[quote="Cloudy_One"]If we're going to kick each other in the balls here with the "You have low standards because you like this" lines, then I could easily pan Last Holiday, because IIRC, Jomei really liked that one. [/quote]

You could, but then you already have a reputation as a rabid pillows apologist (viewtopic.php?t=2942&start=690), so I'd be surprised if it were taken seriously. I'm not suggesting anyone has low standards for liking one song. It's more because of statements like "I love all of My Foot" and such that fit into an overall mindset of worshiping every pillows release regardless of its quality relative to their other work (even compared to their recent shit, let alone their best albums).

[quote="Jomei"][quote="Cloudy_One"]If we're going to kick each other in the balls here with the "You have low standards because you like this" lines, then I could easily pan Last Holiday, because IIRC, Jomei really liked that one. [/quote]

You could, but then you already have a reputation as a rabid pillows apologist (viewtopic.php?t=2942&start=690), so I'd be surprised if it were taken seriously. I'm not suggesting anyone has low standards for liking one song. It's more because of statements like "I love all of My Foot" and such that fit into an overall mindset of worshiping every pillows release regardless of its quality relative to their other work (even compared to their recent shit, let alone their best albums).[/quote]

I did love all of My Foot. When I first listened to it. Now, that I've taken it in, of course there are songs I don't think are that good on the album. I don't worship the pillows (I mean, sure, I give them extra leeway cause they're my favorite band)...

I don't like it when songs get completely dissed though. Even songs that I don't necessarily enjoy personally. I always try to look at songs from a personal and then objective stand point before making judgments on them. Y'know, see what's good and what's not. Songs like Degeneration obviously lack the luster of the more "serious" pillows music... but they still have some value. Everyonce in a while, I listen to Degeneration or Phantom Pain, and I get a taste that is something like a type of failed brilliance, like a project that had something to it, but failed on the way.

That said, there's something to love in most of the pillows' most, at least, for me. I obviously don't wholeheartedly love all of My Foot, but at some point in time, each track has given me some type of enjoyment (some more than others). I remember walking to dairy queen a couple of years ago with my iPod on. Degeneration came on, and at the moment, it immediately clicked and I loved it. Even the mediocre songs have their place.

[quote="Tidusauron12"] Even the mediocre songs have their place.[/quote]

Yeah, they have their place on the cutting room floor, IMO. That's my whole point. The pillows in recent years turn their quality control off when there's money to be made. Good for you if you enjoy this stuff. I guess you're their target audience. I'd much rather have them filter out the lesser songs and deliver only the best even if it takes longer for a new release.

Moreover, since you recognize that some of these songs are mediocre, do you think it tarnishes their other work at all to have a track like FLAG STAR put alongside classics like RUSH, Another Morning, and Please Mr. Lostman?

[quote="Jomei"][quote="Tidusauron12"] Even the mediocre songs have their place.[/quote]

Yeah, they have their place on the cutting room floor, IMO. That's my whole point. The pillows in recent years turn their quality control off when there's money to be made. Good for you if you enjoy this stuff. I guess you're their target audience. I'd much rather have them filter out the lesser songs and deliver only the best even if it takes longer for a new release.[/quote]

Of course, I wish the mediocre was filtered out as well. Overall, they do more harm to me as a listener than good. I love the pillows, so it hurts me when they release crap. But... I can sympathize because they're in Japan (it seems like every band/group has 16 albums and 50 singles). I think in Japan there's this weird thing where they think they have to crank out 2-4 singles and an album a year every year. Even after eleven years of releasing golden music, they barely made the charts, and finally, when the quality level started to level and fluctuate... they got popular.

Also, I definately agree about spending more time on works. That's what I hate about society today. If I recall correctly, it took Johannes Brahms ten fucking years to finish his first damn symphony... but he finished it. And people loved that shit and it's a masterpiece. Today, if the pillows skipped a year or two in album releasing they'd probably get ass-fucked on the charts. They're definitely rushing these releases, and its showing in their newer songs, I think. I don't think should take years to write eleven 3-5 minute songs, but there's definitely some heart missing in the more recent stuff. Trust me, there's nothing I love more than the pillows 1992-2002. It's just pure bliss.

[quote="Jomei"]Moreover, since you recognize that some of these songs are mediocre, do you think it tarnishes their other work at all to have a track like FLAG STAR put alongside classics like RUSH, Another Morning, and Please Mr. Lostman?[/quote]

FLAG STAR should not be on the Best of...? I don't know. I don't think FLAG STAR holds a candle to ANYTHING on that album, but it's more like a "goody" than the pillows saying "hey, this song we never released is just as good as every other track on here!" I'm glad it got released though, it's pretty cool.

Guys, everyone has different likes and dislikes. It's not a matter of worshiping pillows, but some people really DO like 'All of My Foot'.

I liked all of My Foot, I disliked most of Moon Gold, yet some people absolutely ADORE Moon Gold, I don't think any less of them for doing so, it's all a matter of taste.

[quote="Jomei"]Moreover, since you recognize that some of these songs are mediocre, do you think it tarnishes their other work at all to have a track like FLAG STAR put alongside classics like RUSH, Another Morning, and Please Mr. Lostman?[/quote]

If anything, I believe Kono Yo No Hate Made is the odd one out on that CD, but then again, (Once again) this all comes down to personal taste.

What I read of myself was a bit overkill, I admit, but all I was doing was being a cheerleader for something I liked that I thought was being a bit misrepresented. If I didn't like Wake Up!, I would have said so, or more likely said nothing at all. I don't have a problem at all with you using my [i]book report response[/i] there as a point against mindlessly defending a new release in your conversation with Tidus, but I don't really feel that applies to FLAG STAR. It's a new song that you don't like but I like. That's the beginning and end of it.

The only reputation I have is over-thinking the weight of someones opinion or comment. I can think of plenty of instances a new pillows release came out and I wasn't going gaga over it.

I feel like a middle point in this conversation between Jomei and Tidus. I don't neccessarily agree with either of you here. I agree with Jomei that they rush out songs and some should be cut... [i]But not this one[/i].
I agree with Tidus that even though some songs may not be their [i]greatest work ever[/i] they should still not be completely discounted... But it's more than a little obvious that they are letting more average to sub-par material onto the albums.

I've been an advocate of the "this isn't as good as classic pillows but it's still pretty good so I'll listen to it" position in regards to post-TYMT pillows albums. But I maintain that FLAG STAR, while not offensively putrid like a handful of songs of theirs I really despise, is totally uninteresting to a discerning ear, and this is painfully obvious when it is placed on this best of album and juxtaposed with some of the pillows' better songs from recent albums as well as a number of absolute classics.

And if anyone DOES think that FLAG STAR holds a candle to Please Mr. Lostman and Another Morning, then let this discussion end, for you and I have no more to say to one another.

Well, I don't think anyone was saying that. At least I hope not.

No, maybe Flag Star shouldn't have been tacked onto a "Best of" compilation. It certainly isn't the pillows' best work by any means, but it's enjoyable. Maybe if the pillows' were to come out with another b-side compilation, then maybe that would've worked better. Or a deluxe album of Penalty Life. But I think before we see a deluxe album of PL, we better see deluxe versions of PML, LB, RH, etc.

Consider that the last bonus track we got on a best-of pillows collection was Fool on the Planet, and I hope you'll see my point about what a disappointment FLAG STAR is.

^For god's sake man! They [i]named[/i] that Best Of after the song FotP. They knew that song was one of their best. Flag Star wasn't the title of this best of... I think it's a goody. Nothing more, nothing less. I agree, next to RUSH and all of those other classic pillows tunes... yeah.

I just listened to Flag Star the first (and second) time, and I don't see anything particularly wrong. It's nothing too amazing, but it's certainly far from crap...

Waaaaiiit.
U meanz peeplz haf diffint 'pinions?

Cut the crap y'all, I suggest we get back on topic. (20th Releases only)
Lets start off with: Which dvd do you want more?

I want the Budokan concert on DVD. Even if it's a long while till that comes out, I can't wait to watch it and be envious of every person in the audience.

OH YEAAHHHHHHEEEAAAAHHH ONE RAIIIIIFU

Finally listened to Rock Stock, and I can't say enough how bad this shit sucks nor do I know where the pillows have to go after dragging their best songs through the dirt.

Well, maybe that's hyperbole. But each of these re-recordings is almost identical to its original, adding next to nothing new creatively while substituting generally shittier sounding vocals and blander (in my opinion) guitar tones.

I Wanna be Sullivan is the one exception and probably deserved a self-cover much more than any of the other songs on the album. And 1989 is a pretty cool song, so at least not all is lost. Simple solution would have been to put 1989 on the other best-of collection, title it after that song, and up these self-covers for free download on their site.

[/Jomei editorial]

Proceed to purchase and fellate this "new" release (but honestly, where the fuck do they get off selling us New Animal, Mr. Droopy, Ladybird Girl, and Tokyo Bambi again ALREADY??!).　円＋＋＋＋

We already discussed this, nobody gives a shit.