album of the week - 7.3

つしまみれ

あっ、海だ。

Victor Entertainment (2009)

why you'll love it - Unfiltered and carefree punk rock

why you'll hate it - high pitched vocals and a whole lot of noise

I can't bring myself to review... that album.... one that is so terrible, I haven't even made it halfway through. And with every passing week, it becomes less and less relevant to waste time on a blog post for it... so... fuck it. Here is a good album instead!

Well... not exactly. You will most likely hate it. If you are a normal human being, this is not for you. For everyone else, enjoy this reckless abrasive punk catastrophe! つしまみれ plays loud music, is always singing out of tune; and even undermines the tough guy crowd with constant fits of over the top cutesy pop, like a square peg hammered into a round hole.

Despite being around for a good five years, this is technically the trio's first full length album. They've been strictly dealing out EPs their whole career. A smart move, since their corrosive sound can wear down any listener after a while. Luckily, this LP is their finest and most consistent material yet. "まつり" has already became by favorite つしまみれ song, and "Time Lag" is a quality pice of madness, as well as a wise choice for a single.

Unlike the last two releases, the group lets their pop side only emerge in moments, not consume entire tracks. The closest thing to pure pop is "Stop & Go!", which is offset by a lo-fi skate punk pace. "Mic Smellくんくん" is a bit too gimmicky for my taste, but still a worthy track for the way they handle the content. You can even hear the singer laugh and mess up in the middle of it.

So... that shitty album that will not be mentioned may be recognized, sell, and be loved more, but あっ、海だ。 is for me. Even its shortcomings represent what I love about punk music.