 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Blotto
Singles Collection 2004-2007 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
BOaT
Roro
Released: 2001.04.11 (AMCN-4527)
Label: East West Japan
Reviewer: Simon (2005.06.22) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tracklist |
|
|
|
|
|
01 - All
02 - Akiramujina
03 - Roots Of Summer
04 - Rummy Night
05 - Tuesday
06 - Circle Sound |
|
|
|
|
|
Review |
|
|
|
|
|
This was to be BOaT's last release before they split and went off to join various other bands such as Natsumen. Roro is a fitting swan song for an ambitious band that were never afraid to experiment. It is their finest and most coherent album as it takes what was good from previous albums Fruits-Lee and Listening Suicidal and distills it down into this - six tracks of pure musical inspiration.
The majority of the tracks are over five minutes in length, some of them largely instrumental. When there are vocals they are very laid back and in keeping with the theme of the album: summer. The whole album has a very light, happy, summery feel to it and whatever the time of year it calls up mental images of a lazy summer's day when you have nothing else to do. The songs flow together really well and this makes for a really nice album to just put on and relax to.
Musically there isn't really anything that sounds quite like this, about the closest comparison is to cross the sounds of Losalios and Marimari Rhythmkiller Machinegun but even that doesn't entirely encompass their sound.
There are no bad songs on the album, but the pick of the bunch would have to be the completely instrumental "Akiramujina". With an epic running time of nearly 10 minutes, you might think it would get dull or repetitive but it manages to avoid that as it starts of really slowly and quietly, gradually building up at just the right pace. It never feels rushed, finally reaching a frantic pace by the end. It's unusual for a song of this length, but I often listen to this song on loop. No matter how many times I hear it, I just never get bored of it.
The next best song, "Tuesday," is also nearly ten minutes in length. This one has vocals and is generally more laid back, not picking up pace, but just staying constant and meandering lazily along. It envokes a range of emotions, at times happiness, at other times nostalgia or longing, and as with "Akiramijuna" it holds your attention well for such a long song. This one is quieter, more subdued but no less inspirational.
If ever there was such a thing as a definitive soundtrack to the summer, this would be it. |
|
|
|
|
|
back to reviews |
|
|
|
|
