I just realized something that I hadn't really noticed until now about my favorite pillows songs.

Most (but not all) of the songs that are the most lasting and powerful to me are always the ones where Manabe has active lead guitar parts throughout the song, rather than just playing chords or intervals for 90% of the song.

Examples (not nearly all of the songs, just ones that I know EVERYONE loves):
Hybrid Rainbow
Swanky Street
Strange Chameleon
Kanojo wa Kyou

I think the reason the newer albums are probably not as appealing to most of us here isn't because they're bad music, but because Manabe isn't doing what he used to most of the time nowadays. We're getting way more songs where it's just constant power chords or intervals on the lead for 90% of the song instead of the amazing harmonies that we used to get. Manabe, as much as I love him, needs to step it the fuck up and give us more Scarecrows and New Animals. Yeah, power-chord driven rock songs like No Surrender are amazing, but we need more of what makes the classic albums so damned memorable.

Also, I'm aware there are plenty of songs on the newer albums with great lead lines, and those are the ones that I tend to fall in love with (Pleasure Song, Sayonara Universe, etc), I'd just like another album where EVERY song has fantastic guitar work.

We need more Manabe leads.

I'd have to agree with you. I believe that's the reason why Kool Spice is such an amazing pillows album. It's full of some of Manabe's most inventive and amazing playing. I think they should write another crazy jazz-influenced epic like Kool Spice was.

And that's why the Predators will always suck.

Anyway, it seems to me that Manabe almost always has an active lead guitar part, so it's like saying, "All the girls I find to be attractive are always the ones with two arms." Then again, I don't even have the newest albums, since I've been wrestling with hard drives over the past year, and recreating a music library is just depressing and tedious, and incredibly annoying because nobody can ever fucking get song information correct - even if you upload it from the God-damned CD.

I'd have to generally agree. It's always been part of the charm I've felt when listening to the pillows. Manabe's lead lines are always so, I can't even explain them. Good. Ha, songs like I Think I Can, Shiroi Natsu..., etc. Such great, great feel the lead gives to the song. I'm not hating on power chords driven songs. No Surrender is an amazing amazing song imo. But even if they did little lead lines over the power chords like in Blues Drive Monster, it just gives it a whole different feel.

Yeah, I agree with this. Manabe leads impregnate a song with awesome.
I miss the old leads.

Come on, a song can be great without lead guitars. Sometimes the lead can get in the way.

Listen to Good Dreams, it keeps it simple and (IMO) it's just as epic as Shiroi Natsu.

WAIT, WHAT?
Good dreams would get rather boring.

[quote="Raid"]Come on, a song can be great without lead guitars.[/quote]

[quote="Marekenshin"]Yeah, power-chord driven rock songs like No Surrender are amazing, but we need MORE OF what makes the classic albums so damned memorable.
[/quote]

Emphasis added, of course.

I really like this thread.
I also like pied piper.
I also like Swanky Street.
We need a bit of Swanky street with pied piper-ish songs.
I think that would be pretty cool.
Thoughts?

[quote="ThankYouMyTwilight"]I really like this thread.
I also like pied piper.
I also like Swanky Street.
We need a bit of Swanky street with pied piper-ish songs.
I think that would be pretty cool.
Thoughts?[/quote]

No, I don't want Swanky Street on Pied Piper.
I love Pied Piper
I love Swanky Street

I think Swanky Street should rest in peace now, and let Pied Piper take the spotlight.
Nostalgia is fun and whatever, but there has to be time where you need to [b]-MOVE ON-[/b]

the pillows' style is constantly changing. Sure, Please Mr.Lostman was a GODLY album, but I don't want every album to be Please Mr. Lostman. I'm interested to see what direction they take with their music, not how they can emulate their "good years"

[quote="MyFoot"]But even if they did little lead lines over the power chords like in Blues Drive Monster, it just gives it a whole different feel.[/quote]

Blues Drive Monster DOES have a lead line.

I agree that the pillows don't need to try to emulate their past work, and I like that they've been moving in a constantly new direction for them. There have been some recent songs with a heavy focus on lead guitar, but I'd just like to see the pillows make another album where every song is like that.

The lead in Blues Drive Monster is so simple, but seriously, that makes the song for me. Ever since I first picked it out, I ALWAYS listen for it. It blends with Sawao's vocals so, so well.

I got mini-interviewed when I was in like for the Seattle show @ Bump Tour USA 08.
They asked me what my favorite songs were.

I said something like "Ahhh, that's impossible! Hmm...I really like their older stuff, like Patricia, Kanojo wa Kyou, Strange Chameleon..."

I should have said fucking Ladybird Girl, Sweet Baggy Days, and Wake Up! Dodo. Just to make Sawao happy.

I was being honest, but I dunno how it'd hit my idol, who is constantly self-fellating whatever the new, current release is. I mean, relentlessly ignoring past fantastic achievements in favor of And Hello! and shit. But maybe if he ever got word of the short interview, he would secretly think "aww yeah this kid knows what he's talking about "

Ahhh but still, it can never be great to hear "HEY MAN, YOU'RE WAY PAST YOUR PRIME."

You misunderstood me, I meant that, yeah, little lead lines, I like the powerchord driven stuff too.
I don't want another bunch of PML's either.
I simply meant, that a couple more of those nice leads would be cool.
OK?

We've gotten "a couple" of those nice lead lines, what I'm thinking would be great is another album where almost every single song has nice lead lines.