Pantomime
Artist: The Pillows
Album: Pantomime
Musicians: Sawao Yamanaka (vocals, guitar), Yoshiaki Manabe (guitar), Shinichiro Sato (drums), Kenji Ueda (bass)
Composer/Lyricist: Sawao Yamanaka
Release Date: 21 May 1990
| Pantomime – The Pillows Tracklisting 01. Stand Up and Go *Bold titles–Recommended listening
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OVERVIEW
The Pillows…a legendary band to many anime fans, and a legendary band itself. Formed by former punk-rock band members, The Pillows is a collage of great artists. With Sato on drums, Yamanaka on the vocals, Manabe with his guitar, and Kenji Ueda with bass, everyone and everything clicks, and there is no song where harmony is an issue, nor quality. Made in the first year of the ‘90s, Pantomime has a unique sound that was unlike anything of the manufactured ‘80s. This sound would morph overtime, but would still remain The Pillows’ own. With Yamanaka’s voice being extremely rough during these years, it is still tolerable, and is more than made up by the brilliant instrumental work.
What does Pantomime bring for us specifically? Hard to say, honestly. It is a small album, but it is electrolyzed, and few can resist its upbeat charm. It’s an album to feel, not to read about. Oh yeah, if you can find one track that blows like a whistle, drop me a line, and I’ll show you how wrong, wrong, oh-so-wrong, you are.
THE GOOD
Stand Up and Go
Woosh! This is song will sweep you up and throw you into a trance. With its incredibly catchy beat and powerful vocals, I was not bored, not at all. Every wicked second has a momentous bass line, which aids in synchronizing the vocals, guitar, and drums into a maelstrom of energy. Damn, listening to this makes me want to…want to…run a mile!
Pantomime
I heard some complaints about this song. Like, er, it’s too long. What? How about this one: it’s “crap.â€
…
Disliking Yamanaka’s vocals is one thing, but to claim that this song, as a whole, “sucks,†is completely ignorant. Several things are easily appreciable, such as the incredible timing, where instruments and vocals tune in and out perfectly. Another aspect that will simply “wow†any listener is the broad range of sounds, from different pitched (and completely different) guitar lines to an immaculately played bass. After a few seconds, the song has the power to take control. It will tell you how to move your body. It will tell you how to dance.
The Rating: 9
