2019 In Music

[Manimal]

I have listened to Dedicated 3 times now and I have this to say.

It's a good album, but not a great one.
 
I find overall the style of the album to be less interesting, and the elements I dislike become stronger as the album goes on. I think "Feels Right" is a bad song. The chorus and guest feature stink. and "Right Words Wrong Time" is not very good either. Lyrically the album is consistent and keeps a theme throughout that ends well with "Real Love" and "Party For One". Carly Rae's singing is a little off for me in bits, mostly "Want You In My Room" where she sings in a higher voice. That song is kind of odd but I do like it. That said when the album is good it's pretty good. I do really like "Julien", "No Drug Like Me", "Automatically In Love" and man "I'll Be Your Girl" is such a highlight, it's different from the rest of the album in the best way. "Everything He Needs" has a bit off an off chorus but it's not a bad song.

I don't really like the chorus of "The Sound" and "Too Much" has a bit of a...Taylor Swift verse, though the chorus is pretty decent. and yes, I'll say it again that "Party For One" is quite good, especially as the finale. I might be a bit overly critical, certainly I never thought about Emotion this hard, but it's clearly not as good an album, not that it had to be. It's it's own album. Carly Rae still keeps an edge over every other "Pop Star" simply because she's grounded and sings about her emotions, modestly. Dedicated is an enjoyable album, I will listen to it more and more, but I don't think it's going to be my album of the year unless literally nothing else good comes out. There hasn't been another contender yet. 

[50 Words for Paipis]

I like this one more than Emotion, honestly, although I am also not a fan of "Want You in My Room," and "Too Much" and "Everything He Needs" are only decent to me. I love "Real Love" (ending and all) (by the way "For Sure" and "Party for One" are bonus tracks; "Real Love" is the real closer) and "The Sound" (chorus and all) and "I'll be Your Girl," and I like the rest of the tracks too. It's a fun record that's a nice break from all of the weird stuff I listen to. 

[Manimal]

You really like this one more? Go figure. But you where no fan of "I Really Like You" and "Boy Problems". But what is worse to you them or "Want You In My Room"? lol

Ya I was going off the Spotify listing, but than I got the CD which yes ends with "Real Love" which is a good ending, but so is "Party For One", they are both different vibes. I like "Party For One" as the closer, even if "Real Love" is a lot more of statement that goes with the rest of the album, because it's like "When I Needed You" in being a real upbeat ender after some slower songs.

What else have you heard this year that is noteworthy?   

Also pre-ordered the limited ver. of BiSH's upcoming album CARROTS AND STiCKS. For what I spent, not a crazy amount for a group I love, this better be a good album. I mean it comes in a cool metal box with a photobook (likely a smaller one like what came with The Idol Formerly Known As Ladybaby's Beside U), the album, another disc of SOME of the 2018 songs (no b-sides which is annoying) and a concert Blu-Ray with the music videos (but I don't think it's a complete concert which is a piss off, I love to watch BiSH shows). I like what we've heard so far, though no one was uploaded the CARROTS EP for us without Apple Music to enjoy.

[50 Words for Paipis]

You really like this one more? Go figure. But you where no fan of "I Really Like You" and "Boy Problems". But what is worse to you them or "Want You In My Room"? lol

"Want You In My Room," but I'm less into some of the slow tracks on Emotion these days, like "All That."

[Manimal]

BiSH, CARROTS

The second EP leading up to CARROTS & STiCKS, it's been out for a month but only on Apple Music. None of my sources ripped it so I was like fine, I guess I'll make an account for a trial. STiCKS was the wild lo-fi BiSH and this is the nice hi-fi BiSH. "I am me." is a fantastic song, high energy, great guitar sound, vocals on point and a very lively track, the music video is really great. Showing the members in the future in their own paths in life and then a flashback to the girl from the "Promise The Star" video designing their costumes and doing the dance with them. It's a bright sunny video for a nice shining song. "Mada Tochu" is totally awesome, it's like late KiLLER BiSH, fits right in with "summertime", a high energy but bright song with lots of Ayuni and an awesome chorus. "CAN YOU?" is hard rocking, an absolutely pounding Pop Punk instrumental with classic BiSH vocals. Aina sounds so good (like always). WOW, where was this energy in 2018? This is the BiSH I love! The production is way improved from previous albums, the guitars rip and tear and the bass is full frontal. "NO SWEET" is a ballad to end the set. Um, excuse me a BiSH ballad that doesn't sound like anything else they've done? It's a good song, not great but it serves it's purpose.

Okay this EP is really awesome. It feels fresh for BiSH, like a life has been pumped back into them to make awesome Rock 'n Roll Idol music again. "Mada Tochu" and "CAN YOU?" are complete jams and "I am me." is really nice. This EP is the exact opposite to STiCKS and has me wondering what else will be on CARROTS & STiCKS. This is a blast of energy back, the mix is so much better there is so much more space and life. Ayuni is more in the forefront, having found her confidence (full PEDRO album in August!) and everyone else is sounding great as always. Good stuff.

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAXs8CcebU0   

PASSEPIED, More Humor   

A group that came right back onto my radar with a pretty neat album! I previously only knew "Nagasugita Haru" which was a cool song and it seems PASSEPIED have expanded their sound since. They have all the good J-Rock elements as well as some tricks of their own, high voiced vocals, cool electro sounds, and a...proggy feel? "resonance" is an amazing song, stood out as my favorite right away. "R138" is a mad jam, 80's keyboards and synth bass flying at you, it's so cool sounding. This album is half really great songs half good songs, at a tight 10 tracks I can say this is one of the best albums I've heard this year so far. I outta go back and listen to their other albums.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0-d0KhEaCk 

Seiko's new song "Re: Re: Love" is pretty good! It has a raw feeling and a classic Prime Seiko freakout in the middle. The music video is great.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Lb1uGYbYKE

[Manimal]

BiSH's new song and MV "DiSTANCE" is very good! It's one of their take-off epics but with a really nice sound and a perfect line balance. Atsuko explodes in the second chorus with her best vocal performance yet, normally she is secondary, even though she has the most instantly noticeable look with her fancy glasses, so it was surprising and cool to hear that part. Chiiti also pops out. I can never decide if my favorite member is Ayuni, Atsuko or Aina. This is a good song overall and one to sort of break the standard BiSH formula, atleast in the verses. I keep saying it but it's surprising how the group seemed to stagnant and get caught in the same old thing last year but have now showed three distinct style and image changes in the last few months, released two awesome inspired EP's and ya...I'm thinking CARROTS and STiCKS is going to be a KiLLER album even better than The Guerrilla BiSH. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CevHzbIZ5vs

 

EMPiRE's new single "SUCCES STORY" ain't bad. EMPiRE have never struck me as an interesting or unique group, but they do some fun songs, and this one is enjoyable. Their outifts are...kinda dumb but, like every WACK group besides BiSH, but maybe their next album will be good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QgrvU1JB6c

I've come to really like ZOC's "family name". It has Seiko stamped all over it, the pre-chorus and the double bass rolls in the chorus are completely her ideas. It's actually a really good song, I like it the more I hear it. The b-side isn't good, but as a debut single it's pretty solid. I wonder how long ZOC will last...         

[Manimal]

BiSH, CARROTS AND STiCKS 

GUERRiLLA released on Apple Music a few weeks before the July 3rd release date. BiSH's 5th album is unlike anything prior, shuffling three different styles and approaches into one 14 track album. It's rampaging & aggressive, high energy & endearing, dramatic & epic and it changes song by song. This album rips with Punk spirit beginning to end as normal but with a lot 90's Alt in the mix. "FREEZE DRY THE PASTS" is what a 4th Nirvana album might of sounded like and "Yashashii PAiN" is Lo-Fi J-Grunge. "CHOP" is like a lost song from BiS' amazing IDOL is DEAD. "DiSTANCE" is a sharp opener instantly ravaged by "Tsuini Shi" a really intense and cool song with a...unique vocal. "MORE THAN LiKE" is a very nice song, so is "I am me." followed by the decent ballad "NO SWEET". "O.S" is excellent, featuring an amazingly badass Ayuni D rap in the verse. Oh my God I love this song it's so fricking cool, BiSH have never ever done anything like it. "Mada Tochuu" is an absolute pumped up JAM. "Identity" and "MORE THAN LiKE" are good simple songs. "FiNALLY" is badass, ,"CAN YOU??" is excellent, the finale "GRUNGE WORLD" is actually a nice mid tempo song that is not very Grunge besides the guitars in the chorus.

BiSH have evolved from the start, perhaps the best change is Ayuni D's emergence of confidence last year. She's changed from her modest indistinct parts on KiLLER BiSH to being an absolute weapon of attitude and Rock 'n Roll. This album is new territory for BiSH, it lacks the polish of previous records and also changes up the formula with a lot of new twists and turns. Previously they showcased this intensity in small bursts with "DEADMAN", "First Kitchen Life", "Am I FRENZY??" and "SHARR". But both KiLLER BiSH and The GUERRiLLA BiSH couldn't harness the power of these songs all the way and ended up being good but somewhat samey albums by the end. CARROTS AND STiCKS on the other hand is a complete work of Rock 'n Roll power and energy. It's the most creative and distinct work BiSH have yet to do. It's more than the same old, it packs some punches and is overall a jumbled, mismashed rampage. 

A really good record is going to have to come out to make this not be my album of the year. This is pure Rock 'n Roll music, this is more than Alt Idol style mixing, this is natural, this feels genuine. This is joyous, energetic and awesome all around. It's nearly as good as BiS' previously mentioned IDOL is DEAD, the best Alt Idol album of all time & one of the greatest true Punk spirit records, and although it doesn't have the tunes and super fun songs of the debut and FAKE METAL JACKET a few more listens might tell if this is BiSH's best album to date. CARROTS AND STiCKS obliterates everything else I've heard this year so far.

 

[Manimal]

Oyasumi Hologram, 5 

The Idol duo are back with another album, with two songs from last year and eight new ones. The group have Poppy electro sounds but always bring the prominent Rock guitars. 5 does trend a little more on the dull side at times, after the first three songs, which are pretty solid, it's sort of hit or miss. "Ghost Rider" is an excellent tune but not much else sticks out. The album is good for the background but it's not really all that hitting. The vocals are fine and the production is not bad.

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5Gxwyn803U

Atsuko from BiSH has a solo song "A La Mode".  It's a fun song and video, the other members are backup dancers and they wear their dorky oversized Life Is Comedy outfits. Nice Atsuko got the spotlight, her voice isn't bad. The English "We can't stop music, I got the best music" is so corny I love it and the pre-chorus part where she gets confused and the other members look puzzled. I kind of love the cheesy M and D dance moves. Atsuko has the best idol smile I've see also. It's a fun song, I have really warmed up to it. It has that old style chorus and I love the piano before the last chorus. This song just works really well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1NfkkCpNrw 

I have really come to love Seiko's new single "Re: Re: Love", I didn't realize how good it is when the music video came out. It's a fiery track with very catchy melodies and it increases in intensity. Seiko's vocals are super good on it, and I love when her and Mineta increase the violence in the last chorus. This song is nothing short of classic Seiko, it's what made her good in the first place. I have no idea what the hell she's doing this year though, everything is so dramatically different from the last. A confusingly bad new version of "Zettai Shoujo", the first song with her idol group, a super anime song and now this.

[Manimal]

Maison Book Girl's new single "Yami Iro No Asa" is pretty damn good. The acoustics are amazing and after the chorus it brings some more classic elements of the group's sound. The instrumental feels fresh, I love the room sound on the opening guitars and the big change up that shifts the entire mood of the song. Maison Book Girl makes Idol music in a future of rainy empty city streets. Their last single was top notch and this one, is not as good but still pretty solid. Mainly the chorus melody is just strange in this one, but that aside it's another fantastic production. The b-side "Silhouette" is really good, a super mood piece with a lot of sound effects and a sad piano tone. It is a super good song, once more the production quality is insane, it's extremely well put together. If Maison Book Girl release an album this year it could be AOTY, calling it now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2Wk1NgS118   

BAND-MAID's new single "endless story" trends towards their more poppy Metal direction that "Bubble" and "Start Over" signaled. The song has some good bits like the entry of the distorted guitar in the first verse and Misa's bassline in the second verse. I think this direction isn't as exciting for the band, the chorus is so similar to "glory" and not as good. Like "Bubble" this song doesn't really grip me like World Domination did last year. That said they have something new coming before the end of the year. I just hope for less of...this. I liked "Start Over" a lot but this song on first listen has less impact and catchiness and it tries harder to be catchy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_S4s8jZQ-A   

SCANDAL's new single "Fuzzy" is sub-par. It's overall a decent track that has the same sort of energy as "Masterpiece", a song I quite liked along with it's nice b-side, but it's sort of indistinct and lacks a certain kick the songs on Honey had. Mami's guitar parts are pretty good, she is the star of the song with her high fretting. It's a perfectly passable track, not bad at all but not great. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOL2W8HOQjA

Ayuni D has a new album with PEDRO out THUMB SUCKER. I should be more hyped, I have only listened once through. It's good but the production sucks. It's way too loud and shrill, the tremble is way to high and the mixing on Ayu's vocals gets old, not nearly as good as how she sounds in BiSH. Overall I think it has a bad sound, "Edge Of Nineteen" sounds insanely bad, but some of the songs are pretty solid. I really like "Night Night" for the verses and "Skyfish Girl". It's not bad but I get tired of it fast, it's too loud and Ayu, while she is a delightfully bad singer, she really sounds awful in a number of these songs. Not too impressed overall.   

 

Still really digging Seiko's latest song "Re: Re: Love", it's damn good. Forgetting and remembering then forgetting again that Carly Rae put out an album. BiSH's "CARROTS AND STiCKS" is still standing out, even if it's not as great and randomly sequenced it has a number of awesome tracks like "O S" that I keep listening to.   

[Manimal]

Mary's Blood have a new album Confessions. It's a let down compared to the group's past work. It sounds a little dull and many of the songs are pretty boring for Power Metal. There is an edge on albums like Fate that is not present here. "Hello" is a different track for the album, kind of a bass pumping keyboardy dance Rock song. I feel this album is overall uninspired and doesn't compare the rawness and energy of their previous releases. That said it sort of kicks the life on near the end with "HIGH-5" which is a very enjoyable and fun tune. "GO AHEAD & LAUGH" is good also with a cool verse. Them it goes right back where it was with the following two songs. Not much here, overall a forgettable release.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhyVdCnGxpQ   

Andrew Bird's My Finest Work Yet is a pretty solid album. Some really good songs like "Fallorun", "Manifest" and "Cracking Codes" which is a simple but beautiful love song with a big pick-up in the second verse that makes the song sail. It's a pretty solid late career album. Post Malone's Hollywood's Bleeding was pretty safe and listenable Trap Pop whatever album. I enjoyed it but certainly didn't find it memorable, that said it had some fine songs like "Circles" and "Myself". Tyler, The Creator's IGOR is pretty interesting. I don't think it's anything I intend on listening to again but the songs follow pretty unusual structures and it has it's moments. EARFQUAKE is pretty much irresistable and I liked A BOY IS A GUN*, PUPPET and WHAT'S GOOD. 

the peggies new single "Stand By Me" and "Dive To Love" is damn good. Both great songs from a group who really stood out this year. Love the guitars in "Stand By Me" and the melody. "Dive To Love" is a really nice song also. the peggies absolutely crept up on me with Hell Like Heaven, which given how enduring the songs have been for me, might well be by top album of the year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrmhmP42zcU&list=OLAK5uy_lmstCFQfn-WPynCpvfMZ-hthANLNPpNj8

December will have two massive for myself releases with BAND-MAID's CONQUEROR and Maison Book Girl's Umitouchunokodomotachi. BAND-MAID have been spotty recently. I liked "Start Over" but it won't be on the album and while "Glory" was good "Bubble" and especially "endless story" fell short for me. So I feel their best work is behind them. I mean you don't beat an album as intensely good as WORLD DOMINATION. "anemone" will forever be their greatest song.

Maison Book Girl on the other hand have had two absolutely fantastic singles this year so I have pretty solid expectations for their album given how remarkable their output is in general and how much I like "Kujira Koujou", "Yami Shoku no Asa" and "Silhouette". Their previous album "Yume" was also top notch. I suppose Seiko Oomori won't be continuing her yearly streak, likely for the better. However I do like "JUSTadICE" and "Re:Re:Love" a lot. That said her idol group ZOC's second single "Dansyari Kareshi" I'm not so into. 

[Manimal]

BAND-MAID kicks the doors down with new video "Reincarnation". This is a ripping track with fierce energy and a classic feel trademark of the group. It kicks, has a great chorus pick-up and a unique solo from Kanami. A really cool song and a video that is really badass as well, this is likely next album's "DICE".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ9dbEVgZcA 

SCANDAL have their third music video this year with "Saishuheiki Kimi". This song has a bit of a different feel with some cheesy keyboards and an autotuned verse. The groove is great and the bass is rumbling. But the song itself I'm a little less thrilled at. I don't really like the chorus or all the effects on Haruna's voice. However the song does kick hard, like "Masterpiece" and it seems SCANDAL are doing something different with their recent set of songs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEnXf3CiPSY

BiSH play it safe with "KiND PEOPLE". A fairly boring and standard song that mixes a lot of different BiSH tricks together into something that feels sort of soulless and lacking. The verse is good, I like the instrumental just fine but the chorus is boring and it's just an extremely underwhelming song. Even the video isn't all that exciting. This is basically 2018 era BiSH back again, I'm not thrilled by this. The ballad that came before was so bad and so painful that I won't even bring it up past that. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l5ZcSr9LCQ

BiS come and BiS go. I think without Pour Lui the group is not BiS, and even then the original generation ran it's course but here we are with the new third gen. That said, the new song and video for "Dead Or A Lime" is pretty neat. It's a spicy tune, I think this 4 member BiS is a lot more interesting than whatever nonsense was going on with the constantly changing line-up and gimmicks of the second generation. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VamRd-U3ew 

ZOC's second single "Dansyari Kareshi" is pretty neat. It has Seiko energy all over it and in the context of an idol group it works pretty well. The track as well is a cool production, I didn't really like it at first but it's certainly grown on me. It's basically a stepped up version of Kusokawa Party's style, and it comes together quite well here. "family name" was a good song but not what I expected a Seiko brained idol group to be, this song on the other hand is more what one would expect. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O59q5UB6B38 

PASSCODE's newest single "ATLAS" is ripping. A wonderful track with all the melody and musical variety the group brings. The chorus is fairly standard and sounds a lot like other songs, but the song is really good and there are plenty interesting parts. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q31RlO0tMbQ

[Manimal]

BAND-MAID, CONQUEROR 

Last year BAND-MAID delivered in my opinion the greatest Modern Rock album WORLD DOMINATION an absolute statement of Hard Rocking that completely blew me away. Following this was the Poppy single "Start Over" which has the name implied indicated a new path for the group, and further singles "Bubble" and "endless story" showed this as well. Now we have their 3rd full album CONQUEROR, an album which right from the start shows this is a different BAND-MAID than the girls who smashed our skulls open with songs like "CLANG" and "I Can't Live Without You".   

The album starts really light with the acoustic "inspiration" song "PAGE", which was kind of dull. "glory" kicks it back up, that is a song I love with a great groove and lots of energy. The first half is full of light balladly songs like "At the drop of a hat". "Mirage" was pretty interesting though and reminds me of "Awkward" with it's slow feel and cool guitar bits. Something this album is full of. Kanami's guitar parts are quite crafty and she plays many simple but neat riffs. Some of the songs like "Liberal" are unique and full of interesting bits. In some songs I think the cool bits overshadow the song, like "The Dragon Cries" which I don't really like the vocals on nor the overly loud production. 

This album in general flows and sounds a lot different than the group's previous works. Miku backs Saiki a lot with high vocal parts and there are a lot of small details. "flying high" is a good example of this, it's actually a pretty tight track with a lot of different parts. But something is lacking for me that makes it an overall good song. The songs just don't kick it they don't active my ape brain and make me jam. and the melodies aren't as good. But they aren't just doing the same thing again, there are plenty new things on here.

"Catharsis" is a really damn good. Easily my favorite on the album, it has a really great groove and the change up of rhythm in the second verse is satisfying. The chorus is great as well. "Blooming" also is amazing right from the start, it's fast and kicks ass. The album puts things into overdrive in it's last three songs. "Reincarnation" is just badass and as an album ender it kicks the doors down like "DICE" and "Shake That" before it. It's here that I wish the rest of the album made me feel this way. The last 3 songs and "glory" are the only tracks that I really like on first listen. It might take a few more listens since this is a new sound in a way and there are plently of details in the music, but right off the bat these 4 songs are all the hurtles my gurtle. Where as every song made me explode on WORLD DOMINATION.

I need to listen again before I decide if I like this album. It doesn't hit you right away and I'm left thinking it was 4 absolutely amazing songs and some decently solid ones. "Blooming" is the best song on the album and one of the greatest in BAND-MAID's catalog. It is NO DOUBT the best song I've heard all year and I keep listening like oh my God this song is amazing.

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_S4s8jZQ-A