[quote="Jomei"]
I gave the single fairly positive remarks. I like it, and I'm actually surprised how good some of the album previews sound.

But if we give out genius status for bass lines like the one in Split Emotion, then Japan must be swarming with bass guitar super brainiacs. [/quote]
Oh, I meant in general. I also just said that because I was incredibly excited. Jun always impress me. But I do think he's a hell of a bassist. I didn't mean "genius" in a literal way... Y'know?

[quote="Jomei"]But if we give out genius status for bass lines like the one in Split Emotion, then Japan must be swarming with bass guitar super brainiacs. [/quote]

Duh. Everyone in Japan is a genius.

lol

Oh, fuck yes.

Gloomy Night > Split Emotion > Movement

====(B+)===========(B)=========(B-)====

Nothing to cream one's pants over, but I agree with the general consensus that this is B-material.

Gloomy Night was good - the intro/theme is great; the driving verse is good and the prechorus is fun (though both are standard rock); however, the chorus is standard Avex pillows boilerplate - which is really starting to get old; solo could have been better, but I liked some of the phrases and the tone. So yeah...B+.

This isn't my token jaded pillows fan, this is a legitimate - and this isn't a "complaint in the form of a question."

Am I the only one on this forum who finds Sawao's voice on Gloomy Night pretty undesirable? We've seen the decline of vocal quality since the 916 Special DVD, we all get that, that's fine since it's in the area of live performance only. But it seems like that sort of not-greatness is coming into the studio recordings.

I have the same criticism, just less so, about Movement and Split Emotion. But it's worst on Gloomy Night. The super clean, super loud (vocal) production just makes it worse.

Again, not trolling, this is not a space to respond with "FUCK YOU GR YOU DONT KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO ISN'T IN LOVE WITH THIS SINGLE."

I just want to know if I'm the only one who's definitely turned off by the vocals. No one else has said it yet.

I didn't like the vocals very much in Gloomy Night either. There's a couple of spots where they just annoy me with their jagged edges.

The single is pretty good though. Songs are better than what OOParts had to offer.

The tone of Sawao's voice has definitely changed throughout his career, and I won't say I prefer its current tone to, say, how he sounded on Little Busters, but I don't find it especially objectionable, either.

Split Emotion's vocal production (and performance) is fantastic. I like Gloomy Night's as well, though I can see how the verse vocal tone can be offputting to some. I really dig the prechorus/chorus vocal sound, it sounds very sincere and emotional to me.

I honestly didn't find anything wrong with the lyrics. But that's off of only one listen to Gloomy Night. I like his vocals a lot on Movement though actually. However, if there were one thing to complain about regarding this new single, it's that Sawao is still "playing it safe". All three songs are "verse chorus verse chorus (bridge) solo chorus". After all three solos, it seemed like there was no room to breathe going into that final chorus. Would've been nice to add maybe another bridge section with the solo fading into it or something. At least Movement has the different outro, I'll give Sawao that.

All that aside though, I am liking the music I'm hearing. I'm really digging the guitar crunchiness on Split Emotion's chrous, and now I can hear those keyboards too. Movement sounds even better. I think it's better than all of Pied Piper's singles. And that intro on Gloomy Night sounded so sweet, wish they could've messed round with that more. Also loving Manabe's solos. Pretty much standard fare for him, but they sound really nice and especially fit well on the two b-sides. Can't wait for this new album!

I have to disagree, GR. To me, his voice has become (or at least is on the way to becoming) tolerable to listen to. For me, the 916 DVD wasn't the beginning of a decline, but the lowest point on what is now a curve, with more recent releases picking up the quality that was there before.

[quote="Son Goshin"]Sawao is still "playing it safe".

"verse chorus verse chorus (bridge) solo chorus".[/quote]

Not to be a doucher or anything, but that honestly describes 95% of all pillows songs. Where have you been?

Not to be a doucher or anything, but that describes 95% of rock songs from the past forever.

[quote="Marekenshin"]that describes 95% of rock songs from the past forever.[/quote]

LOL I thought 'doucher' was some sort of local redneck incarnation. I still think the tones could have more dirt. And a smidge less mid.