90’s My Life
Artist: The Pillows
Album: 90’s My Life
Musicians: Sawao Yamanaka (vocals, guitar), Yoshiaki Manabe (guitar), Shinichiro Sato (drums), Kenji Ueda (bass)
Composer/Lyricist: Sawao Yamanaka
Release Date: 25 Oct 1990
| 90’s My Life - The Pillows Tracklisting 01. Paris Woman Marie *Bold titles–Recommended listening |
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OVERVIEW
Yet another baby step. These first few years reveals a very naïve, fresh band that’s yet to realize their full potential. As with each progressing album, the listener will notice a soft gradient over from one style to the next.
The Pillows’ sound in this album, much unlike Pantomine, is that of a “polite†rock band. Gone are the wild yells for ‘energy’ or the wild talk of a ‘razorlike blue.’ In comes the rather tame “Paris Woman Marie.†The band sustains its instrumental creativity, proving that the band was growing into a collaboration of very competent musicians. Though this album pales in comparison to its predecessor, it still stands well, as it has one of the Pillows’ most memorable tracks, “I’m A Broken Piece;” however, I personally think “Never Find” is the key gem here.
THE GOOD
Transparent Far-Off Letter
I don’t know what the title means. I don’t know what the song is about. None of that is important, though, when the band has successfully synced, making this their most harmonized song that year. The timing is impeccable on every member’s part, where appropriate pauses are taken and adjustments to tempo are made. Yamanaka does his best singing in this track, which is saying quite a handful (Yamanaka’s voice is still in its infancy in these years). Altogether, this is a lovely song.
Never Find
Being the first reggae attempt, “Never Find” nonetheless stands as a great song. We’re talking about reggae from a Japanese punk rock band in the early ‘90s…not the most typical thing. Though the chorus sounds like a slur of incomprehensible babbling (and the mediocre singing doesn’t help, either), the instrumental work on both the guitar and bass side covers it. It is an irresistibly catchy song, fusing elements of reggae and rock successfully. You will never find anything else like this.
90’s My Life
A simple piano and harmonica duet opens the song, introducing a toe-tapping beat. Laughter and conversation can be heard in the background. The band comes in. The drums, the guitars, the bass…it’s on! Sawao is singing, singing in front of a rowdy crowd. They’re jumping and they’re dancing, they’re on top of the tables! “90’s My Life” incites an untapped emotion for celebration. I’d have to blame the well-cued background chatter in the introduction that gave me the impression of being inside a bar. Though this is not techno or trance, it’s rather simple beat makes it the catchiest song on the album.
The Rating: 8
