What is teen rock-ish? If you can apply it to My Foot, then you can certainly apply it to 90% of everything else the pillows have done. Also, I think RNR Sinners is great - you just have to overlook the impossibly bad English.

Not sure if I can give you a specific answer for that. Let's just say I prefer the more subtle/pop-ish side of the last three albums than the pure rock'n'roll vibe of Good Dreams/My Foot.

[quote="Revol"]I prefer the more subtle/pop-ish side of the last three albums than the pure rock'n'roll vibe of Good Dreams/My Foot.[/quote]
How can one even think this? Good Dreams was the pillows' last great album imo.

Well, taste and opinions differ. I regard Penalty Life as the last great Pillows album.

My Foot may not exactly be my favorite pillows album, but it actually went in an interesting musical direction (with the emphasis on twin guitar interplay), which makes it stand out from the rest of their modern work in my mind. And on the subject of twin guitars, I'll give Ooparts one good point: I really liked how Dance With God brought that back, Frontiers-style. Other than that, there were a couple of good songs here and there, but it really was a rather lackluster album.

(That being said, as an aside, I still think Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! was the last good album from them. I can't justify it like I can justify liking My Foot—I just like a lot of the songs on that album.)

I haven't listened to this recently and I didn't buy it.

On the whole it seems so painfully average, like any band could have released OOPARTS. Taking it song for song it sounds ok, but there just aren't many things that stand out to me. Point blank, Johnny Strobe's chorus and take home is the highlight. Primer Beat is a great song and all but seeing as how the album lacked an interesting theme to begin with, a short throwback isn't much of a closer. The album overall seems to lack character, plus the book art is lazy and shitty.

I don't think it is unlistenable but disappointment is completely rational. Album needed to bake longer. It is their worst for me.

[quote="Cloudy_One"]I don't think it is unlistenable but disappointment is completely rational. Album needed to bake longer.[/quote]

I thought the same. Now of course the pillows have always been known for putting albums out quick, which is normal when comparing the rate of releases between most Japanese and Western artists. But even for Japanese standards, the pillows move quick between albums. 16 studio albums, 3 EPs, plus a bunch of other stuff in 20 years? Pretty rapid fire I'd say. And it never hurt them before. But I think for the first time, the turnaround from Pied Piper to OOPARTS was too quick. If they would have sat on it for longer, maybe somethings could've been changed, embellished, removed, whatever. Maybe add some new songs to the mix. This just really had a rushed feel over all. That's why I kinda hope we don't get another album from the pillows until 2011 as opposed to alter this year. Take your time and give us something great instead of decent.

[quote="Son Goshin"]If they would have sat on it for longer, maybe somethings could've been changed, embellished, removed, whatever. Maybe add some new songs to the mix. This just really had a rushed feel over all.[/quote]
Well if my aunt had balls she'd by uncle, yanno?

[quote="Orochi"]My Foot may not exactly be my favorite pillows album, but it actually went in an interesting musical direction (with the emphasis on twin guitar interplay), which makes it stand out from the rest of their modern work in my mind. And on the subject of twin guitars, I'll give Ooparts one good point: I really liked how Dance With God brought that back, Frontiers-style. Other than that, there were a couple of good songs here and there, but it really was a rather lackluster album.

(That being said, as an aside, I still think Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! was the last good album from them. I can't justify it like I can justify liking My Foot—I just like a lot of the songs on that album.)[/quote]

I'm completely with Orochi on his position. Wake upx3 was the last good album.

I must be the only one who is completely in love with My Foot. Degeneration and My Girl (document) are the only forgettable songs off that album.

I love My Foot, it was the first pillows album that I actually pre-ordered, and has some fucking amazing songs. Anybody who says otherwise is clearly just bad at rock musics.

I would love a Colorful Pumpkin Fields remake right about now...

[quote="Octave_Flow"]I would love a Colorful Pumpkin Fields remake right about now... [/quote]

Where is the love?

Camio, I feel you. I LOVE My Foot. The twin guitars and the good blend of alt. rock really got me into that album. Probably one of my favorite pillows albums.

OOPARTS REVIEW*

1. Dance with God

Strong opening song. All instruments (including vocals) are really working together well.
Shins drumming is solid as usual but now more remarkable. Manabe’s solo kicks in very well.
It’s like Frontiers, but it’s spiced up a bit. Most noticeable in the chorus. Sawao is less subdued.
(I favor this one over Frontiers, because I don’t like the high-pitch sound from the drumming)
8/10

4. Lemon Drops

“Unskillful play and sugary voice
Self-confident girl’s thoughtless idea
just funny”

I think it’s funny how Sawao sings “sugary voice”, while his voice is everything but sugary, haha. This is a song you don’t need to take seriously. It’s just a nice, funny, rocking song. You can easily sing along with. It has energy and the song just rolls it’s way. “More Lemon Drops!”
7/10

5. FOXES
“Someone died but I cannot feel sad,
The person who died seems to be a good man.”

This song. It sounded bland at first hearings. But after many listens, I gradually came to like it.
Actually, it’s one of my favorite tracks from the album. “How could you possibly like this song?”
I understand this song, I comprehend Sawao’s message.
“I believe no one needs clown’s make-up” or “I believe no one, I need clown’s make-up”.
I hear both. It’s an interesting stand. People should act how they are. You must not act like you are always happy or cheerful, when inside you feel insecure. Don’t show yourself in public as an actor, but dare to be yourself. On the other hand, everyone needs clown’s make-up if you don’t trust/believe others. It’s a song about estrangement, most hearable in the verses. And a song about frustration that goes along with it, most hearable in the chorus. I like to just shout along with the chorus.

I like how the song starts. One clear guitar, then comes the other guitar. And then Shin starts and brings the drums and bass. They all guide you to Sawao’s voice. (which has a suiting timbre)
Manabe’s solo kicks in very well again and Shin’s drumming is cool there. And the xylophone and horns, just fit in nice in my opinion. It gives some extra spice. Oh yea, Sawao’s English is fine here.
The song is a bit like Subhuman, but with more energy.
7.5/10

6. Beyond the moon

When I first heard this song. I was like, ‘man, so bland.’ Sawao tries to do a rock ballad, and all he can come up with is: “My beautiful sunflower”. Why would you call someone your sunflowaaaaa? I like this song at times. It isn’t bad. But it starts to get pale when you compare it with ballads like: Shiroi Natsu, The Scar Whispers, The sun that will not rise, Sayonara Universe, Right here like this (kono mama koko de)
It’s a bit like 1989, but more up-beat. It’s genuine and true, but somehow it doesn’t really get to me. Maybe it’s too repetitive and a bit too long. The song takes off at 4.00, from there it’s all good.
It doesn’t really matter what Sawao sings, as long as you can hear his emotions resonating through the words. “My beautiful sunflowaaa!”
6/10

7. Johnny Strobe
I recently came to like this song. I’ve got no idea what Sawao is singing about, but it sounds cheerful.
I like the way how the chorus just KICKS IN, just like in FOXES. The song has a classic pillows formula. (sort of) The song is a bit short though and hasn’t got much weight. It’s a filler maybe. But it does it's work nicely.
6.5/10

8. Ame agari ni mita maboroshi

When you’re at 1.20 you heard the song already. That’s a shame. Those 1.20 minutes are great though.
And we haven’t heard Manabe’s solo yet. Manabe solo is great. Maybe I’ve heard this song a bit too much already.
While listening to it now, it doesn’t move me. But I remember I was moved by it a couple of times. It’s not really something new, this song. It’s like Scarecrow’s little brother.
7.5/10

10. Primer Beat

It’s fresh, it’s up-beat, it’s cool. Sounds post-Kool Spice. A fun song like Lemon Drops.
6.5/10

I don’t like Your Order, Melody and LIFE SIZE LIFE that much.

[b]tl;dr [/b]
I really dig Dance with God and FOXES. (Yes, really)
I take this album over Pied Piper. For now I also take it over Horn Again. (not much distance though) It stands lower than My Foot/Wake Up!. But obviously not that much lower, as most of you guys have it. It took some time to get into this album, and with all the OOPARTS-hate already going on, it was a bit hard to stick at my own judgement. So yeah I agree, this isn't the crème de la crème, but it neither is the shit de la shit.

*[size=90]Be aware, these are my feelings and my thoughts. Not yours.[/size]