stolen colours

It’s definitely a very listenable album with many catchy melodies. At first listen, I found the songs to be all too similar, even by Plastic Tree standards. 16 tracks, of which a handful are instrumental. After replaying it a further five times, the album really started to hook me. I could loop it for a few months like I did the previous albums. Nothing epic like Kuroi Kasa or Andrometamorphose in the previous album, but it’s a decent album.

1.Kisokutekina shibyoushi ～規則的な四拍子～ (instrumental) - 15 seconds of ticking, and a beep! and we go straight into the opening riffs of

2. Utsusemi うつせみ, the title track, and very representative of Plastic Tree with melancholic vocals admist a background of layered riffs. Sad, sad lyrics, as usual. I really like this song.

3. Tetris. Before I found a translation, I was wondering why this track is titled Tetris, apart from the opening and ending that sound like they came from a game console. The first line reads “A screen / Tetris / My worries fall / Parts / All over the place / I can’t clear it” and the rest of the song is brilliant too. It’s a great song for a live. Ryuutarou’s singing style is a bit different here, but I’d love anything he does with his voice. One of my favourite songs on this album. (And he does it again! First he sings about black brollies, and now he sings about Tetris, my favourite computer/handheld game.)

4. Replay (Utsusemi album version)
I must admit that it took time for this single to grow on me. The song literally replays the chorus multiple times with layers and layers added on each time, such that it only becomes grand and heavy in the last minute of so, more so in the album version. Decent song, even addictive.

5. Melt
Another of my favourites on this album. Starts out with dischordant riffs and a pretty cool verse. The chorus is beautiful and wistful with heartaching vocals.

6. Dummy Box
A standard catchy Plastic Tree song; something that you’d definitely be singing along in your car to.

7. Q
Another upbeat song, but with spacey dreamlike sequences. Rather cool instrumental interlude in the middle.

8. Fiction
More pop-ish, what with the synth intro and err..some R&B experimentation (that didn’t quite really work out, I thought), but the chorus is still Plastic Tree-ish.

9. Shayo 斜陽
Starts out with a bit of chill-out vibes; but chorus is lovely. I just have a thing for melancholic melodies. Distorted interlude at 3:50, which recurs at the end of the song.

10. GEKKO OVERHEAD
Very fun song. Almost the angriest song on this album, but the melodies are too pretty. (Not that this album has any Ghost or Danse Macabre-equivalent.) Strange oriental guitar solo…which brings to mind some reptilian creature circling overhead (dragon? I’m sure they’re genetically related to lizards.)

11. Balloon
A folksy, acoustic song which lyrics belie the light, lilting melody. (I’m convinced that Ryuutarou will never, ever write a happy song.) The verse goes abruptly but not jarringly into a a rather angsty chorus. This song grew on me rather late into the album looping.

12. Seiten, Kansei, Kaiten Mokuba no Mae ～晴天、喚声、回転木馬の前～
A 24-second long instrumental track. I usually don’t even notice it when I’m looping the CD in my car ^^;

13. Alone Again, Wonderful World (Utsusemi Ver.)
As a single, it was a disappointment; but it fits very well on this album. I guess it just wasn’t strong enough to stand as a single. Am rather upset that the B-side, Psychedelism, didn’t make it onto the album because that’d have given the entire work a little more edge.

14. Kioku Yuki 記憶行き
A piano ballad for the most part. The only draw is Ryuutarou’s vocals as it’s not a very memorable song. I’m guessing that this could be really poignant if performed live, though.

15. Sankakukei no Kozu ～三角形の構図～
Another instrumental track, a simple melody that goes right into the riffs of the next song, Closer.

16. Closer
I love this song! Finally, something with more edge and attitude after the past five songs. Not a bad way to close the album; though it’s still nothing as epic as Nega to Poji’s ending.

In all, a pretty decent album that I’ll be looping for a while. The cover art is very, very apt. It’s rather different from Nega to Poji, which was heavier and edgie. But still very Plastic Tree. Am awaiting the next release.

The DVD that came with the limited edition is a video recording of an acoustic live they held in an amusement park. Very pura, yes? Ryuutarou, Akira and Tadashi sat on stools with their respective guitars/bass; and Bucchi on a similar stool, but crouched over an amplifier drumming away with his hands. The audience was sitting on long benches; no catcalling or cheering, just heartfelt applause between songs. At times, the members would be waiting for a roller coaster car to go by before starting a new song. The song list:
1. yume no shima
2. 37oC
3. Alone Again, Wonderful World
4. Replay
5. Saishuu ressha
6. Spica
7. Trance Orange
Spellbinding.