Bear in mind THIS IS NOT THE LAST ISSUE THIS MONTH, because Earphone's first single is still taking its time to reach here, and there is a possibility this will only arrive next month, so... we shall see. *looks at calendar* Well they've got till Friday, haha.
音楽 The Klassic Note Review
SCANDAL - Stamp! [Single]
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| Limited Edition A | Limited Edition B | Regular Edition |
Origin: Why shouldn't you be surprised? Because it's a single from SCANDAL, probably the most infamous girls rock band in Japan which already extended their presence all over the world, without using any Anime as an excuse to do so. Recently finished their world tour (which includes my hometown which I did not go, yeah you know) and with it comes this single, likely stemmed from their trip around the globe. Again this is a self-composed single, which means the girls participate in most of the production of the songs, ever since last year with their album and singles that accompany it. They are impressive, from singing their own songs last year to continuing to try different stuff. Hopefully it doesn't involve changing their rock genre, because they are good, and that is what makes them great. Let's move on to the review.
(1) Stamp!
Plenty of English lyrics in this song, but then are strategically placed to sound great. Don't mind the Hallelujah in the lyrics too, blame MAMI if you want to. Anyways, this whole song is done by herself, and I must say is good. First impression isn't as much as I expected, but I got used to it. At least it's not rapping, so I'm fine. This song is likely also inspired by Western music, and also similar to a song I heard from one of their albums, "Right Here". So this became a breeze to absorb thereafter, and the music video just makes it better. Need I say more? It's fanservice. Good song anyways, and I hope they continue to do so.
(2) Flashback No.5
This one is probably the reason I missed another gift. Goddammit. (More below) Ignoring that, this song's first impression is not much too, probably because I heard an incomplete song or low quality but then the mood kicked in on a happy day just a few days ago, and this song has punch. Plenty of it. The producer - who helped write and create this song, who also is a familiar name in the Anime music industry - did a good job for making such a simple melody stand out, with shouts in the chorus and a strong song structure. (I'll say that when the song format is simple, you know) A great song to sing along, and I swear I did brainwash myself to this song for at least half a day ever since I heard it. Yeah.
Rating: 4 stars (Above Average)
Conclusion: Overall a great single to get hold of, if you like SCANDAL or even if you don't really like them, but man who doesn't? If you happen to not even if you hear every single rock band in Japan and you need a reason for listening to this, then I'll give you one. They write simple songs. Simple in terms of melody, and well done music production, if you know what I mean. I've grabbed my copy, so should you, or give it a listen. The music video is just right above.
-Kaineng, on the Klassic Note
THE PACKAGE
You know. The bad news. I missed it. A poster. Man what a difference will it make for my mood now. Because other stores give the new SCANDAL logo stickers in different shades of colours, and they don't look very interesting, the poster one appealed to me. And it's at CDJapan, and I missed it. Damn. You bet I'm still blaming myself for it, because I needed another day or two to give the B-side. And that probably is enough.
(Audience: I swear you look very depressed right now) No, I'm not! She's great! She writes good songs! Although I'd rather have TOMOMI, if not have RINA-chan first... (Audience: What about HARUNA?) Oh damn. Sorry.
On the other hand, I think I'm close to getting a gift featuring each of the girls. I'm left with HARUNA, apparently.
That's about it then for today. Stay tuned for more within the week (hopefully) where I review another single. Single-track, single. Not much, but still. Cya guys next time, and I'll get my computer fixed. Seeing how things go I may have to buy everything again. Yeah. Even the accessories. It's been three years, you see...