Remiobest is a smattering of emotions collected into one accessible bundle.
Remioromen is best known in Japan for their 2006 single konayuki, used in the drama series Ichi Rittoru no Namida. Their 2009 best-of album debuted at #1 on the Oricon Weekly Album charts and sold 280,599 copies in the first week.
Sakura is an invigorating first track. Like a stone thrown into water, the resonating sound ripples and reverberate. That sound is obliterated as both acoustic, electric guitar and drums frame the song, and Ryoto’s voice flickers on immediately. Easily heard and understandable, Sakura is laidback, mimicking the simplicity of falling sakura blossoms. Denwa is alluring and captures the audiences at first listen. Minor chords flavor the commencement of Denwa as soft, migrating tones travel across open fields, circumnavigating against a mellow rhythm of drums buried in the background. The flow of the song is recaptured as raw indie sounds wash over the track. Vocals are layered on top and the track remains consistent. RADWIMPS, although a newer group, coins a similar sound, and the similarities are very noticeable in Denwa.
The song melts into Biiru to Purin, which is an interesting song title as it translates to "beer and pudding." Biiru to Purin is laidback, calm and mellow. During the chorus and latter half of the track it grows and develops, making it easy for you to lose yourself in the simple lyrics or in the layers of the backing track. Biiru to Purin is beautifully arranged and flows directly into the next track, motto toku e.
Ame agari, however, is different and far more vibrant. It starts in a minor key, leaving the mellowness found in the previous tracks behind and surging beyond expectations. The beginning instrumental piece sounds like something An cafe would do: it's inviting and innovative. However, as the vocals are also in a minor key, the song begins to feel overdone. The vocals are slightly too strong in Ame agari and give the wrong impression amongst the soft backing track. Minami Kaze morphs into an untamed beast, growing stronger as it progresses - the upward turn of the album unwinds a sense of happiness. The song is uplifting and inspiring, and it's almost as if the tracks featured on Remiobest were in perfect order, matched by emotions and tone: the more involved and experimental the track, the later it appears on the album; calming tracks are placed towards the beginning.
For just over 4.5 seconds, the start of Ashita ni Kakaru Hashi sounds industrial and Goth oriented. Half a second later, the listeners’ become aware of the deception and the indie sound found across most of the album coats the track. However, the synthesizers do not disappear and flicker rhythmically in the background, like bells sounding in a blizzard. Ashita ni Kakaru Hashi is surprisingly fun and lively; Ryota’s voice suits this track quite well. Neither pop nor indie, Ashita ni Kakaru Hashi is carefree and dynamic.
Finally, we are presented with a piano oriented song on Remiobest; Taiyou no shita strikes resonating piano chords in the foreground as the pressure rises quickly in the chorus. Thoughtful and passionate, it could easily be an ending for a drama or anime. Wonderful & Beautiful is equally as thought-provoking, consisting largely of Japanese lyrics with sporadic English in a few stanzas. The interjections of English, however, make sense and aren’t just random English words.
Konayuki, the thirteenth track on Remiobest, is Remioromen’s most recognisable song. J-drama fans know this song as the ending for the series "Ichi Rittoru no Namida," hence its popularity. Layers of guitar and piano paint the scenery behind the lyrics as Ryota harmonizes with the underlying orchestral strings. Translating to "powdered snow," Konayuki induces the thought of snow falling on a crowded street while one lost soul starts a journey and finds her way through tightly packed bodies.
The last two tracks, Kami Fubuki and Yume no Tsubomi, calm the listener, easing them down after being on a musical high. They both contain the same pastel feelings as the first few tracks on the album.
All of the tracks on Remiobest may resemble each other closely - some even utilizing a similar technique - but the selection and order of the songs were delicately chosen. The natural rising and falling create stability in the listeners’ mood. This precise collection of songs suggests dedication and maturity, and it is an album worth indulging in and acknowledging.
