[quote="Thinliine"]stuff[/quote]

I like how we are total opposites on many of the songs.

Wake up! dodo - same as Thinline.

YOUNGSTER(Kent Arrow) - short, catchy, fast. it's all right. not anything amazing.

プロポーズ "propose" - this was the first time that i've heard this, so i can't compare it to the live versions everyone is talking about. it's a decent track.

スケアクロウ "scarecrow" - i still like it. but i still don't think it's anything really amazing.

BOAT HOUSE - this song was a nice surprise. from the short sample on youtube, i didn't think i was going to like it... it's definitely one of my favorite tracks from this album though. very upbeat and melodic.

プレジャー・ソング "pleasure song" - another surprise. i agree with what Jomei said, that it's kind of "modern rock radio". but really, it sounds very "pillows" to me. and it has a good solo too.

シリアス・プラン "serious plan" - eh. the chorus is kind of annoying, and the verse, in my opinion, is slower than it needs to be. i definitely think that they could have done a lot more with it.

Skinny Blues - nice solo. the intro sounds like something from a spy movie.

プライベート・キングダム "private kingdom" - the best track in my opinion. the acoustic guitar was a nice touch.

Century Creepers (Voice of the Proteus) - really heavy. the verse sounds a lot like THUNDER WHALES PICNIC. i can't say that it's very impressing though.

Sweet Baggy Days - a nice song to end the album with. the title chorus was disappointing (especially at the end when Sawao starts screaming it). i also kind of wished that they would've kept playing the part right before Sawao starts screaming (the short drum fill).

i can't say that i'm disappointed, but i also can't say i'm really impressed. i was hoping for at least one song like shiroi natsu (a slow, melancholy song). alas.

Wake Up! dodo: My thought continues to be: boring. But man, it's tons better than the next three songs.

Youngster (Kent Arrow): I'm voting this for worst pillows chorus ever.

Propose: Very, um, underwhelming, and the production robs it of pretty much all power it could have. Hell, the production on this entire album is straight horrid. Very plastic.

Scarecrow:

Boat House: Sup "Patricia." Despite stylistically treading over already-perfected ground, this makes the previous four songs look like total shit by comparison.

Pleasure Song: FUCK YEAH! Why is this middle stretch so incredibly awesome? It sounds a lot like "My girl," but it's waaay catchier. And it's one of the few [i]Wake up![/i] tracks I see myself listening to in the future.

Serious Plan: Oh, remember that stretch on [i]Good Dreams[/i] where every song was boring as hell? (except those songs were also kinda good, i.e. "Frontiers") Well this is incredibly reminiscent of that, except featuring no noteworthy aspects in any respect. Well, okay, "buenos tardes" is pretty great.

Skinny Blues: Throwing in the '60s influence again, and to great effect, too.

Private Kingdom: It starts off so fucking interesting, like "I've never heard a pillows song sound like this" kind of exciting and then it becomes kind of average by the chorus. Regardless, I kinda like it still. This shit's gonna grow on me hella when I least expect it.

Century Creepers: RARRRRGH. The clean-ass production finally leaves the room and what we have is basically the most effective song in the set.

Sweet Sweet Baggy Days: Really enjoyable, much more so than the clip of the chorus on youtube ever suggested.

Overall, the album's on par with [i]Good Dreams[/i] for me, which means, considering my incredibly low expectations, I was often pleasantly surprised during the second half of the album.

Century Creepers and BOAT HOUSE were my favorites from the album. PROPOSE sounds kind of strange. Maybe because I'm used to the live version.

This is a pretty damn good album. Although still not up to par with "Runners High" or "Thank you, my twilight," the album surpasses "MY FOOT" as the second-best album of the 2000s. "BOAT HOUSE," "Sweet Baggy Days," and "Wake up! dodo" are my favorites from the album.

Here's the album at 320kbps for bitrate nazis like me.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=KDO559DB

Manabe sucks.

So this CD blows My Foot, Good Dreams, and Penalty Life out of the water for me. Overall, I actually like it better than TYMT statistically as well (while TYMT's best are better than the best on here, there's only 5 AMAZING songs on TYMT, while I LOVED 7 of the songs on Wake up!x3). I'd say this album is as good as TYMT and Smile. Not as good on all the songs, but overall the most solid thing they've put out in years.

Wake up! dodo - fun, but not terribly amazing.

Youngster - really fun, catchy.

Propose - pretty sweet, but a rougher mix would have been appreciated.

Scarecrow - <3

Boat House - three way guitar sex? yes please. the way that the two guitars and bass interact make me happy in the pants. Who said "Patricia"? Get out, nowhere like it.

Pleasure Song - really, really good. I like this one a lot, despite it's "modern pop rock" sound. The chorus is great, especially the bridge and last chorus. Great, fun solo, awesome lyrics and vocals.

Serious Plan - despite the chorus, the interplay between guitars and bass during hte verse is really awesome, and I like it a lot overall.

Skinny Blues - Whoah. Fucking win. The chorus is great, can't find anything to complain about with this song. Sweet solo.

Private Kingdom - despite mixed reviews of other people, I really enjoyed this track. The acoustic really does sound nice, and it deserves it's length. I love the variety throughout the song.

CENTURY CREEPERS - My favorite off the album. Holy shit. Remember the first time you heard something like Blues Drive Monster, how it blew your mind and went by too fast? I had to resist telling Sweet Baggy Days to fuck off and listening to this track again right away. My only complaint is that the song is ONLY 3:24. I wouldn't have minded another two minutes, the chorus brought chills. A longer solo and maybe a sweet contrasting bridge section would have been nice, but the song is fucking amazing as it stands. The Thunder Whales-esque intro was just fucking awesome as well. This song is gonna get a LOT of listening by me. XD Every time I listen I just go THE CHORUS IS TOO SHORT. FUCK. That's a damn good sign that the song is really hitting with me. I love the way that each of the three choruses builds on the prior ones. The first one is nice, but lets back down into the verse rather gently. The second one takes off a little more, and the solo keeps that wonderful motion going. The third and final chorus, however, is just godly. Taking it back up to top gear for a final time, the vocals are even more raw and emotional. I seriously can't get enough of this song.

Sweet Baggy Days - Contrary to other opinions, I thought the sped-up part at the end with the higher singing was sweet. Singing that high is just awesome, and it sounded good. The intro was really sweet. Despite feeling letdown after the all-too-abrupt end of CENTURY CREEPERS <3, the song is good enough that I forgive them, and the lead during the chorus is wonderful. It's a great length and feel for a closing song. I love when the pillows end with something a little slower and longer, it really gives the album a great ending feel. It ends with an awesome energy that makes up for Century Creepers not being long enough. SWEEEET BAGGY DAAAAAAYS! BAGGY DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYS!!! YEAAAH!!! <3

Where My Foot took until track 8 to really get amazing, I'd say this album was REALLY good from track 4 on, though the first three are also good. There are a few songs that are good enough to make me want to listen to them over and over again, plus several songs that have the feeling of "I'LL GROW ON YOU, WATCH IT," so I'm really pleased with it.

Overall there were four things that REALLY impressed me with the way they went on the album:

1. Sawao's voice. Holy shit, has it done better here than it has in AGES. Those high notes are a real joy to listen to, he dropped that nasal shit and sounds great.

2. Manabe's guitar. He's really been cleaning up his riffs for this, every song has cool guitar lines throughout, and the solos have been mostly tight and cool to listen to.

3. DRUMS. Shin's drumming on this album was way more energy-filled and driving than he's done for a long time, it sounds as though he was really into it. The drumming quality is just better than recently, it's awesome.

4. BASS. Jun actually putting out for us? Thank you! Most of the songs have better bass than the last three or four albums. The interactions on Boat House and Seriuos Plan are especially sweet.

tl;dr version:
Best album in years.

10:32 AM
Cesar Chamorro: Wake Up!
Thinliine has joined this chat.
Jomei has joined this chat.
Thinliine: asdflkjasdf
Jomei: cocks on fire
Cesar Chamorro: my ass is on fire
Jomei: that happens to me a lot
Thinliine: MATSURI SESSION KARA, MATSURI SESSHON
Jomei: spicy food, brah
Cesar Chamorro: LOS ANGELESSSSSSSSSS
Thinliine: ATORANTAAAAA
Cesar Chamorro: CARIFORNIAAAAAAAAAAAA!!
Cesar Chamorro: i like wake up do do
Cesar Chamorro: except the chorus
Cesar Chamorro: which is gay
Cesar Chamorro: the pv was pretty cool
Thinliine: I like how the song is fairly original
Cesar Chamorro: yeah
Thinliine: It doesn't really sound like anything else they've put out
Cesar Chamorro: youngster sounds like it's been down before
Thinliine: Yeah
Cesar Chamorro: but i'm trying to figure out who has done it before
10:35 AM
Jomei: the pillows
Jomei: but its still pretty good, imo
Jomei: and i really like wake up dodo's chorus
Cesar Chamorro: no, it sounds like someone else has done that song before
Cesar Chamorro: OH!
Cesar Chamorro: beat crusaders!
Thinliine: When I first heard that song, I thought the chorus would be awful, but it's nnot bad
Jomei: the vocal melody is great and the lead guitar is nice
Cesar Chamorro: hit in america
Jomei: ah
Cesar Chamorro: yeah that's it
Jomei: i cant remember that one
Jomei: ill check it out again later
Cesar Chamorro: yeah
Jomei: beat crusaders are pretty unremarkable except for tonight, tonight, tonight
Cesar Chamorro: SAWAO RIPS OFF BEAT CRUSADERS?! D:
Thinliine: I'm sure it's only a matter of time before Culen and co. start fussing about how it's the most horrible album of all time. I doubt they'll even listen to one thing before passing judgement
Cesar Chamorro: the opening chords mainly
Cesar Chamorro: haha
Jomei: well yeah
Cesar Chamorro: probably
Jomei: they'll hate it
Jomei: but that doesnt actually say anything about the album
Thinliine: Yeah
Cesar Chamorro: jomei, you're right, propose could have used some harder distorition
Jomei: okay so
Jomei: yeah
Cesar Chamorro: it's kinda meh though
Jomei: propose
Jomei: i really like it
Cesar Chamorro: for me it's meh
Cesar Chamorro: :/
Jomei: k watevs
Cesar Chamorro: OH CRAP I'M LISTENING TO ONE LIFE!
Thinliine: I still think it sounds like Ging Nang Boyz
Cesar Chamorro: propose?
Thinliine: *Propose, that is
Thinliine: The chorus
Cesar Chamorro: i'll have to compare the songs
Jomei: i know what you mean
Thinliine: Ano blah blah 1mm demo Chokkai etc.
Jomei: but its a minor thing
Cesar Chamorro: ah ok
Jomei: i only wish sawao would rip off mineta
Cesar Chamorro: boat house is kinda interesting
Cesar Chamorro: it also sounds familiar
Jomei: well
Jomei: after 16+ years, it's got to
Thinliine: I thought Boat House sounded like early nineties stuff, kinda
Jomei: yeah
Jomei: i thought of pantomime
Cesar Chamorro: ah yeah a little bit
Jomei: oddly enough
Thinliine: It kinda reminded me of Ano Koro ni Modotte
Cesar Chamorro: pleasure song is way too poppy for me
Jomei: yeah
Jomei: i agree on that jedi
Thinliine: It sounds too much like My Girl
Jomei: its still a decent song
Cesar Chamorro: yeah it does
Jomei: ^yup @ that
Thinliine: I liked the guitar in it, though
10:40 AM
Jomei: its still kinda good
Jomei: the bridge thing after the solo is kinda cool too
Cesar Chamorro: totally agree on the chorus of serious plan, jomei
Cesar Chamorro: come on sawao, seriously
Jomei: the bridge in pleasure song reminds me of babiron
Cesar Chamorro: skinny blues kinda sounds like it would fit in on TYMT
Jomei: yeah
Cesar Chamorro: it reminds me of ritalin 202
Jomei: i think its a good song
Cesar Chamorro: i like the intro of it
Jomei: the intro guitar is cool, kind of like a spy theme
Cesar Chamorro: yeah
Thinliine: I thought Skinny Blues was really good. The solo was excellent.
Jomei: i like the chorus too
Cesar Chamorro: private kingdom sounds a little like their HB era stuff
Jomei: its one of the weirder songs
Thinliine: Ehh, I didn't think it was very interesting
Jomei: the verses and stuff remind me of beck
Jomei: and the chorus sounds like something off Smile
Thinliine: I haven't heard Beck recently, so I don't know that I caught that
Jomei: it sounds like... sexx laws or something weird
Cesar Chamorro: ugh, century creepers' intro sounded like all the other emo bands out there
Jomei: maybe its in the drums
Thinliine: I thought it was pretty good
Jomei: century creepers is really good tho
Cesar Chamorro: it's a little different yeah
Jomei: march of the god part 2
Jomei: but
Jomei: really good id say
Cesar Chamorro: sweet baggy days kinda reminds me of gazelle city
Thinliine: I thought Sweet Sweet Baggy Days was good, despite the less-than-inspired chorus lyrics :/
Jomei: i think thats the worst song
10:45 AM
Cesar Chamorro: well actually, it totally reminds me of it
Jomei: gazelle city has a looot more energy
Jomei: sweet baggy days has no business being this long
Cesar Chamorro: gazelle city is one of my favorite songs, but this sweet baggy days is kinda like a crappy follow up to gazelle
Thinliine: yeah, Gazelle City is better, but for Wake Up, the song's not bad
Jomei: eh its ok
Jomei: like ive said, i dont dislike any of the songs
Thinliine: I didn't think any of the songs were bad, ala Degeneration, but a lot of them seemed rather uninteresting to me
Cesar Chamorro: over all, i like how the production didn't come out as clean as mr. clean
Jomei: yeah
Jomei: the only song i find uninteresting is sweet baggy days
Cesar Chamorro: yeah
Thinliine: Needs more SGDA production
Cesar Chamorro: HAHA FUCKIN YES!
Cesar Chamorro: come on jun! get some distorted bass!
Jomei: that too
Thinliine: That album has some of the grittiest, most inaccessible production ever
Cesar Chamorro: which is why it's perfect
Jomei: theres more jun action on this album than the last two
Cesar Chamorro: yeah i noticed that on a few songs

Wake Up! dodo = 9/10
Needed more jamming in the solo, it's just too simple and easy sounding as it is. Still pleasant all through and a fun opener.

Youngster = 9/10
The structure of the song is surprising how it sounds like the verses and choruses just blend into each other and bounce along. It's better than I expected.

Propose = 10/10
OMG, I love the way it sounds, and the voice effects are cool. Very good song.

Scarecrow = 9/10
I've always liked it, the chorus is great to sing along to in my head.

Boat House = 10/10
Very nice, great intro/outro, splendid chorus. Wins all over.

The Pleasure Song = 10/10
Neat intro, wasn't expecting the verses to sound like they do, very nice. More win.

Serious Plan = 7/10
The chorus sounds like he's mocking someone.
Fool: I'll show you morons, I've got a serious plan!
Sawao: lol, [i]SERIOUS PLAN, SERIOUS PLAAAAANNNN[/i]

In that context, I like it. Could've used a better solo though, it's too low-key. Also, 4 minutes seems long for this. I loved how Lonesome Diamond took forever even though it was only 4:00 - 4:30, but this song seems to linger for too long. I think it could grow on you, but it's easily the weakest track.

Shitty speakers and headphones on PC made my ears start to hurt around this point, so I turned it down a little and may not have been paying full attention from here on out.

Skinny Blues = n/a for now
I remember a sudden burst of shredding near the end that was cool and unexpected, but I felt it was only ok. I'll probably like it more when the album comes and I can play it on my stereo without headphones.

Private Kingdom = 8.5/10
I kinda feel the whistle is out of place, but it may make more sense on a stereo, other than that, this one will grow on you.

Century Creepers = n/a for now
Was underwhelmed, honestly, but I need to hear it again in better conditions to really get into it.

Sweet Baggy Days = 9/10

Great ending, reminds me of Beautiful Morning With You, (which should've been the end of HB, I still think Advice ending it was a retarded idea.) I don't have a problem with just saying the chorus title, as long as it's not the entire album. I love the ending shouts and the high speed bass, it's like one last hurrah before the ending.

Overall it's as great as I was expecting. I don't fully understand what you mean when you say the production sounds plastic, I thought it sounded better than MF in that regard. There was just more to listen to at every turn, I think we'll all need to listen to it more to truly catch everything.

Verdict: [b][u]GREAT SUCCESS.[/u][/b]

[quote="Kaze no Mirai"]Century Creepers and BOAT HOUSE were my favorites from the album. PROPOSE sounds kind of strange. Maybe because I'm used to the live version.[/quote]

Yeah, that's how I felt about Tsuyogari at first, but I like the studio version a lot. The only thing that throws me is the stereo separation on the intro of Tsuyogari..

As of now, I'm downloading it. =( Effin' skool; I just got home.

Thanks for the very quick upload of the album. I'm very pleased with it. 9/10.

good quality scans for the win?

Awesome album I am very happy with it. Yay for the pillows!

GR and Schamtzee are god. thank you.