If it's one thing I've learned while listening to Sambomaster over the years, it's that they're a band that truly has "soul". When I talk about the language barrier not mattering when it comes to music, this band is the epitome of that notion. Lead singer and guitarist Takashi Yamaguchi sings with more emotion in a single verse than other vocalists can convey during the course of an entire album. The unique vocals are a main drawing point to Sambomaster, one moment gentle, the next raspy and abrasive, but still in perfect harmony. And equally good is the fervent guitar playing on each of their releases. This was both something that was missing on the band's last record, 2008's All You Musical Kids, Sing! Sambomaster's first couple albums are nearly flawless all the way through. The guitars soar, you can hear Yamaguchi's voice getting hoarse as songs progress due to the emotion outpouring, and the melodies he wrote left you hitting the rewind button for more. But their 2008 album seemed to lose grasp of those attributes. Part of it may have been to not as many songs having layered guitars like previous albums... that "soul" was lacking. But on their 5th studio album, 2010's I Want to Become Strong for You, just released at the end of April, the layered guitars make a more prominent return, and in addition to that, a lot of new quirks for the band which made this record infinitely more interesting.
The album starts of with a slow number, aptly called Love Song. The entire album seems to be focused around young love in general, just look at the cover. But there's also a lot of moments across the album where Yamaguchi sings tenderly to a woman he's been longing for, such as when he repeats "Love, yes love" over the piano. This opener is truly in stark contrast to previous album openers that start off with high energy, but there's no need to worry. The following three tracks delve right into the high octane Sambomaster we all know and love. The second song, Anata to Ikitai, could've easily opened the album too, but then the tone wouldn't have been set for the album as a whole. But it's great to hear the band rocking out in true form with finger-blistering guitar solos, up-beat melodies, and superb vocals.
The album also featured some things I didn't expect at all from the band. Quick and peppy song Seki Wa Kaesasete Okureyo features for the first time a duet, with a mystery female vocalist. Reminded me a lot of Tomoko Kawase from The Brilliant Green. Unfortunately I haven't been able to figure out who she is, but it was interesting to hear Yamaguchi trade off verses with her. Then as one gets deeper in the album, Sambomaster starts to lay out some synth. Yes, synth. It's something I always thought was foreign to the band, and was quite surprised to hear it in back-to-back-to-back songs. But it worked well. On the lead single I Love You, I Protect You (see video below), a sweet synth line permeates through the bubbly verses and into a really catchy chorus that really gets you toe-tapping. The next song, I Want You, totally caught me off guard though. Electric drum beats open the song, followed by a heavily distorted guitar riff, with an almost metallic ring to it. It was really quite odd for Sambomaster I thought, but after about a minute, the bass line kicks in, the drums change and we're hearing some classic sounds. The thing is though, the band is branching out a little bit more, but not while being too drastic. Hearing these new sounds mixed in is kind of refreshing really.
As the album progresses, it starts to peter out a bit toward the end with some songs seeming a little filler-ish. A song or two could have been cut to bring down the total from 13 songs and make the album more cohesive. There's a couple points where the album kind of drags due to poor track selection, like putting a 5-plus minute, solely acoustic guitar song in between two rockers. But it closes on a high note with Atarashiku Hikare. Strong guitars, with a really amazing bass line that's almost hidden underneath. Kind of reminds me of the song I Love You from their previous album. The song has some nice build to it, but would've been nice if it ended with a bigger bang. Still though, a satisfying way to end the album.
Overall, this album hearkens back to the band's earlier days with abrasive, yet at times, almost soothing vocals and spectacular lead guitar lines, while maintaining a balance with new influences like the synth in a number of songs. Probably wouldn't be the first Sambomaster album I'd start out with, but a solid album nonetheless, and fans of the band will be happy to see Yamaguchi and the gang getting back to the roots of their first couple albums.
Also a quick note. While I won't be putting up links or MP3's of albums, I'll always put up a video or two to showcase a band's work. The best way to get these artists recognitions is to support them by way of their CD's and DVD's. There are a number of places on-line where you can purchase music from Japanese artists, just check out these links: CD Japan, YesAsia, Otaku.com
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