With their first full album in four years, the band is still cultivating the style that their fans love so much, but have also tried something new.
The wait for the next full album of the beloved oshare kei band An Cafe in Europe eventually found an end on December 13, 2013. Gan-Shin Records released the latest work of the colorful quintet, too, but this time simultaneously as a CD, download and stream. The label also included three bonus tracks for the European edition. But how do these new tracks sound? Did the hiatus have any effect on their style? We’re going after these questions now.
The opening track, Juryoku Scandalous continues the band’s musical style. Strong guitar riffs are reminiscent of when Bou was still part of the band. Unusually, miku's vocals were distorted over the whole song; however, the track keeps its danceable and entertaining character. Subsequent is the first song of their so-called "Harajuku" trilogy: ROMAN ~Let's make precious love~. This one is fast but still evokes a romantic touch. The next track feels relaxed but is still useable for parties. Compared to this, the next track, Utsukushii hito, seems almost heavy with its strong drums, guitar riffs, bass, cheeky raps and growls. Nevertheless, this song will surely please fans quickly when played live. Gendai Soldier Now. treads a different style again with sounds from a game center―at least it sounds this way. Throughout the track are bright rhythms, reminiscent of the old midi sounds, and various sayings.
The second half of the CD starts off with the soft, French-inspired and partially melancholy O no saki ga ienai. A bit unusual are the lyrics. While the melody arises feelings of wanderlust, in the refrain you often hear miku reciting the alphabet. Even the next track, Shomi Kigen 2010.01.04, belongs to the ballad works of An Cafe. It's tastefully accompanied by a piano and soft synthesizer chords. ITAI onna NO PAIN, NO LOVE? ~JAPAIN GIRLS in LOVE~, another part of "Harajuku" trilogy, moves back to the energetic rhythms. Strong guitars and drums create a thick and almost dark atmosphere. You should definitely pay close attention to the guitar solo within the bridge because it’s dynamic and very well-played. If you listen to the baroque chords and thunderstorms at the beginning of Inazuma no senritsu, you might notice a Versailles-styled sound, but An Cafe is consistently going their own way. This unexpected intro soon changes into a fast party song, in which only a few occasional chords from the keyboard remind you of its baroque intro. You should listen to this track at least once.
Every trilogy needs a closure. That's why Bee Myself Bee Yourself ~Jibun rashiku kimi rashiku umareta Story wa hajimattenda~ became the closing track of "Harajuku" on this album, but it's only the last track of the trilogy, not of the complete album. Within this song bright keyboard sounds bump into lively singing miku, and voilá, an entertaining song with holiday feelings is born. The following song, Kimi no machi ~5 person sing along ver.~, starts out very calm. Initially it brings to mind music lessons at school: the teacher sits behind the piano and gives you the melody and pace, and the pupil sings along the appropriate lyrics. However, even after other instruments join in, this impression won't leave. Through the additional vocals of takuya, kanon, Teruki and Yu-ki, a bit variety comes into play as well. As for the Japanese version of the limited edition, this song is surely a wonderful end to the album.
But we're reviewing the European press, and so there are three more songs to introduce to you. Let's start with Itsumo no Kiss de, the exclusive track of the Japanese regular A type. Within this song you only hear miku and guitarist takuya singing. The track itself is light-hearted and even possesses some elements of Latin music. In contrast, the next track, titled Love Me Tender, which was featured on the regular B type initially, features the vocals of bassist kanon, drummer Teruki and keyboarder Yu-ki. Compared to the previous song, this one seems to be overexcited and super fast. Occasionally the young men also rap a few lines, making the track even more peculiar. However, the very last song of the album, MERRYMAKING (Anti-Aging ver.), reduces the pace a bit and presents another lively party tune, vaguely reminiscent of their old hit BondS -kizuna-.
Long story short, the hiatus doesn't seem to be detrimental to the quintet. They’re still cultivating the style that their fans love so much, but they also have tried something new. Due to the variety, Hikagyaku ZiprocK also offers a wide mix of various party tunes and dreamy ballads. For 18 euros you're getting a useful, packed alternative to the expensive import.
