SGT.

sgt. is one of an active Japanese Post rock outfit. Their current ensemble is a typical three-piece rock outfit plus a female violinist - in fact her dry and avantgarde violin sounds should determine their musical point of view, I consider. Their musical style is called as 'soundtracks-like', that is, absolutely terrifically dramatic story should go through each of their songs.

First, Subarashiki Hikari! A solid rhythm guitar solo and a soft & smiley bed of piano...two characters, quite different from each other, push their sounds in front of us. And following that, exotically warm percussion comes and, little by little, sgt.s complex ability and activity surfaces over our head. Without suspicion, the key instrument of this song is an electric piano, but all are aggressively goin' ahead over the song, and especially the Oriental percussion should be important, I feel. Contrary to the previous track, in the second one Shujintachi No Dilemma Game, spacey and psychedelic noises, heavy bass riffs, remarkably avantgarde violin solo - all characters can construct the track completely. Anyway, it's correct they have said 'the dilemma game by prisoners' as the title of this song. Yup, absolutely they can hit the point! Mikiko's violin exactly shows the dissipated prisoners' minds. How do you feel? Next song Byaku-ya is, oh, what a psychedelic night I wanna shout! Keen violin sounds are important for expressing and expanding the dark and crazy nightmare here as well. Unstable repetitions remind us our colourful dreams overnight. Only six minute dream is massively heavy for us - with graceful but sharp-edged Mikiko's Japanese sword 'NIHON-TOH'. Koe Wo Dasite Kangaeru Hoh-Hoh? From a tape recorder or a radio? Various sounds and environments can pop up like 'plenty of toys from a toy box'. What?...the song title is in English, 'The way of consideration with speraking to myself', and I feel 'he' may think around again and again in the song. At last the style of this song gets steady as usual...hm, okay for him...but! Suddenly the scene has changed with uncomfortable noises...nervous nerves. Again a pleasant tune with a streaming violin solo follows that - impressive 'changes' around the track! In Saisei To Missitsu the rhythm-changeable opening is built by avantgarde violin and percussion - a good combination. After that, a confusingly scattered horn section can perform like a kaleidoscope - this can show completely 'a re-birth in an entombed room', with the gradual upsurge by all aggressive weapons (instruments). Well, visit the main stage of this story... Kioku No Shima No Tsuki to Ginga Wo Kowasite Hatsudensho Wo Tsukure - about 19 minute magnificent story... Solemn bells bullets and dry violin gun-shot-sounds go through our ears quietly and sadly. In spite of the shortness, the former track is very rigid and impressive with hard stuffs. Following this, the latter track gets started - the calm and graceful violin solo (same as in the previous track) swim on and in the synthesizer stream. Hmmm, I wonder if I have heard such a flow somewhere...where? However, there is simultaneously fresh air I've not met yet. Gradually rock flavour added, Mikiko's violin sounds get sharper and harder. b Wonderful scene we can watch...believe me...classical sounds like Curved Air's 'Vivaldi', and violently avantgarde ones like 'Ultravivaldi' - we can enjoy both of them! The last has an activity to break all away. Mamma mia! And...the key on the last track Mu No Yuragi is an immensely loud guitar with jazzy percussion and horn section. There are various elements - avantgarde, jazzy, psychedelic, heavy, and...Enka in my opinion! (Enka, a old Japanese folk genre, can impress the Oriental mind like of me!)

We cannot breathe enough till the end. Perfectly enjoyable!