High Speed Boyz – are u docono Softpunk!? July 20, 2010

Track Listing

1. Tokyo 0:30 am
2. Mr. Dizzy
3. BAD CITY
4. LONELY NIGHT (Album Mix)
5. BILLION DOLLAR BABY
6. GOOD MORNING
7. story
8. KRASH KRASH (Album Mix)
9. CHILDHOOD’S END (Album Mix)
10. △
11. beautiful world
12. ISSAI GASSAI
13. TIME CAPSULE
14. Kanaetai Yume ga Aru ~4EVER BOYZ AND GIRLZ SPIRIT~ (Album Mix)
15. LONELY NIGHT -FM80’z all night Boyz RMX-
16. 4EVER 8bit Boyz

1. Tokyo 0:30 am

Beginning the album, High Speed Boys do not waste time getting energetic with the first song.  Even though it’s just an intro the song has a lot of cool synths involved and some ad-libbing that sounds a little odd.  At least when the main part comes up the song becomes a light dance tune and JIN is under a lot of autotune.  I guess it does show off Tokyo right since it’s a lot of different things haha.

2. Mr. Dizzy

Entering our first full song from the band, Mr. Dizzy continues to remind us why JIN is that good of a producer in the first place.  Even though once again auto-tune is in various places of the song, I love the rock/synth hybrid going on and it reminds of why I fell for them in the first place.  The chorus prolly needs work, but not bad of a song.

3. BAD CITY

Since this is one of two B-sides that made it on the album with no new touches, BAD CITY (from “CHILDHOOD’S END”) is definitely what emphasizes what the band is fully about.  It’s got the perfect mix of their signature rock/synth sound that works for me.  Most of the song is pretty much a rock tune from them, but then it switches sounds like that and it fits nicely.

4. LONELY NIGHT (Album Mix)

Right from the start I could easily tell the difference between the album and single versions of the song and the album mix fills out the sound even moreso than before.  I think the synth has more prominence as well.  Other than that not much has changed about the song which is good to hear.  One of their fun songs for sure!

5. BILLION DOLLAR BABY

I really like they decided to take down the synth stuff with BILLION DOLLAR BABY.  It’s purely a rock tune from the band and you hear a lot of guitar and JIN with not a lot of auto-tune present.  The chorus adds a little synth, but it’s not like how it was in the previous songs so it’s good to hear the band in a more natural state. 

6. GOOD MORNING

After hitting their rock side of their music, we go on the other side into their synthy stuff and GOOD MORNING is definitely full of synths…but the 8bit kind mixed with their rock sound.  It’s a strange combination and hearing fake strings also added some interesting chords.  I do like that it’s not trying to be in your face and I hear this chick voice that sings together with JIN in the chorus with him.  Little touches like this really worked for me.

7. story

I liked how “GOOD MORNING” was a small bridge into story since the song sounds like a JIN-only song because it seems the band is not present and the song is just filled with ethereal goodness.  While I don’t mind the absence of the band here, I thought JIN did great arranging this song.  Could he be the next Nakata?

8. KRASH KRASH (Album Mix)

Even changing the name of the song is so random.  “CRASH CRASH” from “LONELY NIGHT” appears on the album, but to me, it’s kind of suckish.  Adding a minute and having this girl that oddly sounds like Aira’s voice being cut and slashed in the opening is so strange.  Instead of the original’s straightforward rock arrangement, KRASH KRASH sounds more like a remix and a hot mess at that.  It was just too hard trying to figure the direction of the song this time around and I could barely understand JIN…

9. CHILDHOOD’S END (Album Mix)

Sweet, we get into their debut song…which also got a damn album mix connection.  I’ll admit it, I hate what they did to poor CHILDHOOD’S END because it added things that were just not needed.  Like a stronger filter during the verses of the song.  The rest of the song is alright, but I still disliked the fact I heard auto-tune in the song…Definitely keep the single version.

10. △

Being the digital single released, I love △ quite a bit since it’s definitely High Speed Boyz unleashing their rock side in a very awesome way.  I’ll give props to the band for getting such a hard track like this out.  Now JIN’s singing is a little higher pitched, but once again auto-tune love.  I’ll admit that the chorus has this 30 Seconds To Mars sound which is kind of hilarious to think of, but it’s true. 

11. beautiful world

As the album’s interlude, beautiful world is a rather calm interlude featuring keyboard and a chick singing a little bit?  It could be JIN but at a high pitch.  It’s a strange interlude I’ll give it that, but I think it did its job.

12. ISSAI GASSAI

I’m not surprised ISSAI GASSAI was going to be a bit more of a lighter rock song.  I know I keep on bombing on JIN’s excessive use of filters and it still holds true because he would’ve sounded really good without them here.  It’s kind of like their 3rd A-side, but not as message-ridden.  I don’t know, I think I need time to get used to this one.

13. TIME CAPSULE

Once again I’m feeling like I’m listening to “Kanaetai Yume ga Aru” again hahaha.  I guess this classifies as a power ballad???  I don’t know but it’s slower and lighter than their other songs off the album.  Sadly, I don’t really think it’s a song that I’ll remember after this.

14. Kanaetai Yume ga Aru ~4EVER BOYZ AND GIRLZ SPIRIT~ (Album Mix)

Which brings us to the 3rd and final single of the era.  I actually don’t really hear the difference in this song unlike other album mixes on the album.  I love Kanaetai Yume ga Aru quite a bit because it’s one of their more serious songs released and it had a pretty good message in its lyrics and PV.  Got to love a band who can do that.  Ok, there’s some slight changes, but not enough to warrant me to dislike it. 

15. LONELY NIGHT -FM80’z all night Boyz RMX-

Wait, you’re going to feature a previously released remix on the album while you have one B-side that was left out (“HOLD ME TIGHT”).  I’ll never understand why they included this song because there’s just not a lot that’s really different between the two songs besides extra synths.  Otherwise, you still hear the same stuff in the original here.  Sorry but this just doesn’t fly.

16. 4EVER 8bit Boyz

As the outro to the album, 4EVER 8bit Boyz seems like it would’ve been better, but with the fact that the “LONELY NIGHT” remix came in between kind of messed the idea up.  What it is is an 8bit take of “Kanaetai Yume ga Aru with no vocals from JIN.  I thought it was pretty cute and it was just right as well.  Closed the album up nicely, but still the remix just kind ruined it I think.

Tracks Recommended

• Kanaetai Yume ga Aru ~4EVER BOYZ AND GIRLS SPIRIT~ (Album Mix)
• story
• △
• GOOD MORNING
• LONELY NIGHT (Album Mix)

Song of Avoidance

• KRASH KRASH (Album Mix)

Well for an album that I was personally looking forward to hear High Speed Boyz gave a pretty decent album.  I wouldn’t say it’s great because there’s some problems lying in the fact that JIN loves too much filters and auto-tune in his music and it kind of ruined a few songs.  Other than that, most of the songs were fun and showed off a lot of personality which is great and I hope this wasn’t a one time deal thing because I’m interested in hearing more from them in the future.

High Speed Boyz – Kanaetai Yume ga Aru ~4EVER BOYZ AND GIRLZ SPIRIT~ December 15, 2009

Track Listing

1. Kanaetai Yume ga Aru ~4EVER BOYZ AND GIRLZ SPIRIT~
2. CRASH CRASH
3. LONELY NIGHT -FM80’z all night Boyz RMX-

1. Kanaetai Yume ga Aru ~4EVER BOYZ AND GIRLZ SPIRIT~

Right from the start, Kanaetai Yume ga Aru is different from their previous singles because well, it’s kind of a thinking song.  Instead of the hard driven and party-like atmosphere, it’s calm and just screams GReeeeN for some reason (that’s all Jin’s fault though).  Honestly, the song is great for them, but do you really need auto-tune in a song like this?  At least Jin ditches it in the loud chorus.  It’s a great song though.

2. CRASH CRASH

The singles B-side, CRASH CRASH is more like a slower version of “LONELY NIGHT”.  It’s a little sad that Jin here is heavily under auto-tune and some of the things he says are muddled.  It’s got a good beat and the bassist is heard moreso than the band which is great, (he’s a cutie).  Anyway, good B-side

3. LONELY NIGHT -FM80’z all night Boyz RMX-

Yay!, HSB’s first remix and it’s of LONELY NIGHT!  Really, there’s not much to really report about the remix except it replaces the normal band’s sound with an edgier electronica sound so that might cater to some people right?

 

 

Third release from the group and they’re showing diversity with their music.  Kanaetai Yume ga Aru is a pretty serious song (especially once you watch the PV) and it makes a great point, but the auto-tune has to go…you can’t really be serious with that going on IMO.  CRASH CRASH continues the cool synth route and fits better.  LONELY NIGHT’s remix doesn’t fully make a turnaround difference, but it’s nice to have an electronica based remix that doesn’t sound like Jin’s working.

High Speed Boyz – LONELY NIGHT November 4, 2009

Track Listing

1. LONELY NIGHT
2. HOLD ME TIGHT

1. LONELY NIGHT

I was surprised to hear that LONELY NIGHT wasn’t as strong a song like “CHILDHOOD’S END” was.  First off the track is more combined towards dance and electronica and not more rockish and wild.  It’s still a pretty good track though because it’s just as catchy and JIN is under vocoder big time here.  Might bring in new fans I’ll bet.

2. HOLD ME TIGHT

HOLD ME TIGHT feels more like a traditional J-rock song w/o all the glitz and glamour of the synth majoring itself in the song.  They’re still there but not as much as the rest of the band is.  It’s a bit more like “CHILDHOOD’S END” if you get that picture.  Jin is singing a little worse here in “LONELY NIGHT” but I guess it’s alright.

 

 

LONELY NIGHT is rather the a mirror image of their debut.  What I mean is that LONELY NIGHT is the synth heavy tune while HOLD MEW TIGHT is the more J-rock formed song.  Not bad, not bad, but I hope that both will make it on their debut album

High Speed Boyz – CHILDHOOD’S END September 13, 2009

Track Listing

1. CHILDHOOD’S END
2. BAD CITY

1. CHILDHOOD’S END

I was surprised to see that CHILDHOOD’S END has a mix of electronica mixed in with the group’s rock sound.  It wasn’t surprising that the lead singer, Jin sounds a little bit like FLOW’s singer, maybe deeper.  As it’s their first A-side, it doesn’t get good until the hard-hitting chorus.  Then again, it helps that the video was pretty freaky too.  I think it’s a very good debut A-side.

2. BAD CITY

This was actually their first song that was released as a digital single before this and boy does start off kind of different.  A synth melody begins before Jin and the boys come in and it definitely sounds like something GReeeeN or FLOW would release an that’s more or less a good thing.  I like that BAD CITY has a consistent sound and Jin sometimes goes into auto-tune mode as well which makes it a cool listen.

 

 

Even though already they have been pointed out to be somewhat of a GReeeeN clone because Jin is related to one of their members and is a producer for em, I’m guessing he wants to get out and do something of his and I think it’s really good because I love the synth mixed in with rock and they’ve so far got it right.