REVIEW: 12012 - Taiyou
Ichini’s second single release this year. Or the ongoing drama as to whether they’re getting more and more mainstream and further from their Under Code roots. I’ve generally found their post-UCP stuff enjoyable though, so let’s see what this one brings.
12012
Taiyou [Type B]
Genre: rock, visual
Release Date: 08-20-08
Price: 1143 ¥
Released By: Universal Music
Tracks: 3
01.Taiyou
02.Kaleidoscope
03.Hello Seventeen
Taiyou - this is a mellow sort of rock song with nothing particularly fancy in it. However the progression in the chorus is nice and Wataru has moments where he sort of sounds like Teru of GLAY. In fact, the whole song has that sort of simple complexity that GLAY is known for, as well as the catchyness. The chorus definitely stays with you, and if that falsetto at the end is Wataru, it sounded very nice for once. I’m not going to deny that it will probably be considered poppy by most fans of this band, but that is not the pit of despair for me. For what it is, it’s good.
Kaleidoscope - is a nod to their older sound, but without Wataru’s uneven and harsh vocals. That isn’t a criticism either, because Wataru is sounding better and better these days, and as someone who critiques vocals pretty stringently, this is most definitely a good thing. Again, this song reminds me of GLAY by the time the chorus rolls around. There are definitely worse bands to sound like. I like the sparing use of the vocal distorter as well. The drum breakdown stands out, moreso than the solo, of which there really isn’t one. So it’s old 12012 with a slightly more poppy twist.
Hello Seventeen - but this is the real gem of the single. Starting first with that funky guitar riff and going right into the driving beat. Wataru’s vocals are still smooth and on the low side, and just slightly mixed into the background. It’s pretty hard to ignore the music though. That guitar riff should have you bobbing your head right from the outset. So far in this single, I love Wataru’s sense of rhythm. His singing accentuates the beat, rather than takes away from it. There’s an actual solo in this song too, preceded by a quick repeat of that main riff. The excessive hi-hat use detracts just a bit, and the solo itself is rather short. But that by no means cancels out the rest of the song.
My favorite thing about this single is that I only had to buy one version to get all three of the songs. That doesn’t happen very often with this band, let me tell you. My other favorite thing was the last track. The middle track was probably the weakest. It certainly doesn’t have anything catchy in it. But, all things considered, this is a good single. More interesting than their last release, and again, if you don’t care about dvds or live tracks, you only have to buy ONE.
Final Word: Catchy, mellow and polished. ★★★★☆
Key:
★★★★★ = Excellent, flawless, perfecto
★★★★☆ = Very good, has some minor flaws
★★★☆☆ = Good, maybe a few boring moments, but overall enjoyable
★★☆☆☆ = Fair, bad outweighs the good
★☆☆☆☆ = Poor, possibly offensive to your ears
