"Primer Beat" is good and all, but I have no idea why you are all fellating it so much. Even though it's only two and a half minutes long, it's still not the kind of song I want to listen to over and over again. As might be expected of such a short song, it only has one repetitive musical theme that persists throughout the entire song, punctuated by a very forgettable chorus here and there, and an alright solo. The lead is fun, but not compelling, which is fine.

Basically, it just sounds like a simplistic song they rushed through, which [i]did[/i] come out really well, but I still stand by my assertion that there are no bombshells on this album, even after listening to this song and others several times.

I think Primer Beat gets so much attention because of its Jazzy roots, which gives IM hope that the pillows will return to days that most of us preferred.

Sawao probably found it in an old shoebox or something. Don't get your hopes up is all I'm sayin'

[quote="sheerheartattack"]"Primer Beat" is good and all, but I have no idea why you are all fellating it so much. Even though it's only two and a half minutes long, it's still not the kind of song I want to listen to over and over again. As might be expected of such a short song, it only has one repetitive musical theme that persists throughout the entire song, punctuated by a very forgettable chorus here and there, and an alright solo. The lead is fun, but not compelling, which is fine.

Basically, it just sounds like a simplistic song they rushed through, which [i]did[/i] come out really well, but I still stand by my assertion that there are no bombshells on this album, even after listening to this song and others several times.[/quote]

It's probably because in comparison to the rest of the album, it sounds damn good.
Like when an alright-looking girl is standing next to a really ugly girl.

The alright-looking girl isn't jaw-droppingly gorgeous, but when standing next to an ugly girl, she looks pretty good.

I obviously wouldn't mind if the Pillows decided to make more songs like Primer Beat, because it is pretty original. At the very least, it's the potential for a new sound.

I'm actually hoping they move towards more stuff like Lemon Drops, Beyond the Moon, and 1989.

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v359/yakasmitsen/Picture32-1.png[/img]

Ok, let's try something here..

What DO you guys want out of the pillows?

[quote="sheerheartattack"]"Primer Beat" is good and all, but I have no idea why you are all fellating it so much.[/quote]

I do wish it were longer, but at least for me personally, I'm gushing over it mainly due to the drumming and the bassline. Mostly the drums, come to think of it, but that's because I'm a drummer, and almost all of Shin's drumming on recent pillows releases has left me underwhelmed (until now, that is).

Also, even though it isn't [i]that[/i] spectacular itself, it is the most musically interesting song on the album.

[quote="Raid"]Ok, let's try something here..

What DO you guys want out of the pillows?[/quote]

moar primer beat plz.

Seriously, it's the jazzy stuff that got me into them in the first place. I don't want to be bored anymore by unmemorable pop rockers or the "quirky" crap that's a novelty at best. Primer Beat wasn't perfect, but it's one hell of a step in the right direction.

EDIT: Not that I don't like some of their more energetic/emotion-filled stuff, like anything off PML or Happy Bivouac for instance, but when it comes down to it, I prefer the jazz-influenced stuff kthx.

You guys have a very liberal conception of the word "jazzy." Then again, calling something "jazzy" is about as descriptive as calling something "rock-like."

Like I said, the lead and bassline were fun, but hardly anything in "Primer Beat" is particularly memorable or significant. It's a very light and shallow, but fun, song.

Furthermore, to Tidusaurus: I don't particularly remember the pillows ever being particularly "jazzy," even in the most liberal sense of the word (aside from a few songs here or there - might I repeat, in a fairly liberal sense of the word), but who prefers any album to their late-90's, or even early-00's, sound?

[quote="sheerheartattack"]You guys have a very liberal conception of the word "jazzy." Then again, calling something "jazzy" is about as descriptive as calling something "rock-like."[/quote]

Perhaps "jazz-influenced" is a better way to describe it. Like, a pop rock sound with jazz rhythms and (to some extent, although this is definitely stretching it) jazz-like improvisation. It was never really true "jazz/rock fusion" in the sense of, like, Steely Dan or something, but there were definitely traces of jazz style in it. This also goes for Primer Beat—it's got a bit of a swing feel to it, and the walking bassline obviously has its roots in jazz.

Also, I personally prefer Living Field to the pillows late-90's/early-00's sound in general (although I consider, for example, Happy Bivouac to be a better album in and of itself). That's just my opinion, though—I don't know how many share it.

the pillows have dabbled in some variant of jazz music in the past. What would you describe [i]Kool Spice[/i] or [i]Living Field[/i] as? There is obvious influence from jazz. This influence is what we construe as "jazzy" in a pillows song. Obviously, not all songs on these two albums are versed in jazz (for example, songs like "Sunday" are not evocative of jazz, despite the active harmonic textures)... but songs like "Watch out for the Spy of Love" and "Angel Fish" reek of jazz influences. the pillows were never a jazz fusion band, but they were able to get close to a somewhat blurry line with certain songs from the early/mid nineties. Most notably, the walking bass lines and the style of lead guitar playing Manabe employs (if we had more live footage for 92-95, I'd be able to better back this up).

In "Primer Beat", there is a mood that is reminiscent of these days somewhat... but with the energy and pop sound of their recent releases combined in. The heavy distortion of the bass is what does it for me, more than the lead guitar playing (which isn't as intricate as you might think if you actually listen to it). The solo thrives off of the energy of the song, but it doesn't get too deep either, in any sense of the word. Again, it's kind of like a throwback, not a full on work of music. If the pillows want to go with a more superficial sound, I think they should keep on messing around with songs like "Primer Beat" and see what they can get, which I don't doubt they will do to some degree.

You guys will argue about fucking anything

[quote="Marekenshin"]I'm actually hoping they move towards more stuff like Lemon Drops, Beyond the Moon, and 1989.[/quote]

I fucking second that

I'm actually hoping they move towards more stuff like YUMEGIWA LAST BOY.

I don't know that Sawao is capable of that sort of music, just as I don't think Nakakou has any Swanky Streets in him.