It's tough to listen to Triangle (officially "▵" but that's too much like the whole Prince name thing) for more than 30 seconds without crushing boredom setting in. Of course that's exactly the point and purpose of all that Perfume represents. Even their name suggests that a brief whiff is better than a deep and prolonged inhalation. To fill your lungs is to drown.
That's not to say that there aren't a few things here and there to grab onto, only that much of the Triangle landscape is compressed and normalized into a smooth, featureless surface. (Actually, there are exactly two attention grabbers, the hard hitting and slightly strange "Edge" and super smooth and delightfully retro "Night Flight.") The group's signature robotic Auto-Tune style is, of course, in full effect and is the largest contributing factor to the aforementioned boredom. The three girls are completely robbed of any of their own personality. There is nothing human or personal in their performances. They are not human girls, they are pure fantasy. There isn't a single word on Triangle that came from a human throat. They are the Hello Kitty of the pop music world, a blank canvas on which their fans can project whatever personal, inner fantasy they may want to believe.
[more trash-talk and video clips after the jump]
Of course Perfume isn't entirely to blame for the onslaught of fake pop that has surged to prominence in recent years. Indeed the true evil here is the software package called Vocaloid. This is the same sort of text to speech tech seen on computers everywhere, only with the ability to alter the pitch and tempo. That's really all it is, yet the software has given birth to the biggest fake singer in history, Hatsune Miku, a real-world Sharon Apple. It is the idolization of this carbon-copy singing style that has allowed for equally fake groups like Perfume to become massive hits, much to the delight of major label execs everywhere, no doubt. Quite literally anyone with a computer can create a group like Perfume overnight, and at little to no expense. Add in digital distribution and it's nothing but profit all the way down.
As long as you're not looking for originality, complexity or any sign of a nail sticking up above the rest, you'll find a lot to love with Perfume. Really, this is pop music, not exactly the place to be looking for visionary song-writing or subtlety. When you have only a few seconds to grab someone during a TV commercial or while they shop in the local strip mall, you've got to go for the feel-good, toe tapping beat and little else. That's exactly what you get with Perfume. A beat, but no pulse.
You can buy the new Perfume album Triangle at CDJapan and AmazonJP.
I like pop but some pop music is just terrible. That was pretty bad. I couldnt even make it past half way in all three of those videos. They're pretty though.
I'll admit, I own Perfume ~ Complete Best and it's good for when I need a pop-fix but the above three were pretty uninspired. I probably wouldn't rush out to find it.
Errm.. to begin with, the fact that you said that "It's tough to listen to Triangle for more than 30 seconds" proves how closed minded you are. You DO know that you need to listen to a song at least 10 times before judging it, right? A song must grow on you. Those songs you like from the first time basically get old faster than songs you take time to like. Please, go "listen" to the album before juding it.
Secondly, I lol @ your words. To be honest, they're by far the most ignorant words a reviewer would use. Seriously, are you kidding me? Did you really listen to the album well enough?
I've been a Perfume fan for several years now, and I hate to say it, but I kind of agree with Zac. Now, it's not as vapidly mind-numbing as he makes it out to be, but aside from the already released singles and B-sides, it does seem to lack....something. I can't quite put my finger on it. The good songs have a memorable, catchy hook, but the others seem...flat and uninspired. I'll have to listen to it some more before I can figure it out. I'm still a fan though.
Sorry, not if it's meant to be pop music. Pop music should INSTANTLY grab you. If it's meant to be deep and layered and complex, then that should also be obvious from the start, but it most certainly isn't pop music. Pop music is hooks, hooks and more hooks. I knew right away from the short TV ads that I loved "Night Flight." I wanted to hear the entire thing right away. The rest of the album just falls short.
I really liked the early stuff I heard from Perfume (I probably listened to "Computer World" five times in a row every day for a couple weeks), including their album GAME. Side note, I forgot that I reviewed that also:
Anyway, on the surface, the general style of Perfume and everything else Nakata Yasutaka has done (Capsule, MEG, Coltemonikha etc.) is top quality. What I'm saying is that the cracks are starting to show, and I don't think that this new hyper-compressed/Auto Tune thing is going to last much longer. Triangle is the first fumble toward that end.
The major problem I think people have is being able to take a step back and look at their favorite bands and idols rationally. For instance, I love Polysics in a huge way, but I'm very worried that they are working too fast and producing too much music. It's starting to effect their overall quality. I really wish they would take a bit of a break and really dig deep down into a new album for a solid year or more, instead of releasing a new album every year (along with singles and videos and live DVDs...that's a non-stop process.) That feeling doesn't make me love them any less. But if you're not willing to look critically at your idols, then maybe they aren't deserving of your idolatry.
Oh, and if you are coming in from some outside post and don't know who I am or what Japanator is all about, please poke around. Maybe download one or two of the 100+ hours of Japanator Radio I've done. Look for the Best Of 2007 and 2008 posts featuring almost 100 albums that I've put together. Maybe even read up on the 280 bands I've profiled both here and on my own blog.
Well I have to admit that Triangle wasn't exactly their
best album...
You still have to know they DO have personalities
and if you watch their shows you'll know, but I may be wrong since they are idols but who knows maybe thats really them,"fake groups like Perfume..."
I'm not even gonna bother with this ridiculous statement...
Zac. The way you critisized the album was obviously not based on anything; it's obvious that you just closed the songs after 10 seconds.
" "A song must grow on you." Sorry, not if it's meant to be pop music. Pop music should INSTANTLY grab you."
Says who..? A song you like the second you listen to is a song that dies, it's a song that seems fun but when it grows on you, you get to discover how it's not that special. All three types exist, and a song that grows on you exists just as songs that're instantly likable exists. You can't, by anyway, judge Triangle before listening to it for more than a week. Trust me, I was thinking similiar [not exactly, you were just too harsh], and the songs started growing on me.. now I basically listen to them 24/7. The album isn't as bad as you claim, you just mis-judged it.
Zac. The way you critisized the album was obviously not based on anything; it's obvious that you just closed the songs after 10 seconds.
" "A song must grow on you." Sorry, not if it's meant to be pop music. Pop music should INSTANTLY grab you."
Says who..? A song you like the second you listen to is a song that dies, it's a song that seems fun but when it grows on you, you get to discover how it's not that special. All three types exist, and a song that grows on you exists just as songs that're instantly likable exists. You can't, by anyway, judge Triangle before listening to it for more than a week. Trust me, I was thinking similiar [not exactly, you were just too harsh], and the songs started growing on me.. now I basically listen to them 24/7. The album isn't as bad as you claim, you just mis-judged it.
FL: I did listen to the album from start to finish three times. It never got any more interesting, and in fact only become more and more homogeneous and flat the more I listened to it.
Of COURSE if you only listen to this album over and over a million times, you'll start to find things to like. But that's like staring at a one inch square section of blank wall until you eventually start seeing slight variances in texture. Just because you see the fine details doesn't mean they are interesting.
I would never review an album I hadn't completely listened to several times. This goes for the 100+ albums I've reviewed both here and in OUSA Magazine. I didn't pan Triangle because I had anything to prove, I did it because I really think it's a limp album that's an obvious cash-in. I have no problem with commercial albums meant to rake in the money, but only if they are also well written. It CAN happen! There are plenty of other pop albums out there that are actually worth checking out, something which I will be addressing very shortly, so stay tuned!
I don't think it's fair to compare Perfume with Hatsune Miku as a whole. The vocals aren't generated the same way, Perfume isn't based on a text-to-speech synthesizer (at least wasn't). And that's why the vocals sound a lot better than in the vocaloid music. However, this album does sound a lot like vocaloid music, especially "The best thing", and it's sad to see them go down that road. I do think that they've somewhat lost their touch. All of their singles are good in my opinion, but even in GAME some of the songs were pretty much "meh". Track 6 to 10 in Triangle pretty much sucks, it was pretty hard to keep myself from skipping them.
I'd recommend people to stay away from Triangle and get their singles instead, unless they want to pay for a whole album only because of NIGHT FLIGHT.
I know there are other groups out there, but the difference isn't much, and to be honest Perfume showed a level of uniqueness I pretty much adore. Like, Capsule for an example, they're supposed to be somesort of gods in this, but really the essence Perfume provides beats Capsule up. They add a passionate fun live touch to songs, and prevent it from turning into cold heartless techno trance tracks.
Errm, it doesn't work that way for me; I tried liking songs by listening to them alot, and it never works. Triangle already attracted me to like it, and it also grew on me way more. I tried listening to songs I hate alot [to eventually like them], and I really just hated them even more.
Kiss & Music has this R'n'B essence to it, and the beats are pretty sweet/original. The best thing is obviously one of the best songs in the album. I still love U is one of their epic kinda-slow songs [like Seventh Heaven]. Edge remix is obviously Heavenly. love the world is a record breaker [my favourite song]. Dream Fighter is a fun song to listen to, never gets boring. Take off is a good album starter. Zero Gravity and Sound of Music take their time to grow on you. Negai is a sweet v2 of wonder2. The album isn't bad, it's good.
I really like this album, perhaps not as much as GAME though. I do agree that having their voices vocodered does lose the personality of their voices but I just treat the songs as very clever electronica, which it is.
Perfume do show a lot of personality in their shows and concerts, perhaps that's why I never thought about them losing any. Maybe they can't sing very well or with particular character and the auto-tune hides but they are amazing performers. Triangle is a great listen and an excellent reminder of last years Budokan concert. However, if there is another album like this, what with Triangle being so similar to GAME, it will get old.
I personally loved this album, just because I really enjoy how different this is compared to GAME. I guess some people have different tastes, to each it's own.
It's true that Perfume are difficult to judge based on their music alone. I caught them at Ishimaru for the Fanservice Bitter release meet & greet. Being the only gaikokujin in the room, I blended into the background and saw how Perfume fans behave. They have all of the dances memorized. They keep pictures, learn lyrics, create gifts for the girls, etc. For them, Perfume is not just music, it's a lifestyle. But it's this lifestyle that can keep them from seeing the bad stuff. A clunker single. The girls' fear of overly zealous fans (There were a couple present). The constant demand for "idoru" perfection.
Triangle is a typical Perfume album, and the fans will defend it to the death, no matter what. Not because they believe it's a musical masterpiece, but because it's an aural experience. It's about what the music represents, who created it and how it makes you feel.
Maybe, as not all fans have experienced Perfume, aside from the music, we expect too much. They are a plastic, corporate created, image-based idol group...and I mean that in the nicest sense. I don't expect a lot of musical depth, reflection or diversity from them, nor do they offer it. And I'm ok with that.
But I do recognize that even the simplest, polished gem can still have cracks in it.
I have all of Perfume's music including this CD now it arrived in the post this morning and I have to say I wish I hadn't bothered! It felt as if it wasn't even an album. I mean love the world and dream fighter are great songs but to put them on triangle (love the world especially) is like saying "we didn't have much to put on here so we just threw a few older songs on".
Night Flight is absolutely fantastic I have to admit but I think I still Love u and The Best Thing are quite good. I didn't like Edge just because its too much nakata and not enough perfume.. and as for all the other songs (excluding one room disco of course) they were all crap as far as im concerned! Maybe they would've done better to put One Room Disco, Dream Fighter, Night Flight and The Best Thing into like another Fan Service (lol fan service {pino}) because I think the sheer crapness of the bad songs takes shine off the ones that are actually good.
Be careful, I awaiting for Album arrive into mail.
Only heard Singles and "Night Flight" and "I still love U" because of pretty Music Video created for it.
That said, I can't wait for this Album. I have to be honest though. I disliked "love the world" from the very get go, hated "Dream Fighter" instantly and despised "One Room Disco" immediately.
I've just recently fallen in love with "love the world" and nothing has changed as far as the other 2 are concerned and the only B-Side worth mentioning is "edge" which I fell in love with, got engaged and eloped with from the moment of conception. That should speak volumes concerning the other B-Sides which I like to think don't exist. Although I heard a rather infectious remixed version of 23:30 put over the "ill-matched" Music Video that Perfume was featured in looking all sexy and demure and grew to love that version in one sitting. Unfortunately "edge" is not a song I can just pop on and listen to at anytime. I have to be in the right specific kind of mood and have long breaks away from it inbetween before I can come back and listen to it, kind of like marriage, or so I hear and see. So it's a good song that I don't listen to often. I must say I'm not a fan of the chorus and bridge though. Just the verses and the very end where it gets crazy and they start overlapping each other.
Did you need to know my whole backstory concerning these Singles/Songs? No, but I had nothing else to do. :/
So I'll continue uninterrupted:
Up to that point, before I had started liking "love the world", I had no intentions on getting their next unannounced upcoming Album. Then I heard "NIGHT FLIGHT", the previews that is, and that sealed the deal. I was going to get that Album. Some may say that's stupid but yeah. Not to mention I was bound to like some of the Album tracks anyway right?
So I had "NIGHT FLIGHT" and I just started liking "love the world". So I had that going for me. Then I just saw and heard the "I still love U" Music Video and loved that instantly. So I have that going for me. And I've heard nothing but good things about the "edge" ~Triangle Mix~. And after more pondering, I realized that I couldn't imagine not getting the Album even if I didn't like any of the Singles because again, I still had the Album tracks to look forward to. Couldn't just give up on the whole Album could I? I think I was just disgruntled and caught up in the moment of sucky Singles and making claims I didn't really mean. I'd like to think that even without haven heard "NIGHT FLIGHT" that I would have still given this Album a chance.
And just based off of everything else I know and like about Perfume concerning their career and music I just can't agree with this review. I actually think it's miraculous how while even vocorded they get their emotions and personality through most of their songs. Eventually you're just able to discern their vocorded voices from each other.
A-Chan has the deep mature voice.
Nocchi's is somewhere in the middle but the most recognizable and the one with the most character and my favorite voice to listen to.
And Kashiyuka has the little cutesy girl "I was raped as a child" voice.
That said, keep in mind I'm referring to their vocorded voices. Without vocal manipulation, I wouldn't be interested in them because I don't like their natural voices or at least the songs they use to sing before they got all vocorded. Maybe if they started off singing the kind of music their singing now in their natural voices I wouldn't have an issue with their voices and they could still pull it off. Look at Britney. She can't sing, but they still pull it off without vocording her all up. Who knows? Even so, they really aren't amazing singers. Well I've seen some old lives and they can do a little something something MAYBE, most noticeable A-Chan but that's it. Let's just say I have their "COMPLETE BEST" Album and I'm not a fan. I basically bought it for "Electro World" (Which the reviewer here typoed as "Computer World" in his review up above. Maybe he meant "Computer City", but a typo nonetheless) and "Perfect Star Perfect Style" (Which the 2nd commenter up above, ert47, typoed as "Secret Star Secret Style", which gave me a good laugh).
So yeah. No offense to the reviewer. Everyone has their musical taste and I respect it if you don't like this kind of music or don't like a particular song, but to just trash Perfume altogether and to discredit most, if not all, that they've done and what they do (Really what Yasutaka Nakata has done and still does), I can't get behind that and I wholeheartedly disagree and would go as far as to say that you're biased and wrong on those particular accounts.
Sad for me 2 weeks for to wait in mail for Album. Hope only comes more faster than guess.
[quote]SIR IF YOU DONT KNOW WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT, SHUT THE FUCK UP
SHOW ME SOME AMERICAN MUSIC THAT COULD COMPARE TO THIS!!!!
YOUR FUCKING STUPID[/quote]
CAPS IS FOR COOL PEOPLE WITH LOTS OF THEM INTELLIWRENCH, NO WAIT THAT IS NOT RIGHT... 0o
Wow, i'm amazed at the negative comments aimed at Zac on this one. Granted, not everyone is going to see eye to eye, but Zac has done a TON of honest reviewing of many Japanese bands over the years. I certainly haven't agreed with everything that's been said, but you've got to at least respect an opinion that isn't blowing smoke or isn't just rampant fanboy babble.
To the folks from Perfume City Forums, and seriously this is not an attack but a serious question... it seems a lot of people may be disappointed with the new album, so what's wrong with pointing out why?
This review seems totally off-base to me. For one thing, the words "Yasutaka Nakata" do not appear anywhere in the actual review, and Nakata is only referenced in a comment made by the reviewer while trying to defend his credentials.
Despite what anyone may think, Perfume isn't anything resembling a "band." The girls write none of the music, cannot actually sing (witness this embarrassing live performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3DheLP03vY), and are essentially just robotic dancing dolls used in order to give a sexy image to the songs.
I'm not trying to insult them. They may be very sweet girls, but criticizing this album for having a lack of personality from them is a joke.
Nakata has been quoted at being irritated and disappointed at his lack of recognition as an artist, largely due to how Perfume and other idols that he produces for are marketed. Not only that, this cannot be considered his "serious" music. This is pop, and I get a very strong impression that Nakata writes music for Perfume in the mood of being joyful, danceable and fun, and saves his more sincere musical introspection for Capsule.
That being said, I thought that this album was a huge improvement over "Game." Some of the songs here have some real emotional resonance. "I still love U" in particular struck me as having a remarkably emotional vibe for a Perfume song. "Edge" also raises an eyebrow, sounding much more like something that Nakata would produce for Capsule.
Some of the songs, especially near the end of the album, become more bland and forgettable, but honestly you can say the same thing about the majority of pop albums ever produced. The less memorable stuff tends to be stuck somewhere near the end.
Anyway, if you really think that "the Triangle landscape is compressed and normalized into a smooth, featureless surface," you need to listen to this album on headphones. This is some of Nakata's most impressive work in terms of technical precision, and there's a whole lot of stuff going on that won't be picked up unless you're listening carefully.
This album should be viewed as the maturing work of one of Japan's finest producers, not as a disappointingly impersonal presentation from three women who are in reality only there for window dressing.
I have to agree with the reviewer. Triangle is not as good as Game is.
I have listened to Triangle probity 19 times by now and it just does not make you want more.
Sure their are the singles like "Love the world" and "ORD" and "Night Flight" that is IMHO are the strongest song writing wise but the over all sound of over processing the Girls voices like in "I still Love You " is too over the top.
Unless you really know the girls voices you can't tell whos singing.
Another thing is I think that Yasutaka Nakata tried to impose the "Capsule Sound" with the song writing here hoping that If you liked those new songs then you would go to Capsule CD's.
BAD IDEA !!
May be he is running out of ideas for good songs or something, but you don't change something if it works.
I go back to Game and think "yes this I could listen to over and over" as well as the Complete Best album.
But triangle just does not stick to you.
Another thing is the sound quality.
TOO MUCH COMPRESSION !!
This goes for all Perfume songs in general.
All the life is sucked out of the girls voices and keyboard sounds. That distortion you hear in the songs is caused by over compressing the sound so that every thing is just loud. There is no dynamics in the music at all.
It would sound 10 times better if he was easy on the compression.
( look up the loudness wars on youtube to hear what Im talking about )
Of all the songs I have heard by perfume "macaroni" off the Game album is the best mix he has ever done.
You can easily hear whos singing even though the processing is on the girls voices. There is depth to the bass drum in the beginning of the song.
The voices have an effect but it is not over bearing as to loose touch to the original sound of their voice..
I wish all the songs sounded as good a Macaroni.
But Perfume is about their live show and their incredible dance routines.
I can watch Live at Budoukann over and over and never get tired of it.
If Yasutaka Nakata put as much time in Learning how to tweak a mix as Perfume puts in perfecting their dance then maybe we would have something here.
But...Great song writers usually don't make great mixers. The art of mixing as a another thing.
Something that unfortunately is lost with the younger generation.
Mixing a great mix is a acquired skill that takes years to develop.
Just getting a coumputer with a mix board IS NOT the way to teach your self how to mix.
You have to learn from veterans in the field.
And the proof is the Nakata's mixes and not constant
So we will just have to wait and see if he gets better in the future.
36 comments
I'm still interested in checking this out.