I think I liked those two songs better than the album title track. However I'll say that Mabushii Yami no Melody gave me Cockoo's Nest vibes from it. Which is a bit disappointing because you expect a different sound coming from every new album. I also felt that these intros are too long, I almost wanted not to listen to the two songs. I feel like these intros don't hold any value to the two songs. Not only that but the norm for intros nowadays are less than 10 seconds.

I feel that Sawao needs help in the songwriting department. Why not get Manabe involved in the writing like you did with Strange Chameleon? Why not get Kenji involved as well? Even with him no longer with the band, I feel he can still contribute something worthwhile. Why not have the band members have a say at your songs before you release them?

[quote="CARNVAL372"]Why not have the band members have a say at your songs before you release them?[/quote]
Why do you think that he doesn’t? That’s some pretty major speculation/assumptions.

Tower Records is having a REBROADCAST sample listen. At some locations, you can listen to some of the songs. It seems to only be Rebroadcast, Ningendomo, and Mabushii yami no melody, though.

Short version of the Ningendomo PV is out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VnD-0VXEak

The LOSTMAN IN NEW YORK digest is out too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZhxiutAeyI

[quote="Mafu"][quote="CARNVAL372"]Why not have the band members have a say at your songs before you release them?[/quote]
Why do you think that he doesn’t?[/quote]
I mean obviously I don't actually know, but it's gotta work like Sawao is the "songwriter" and the band [i]at least[/i] arranges the parts (the band used to get arrangement credits in the CD booklets but I haven't seen "arranged by the pillows" in the last few). That is, Sawao writes the melodies, lyrics, chords and structure (plus a general idea of the rhythm), and the other guys figure out parts for their respective instruments based on his ideas. So I'm sure the band members have at least a bit of "input"; Shin especially, because Sawao presumably can't play the drums, so Shin would be like an "interpreter" for Sawao's rhythmic ideas, and Shin probably adds his own ideas while he's at it (like fills, cymbal crashes, or even entire drum parts if they're really idiosyncratic, although Shin usually plays really simple parts). Although I'm sure Manabe's had plenty of input with arrangements over the years (especially given that his guitar parts aren't dead simple chord playing), Sawao might have more of a say over Manabe's parts because Sawao is a competent guitarist and therefore has a higher chance of knowing exactly how the guitars should sound. I've even suspected that Sawao writes some of Manabe's solos, as the guitar solos in his solo and Predators work sound kinda similar to pillows solos played by Manabe. Ironically, I'm most certain about the bass parts being somewhat beyond Sawao's control; although he probably has specific little or general ideas for particular songs, there's no way in hell that he dictated entire parts to Kashima or Jun for many of the songs they were on, cuz some of those parts are just way too busy or specialised to have been arranged by anybody who ain't a professional grade bassist.

However, in the interview from the [i]Mono Me You Sun[/i] tour and one of the interviews in the "Library" subforum on IM (I think the interview is from early 2000s?), Sawao says he [i]basically[/i] decides everything in the band. [url=http://www.bostonbastardbrigade.com/2018/07/pillows-noodles-interview/]In that new US tour interview[/url], he specifically says:
[quote]I write a lot of songs anyway. I love writing. Regardless of the deadline, I write freely and steadily. I'll start recording with members whether they will or won't. [b]I have a clear plan for a song, so I'll make a specific request[/b] and finish up. I have never met a person who likes composing music more than I do. I don't know what the other members think about this. For the pillows' music, it is always following what I decide, so I've not really cared about what the other two think.[/quote]
That he has a "clear plan" for a song might indicate that he exerts a lot of control over the arrangement as well; like he might know almost exactly how Shin's drum part should sound (although he can't actually play it), and perhaps even how Manabe's parts should be played in exact detail. Or that "clear plan" thing might just mean Sawao has that melody-lyrics-chords-structure-rhythm outline of the song and it's up to the members to fill in the details.

Got my album in the mail yesterday and listened to it last night. I'll post more thoughts later after I listen to it several more times, but my first impressions are that this album is pretty great! The title track and opener really sets the tone. Coming right out of the gate, the pillows sound great. Mabushii yami no melody was also a standout at first listen, and Starry Fandango has got a pretty rocking solo too.

Didn't notice any differences between the album version and single version of Boku no Tomodachi. Glad to see it on a proper album.

I got it several days ago. Buster Shop doesn’t mess around with shipping. Lightning speed.
I’m enjoying it a lot. Feels a bit different from the previous few albums. Especially enjoying just listening to this album as a complete work; I think that these songs all work really well together and it’s cool that there are some themes going on.
Early favorites are Binary Star, Starry fandango, and BOON BOON ROCK. I listened to the radio previews way too much before release, but I absolutely love Ningendomo and Mabushii yami as well. Speaking of radio previews, I didn’t notice the midi horns in the title track at first. It gives me a Turn Back vibe now.

Before going to bed is very lo-fi, and some people might not like it, but I think it’s cool. I was talking to ThomasAustralia (can never remember his actual name on here, sorry) about it, and we both agree that it reminds us of something funky that The Beatles would do.

I agree with a lot of your points, Mafu. This album does really feel different from the last 4-5 albums. To me, it feels more like a complete work than 10 songs patched together. I have to listen to it some more, but this might be their best album since Trial.

I also really like the midi horns in the title track. You're right, it's hard to hear if you have it on in your car radio, but I listened to the album with headphones first, and you can her them loud and clear. And they sound great. The band did a good job hear with the different elements in some of these songs, which was also notable in Starry Fandango.

And I definitely am digging Before going to bed. It's something different, not something I was expecting to hear from the pillows. It's not a throw away song like Doggie Howl. It's Sawao actually experimenting with something a little outside what the band has done, and it was refreshing to hear that as the final song on the album. I know a lot of people like songs like Locomotion More More or Poison Rock n Roll, but the final songs from most of those latest albums (sans Primer Beat) were always pretty bottom of the barrel, IMO. Before going to bed was a welcome surprise, and I've enjoyed revisiting it.

[quote="Son Goshin"]It's not a throw away song like Doggie Howl.[/quote]
Doggy Howl is ace.

Lmao "oh hey this guy who is known for writing a whole ton of songs chose to close an album with X track out of his many songs...must be a throwaway"

REBROADCAST is fire.

Closers have always been more lighthearted, usually the engrish songs....Rookie Jet, Gazelle City, etc.

In recent releases, these songs have been of lesser quality for some, and I can see where SonGoshin is coming from.

My feet are still firmly planted in the meh camp...the title track was a welcome surprise, and a few others stuck out, but following the opener there was a bit of a lull where things kind of sounded same-y to me. This is on first listen and things will surely change. But I'm not blown away, which was semi-disappointing riding on the hype I'd read. There were some pretty big claims about where it sat quality-wise amongst the past few releases and I'm not seeing it personally, but I'm glad everyone's digging it

You're not supposed to see it, those are other peiples' opinions. If they typically have a very similar opinion to you, maybe you can base your expectations on it. General hype and your personal enjoyment aren't necessarily related, so best to not set yourself up for disappointment.

Just take the thing for what it is and see how you like it without concern for what opinions are floating around, lol.

That's just the nature of the beast. And the Busters here are generally who I would trust for pillows hype, so expectations can be based on that. Some people are about drowning out the world and taking in media to make their own perceptions, I like to take in what everyone else thinks as well.

Anyway, I've given it a front to back listen every day this week, will see how it changes at the week mark.

Been listening to the album for a while, and still really enjoying it. Most of the tracks are very solid. Hard for me to choose a favorite between Boku no Tomodachi, Rebroadcast, and Binary Star. Nigendomo has also really grown on me. The only one I still think is kinda “meh” is Mabushii Yami. This “4th Movement” has been pretty good so far.

The album is so very... whole, complete.

I love it.

2+ weeks with this one, listening pretty steadily. I still maintain the title track is the best, but there are some that have grow on me. I still get that lull-y feeling in the middle there. But I'm excited what 2019 has in store for sure!