despite what craziness they're probably singing about. "剥製" (Hakusei), as you might have noticed, is the album title's track, and most certainly deserving. Being one of their slowest songs, it grabs you straight away with a melancholic tune as they do best. The prompt whispering and drum hits at the start sets the mood and with it being the final track before the penultimate song, it sure is a climax despite its linear path throughout.

I can't forget to expand on the recent singles "マイム" (Mime), "スロウ" (slow) and "落花" (Rakka) that I mentioned earlier. Usually for me, the singles are always the stand out points, but this is the exception to the rule. The rest of 剥製 manages to prove its worth against the strong singles, and I personally find that incredible and rare. When looking at the singles on their own, "マイム" plays like a classic Plastic Tree tune, with questionable, riddle-like lyrics, and a psychedelic charm to it. This brings me back to how the band sounded on "トレモロ" (Tremelo) because of the theatrical delivery. While "落花" (Rakka) has a simpler structure, as I had already described in September's RT, it's still a very solid submission with instantly catchy and familiar riffs as expected. But it's "スロウ" (slow) that proves to be one of the highlights of 剥製 for me. The slower paced melody creates an idealistic, lonely setting - the kind Plastic Tree are known for forging. "スロウ" (slow) never quite reaches a climax, but it takes you down a current you wish wouldn't end. It's very complimentary to their similar song "Blueback" mixed with "Ink", which spells out perfection by the way.

The album isn't all peaceful sounding though. "スラッシングパンプキン•デスマーチ" (Thrashing pumpkin death march) is one of the louder songs Plastic Tree have put out, and while eccentric and bubbly, it comes off as lost and unnecessary. I'm grateful for the autotune put over Ryutaro's voice, making it even more entertaining; yet it almost comes off as another silly cover like they did with "バカになったのに" (Baka ni Natta no ni). While it's a neat addition and adds variety, it fails to pull through in the long run because it sticks out like a sore thumb, and not one you'd kiss better. On the topic of pain, there's also "ハシエンダ" (Haçienda), which comes off as a song I swear I've heard from them before. I thought I was going mental when comparing the track's title to their mini-album, echo's tracklist. Being one of the quicker paced numbers on the album didn't do it any favors, instead cornering it like a deer in headlights. It's enjoyable if you can forgive its copy-and-paste tune, but this time their experimentation made a song that just doesn't mesh. It's quite a bore if I had to admit it. There's also a track that fits nicely (well, not so nicely since it's not exactly a compliment) into the 'grower material' section. "告白" (Kokuhaku) was so mediocre on first listen, and against two similar and better tracks, this was left in the dust. But with a catchy chorus that invades your head space it does its job in complimenting its companion tracks.

If you're (somehow!) new to the guys, this is not to be missed. If you've been a long time listener of them, this is not to be missed. 剥製 may not be perfect, but it's going to be impossible not to treasure it as much as their previous works. Plastic Tree have surely made their fans proud. The band shows that you can still be simple yet effective when putting out music, doing what you're best at doing and still excelling at it (let's just forgive and forget those few clangers)!
 

 
CDJapan | Amazon

You mean dat ass

^ Remove le spoiler boi and grace us with your presence completely u-u <3
 

 

 
Thought it's been a while. Been a while touching makeup too.

Tracklist:
1. ◯生物 (◯Seibutsu)
2. フラスコ (Frasco)
3. マイム (Mime)
4. ハシエンダ (Haçienda)
5. 告白 (Kokuhaku)
6. インソムニアブルース (Insomnia Blues)
7. float
8. 落花 (Rakka)
9. スラッシングパンプキン•デスマーチ (Thrashing pumpkin death march)
10. スロウ (slow)
11. 剥製 (Kakusei)
12. ●静物 (●Seibutsu)


| Plastic Tree execute an album with more highlights than a thick, full head of hair can take.

 It's impossible for 'disappointment' and 'new Plastic Tree album' to be together in the same sentence, as they prove once again. 剥製 (Hakusei) is the bands thirteenth full length album and it's been a painful wait even with a handful of singles and another mini-album occupying us up until December of last year. But it can be safely said that it was well worth the wait.

Much like how Ink worked with a complimentary opener and closer, 剥製 is organised in the same manner. Being a dramatic and emotional instrumental as the final track, but with a bit of Ryutaro goodness in the first one, both match wonderfully. This encourages a repeat thanks to the same soft piano melody used in both to tie them together. "●静物" (●Seibutsu) ends the album on a gorgeous yet sad note, quite literally, while "◯生物" (◯Seibutsu) sets a tone that captures the shoegaze genre that plays off of Ryutaro's vocalization like a charm.

"フラスコ" (Frasco), track two, starts the album off beautifully after the wonderful opener, and while simple, it still stands out on its own. Its sound makes you picture a journey across a beautiful landscape. I get that feeling of travelling with this one, and moving onto my pair of favourites on the album, it only gets more adventurous in the mid section of the release. "インソムニアブルース" (Insomnia blues) has an unbelievable flow with an incredibly gorgeous chorus. Ryutaro's mumbled vocals are almost overpowered by the pounding music, fitting to their shoegaze tendencies. With a melody that reminds me of their classic song "水槽。"(suisou), it's another underwater like tune I always adore the sound of. The track that follows after this is more than fitting. "float" continues this setting, adopting a more peaceful sound. "float" is one of their more soft rock tunes, and while not much happens, that's how the magic works. It's another track that flows effortlessly, with slant rhyme schemes and repeated lyrics, coming off as rather romantic; it's a must include when going on vacation, despite what craziness they're probably singing about. "剥製" (Hakusei), as you might have noticed, is the album title's track, and most certainly deserving. Being one of their slowest songs, it grabs you straight away with a melancholic tune as they do best. The prompt whispering and drum hits at the start sets the mood and with it being the final track before the penultimate song, it sure is a climax despite its linear path throughout.

I can't forget to expand on the recent singles "マイム" (Mime), "スロウ" (slow) and "落花" (Rakka) that I mentioned earlier. Usually for me, the singles are always the stand out points, but this is the exception to the rule. The rest of 剥製 manages to prove its worth against the strong singles, and I personally find that incredible and rare. When looking at the singles on their own, "マイム" plays like a classic Plastic Tree tune, with questionable, riddle-like lyrics, and a psychedelic charm to it. This brings me back to how the band sounded on "トレモロ" (Tremelo) because of the theatrical delivery. While "落花" (Rakka) has a simpler structure, as I had already described in September's RT, it's still a very solid submission with instantly catchy and familiar riffs as expected. But it's "スロウ" (slow) that proves to be one of the highlights of 剥製 for me. The slower paced melody creates an idealistic, lonely setting - the kind Plastic Tree are known for forging. "スロウ" (slow) never quite reaches a climax, but it takes you down a current you wish wouldn't end. It's very complimentary to their similar song "Blueback" mixed with "Ink", which spells out perfection by the way.

The album isn't all peaceful sounding though. "スラッシングパンプキン•デスマーチ" (Thrashing pumpkin death march) is one of the louder songs Plastic Tree have put out, and while eccentric and bubbly, it comes off as lost and unnecessary. I'm grateful for the autotune put over Ryutaro's voice, making it even more entertaining; yet it almost comes off as another silly cover like they did with "バカになったのに" (Baka ni Natta no ni). While it's a neat addition and adds variety, it fails to pull through in the long run because it sticks out like a sore thumb, and not one you'd kiss better. On the topic of pain, there's also "ハシエンダ" (Haçienda), which comes off as a song I swear I've heard from them before. I thought I was going mental when comparing the track's title to their mini-album, echo's tracklist. Being one of the quicker paced numbers on the album didn't do it any favors, instead cornering it like a deer in headlights. It's enjoyable if you can forgive its copy-and-paste tune, but this time their experimentation made a song that just doesn't mesh. It's quite a bore if I had to admit it. There's also a track that fits nicely (well, not so nicely since it's not exactly a compliment) into the 'grower material' section. "告白" (Kokuhaku) was so mediocre on first listen, and against two similar and better tracks, this was left in the dust. But with a catchy chorus that invades your head space it does its job in complimenting its companion tracks.

If you're (somehow!) new to the guys, this is not to be missed. If you've been a long time listener of them, this is not to be missed. 剥製 may not be perfect, but it's going to be impossible not to treasure it as much as their previous works. Plastic Tree have surely made their fans proud. The band shows that you can still be simple yet effective when putting out music, doing what you're best at doing and still excelling at it (let's just forgive and forget those few clangers)!
 

 
CDJapan | Amazon

Tracklist:
1. ◯生物 (◯Seibutsu)
2. フラスコ (Frasco)
3. マイム (Mime)
4. ハシエンダ (Haçienda)
5. 告白 (Kokuhaku)
6. インソムニアブルース (Insomnia Blues)
7. float
8. 落花 (Rakka)
9. スラッシングパンプキン•デスマーチ (Thrashing pumpkin death march)
10. スロウ (slow)
11. 剥製 (Kakusei)
12. ●静物 (●Seibutsu)


| Plastic Tree execute an album with more highlights than a thick, full head of hair can take.

 It's impossible for 'disappointment' and 'new Plastic Tree album' to be together in the same sentence, as they prove once again. 剥製 (Hakusei) is the bands thirteenth full length album and it's been a painful wait even with a handful of singles and another mini-album occupying us up until December of last year. But it can be safely said that it was well worth the wait.

Much like how Ink worked with a complimentary opener and closer, 剥製 is organised in the same manner. Being a dramatic and emotional instrumental as the final track, but with a bit of Ryutaro goodness in the first one, both match wonderfully. This encourages a repeat thanks to the same soft piano melody used in both to tie them together. "●静物" (●Seibutsu) ends the album on a gorgeous yet sad note, quite literally, while "◯生物" (◯Seibutsu) sets a tone that captures the shoegaze genre that plays off of Ryutaro's vocalization like a charm.

"フラスコ" (Frasco), track two, starts the album off beautifully after the wonderful opener, and while simple, it still stands out on its own. Its sound makes you picture a journey across a beautiful landscape. I get that feeling of travelling with this one, and moving onto my pair of favourites on the album, it only gets more adventurous in the mid section of the release. "インソムニアブルース" (Insomnia blues) has an unbelievable flow with an incredibly gorgeous chorus. Ryutaro's mumbled vocals are almost overpowered by the pounding music, fitting to their shoegaze tendencies. With a melody that reminds me of their classic song "水槽。"(suisou), it's another underwater like tune I always adore the sound of. The track that follows after this is more than fitting. "float" continues this setting, adopting a more peaceful sound. "float" is one of their more soft rock tunes, and while not much happens, that's how the magic works. It's another track that flows effortlessly, with slant rhyme schemes and repeated lyrics, coming off as rather romantic; it's a must include when going on vacation, despite what craziness they're probably singing about. "剥製" (Hakusei), as you might have noticed, is the album title's track, and most certainly deserving. Being one of their slowest songs, it grabs you straight away with a melancholic tune as they do best. The prompt whispering and drum hits at the start sets the mood and with it being the final track before the penultimate song, it sure is a climax despite its linear path throughout.

I can't forget to expand on the recent singles "マイム" (Mime), "スロウ" (slow) and "落花" (Rakka) that I mentioned earlier. Usually for me, the singles are always the stand out points, but this is the exception to the rule. The rest of 剥製 manages to prove its worth against the strong singles, and I personally find that incredible and rare. When looking at the singles on their own, "マイム" plays like a classic Plastic Tree tune, with questionable, riddle-like lyrics, and a psychedelic charm to it. This brings me back to how the band sounded on "トレモロ" (Tremelo) because of the theatrical delivery. While "落花" (Rakka) has a simpler structure, as I had already described in September's RT, it's still a very solid submission with instantly catchy and familiar riffs as expected. But it's "スロウ" (slow) that proves to be one of the highlights of 剥製 for me. The slower paced melody creates an idealistic, lonely setting - the kind Plastic Tree are known for forging. "スロウ" (slow) never quite reaches a climax, but it takes you down a current you wish wouldn't end. It's very complimentary to their similar song "Blueback" mixed with "Ink", which spells out perfection by the way.

The album isn't all peaceful sounding though. "スラッシングパンプキン•デスマーチ" (Thrashing pumpkin death march) is one of the louder songs Plastic Tree have put out, and while eccentric and bubbly, it comes off as lost and unnecessary. I'm grateful for the autotune put over Ryutaro's voice, making it even more entertaining; yet it almost comes off as another silly cover like they did with "バカになったのに" (Baka ni Natta no ni). While it's a neat addition and adds variety, it fails to pull through in the long run because it sticks out like a sore thumb, and not one you'd kiss better. On the topic of pain, there's also "ハシエンダ" (Haçienda), which comes off as a song I swear I've heard from them before. I thought I was going mental when comparing the track's title to their mini-album, echo's tracklist. Being one of the quicker paced numbers on the album didn't do it any favors, instead cornering it like a deer in headlights. It's enjoyable if you can forgive its copy-and-paste tune, but this time their experimentation made a song that just doesn't mesh. It's quite a bore if I had to admit it. There's also a track that fits nicely (well, not so nicely since it's not exactly a compliment) into the 'grower material' section. "告白" (Kokuhaku) was so mediocre on first listen, and against two similar and better tracks, this was left in the dust. But with a catchy chorus that invades your head space it does its job in complimenting its companion tracks.

If you're (somehow!) new to the guys, this is not to be missed. If you've been a long time listener of them, this is not to be missed. 剥製 may not be perfect, but it's going to be impossible not to treasure it as much as their previous works. Plastic Tree have surely made their fans proud. The band shows that you can still be simple yet effective when putting out music, doing what you're best at doing and still excelling at it (let's just forgive and forget those few clangers)!
 

 
CDJapan | Amazon

Tracklist:
1. ◯生物 (◯Seibutsu)
2. フラスコ (Frasco)
3. マイム (Mime)
4. ハシエンダ (Haçienda)
5. 告白 (Kokuhaku)
6. インソムニアブルース (Insomnia Blues)
7. float
8. 落花 (Rakka)
9. スラッシングパンプキン•デスマーチ (Thrashing pumpkin death march)
10. スロウ (slow)
11. 剥製 (Kakusei)
12. ●静物 (●Seibutsu)


| Plastic Tree execute an album with more highlights than a thick, full head of hair can take.

 It's impossible for 'disappointment' and 'new Plastic Tree album' to be together in the same sentence, as they prove once again. 剥製 (Hakusei) is the bands thirteenth full length album and it's been a painful wait even with a handful of singles and another mini-album occupying us up until December of last year. But it can be safely said that it was well worth the wait.

Much like how Ink worked with a complimentary opener and closer, 剥製 is organised in the same manner. Being a dramatic and emotional instrumental as the final track, but with a bit of Ryutaro goodness in the first one, both match wonderfully. This encourages a repeat thanks to the same soft piano melody used in both to tie them together. "●静物" (●Seibutsu) ends the album on a gorgeous yet sad note, quite literally, while "◯生物" (◯Seibutsu) sets a tone that captures the shoegaze genre that plays off of Ryutaro's vocalization like a charm.

"フラスコ" (Frasco), track two, starts the album off beautifully after the wonderful opener, and while simple, it still stands out on its own. Its sound makes you picture a journey across a beautiful landscape. I get that feeling of travelling with this one, and moving onto my pair of favourites on the album, it only gets more adventurous in the mid section of the release. "インソムニアブルース" (Insomnia blues) has an unbelievable flow with an incredibly gorgeous chorus. Ryutaro's mumbled vocals are almost overpowered by the pounding music, fitting to their shoegaze tendencies. With a melody that reminds me of their classic song "水槽。"(suisou), it's another underwater like tune I always adore the sound of. The track that follows after this is more than fitting. "float" continues this setting, adopting a more peaceful sound. "float" is one of their more soft rock tunes, and while not much happens, that's how the magic works. It's another track that flows effortlessly, with slant rhyme schemes and repeated lyrics, coming off as rather romantic; it's a must include when going on vacation, despite what craziness they're probably singing about. "剥製" (Hakusei), as you might have noticed, is the album title's track, and most certainly deserving. Being one of their slowest songs, it grabs you straight away with a melancholic tune as they do best. The prompt whispering and drum hits at the start sets the mood and with it being the final track before the penultimate song, it sure is a climax despite its linear path throughout.

I can't forget to expand on the recent singles "マイム" (Mime), "スロウ" (slow) and "落花" (Rakka) that I mentioned earlier. Usually for me, the singles are always the stand out points, but this is the exception to the rule. The rest of 剥製 manages to prove its worth against the strong singles, and I personally find that incredible and rare. When looking at the singles on their own, "マイム" plays like a classic Plastic Tree tune, with questionable, riddle-like lyrics, and a psychedelic charm to it. This brings me back to how the band sounded on "トレモロ" (Tremelo) because of the theatrical delivery. While "落花" (Rakka) has a simpler structure, as I had already described in September's RT, it's still a very solid submission with instantly catchy and familiar riffs as expected. But it's "スロウ" (slow) that proves to be one of the highlights of 剥製 for me. The slower paced melody creates an idealistic, lonely setting - the kind Plastic Tree are known for forging. "スロウ" (slow) never quite reaches a climax, but it takes you down a current you wish wouldn't end. It's very complimentary to their similar song "Blueback" mixed with "Ink", which spells out perfection by the way.

The album isn't all peaceful sounding though. "スラッシングパンプキン•デスマーチ" (Thrashing pumpkin death march) is one of the louder songs Plastic Tree have put out, and while eccentric and bubbly, it comes off as lost and unnecessary. I'm grateful for the autotune put over Ryutaro's voice, making it even more entertaining; yet it almost comes off as another silly cover like they did with "バカになったのに" (Baka ni Natta no ni). While it's a neat addition and adds variety, it fails to pull through in the long run because it sticks out like a sore thumb, and not one you'd kiss better. On the topic of pain, there's also "ハシエンダ" (Haçienda), which comes off as a song I swear I've heard from them before. I thought I was going mental when comparing the track's title to their mini-album, echo's tracklist. Being one of the quicker paced numbers on the album didn't do it any favors, instead cornering it like a deer in headlights. It's enjoyable if you can forgive its copy-and-paste tune, but this time their experimentation made a song that just doesn't mesh. It's quite a bore if I had to admit it. There's also a track that fits nicely (well, not so nicely since it's not exactly a compliment) into the 'grower material' section. "告白" (Kokuhaku) was so mediocre on first listen, and against two similar and better tracks, this was left in the dust. But with a catchy chorus that invades your head space it does its job in complimenting its companion tracks.

If you're (somehow!) new to the guys, this is not to be missed. If you've been a long time listener of them, this is not to be missed. 剥製 may not be perfect, but it's going to be impossible not to treasure it as much as their previous works. Plastic Tree have surely made their fans proud. The band shows that you can still be simple yet effective when putting out music, doing what you're best at doing and still excelling at it (let's just forgive and forget those few clangers)!
 

 
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