[quote="Octave_Flow"][b]I concluded[/b] that every one of their albums has it's own unique taste.
[b]I might [/b]not crave a specific one now but...
[b]I assure[/b] you I will eventually.
[b]I am[/b] happy that the pillows are expanding their menu.[/quote]

Truth. I remember I never used to like Kool Spice or Living Field [i]at all[/i] at first. The same goes for individual songs. After I tired of all the songs like Blues Drive Monster and I Know You, I was really happy to find that after I went back and tried songs like Beautiful Picture and Akanai again, I loved them. It really made me appreciate their range. There's something for everybody. I'm waiting for the time when I listen to My Foot or White Incarnation and think "where has this been all this time?"

So really, whatever the pillows come up with is absolutely fine with me. If I don't like it initially, that's okay. There's still the oldies. I will give this new album a try, and I'll keep an open mind and just listen to it, not criticize it.

Also, does anyone else like the solo for YOUR ORDER as much as I do?

[quote="Marekenshin"]Looks like Sawao's jerking that guitar off, lol.[/quote]

I was going to say that 'cause it seriously does.

2:18,2:24-2:26- Sawao is so hot.

I hope they sell [i]one[/i] [i]bazillion[/i] records!

Fanboy? Damn GR, I am not criticizing softly, I criticize other bands far worse, only because I
absolutely cannot stand their music. I in fact am really diggin YOUR ORDER. Every day I go
back to the PV and the intro and Chorus is always stuck in my head throughout the day.
Its really catchy, fun and energetic too. I'm not being a fanboy, I'm just enjoying their new stuff
more than anyone else. And yes, they had their "Peak" during PML and such, but it doesn't mean the fall
has to be a HUGE avalanche. It only means that their work later will not be as great as the peak in quality and
sound. NOT their career or anything else. A fall can mean that the work gets less and less more likable is all
I'm saying, not like "OH GOD THIS IS TERRIBLE!!! WORST ALBUM EVER!!"

[size=150]WHO GIVES A FUCK? [/size]
You don't have to buy the album

But shouldn't we expect the best from the band? I know I do. Sometimes I'm forced to lower my expectations (like right now), but I'll be damned if I still don't demand that I hear songs on par with The Golden Era. And I can't be so nonchalant as you are concerning "the fall of the pillows". It almost sounds like you think we should embrace it. I still expect the pillows to make good music, and they still are I think. Most of it is not on par with earlier material, but I hold out hope that some will. On the flipside though, I still think the pillows are coming out with better music than a good amount of the new stuff I'm hearing here in the states, and in Japan. I guess it's all a matter of perspective

[quote="Son Goshin"]On the flipside though, I still think [b]the pillows are coming out with better music than a good amount of the new stuff I'm hearing here in the states, and in Japan.[/b][/quote]

Wholehearted declaration: Anyone who says this is simply not [i]looking hard enoug[/i]h. And I don't even mean "You're not taking pains to find that one rare gem of current pop rock album." I mean: You're not exposing yourself to more, different, great music. A ton of guys on IM have introduced me to GREAT bands, Japan-side and state-side I wouldn't have otherwise found. Jomei, Mare, Skool, and even back in the day, TheJediPunk have all been extremely helpful in getting me into new, awesome music. Awesome music - not "Good, but not as good as what the pillows have been putting out" music - I mean, awesome music that is awesome by any of my standards for any band.

Company of Thieves' "Ordinary Riches" is a much better album than Pied Piper for me.
the band apart's "alfred and cavity" is even much more consistent and interesting than Good Dreams, with just as much attention to melody in my opinion.

The time for pillows apologetics is over, in my opinion. Sure, I'll probably listen to OOPARTS a good bit - but the standard "it's not amazing, but it's a hell of a lot better than most other music out there" is just not going to cut it anymore. You're implying that there isn't a lot of amazing, non-pillows music to be heard. That's wrong.

[quote="GoldenRhino"]In my opinion[/quote]

I get what your saying, there are some bands out there that are amazing.
But are not our favorite, its just we expect so much from them,
I mean give them some leverage because the pillows are on their what 15th full length album for gods sake!
Other bands would never have progressed this long or come out with that many amazing songs.
I to this day have no knowledge of any other band able to do what they pillows have done.
Anyone got a counter? GR? Mare?

[quote]Wholehearted declaration: Anyone who says this is simply not looking hard enough. And I don't even mean "You're not taking pains to find that one rare gem of current pop rock album." I mean: You're not exposing yourself to more, different, great music. A ton of guys on IM have introduced me to GREAT bands, Japan-side and state-side I wouldn't have otherwise found. Jomei, Mare, Skool, and even back in the day, TheJediPunk have all been extremely helpful in getting me into new, awesome music. Awesome music - not "Good, but not as good as what the pillows have been putting out" music - I mean, awesome music that is awesome by any of my standards for any band.

Company of Thieves' "Ordinary Riches" is a much better album than Pied Piper for me.
the band apart's "alfred and cavity" is even much more consistent and interesting than Good Dreams, with just as much attention to melody in my opinion.

The time for pillows apologetics is over, in my opinion. Sure, I'll probably listen to OOPARTS a good bit - but the standard "it's not amazing, but it's a hell of a lot better than most other music out there" is just not going to cut it anymore. You're implying that there isn't a lot of amazing, non-pillows music to be heard. That's wrong.[/quote]

I'm saying today, as in 2009. The current state of music the past few years sucks right now for the most part. That much is true. Compare it to the majority of the 90's. Is their good stuff out there? Of course, best album out this year IMO, Farm by Dinosaur Jr. BUT a lot of new albums I've listened to this year have fallen short.

And please, [b]please[/b] don't tell me I'm not looking hard enough for good music. This year alone I've expanded my tastes and bands I listen to so much, and some of it was also in fact from suggestions by other users here on IM. At the same time it's impossible for me to have heard of ever friggin band out there, I'm sure there's a few I've missed. But I've gotten into bands that have just stared up, and I'm constantly finding bands from earlier this decade, 90's, 80's, etc. I'm not trying to be an apologist for the pillows. I've made my opinion heard quite a few times. I'm starting to think that the pillows are just getting into a lull. They put out pretty solid music, but it's always the same basic formula. It's about time Sawao started another shift with his music I think.

Maybe Goshin is right, Sawao needs to find a way to mix it up a little bit.
Maybe... I don't know... Go... solo..?

[quote="Brye916"]Other bands would never have progressed this long or come out with that many amazing songs.
I to this day have no knowledge of any other band able to do what they pillows have done.
Anyone got a counter? GR? Mare? [/quote]

lol oh god this is easy.

The Beatles, Queen, The Rolling Stones, just to name a select very famous few.

[quote="Marekenshin"][quote="Brye916"]Other bands would never have progressed this long or come out with that many amazing songs.
I to this day have no knowledge of any other band able to do what they pillows have done.
Anyone got a counter? GR? Mare? [/quote]

lol oh god this is easy.

The Beatles, Queen, The Rolling Stones, just to name a select very famous few.[/quote]

The Beatles have only 13 albums, Queen has the same 15, The Rolling stones has to
top all of them with Albums, but not all of their songs are great. I don't enjoy listening
to them that much, it gets boring fast. Same for Queen and Beatles, especially Beatles, I only
appreciate, admire, and enjoy very few of their songs. Thats just me though.

Those are very famous few, but are the pillows as equally famous? Nope.
But you did have a good point.

Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you were asking me to provide examples of good bands who changed a lot over the years and put out a lot of albums over a long period of time. MY BAD.

kinda on/off topic, but heres an argument

the reason that the pillows (and almost all bands) switch to different sounds is cause they always want to expand their sound. The reason they don't go back or continue their old sound is because they have gotten tired of it. Sure we as listeners can never get tired of listening to hybrid rainbow, but musicians do. Like when i write a song and hear it over and over again to make it sound perfect, i eventually get tired of it. its can be a long process.

Im sure the pillows are a little embarrassed of their oldest stuff (just like radiohead are of their old grunge stuff)




not the most articulated argument/comment, but its late....

[quote="Little Bastards"]
Im sure the pillows should be a little embarrassed of their newest stuff [/quote]
Yeah I know you guys are gonna rock me to death for that, but it was the first thing that came to my mind while I was reading it.

I'm sure there are a lot of things they are embarrassed about throughout their entire career. It's only natural.

Just scraps of thoughts here, as I don't want to become embroiled in anything. Reason cited? I can't argue for shit.

-Using the chart approach, I feel that rather than a continuing decline, they've hit a plateau for the past five years. The relative height above sea level is up for debate.

-Some folks are (A.)wholly disappointed, (B.)some marginally-somewhat, (C.)some not at all. I'm B, and I think most people are. If that's a problem with A or C they need to calm down. (Looking at the C's the most here.)

-the pillows should be encouraged to listen to their fans if they are disappointed. However, I really don't think it's the greatest idea when you meet them [i]in person[/i] that you want them to play music "like the sound on x album". They want [i]new[/i] ideas, not [i]old[/i] ones. Of course they are appreciative of the comment but it won't make a dent. I don't know if anyone said anything like that on the trip, as I haven't read the budokan thread story, but I"m just stating I don't think it would be a terribly convincing plea.