Review: Official Hige Dandism - Cry Baby
So, if it is not clear, I am a bit of a Higedan fan by this point. When it comes to the J-Rock scene, they are probably my current number one. They last came back in January with the subdued Universe, which was about par for them, which means pretty solid compared to most groups. What really interests me in Higedan is how authentic and real their music feels. They rarely use anything electronic, and even that is part of a story they are telling. Of course, they are best when reducing listeners to tears (Am I ever going to stop gushing over Laughter? I think not).
Cry Baby is an anime theme for Tokyo Revengers, and like most anime themes, it has a more bombastic feel, with electric guitars and synths. Of course, Fujihara makes this his own, allowing the song to pop edgily, applying strong vocoder and amplified electronic crunches. It sounds nothing like Higedan, but Higedan enough that I can see it.
At other times throughout the piece, Fujihara employs an acoustic guitar and a piano as his only instruments. This constant switching is anchored by Fujihara's strong vocal performance. It really makes this song eclectic and galvanizing, but at the same time, slightly unfamiliar. In a way, it is a song easier to appreciate than fully enjoy.
Back to Fujihara's golden vocals. They are strong and attack the track fully. This is certainly not what I expect from Fujihara, but I love how different it feels. My biggest gripe with this song, however, is its lyrics.
Fujihara is a vocal fan of the manga for which this song was written for, and it is clear he took it as inspiration for this song's lyrics. Unfortunately, I love Fujihara's more personal lyrics. Unless I missed some analogy, the lyrics are one of Higedan's weaker ones so far. Still, it is not too much of an issue, I can listen to Laughter for the 5000th time whenever I want personal lyrics.
I think Higedan have a lot to live up to each time they come back, but they have the skill to get it done. And while Cry Baby might be too sharp of a left turn, it holds together just fine.
Really like this! The mv effects got my head spinning tho lol.
ReplyDeleteIt is the same band which had my top song of last year, Laughter. They really have been on a role lately!
DeleteThe MV is pretty cool, but yeah, I wish they decreased the flashy effects too. That is one thing from early 2010s K-Pop I don't want to see return.
I really should listen to this. I mean this looks like a contender to topple Universe. HIGEDAN is never failing to surprise me anytime.
ReplyDeleteI personally like it better than Universe, but I am not sure if it would for you. It certainly is less traditional Higedan, and has really split their fandom.
DeleteI love this more than Universe. I love when bands become more and more experimental. This is in my alley. The distortion is great and the song is an anthem. I agree with you, this is really a great song! 8.75 is actually where I would rate it too so yeah. HIGEDAN is just amazing!
DeleteWow, glad you like it! I also am gladly surprised how aggressive it is. Still, I hope this is one-off, and they return to their classic sound sooner than later.
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