The singing style in Shinseiki has been around since long before hip hop, and I think that it's a clever and fun harmonic device, personally. If he were to start using it in every song, that would be one thing, but tossing out a cool song that really hits on a totally new feel for them as a band was great to see, and I'd really like more interesting songs to come from them in the future. We'll see.

I think Shinseiki is the better of recent singles, I like the B-side to the single. The intro vocal melody sounds strange to me, I do not really know what style it is but it sounded hip-hoppish to me. From 2:32 the song really starts getting me interested, but then at 3:40-3:52 I don't like the vocal melody there. Overall I like the song except for the intro which drags to me, and that little bit at 3:40-3:52.

Maigo Inu To Ame No Beat could have been a really good song, but those horns sound terrible. The lead guitar is mixed very low and I can barely make out what Kita is playing, and I really like his lead in this song. Parts of the vocal melody just seem rushed, it seems like he has to much to say and not enough space to say it so he start almost slurring words on top of each other. If they take out the horns and changed the vocal melody a bit I would really like this song.

What'd you guys think of the new album then? I only listened to it once so far, but first impressions are it's better than their previous two efforts. Honestly though, I loved Maigo Inu To Ame No Beat. And I thought the horns complimented it nicely, it was a really great touch and it was awesome to hear AKFG expanding into somewhat newer territory. I liked the vocal melody for the most part, I think it's one of the highlights of the album. Aerial Creature Blues was another song that stood out to me, and of course Solanin. Great closer despite it being a "bonus track".

Finally, finally got around to the new album today. I have very mixed feelings about it. Overall I feel the album fails to really pull it off in the same way that all their recent work has been just a bit short - it fails to really show any real development/progression of sound for the band. Sure, they have a few songs that bring something new to the table, but most of the album just feels like rehashed material that could have easily been a track that just got cut from a prior album. Heck, even the ones that change things up only really do so by adding extra instruments (Maigoinu, whatever Blues, and Microphone add horns, strings, and synth respectively; they're not bad songs, but they don't really reflect a change in overall sound), with the notable exception of Last Dance, which is by far the strongest and most interesting track on the album. Daidai wasn't too bad, but closing with the generic/forgettable Soranin was a poor choice. Hell, putting it and the other Sol-fa wannabe, Magic Disk, on the album at all was a waste of space. It's getting increasingly hard for me to want to follow this band when they continue to just play around slightly within the same sound rather than stylistically evolve (see: the Beatles, Queen, the pillows, every good band ever).



tl;dr version: Last Dance is great, the rest is mostly forgettable.

Edit: Giving it a second listen, I think this album will be one that grows on me, we'll see.

You win, Gotoh. It took about 4 listens to really sink in, but I'm REALLY liking this album now (other than the title track, which I still think is a weak Sol-fa reject), especially Aozora to Kuroneko, Whatever Blues, and Solanin.

[quote="Marekenshin"]You win, Gotoh.[/quote]

This is exactly how I feel right now. I just manned up, sat down and actually gave Magic Disk a listen. Goto's got some pretty great choruses. I'd say this album isn't entirely original, but it's fucking great, and much better than Surf Bungaku.

The album artwork is very consistent.

HAHA. So true.

Seriously though, this album really ended up being a keeper for me, despite my initial (rather intense) dislike of it as a whole.

I don't like it so much. I haven't really given it a day in court yet, but based on first impressions

Like I said, I thought the same thing at first (see my initial post about the album), but ended up falling in love with many of the tracks after repeat listens. I hope it ends up clicking with you mang.

Honestly, I dunno why, but when I first listened to this as well as you all did, I had to give it another couple run throughs. But it has definitely grown on me. I absolutely love this album. It's incredibly catchy and i'm very happy about it!

MAGIC DISK ROCKS!!!!

Nano Mugen Festival 2011 album is compilation is out, and they've released a new (and really catchy) song.

AKFG ft. Eriko Hashimoto - All Right Pt. 2 [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOO-tVWECWM[/url]

Also, Nada Surf has done a version of Mustang for the album: [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3cGOYQlLfA[/url]

I love the new song, and I think AKFG is becoming more and more popular. They got Weezer, Nada Surf, the Manic Street Preachers, and a few more bands to play at their festival. I hope they can hold one in New York some time.

I love Magic Disk, Solanin is such a great song. Check the live version of it on youtube if you don't agree, you will.

I really want to see the movie, but I wouldn't understand :/

Their new album came out today. I'm only on the first track, but I felt compelled to bump this thread with a well deserved [size=200]HOLY SHIT DOWNLOAD NOW[/size]

hXXp://uplly.com/myvkx5qt89aq
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Yeah, Gotoh bragged that this album was a masterpiece.

One could argue that he wasn't really exaggerating, this is their best release since Sol-fa for sure at a single listen with laptop speakers. Can't wait to bathe in those guitars with my headphones tomorrow.