QuruRip

2006年07月19日

I got your new singles a couple of weeks ago, they were totally awesome. I mean you guys don't really need DJ Fumiya to turn out great songs. It just doesn't feel complete without Fumiya but you guys are fine on your own. I know your fans think Fumiya is needed and thats why your last single/s stank. But I dont think that's the case. You want me to tell you what's the problem?

Your stinking promotion. You get in a couple of magazines, do a bit of parading with the radio show. Get on your regular Music Station. But you know what would be great? More TV appearances. Go on, dont be shy. And not just that, but the Music Station thing was waaay too delayed. Ravi was creeping back up after that. But before its great early appearance, it fell quick.

I don't want to condemn you guys, but if you want the sales, you'll have to play by their rules.

Thanks.

Nonetheless I did get the singles, the shiny 3D cover is impossible to scan. Or so I assume. I may try later. The booklet has a little embossing of sorts which was previously featured on their Good Job album. I may admit the bsides do sound a bit mediocre but I tend to reserve final judgement till further listening.

I apologise for my lack of updates. The love is still there but my mind is too tired sometimes. And well life is ever changing.

In a bid to try to be exciting and interesting, I will attempt to make the blog livelier and maybe shuffle with some new things. I may look into dropping the formal tone. Getting a bit edgy. Throwing ideas just to hear people object. That kind of thing.

Rip Slyme may grow old but our love wont!

(17:28)

2006年07月05日

If you haven't bought at least one of the singles it's possibly because you're living under a very deep hole. Seriously? Well it seems that the long wait has paid off. People have hit stores and bought their weight in the newest singles.

Oricon finally released their daily report of singles and who's sitting in not just the 2nd but 3rd spot? It's "Lovi" followed by Juice. Number one belongs to Mr Children, not surprising of course. However it seems that people like Lovi more than Juice but only slightly. This result is a lot more pleasing than their past efforts, obtaining such a good result beating Misia, Aqua Timez, Garnet Crow & Tommy Heavenly6. Of course the main question is how long this will stand and whether the other acts will beat the round.

Nonetheless look forward to Rip Slyme in possible music shows!

(20:19)

2006年06月25日

Rip Slyme & Quruli are going to perform their songs on Music Station according to reports on 2ch. On the 14th of July they will perform "Lovi" and on the 21st they will perform "Juice". Well time to guess how high these songs will hit on the charts.

On the other hand, a preview of Quruli's version of the "nightrider" b-side is available. Rip Slyme's version is available as well.

(18:11)

2006年06月15日

I'd like to think that the Rip Slyme guys are on their way on making an album. I mean Quruli's got one soon so why not them?

Well yeah there's Fumiya *mumble* *shuffle*.

However in the JUICE PV, they give a little shoutout to Fumiya which does imply that he did have a hand in making the tune (or else it'd be extremely bad taste?). I'm just saying this because if they don't make an album anytime soon, the tracks will all just be single tracks. And no one would buy the album, even me.

Nonetheless onto the PVs! I will upload them one day when my connection isn't coughing & spluttering. It sounded bad on paper in a sense. After all the Toyota gig was a one off thing. And Quruli fans thought it was absurd. Rip Slyme fans are happy that anything's going to be released. But above all they show a wonderfully charismatic performance where the collaboration isn't made just for the sake of having it done but rather their skills have created a nice solid song that will have you humming for days.

I'm starting with Juice, because it's the first one I saw. It's the one to be released on the Victor label and part of me is quite anxious to see which one will sell better. I mean every good fan will buy both but eventually you may face a dillema where you may have to only purchase one.

However onto the beauty that is the PV. I didn't know what to think of it when I first saw it. It was a nice setting, something that felt quite new in contrast to say, Hot Chocolate or Galaxy. It has me thinking of some Cat Empire video, there's definitely the band and the closeness. I must admit I was immediately drawn to Ilmari's baker boy's hat and Ryo-Z's new mohawk. Su even has a brand spanking new hat and Pes has gone back to his old regular haircut (which I am quite pleased of - though his tan really makes his pals look a wee bit pasty white). So while they wear some casual rags, they're in a small warehouse of sorts. And in a way it fits with the song, the music makes you think of a song made in a garage by a couple of friends.

And the PV really shows off the chemistry of the song. They're not seperate, they're playing the same tune together and Kishida shows that he can be a nutcase as well. I quite like the background, the pizza boxes and miscellany littered around. In a sense the PV shows off the whole Rip Slyme style. It's got the fun, the silliness and the great beats. And there is another thing I'd like to add. While the Hotei & Rip Slyme was a collaboration, it used two seperate songs, cut them up and sewed them back together. This song has the wonderful feeling of a collaboration done right. There is no fight for the stronger feel. Rip Slyme in a way are malleable enough to fit many things. Turning it out with their whacky style and Quruli has their fair share in the fun.

The chorus really hits me straight to the Quruli style. Kishida's ethereal whispers add something quite unique to the song. Rather than just making the song into "drums, brass, guitars and a whole lot of vocals", it creates the song as something you can chill or sway to. The Rip Slyme members do a great job. One thing they do great is make lyrics that flow. They don't dominate, they play with the tune and create a rhythm of their own. It's something that's just barely seen anymore. Rap has at times just being read slowly like poetry in a tuneless way to state a point or an empty blast of words that miss the mark. Rip Slyme are able to make these words into a rhythm of their own. Through their years of experience they show how at times it's not what they say but how they say it. Pes' verse is wonderfully laid back, it makes me think a bit of Space Breakers the way he helps set the tone of the song. In a way, he's the king of making the words feel good to listen to. He doesn't try to agressively dominate the song, instead he delivers a solid verse with endless enthusiasm.

On the other hand Ryo-Z's incredible energy helps really push the PV to the way it is. He's completely into the song, and personifies the way Rip Slyme are like in their concerts. They react to each other rather than try to get the song out of the way. Nonetheless his mohawk is a great eyegrabber in a sense. Though I must add that I did somehow ponder that Ryo-Z must have a lot of things to get off his chest. Why wasn't Juice a love song? Well Lovi (or more likely "la vie"?) is definitely one. And it pleases me as well that rather than listening to "catered for you" music, they're still channeling themselves. On the other hand, Su makes a great verse with this song. It's hard to think that he actually didn't like rapping originally, though he happily jokes about it now and then. Ilmari is just great. While Ryo-Z gives the firepower, Ilmari helps add to the creation of a comfortable atmosphere among friends. A friend did tell me that they had never seen him this comfortable in TB. And in a way it rings true. His expressions seem to add a very genuine effect. And while his verse is slightly melodic it's a melody he can carry very well. It's times like this he makes a great rapper and charismatic among Ryo-Z, Pes & Su.

Nonetheless did you like Lovi better? Or does Juice hit the right notes for you. I love both. It's hard for me to completely settle on just one. However I am glad at how this has turned out. Quruli and Rip Slyme do mix, in a way that helps wash down any pain of waiting and disappointment (Hey I didn't hate Hey, Brother but I didn't love it as much as this one). Will there be Music Station performances for this? I do remember a 2ch thread that posted a music station schedule where Rip Slyme was nowhere to be seen on June performances or the start of July. Hopefully they'll just have a slightly late performance. Oh and magazines, it's time to spend money again.

(17:50)

2006年05月08日

Well the Warner page used to have some information but it seems to have been removed. However Quruli has confirmed every single detail

■ くるりとリップスライム (Quruli and Rip Slyme)
「Juice」 c/w 「ナイトライダー 」 (Nightrider)
1000yen(tax in)〜 初回盤は3Dスペシャルジャケット使用 〜
from SPEED STAR RECORDS
VICL-36079

■ リップスライムとくるり (Rip Slyme and Quruli)
「ラブぃ」c/w 「ナイトライダー 」 (Rabi coupling with Nightrider)
1000yen(tax in)〜 初回盤は3Dスペシャルジャケット使用 〜
from WARNER MUSIC JAPAN
WPCL-10318

For both of the CDs, the first press include a special 3D Jacket of sorts. I'm imagining a sort of fold out sort of jacket unless it could be one of those tacky 3D images?

Nonetheless my idea of these CDs being released on each label. However I've been told that the coupling song for each single is different being a "Quruli version" or "Rip Slyme version".

I am vaguely imagining a Battle Royale of which band has the bigger fans. However it seems that multiple singles is a popular theme for this year in the music game. However I wonder if this counts as two new singles for Rip Slyme or just one?

And last but not least, will there be a Music Station performance for this single? Considering the last single just disappeared into nothingness. Quruli apparently has a track record of refusing the TV - I wonder if rules will be bent this time round?

(19:49)

2006年05月05日

Quruli's official page & Rip Slyme's Warner news page have both received updates again with the text "R x Q = ?" If say I was still unaware of Quruli's collaboration, I'd be fustrated and excited. My guess nonetheless of this new single/s is that one will be released on the Warner label and the other on the Victor. It definitely sounds exciting, hell I'd like to see something like a Rip Slyme-esque cover for the Victor CD and a Quruli type cover for the Warner one.

You may as well notice that this update is dated 5th of May. It's exactly two months from the rumoured release of this single. Whether it means something, I'm still working on it.

(15:38)

2006年05月04日

jbook.co.jp's releases page has listed two interesting entries:

2006/07/05 juice くるりとリップスライム 1000 yen
2006/07/05 ラヴぃ RIP SLYME*くるり 1000 yen

Wow. I mean wow. This would be great. It's interesting as hell.

But the other items releasing on the same day seem pretty tough. And it almost seems like Fumiya will take this entire year off. But patience!

(20:40)

2006年04月22日

Now this may all be speculation. And it hasn't appeared in any music news. However CD DVD.jp has already listed what sounds like a pretty legit looking pre-order entry on the single titled "JUICE".

くるり with RIP SLYME
Catalogue No. VICL 36079
Out 2006/07/05
Price: 1,000.- yen (952.- yen w/out tax)

Quruli is a massively famous three person rock band (according to Wikipedia) and it does pretty much sound like a little rumour that Rip Slyme and them would get together. I mean why cover two "very different" areas for something other than commercial gain (aka Battle Funkastic for Toyota)? Well firstly Hip Hop has connections in its history covering almost everything including punk rock (not really relevant but I'm just sick of people setting some sort of standard for "Hip Hop"). But secondly I guess the charisma of these guys are enough to be friends with such huge stars - or so I'd like to think.

Actually in an old Rip Locks segment Ilmari & Ryo-Z do mention that they have communicated with Quruli before. Apparently at a new years party if I remember. The question was "How to pronounce the new Quruli album". Ryo-Z mentions that he did ask Kishida in person about it. But Kishida seemed to be drunk and didn't really care.

Nonetheless. Let's hope this is a yes and that Rip Slyme are working up the food chain. Oh yeah and Fumiya better come back - I mean with an opportunity like this, they could be earning a lot more.

In other news, our favourite Halca of Halcali has recently turned 18 - look forward to their more adult themed rap of superannuation, political issues and Ryo-Z's stressful marriage life.

(16:29)