It's a little punk, it's a little kitschy, it's fun and rock and pure SuG.
With the Peace and Smile Carnival concert rapidly approaching, it's time to make sure you're up to date on all of the bands involved. SuG is slated to be one of the opening acts, but that doesn't mean they're not as important as the bands in the main show! The young visual kei band has music that is just as fun, kitschy and colorful as their style - and their newest mini-album Punkitsch is just a taste of the good times they can deliver.
The mini-album opens with Butterfly boY, which has a deceptively slow intro. Turntables and synthesizers are used in full to create an underground dance club feel, but then the guitars and drums really kick in and bring with them a headbanging beat. Takeru alternates between bitter drawling and harmonic singing, and he sounds particularly smooth during the bridge. Both Chiyu and masato get a chance in the spotlight, the bassist getting a short solo and masato getting some poignant guitar licks after the bridge. In all, Butterfly boY is a fun, light hearted rock song with just the right amount of edge.
Next up is Rinne Sentimental Gang, which starts with a buzzing guitar riff. Then the band begins to chant and the song gets a rally vibe, as though it's setting the mood for a protest. Takeru raps the lyrics in the verses with impressive speed, and he is backed by the same guitar riff that carries the song along like jolts of electric shock. During the bridge, there is a really well done call and reply, where Takeru chants in a childish voice and is answered by what could be the rest of the band in death voice. The song winds down in a frenzy of noise and ends up acting as a lead in to an earlier song by SuG, Love Scream Party, as Takeru shouts, "Get the party started!"
HYSTERiC HONEY slips in with a reverberating synth beat threaded by a dominating bass line. There is some stop-and-go play between the bass, guitars and the vocals, which brings to mind Uesto Faaito Sto~ri~ from n0iZ stAr, and while interesting at first, it soon gets a little boring. The chorus doesn't cover any new territory either as it is rather similar to Vi-Vi-Vi's laid back, melodic chorus, so HYSTERiC HONEY ends up as a nice song that is classically SuG, but one that can be easily skipped over.
The following song, The last slim bullet, starts off distressingly similar to more of SuG's older material, but it manages to redeem itself slightly with pulsing instrumental interludes and pressing speed. The simple repeated melody can almost be ignored for those interludes, and if you are content to just headbang along, The last slim bullet should be an easy track to get through. It is a song that would probably be best heard live; there is a lot of energy to it, but it just doesn't seem to reach its full potential on a CD.
Finally, there is Gaki☆sensou~desperado wa totsuzen ni~. The song is immediately promising with a creaking door sound effect, clapping and whistles packed into the first half minute. The band gets the chance to shout along in the background once again, and though the melody during the chorus is simply harmonized arpeggios, it's catchy enough to work. The sound effect of dog barking is spread liberally through the song, which is both strange and amusing, and the song races along right up to the second the creaking door ushers it out. Gaki☆sensou~desperado wa totsuzen ni~ is the perfect track to end the mini-album on: it is fast, bouncy and leaves you in a great mood.
On the whole, Punkitsch is a strong release from SuG. Though it seems that a few of the melodies have been rehashed from older songs, there's no denying that Punkitsch is vivid and fun. And when the songs off the mini-album are performed live, the concert is sure to be an absolute party!
The first press limited edition also comes with the PV for Butterfly boY and behind the scenes footage, as well as a trading card.
