椎名林檎 [Shiina Ringo] - 三文ゴシップ [Sanmon Gossip]
Having listened to only 加爾基 精液 栗ノ花, which is in popular, and in my, opinion, her best recording, I can say with certainty that this album went in very different direction.
I don't know about her music between 2004 and now, but she's certainly someone has branded herself to not sound like other Japanese artists, or any other artists in general for that matter.
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流行 [Ryūkō] - 3.5/5
Right off the first track, we hear something that is very omniscient in Japanese pop: rap. The instrumentation remain true to the Shiina I know and love, but with that one element, she seems to lose something that made her separate from the rest. It's not bad mind you, not bad at all.
労働者 [Rōdōsha] - 3.5/5
The second track features instrumentation tracks reminiscent of American soul music. The melody supplied by the vocals only support this correlation. Fortunately the track was done smoothly overall. Shiina's distinctive singing abilities really show itself with this track, but not as well as it did in other tracks.
密偵物語 [Mittei Monogatari] - 4/5
A strong and energetic jazz piece with very smooth vocals. There's a good sense of groove found in this track. The vibraphones and clarinet have a very interesting part that seals my satisfaction.
カリソメ乙女 [Maru Chiten Kara] - 4/5
Playful piano introduces this track to be followed by a syncopated vocal track. The track then builds into a very fun song alternating between eerie harmonies and joyful melodies.
カリソメ乙女 [Karisome Otome] - 3.5/5
Another solid jazzy piece. Nothing special radiates off the track, but it still proves itself to be above average.
都合のいい身体 [Tsugō no Ii Karada] - 3.5/5
A very cheerful sounding track for very obvious reasons, it features Shiina's usual masterful instrumentation along with semi-melancholic vocals. Well done.
旬 [Shun] - 3.5/5
A calmer track in comparison to the others. Elements of R&B, ballad, and jazz can all be heard in this. Another solid track.
二人ぼっち時間 [Futaribocchi Jikan] - 3/5
Another song with bells and whistles literally speaking. Pleasant sounding, but overall not very appealing.
マヤカシ優男 [Mayakashi Yasaotoko] - 4/5
I've never been a fan of how non-English tracks seem to end up incorporating English into the lyrics, but it seems to happen a lot. And it happened here. Fortunately, Shiina executed it well, and coupled with strong piano and trumpet tracks, the song is entertaining.
尖った手口 [Togatta Teguchi] - 4/5
Wait what is this? Guitars, distinctive electronic sounds, rendered voices. Oh my, this certainly reminds you of Kotoko. It is catchy though. Very well done, despite its run-in with other preexisting sounds in the market.
色恋沙汰 [Irokoizata] - 3.5/5
Back to her usual jazzy self, this track displays her consistency when it comes to songwriting. Strings are the featured instruments I feel, and I feel it does this track mighty good.
凡才肌 [Bonsaihada] - 4.5/5
Oooh. Accordions. This track will catch your attention, and her vocals will retain it. This is the type of track that I was looking forward to. Simple cooperation between her voice and uniquely written accordions parts makes this a highlight of the album.
余興 [Yokyō] - 2/5
This track opens to sound like a generic rock piece. Generic guitars. An uninteresting bass. Even her usually unique vocals contribute to this quality.
丸の内サディスティック (EXPO Ver.) [Marunouchi Sadistic (EXPO Ver.)] - 3.5/5
I was actually pretty impressed by how groovy this song is. Took some elements from funk, but that's alllriight.
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I may update this review with lyrical analysis in the future, but as it stands, this is a solid, yet somewhat disappointing album. I want to give this at least 4 stars, I really do, but the dynamic elements I was wholeheartedly expecting from Shiina never came.
3.5/5
Post-notes:
You guys should listen to Shiina regardless of your opinions on Japanese and/or pop music. I'm not guaranteeing that you'll like her music, but if you don't listen, you're missing out on some cool stuff.
