TSUKI-USAGI

A delightful, well-balanced, dramatic rock theatre ... this rock quintet Tsuki-Usagi have showed us such a fantasy. A while before I've met the bassist Tatsuya, a nice guy and a splendid musician with strong intention for their soundscape. So sad they can gig only once or twice a year recently around Tokyo but their eternal dreams can be heard via the whole eponymous album. A bit not appropriate they be called as a keyboard-based combo (because they are added in Neo-Prog subgenre) and all instruments (especially the rhythm section) work quite excellently and get matured well. Tsunehiro's guitar crying is pretty enthusiastic and Jun's keyboard sound launcher is another killer. Rena's flute play sounds like a clear blue sky after a snowstorm, and Tatsuya / Tadashi's strict rhythm gang should construct their vision of music completely. Their composition is a tad pop and catchy for so-called progressive rock but I guess all of them produced such a dramatic, dreamy pop-ish texture with intention or something. A colourful series of sound vision, kaleidoscopic alteration of scenes can be heard especially in their masterpiece suite "Shadow In The Mirror ~ The Memory Of The Windy" ... their energetic and powerful hard edged rock organized with their technical plays and delicate, sensitive calmness created with their peace of mind on the contrary ... an awesome one indeed. On the other hand, sorry but let me say I cannot find innovative vibes via the album, and at the same time it's a great pity they cannot show such a theatrical stage so many times ... their unified instrumental acts can let us enjoy much, with a brilliant razor beam of moonlight. Not only for Neo-Prog fans but also for pop of Fantasia ones, the album should be enjoyable really. Bravo for all rabbits upon the moon!

This Japanese band and their debut album takes us back to the days when Japan had a strong symph prog scene. Bands like Mugen & co.

This band with the strange name is a through and through neo-prog band though. The songs are pretty long and has some symphonic traits. They are very melodic though and the songs are not that technical and intricate details driven. The music is a mix of British neo-prog and Japanese symph prog too. In short; good keyboards and guitar solos with Japanese pop and folk music flavours. The female vocals is typical Japanese. I am now very confused because the songs has English titles. But the vocals sounds very Japanese to me and I cannot detect any English words. Anyway, the vocals are a bit of an aquired taste and demands an open mind. I think they are great, though.

My gripe is the lack of any really great tracks here. The fourteen minutes long Message is the best song here. But that and the other songs tends to be a bit too anonymous. But this is still a good album and a very welcome addition to the scene. I sincerely hope that this band will follow up this album with more albums and they have been put on my watch list. Fans of neo prog should both get this album and put the band on their watch list too.

3 stars