Perfume...The 23,743rd Review Of "GAME"

I swear I could freakin' cry!!!  I just spent 21/2 hours doing a review of this CD that I was totally proud of.  And (thanks to the Vodka) I accidentally deleted it just before hitting the post button!  Does that make me akin to Ernest Hemingway?  I will try to recreate it from memory.  I usually don't swear in my posts but...

MOTHERFUCKER!!!!!!!

Game

Okay, I've put my $5 bill in the "swear" jar.  You could also say that I am "beating a dead horse" with this review.  But I don't want to incur the wrath from PETA.  Anyway, they are probably too busy in Maryland for the Preakness Stakes.

I received this CD (the regular edition) about a week ago.  It came in a package along with Perfume's "Electroworld" CD, which I love.  I remember getting hooked on that song after watching YouTube legend LucyMisser utilizing it for her latest sexy video.  And the same package contained the "totally out of place here" debut CD from Milky Way.  What the folks who put together my order were probably thinking...

"Jeez, this guy must've been tripping on Ecstacy to order these CD's AND Anataboshi!!!"

Now "techno" and "rave" music are not my usual cup of tea.  I am more of a hard rock guy.  In fact, it is a miracle I am into Hello! Project in the first place.  So developing an appreciation for this genre of music is quite a stretch for me.  It took me about a week to listen to the CD all the way through, as I kept switching back to the Electroworld single for another five plays before progressing to the next track.

The biggest inspiration for me to do this review was the post by Key's to Everything I read this morning.  I was having a hard time verbalizing my feelings about this CD until I read that review.  KTE mentioned that "This album really isn’t a casual listen. It’s underwhelming if you don’t give the songs your full attention, but when you apply yourself to the tracks it’s easy to see why Perfume are so popular." 

I completely agree with that statement.  When I listen to this CD in my house while I am doing other things, it doesn't grab me.  But when I listen to it "full blast" in my car, like I do with most of my J-music CD's, I have a totally different experience.  What the people in the #3 lane must be thinking when I play...

Anataboshi ~ "That guy is a total geek!"

AKB48 ~ It depends, "Dear My Teacher" is cool enough, but "Aitakatta"..."Who is the pedo in the sport utility?"

Ketchup Mania ~ "That is one angry dude in the fast lane!"

Anything by Buono! or Berryz ~ "Did the Chipmunks come out with a new CD?"

I am also prone to blasting "Rainbow Pinku" from Momusu's 7th CD while caught in rush hour traffic.  The sentiment from my fellow commuters couldn't be anything other than "What the f**k is that???"

Perfume is one of the first J-pop CD's I am not self-conscious about cranking up on my car CD player as I am heading down the Eastshore (AKA Nimitz) freeway in Northern Cali.  It sounds a lot like many other groups in their genre.  And quite often you can hardly tell that they are singing in Japanese (according to my friend Chanta, who is Cambodian).  But I find myself listening to the same few tracks over and over.  Those tracks are...

1) Polyrhythm ~ This is an amazing song!  One of the keys to me liking a techno tune is it usually has to have an "ethereal" quality to it.  Most of the songs I like on this CD have that same quality.  My favorite part is that "skip-py" part in the middle of it.  I find myself listening to track #1 & #2 more than anything else...

2) Plastic Smile ~ After I got over the fact the Perfume has an extremely 80's feel to it (especially this track), I really started to like this song.  Overall it is a fun listen with a "head-rockin'" beat.  Very pretty and catchy.

5) Chocolate Disco ~ Another fun song with a cute hook.  (Yes, I know I skipped Baby Cruising Love, it's just not one of my favs)  I can imagine myself in a club tripping on the strobe light after a little too much alchohol...

7) Ceramic Girl ~ This might be my favorite song on the CD.  It's a tough call between this and Polyrhythm.  It completely registers into my "ethereal" requirement.  And it has a fast beat/verse that I really like!  A song I really enjoy and highly recommend...

11) Twinkle Snow Powdery Snow ~  Man I never realized how much of a "trip" this group was!  It takes a while to get used to the heavily synthesized voices.  And all of these references to "snow" have me experiencing some major cocaine flashbacks...

This is a really good CD, even if it isn't the genre of music I usually listen to.  When listening to it for the re-review, I even started to like track 6) Macaroni and track 12) Puppy Love.  When I was visiting Japan in January Perfume played at Shibuya AX the week after I left, bummer!  I'll have to check out their tour schedule for my next return trip.  After seeing some of their "live" videos on YouTube, I would love to see them in person!  As far as recommening it, I am not sure it is for everybody.  But I can now understand why it is selling so well.  I'm not saying you need to be "high" to enjoy this CD either...but it helps!

Well, I still think my first post was superior, but I guess no one will ever know.  It is lost to the internet gods!

CK in California